Abstract: Process for the preparation of hydrogen and carbon monoxide rich gas by steam reforming of hydrocarbon feedstock in presence of a steam reforming catalyst supported as thin film on the wall of a reactor, comprising steps of (a) optionally passing a process gas of hydrocarbon feedstock through a first reactor with a thin film of steam reforming catalyst supported on walls of the reactor in heat conducting relationship with a hot gas stream; (b) passing effluent from the first reactor to a subsequent tubular reactor being provided with a thin film of steam reforming catalyst and/or steam reforming catalyst pellets and being heated by burning of fuel, thereby obtaining a partially steam reformed gas effluent and a hot gas stream of flue gas; (c) passing the effluent from the second reactor to an autothermal reformer; and (d) withdrawing from the autothermal reformer a hot gas stream of product gas rich in hydrogen and carbon monoxide.

Abstract: A system is shown for injecting a chemical, such as an odorant, from a chemical supply into a fluid containing system such as a natural gas pipeline. A tank of odorant is maintained under a positive pressure which exceeds that of the pipeline. An injection conduit communicates the odorant tank with the pipeline. A precise control flow valve, located within the injection conduit, meters odorant to be injected into the pipeline. The odorant is metered on a dropwise basis with individual drops of chemical being counted as they pass through the flow valve into the injection conduit and into the natural gas pipeline.

Abstract: An appliance for the gasification of carbon- and ash-containing fuel, residual and waste materials using an oxygen-containing oxidizing agent at temperatures above the melting point of the inorganic fractions, in a reaction chamber which is designed as an entrained-bed reactor, at pressures between atmospheric pressure and 80 bar, preferably between atmospheric pressure and 30 bar, the contour of the reaction chamber being delimited by a cooled reactor wall. The cooled reactor wall having the following structure, from the outside inward: a pressure shell, a cooling wall, a water-cooled gap between the pressure shell and the cooling wall, a ceramic protection for the cooling wall, and a layer of slag. The pressure and temperature of the cooling gap between the pressure shell and the cooling wall is controlled in such a way that it can be operated above and below the boiling point of the cooling water. The pressure in the cooling gap is higher than the pressure in the gasification chamber.

Abstract: A method of producing hydrogen by reforming a hydrocarbon or an aliphatic alcohol. The method includes preparing a columnar catalytic member having many axial passages and containing a reforming catalyst, a shift catalyst and an oxidation catalyst; preparing a reformable gas containing a hydrocarbon or an aliphatic alcohol and water vapor mixed together; rotating the columnar catalytic member, while passing the gas therethrough transversely with respect to its cross-section such that the gas first flows along a forward path extending in one direction through a first portion of the axial passages and then flows along a backward path extending in the other direction through a second portion of the axial passages, thereby causing the gas to undergo reforming and shift reactions to form hydrogen for recovery, while the gas makes a round trip along the forward and backward paths; and introducing an oxygen containing gas into the forward path and/or the backward path.

Abstract: A process heater is provided utilizing flameless combustion, the process heater having: an oxidation reaction chamber, the oxidation reaction chamber having an inlet for oxidant, an outlet for combustion products, and a flow path between the inlet and the outlet; a fuel conduit capable of transporting a fuel mixture to a plurality of fuel nozzles within the oxidation reaction chamber, each nozzle providing communication from within the fuel conduit to the oxidation chamber, with each nozzle along the flowpath between the inlet and the outlet; a preheater in communication with the oxidation chamber inlet, the preheater capable of increasing the temperature of the oxidant to a temperature resulting in the combined oxidant and fuel from the fuel nozzle closest to the oxidation chamber inlet being greater than the autoignition temperature of the combined oxidant and fuel from the fuel nozzle closest to the oxidation chamber inlet; and a process chamber in a heat exchange relationship to the oxidation reaction cha

Abstract: An apparatus for carrying out a multi-step process of converting hydrocarbon fuel to a substantially pure hydrogen gas feed includes a plurality of reaction zones arranged in a common reaction chamber. The multi-step process includes: providing a fuel to the fuel processor so that as the fuel reacts and forms the hydrogen rich gas, the intermediate gas products pass through each reaction zone as arranged in the reactor to produce the hydrogen rich gas.

Abstract: A fuel cell system including a fuel reforming processor having a catalyst therein constructed and arranged to produce a reformate stream including hydrogen and carbon monoxide, a water gas shift reactor downstream of the fuel reforming processor and wherein the water gas shift reactor includes a catalyst therein constructed and arranged to reduce the amount of carbon monoxide in the reformate stream, a preferential oxidation reactor downstream of the water gas shift reactor and wherein the preferential oxidation reactor includes a catalyst therein constructed and arranged to preferentially oxidize carbon monoxide into carbon dioxide and to produce a hydrogen-rich stream, and a fuel cell stack downstream of the preferential oxidation reactor constructed and arranged to produce electricity from the hydrogen-rich stream, a first direct water vaporizing combustor constructed and arranged to combust fuel producing a high-temperature fuel combustion byproducts exhaust and to produce steam from water sprayed into th

Abstract: A reformer for a solid state polymer electrolyte fuel cell includes a burner 1 forming a flame, a reforming portion 2 surrounding the burner and having an exhaust port 22 and exhausting a reformed gas from the exhaust port 22; and a heat exchanger 4 having a higher temperature side, the higher temperature side being connected directly with the exhaust port 22 of the reforming portion 2, the heat exchanger 4 establishing heat exchange between the reformed gas and a raw material gas.

Abstract: A Fischer-Tropsch-based hydrocarbon conversion process involves compressing air in a compressor section of a gas turbine, delivering a portion of the compressed air to a combustor of the gas turbine, delivering a portion of the compressed air to a Fischer-Tropsch hydrocarbon conversion unit, extracting thermal energy from the combustor and delivering it to the Fischer-Tropsch hydrocarbon conversion unit, converting light hydrocarbons into heavier hydrocarbons in the Fischer-Tropsch hydrocarbon conversion unit, and delivering combustion gases from the combustor to an expansion section of the gas turbine. A heat recovery steam generator (HRSG) may also be used to harness waste heat from the expansion section. A conversion system for converting light hydrocarbons into heavier hydrocarbons includes a turbine from which heat energy is removed and used to assist in converting hydrocarbons and whereby greater throughput of the turbine is possible.

Abstract: A reforming catalyst is composed of a plurality of catalyst layers arranged in series, and when started from a low temperature, preheated air is supplied in parallel to a point upstream of each catalyst layer, thereby the catalyst in each layer is self-heated simultaneously so that the catalyst is heated. After the catalyst is heated, feed of air is temporarily stopped, and supply of fuel gas is started. Next, air is supplied while controlling its flow rate so that temperatures in the catalyst do not exceed the temperature that the catalyst can withstand. Thus, no other special equipment is needed, and the catalyst can be started quickly (cold start). The catalyst can be made compact enough to install it in a electric vehicle.

Abstract: A hydrogen producing apparatus comprising: a reforming section having a reforming catalyst which causes a reaction between a carbon-containing organic compound as a feedstock and water; a feedstock supply section for supplying the feedstock to the reforming section; a water supply section for supplying water to the reforming section; a heating section for heating the reforming catalyst; a shifting section having a shift catalyst which causes a shift reaction between carbon monoxide and water contained in a reformed gas supplied from the reforming section; and a purifying section having a purifying catalyst which causes oxidation or methanation of carbon monoxide contained in a gas supplied from the shifting section, wherein the shift catalyst comprises a platinum group metal and a metal oxide.

Abstract: This invention discloses improvements on previous inventions for catalytic conversion of coal and steam to methane. The disclosed improvements permit conversion of petroleum residua or heavy crude petroleum to methane and carbon dioxide such that nearly all of the heating value of the converted hydrocarbons is recovered as heating value of the product methane. The liquid feed is distributed over a fluidized solid particulate catalyst containing alkali metal and carbon as petroleum coke at elevated temperature and pressure from the lower stage and transported to the upper stage of a two-stage reactor. Particulate solids containing carbon and alkali metal are circulated between the two stages. Superheated steam and recycled hydrogen and carbon monoxide are fed to the lower stage, fluidizing the particulate solids and gasifying some of the carbon. The gas phase from the lower stage passes through the upper stage, completing the reaction of the gas phase.

Abstract: The invention concerns a method for producing a gas mixture containing hydrogen and carbon monoxide, and optionally nitrogen, from at least a hydrocarbon such as methane, propane, butane or LPG or natural gas, which comprises performing a partial catalytic oxidation of one or several hydrocarbons, at a temperature of 500° C., at a pressure of 3 to 20 bars, in the presence of oxygen or a gas containing oxygen, such as air, to produce hydrogen and carbon monoxide. Recuperating the gas mixture, which can subsequently be purified or separated, by pressure swing adsorption, temperature swing adsorption or by permeation, to produce hydrogen having a purity of at least 80% and a residue gas capable of supplying a cogeneration unit. In another embodiment, the gas mixture can subsequently be purified of its water vapor impurities and carbon dioxide to obtain a thermal treatment atmosphere containing hydrogen, carbon monoxide and nitrogen.

Abstract: A method for producing clean energy from coal by feeding the coal in a reactor which is sealed to the atmosphere and moving the coal in the reactor while injecting oxygen to combust a portion of the coal in a substoichiometric mode to devolatilize the coal and yield a pressurized hydrogen rich raw gas which contains coal-derived cancer causing distillates and hydrocarbons together with a hot char. The distillates and the hydrocarbons are cracked to result in a cracked gas of essentially 2H2 and 1CO which after desulfurization becomes an ideal synthesis gas that can be synthesized to a liquid fuel for heating and transportation as an alternate to petroleum. The hot char is gasified in an air blown gasifier to produce a fuel gas and a molten slag which are jointly directed out of the gasifier through a common port which is maintained open for the free flow of both.

Abstract: The present invention provides an apparatus for the production of hydrogen by the reformation of a hydrocarbon or aliphatic alcohol having a hollow cylindrical frame; a columnar catalytic member having a multitude of axial passages, mounted in and supported by the cylindrical frame so as to be rotatable relative thereto by a drive unit; a lid body, closing an upper end of the cylindrical frame and making a space immediately above the columnar catalytic member; a partition wall for subdividing the space into a first and a second independent space; a gas inlet port formed in the lid body for introducing a mixture gas of hydrocarbon or aliphatic alcohol and water vapor into the first space; a hydrogen outlet port formed in the lid body for recovering hydrogen generated from the second space; and an oxygen inlet port for introducing oxygen into a region of the catalytic member, wherein the oxygen inlet port may make further use of the gas inlet port and/or be additionally provided for communication with a closed