Abstract: Disclosed is a new process and apparatus for steam reforming of any vaporizable hydrocarbon to produce H2 and CO2, with minimal CO, and no CO in the H2 stream, using a membrane steam reforming (MSR) reactor and flameless distributed combustion (FDC) which provides great improvements in heat exchange efficiency and load following capabilities to drive the steam reforming reaction. The invention also pertains to a zero emission hybrid power system wherein the produced hydrogen is used to power a high-pressure molten carbonate fuel cell. In addition, the design of the FDC-MSR powered fuel cell makes it possible to capture good concentrations of CO2 for sequestration or use in other processes.

Abstract: Disclosed is a new process and apparatus for steam reforming of any vaporizable hydrocarbon to produce H2 and CO2, with minimal CO, and no CO in the H2 stream, using a membrane steam reforming (MSR) reactor and flameless distributed combustion (FDC) which provides great improvements in heat exchange efficiency and load following capabilities to drive the steam reforming reaction. The invention also pertains to a zero emission hybrid power system wherein the produced hydrogen is used to power a high-pressure molten carbonate fuel cell. In addition, the design of the FDC-MSR powered fuel cell makes it possible to capture good concentrations of CO2 for sequestration or use in other processes.

Abstract: Disclosed is a new integrated flameless distributed combustion-membrane steam reforming (FDC-MSR) reactor apparatus for steam reforming of any vaporizable hydrocarbon to produce H2 and CO2, with minimal CO, and virtually no CO in the H2 stream. The flameless distributed combustion drives the steam reforming reaction which provides great improvements in heat exchange efficiency and load following capabilities. A further embodiment of the invention involves a zero emission hybrid power system wherein the produced hydrogen is used to power a high-pressure internally manifolded molten carbonate fuel cell. In addition, the design of the FDC-SMR powered fuel cell makes it possible to capture good concentrations of CO2 for sequestration or use in other processes.

Abstract: 1,3-propanediol is prepared from 3-hydroxypropanal in a process comprising the steps of:(a) contacting, at a temperature within the range of about 50.degree. to about 100.degree. C. and a pressure within the range of about 500 to about 5000 psig, ethylene oxide with carbon monoxide and hydrogen in an essentially non-water-miscible solvent in the presence of an effective amount of a non-phosphine-ligated cobalt or rhodium catalyst and an effective amount of a catalyst promoter under reaction conditions effective to produce an intermediate product mixture comprising less than 15 wt % 3-hydroxypropanal;(b) adding an aqueous liquid to said intermediate product mixture and extracting into said aqueous liquid a major portion of the 3-hydroxypropanal at a temperature less than about 100.degree. C.