Abstract: A gas phase catalytic reactor comprising a metal vessel defining a confinement volume in which electromagnetic waves are generated at a frequency greater than 10 MHz. The confinement volume contains a porous catalyst which is heated by the electromagnetic waves and which has a flow of reactive gas passing therethrough. In order to guarantee that the gas reacts only when in contact with the catalyst, a heat exchanger is used to cool the gas suddenly as it leaves the confinement volume.

Abstract: Catalytic process for controlled oxidation of methane using microwaves, characterized in that it makes use of a catalyst exhibiting in its structure electrical charge defects and geometric deformations enabling it to absorb electromagnetic energy, or microwaves, under the effect of an electromagnetic field.

Abstract: The invention provides a microwave feeder or applicator, that is to say a resonant chamber for coupling to a source of microwaves, arranged for the microwave treatment of a sample of material, comprising two main conductive walls extending parallel to a common axial direction and each having two projections and a central part joining the two projections, the projections of the two walls facing one another in pairs whereas the central parts of the two walls likewise face one another and define a region in which there is a local increase in the distance between the two main walls; a first conductive end wall forming a short-circuit and extending in a plane forming a cross-section of the main walls; a second conductive end wall forming a second short-circuit extending in a plane forming a cross-section of the main walls, and a coupling means for supplying microwave energy to the feeder, the dimensions of the cavity formed by the main end walls being arranged so that the cavity resonates almost exclusively in the