Abstract: A device for the generation of synthesis gas with a plurality of catalyst-filled reformer tubes suspended in a pressure vessel, the reformer tubes being at least partially enveloped by jacket tubes intended to conduct product gas in an upward direction from a lower mixing chamber into the head space of the pressure vessel, the intended purpose of said device being to provide a solution, in particular for improving the mixing of the ensuing streams while simultaneously equalizing the heat transfer by mechanically simple and economical means.This is achieved by making the jacket tubes protrude beyond the ends of the reformer tubes thus forming an individual mixing chamber for each reformer tube.

Abstract: A method for treating carbonaceous material, e.g. waste oil containing PCB toxic materials, by effecting the pyrolytic gasification thereof to produce a relatively high BTU content gas that is substantially free of the toxic materials to supplement or substitute for natural gas. This is attained by a furnace in which the products of combustion are utilized to separately generate steam and to preheat a supply of carbonaceous material which may be mixed with water. The generated steam is mixed with the preheated carbonaceous material and passed through a premixing and/or a primary dynamic mixer wherein the preheated carbonaceous material and steam mixture is further heated to a temperature ranging between 1600.degree.-1800.degree. F. to effect a partial gasification of the carbonaceous material. The partially gasified material is thereafter directed through one or more secondary dynamic mixing chambers to be further heated in the presence of additional steam to complete the gasification thereof.

Abstract: An apparatus, process and use for making hydrogen from a hydrocarbon feedstock and steam using heat stored in a vessel followed by the regeneration of the vessel to restore the heat. Regeneration is done by preheating within the vessel a hydrogen purge gas and regeneration combustion products recycle and mixing the preheated gases with an oxygen containing gas so that they combust within the vessel in a fuel rich mode and heat material disposed in the vessel. This is the heat which is used in converting the hydrocarbon feedstock to hydrogen. The regeneration combustion products are recycled (and substituted for the cooling capacity of the oxygen containing gas) to recover the heat remaining in the vessel following the hydrogen make cycle simplifying reactor bed design and improving operational flexibility. The process is applied to provide hydrogen to a fuel cell.

Abstract: A process and an apparatus for atomizing a liquid hydrocarbon feed and injecting it into a reaction zone, such as a riser conversion zone or a dense fluid bed reactor of a fluid catalytic cracking unit, is disclosed. The hydrocarbon feed passes through a central passage with steam flowing concurrently in a concentrically aligned passage. By providing a flow restriction means in each hydrocarbon passage and each steam passage, substantially equal quantities of hydrocarbon and steam can be supplied to each of a plurality of hydrocarbon-steam nozzles so as to provide a uniform dispersion of small droplets of hydrocarbons.

Abstract: The overall conversion of coal to synthesis gas by pressurized counter-current gasification is improved by steam reforming the methane values in the gas and heating the steam reformer by means of a fluidized bed combustor fuelled by the coal fines which are too small to be employed in the gasification step. Coal can be crushed to increase the proportion of fines and/or conditions for gasifications and/or steam reforming varied so as to consume lump coal and fines in the desired ratio. The product gas may be used for methanol synthesis.

Abstract: A reforming furnace having a radiant section containing cracking tubes, a convection section and a stack is controlled so as to maintain a desired synthesis gas temperature unless such maintenance would result in the violation of a process constraint. The desired excess oxygen concentration in the combustion gases withdrawn from the radiant section is also maintained while maintaining the desired synthesis gas temperature. As for the convection section, the temperature of a fluid stream passing through the convection section is maintained while still maintaining a desired excess oxygen concentration in the stack gas.

Abstract: A method for thermally decomposing and gasifying either liquid or solid combustible material in a single reactor filled with working medium in a high active fluidization, said reactor being provided with two partitions, one of which is extended downwards upto the lower portion of the reactor, while the other is vertically extended at the lower and middle portions thereof substantially at a right angle to the first partition, whereby the reactor is divided into two sections, that is, thermal decomposition and gasification section and combustion and heating section, so that thermal decomposing and gasifying are performed by way of supplying the combustible raw material into the downwardly travelling working medium and at the same time supplying steam thereinto for generating and maintaining the high active fluidization of the working medium in the thermal decomposition and gasification section, while burning and heating are performed by way of supplying air or steam mixture gas of oxygen and steam into the upwa

Abstract: The hot effluent from the catalytic steam reforming of a major portion of a fluid hydrocarbon feed stream in the reformer tubes of a primary reformer, or said effluent after secondary reforming thereof, is mixed with the hot effluent from the catalytic steam reforming of the remaining portion of the feed discharged from the reformer tubes of a primary reformer-exchanger. The combined gas steam is passed on the shell side of the reformer-exchanger countercurrently to the passage of feed in the reformer tubes thereof, thus supplying the heat for the reforming of the portion of the feed passed through the reformer tubes of the reformer-exchanger. At least about 2/3 of the hydrocarbon feed stream is passed to the reformer tubes of said primary reformer, heated by radiant heat transfer and/or by contact with combustion gases, at a steam/hydrocarbon mole ratio of about 2-4/1.

Abstract: In a process in which, after product recovery, an off-gas containing hydrogen and/or carbon monoxide is produced, energy economy is improved by reacting the off-gas in a fuel cell. The resulting electricity is preferably used for driving small machines in the process. The process is especially useful for producing methanol from natural gas feedstock and then includes the steps of methanating the off-gas and letting it down in an engine before passing it to a fuel cell.

Abstract: For use as a replacement for existing gas to burners, oil having an API gravity of about 10-80 is preheated and mixed with about 0.1 to 1 pound of steam per pound of oil, at a pressure of about 30-150 pounds per square inch gauge. The resulting mixture is heated to a temperature above the condensation temperature of the mixture, the temperature being approximately in the range of 450.degree.-800.degree. F. The mixture has flow properties which are essentially equivalent to those of gas under the same conditions of temperature and pressure. The mixture is delivered to the nozzle of the gas burner and is burned therein.An apparatus is provided for burning either oil or gas, and includes a gas burner having nozzle means for mixing air and gas, a gas conduit connected thereto, and an oil supply also connected to the burner, the oil supply being fed from an oil vaporizing apparatus as just described above.

Abstract: A process is disclosed for making hydrogen from a hydrocarbon feedstock and steam using heat stored in a vessel, and the vessel is then regenerated to restore the heat. Regeneration is done by preheating, separately and within the vessel, an oxygen containing gas and a hydrogen purge gas, and mixing these preheated gases so that they combust within the vessel and heat material disposed in the vessel. This is the heat which is used in converting the hydrocarbon feedstock to hydrogen.

Abstract: A method of producing reducing gases from oxide ores, particularly iron ores, which contain mainly carbon monoxide and hydrogen and which are employed in the reduction process with a two to three fold excess with regard to the stoichiometric requirement of the ore to be reduced, comprising, mixing a hot moist fresh reducing gas and a preheated recycled gas, both of which are used in reducing iron ores and mainly contain carbon monoxide and hydrogen, directing the mixed gases in counterflow heat exchange with iron sponge in a desulfurizer to treat the sponge, thereafter, directing the treated sponge into an oxidizer and circulating preheated air thereover to lightly oxidize the iron sponge, and subsequently, directing the lightly oxidized iron sponge into a reducing shaft along with the mixed gases which are taken out of the desulfurizer.

Abstract: A method for vaporization of liquid hydrocarbon fuel wherein liquid hydrocarbon fuel is mixed with vapor to provide a vapor product which is heated. The heated vapor product is mixed with additional liquid hydrocarbon fuel to provide a second vapor product comprising vaporized hydrocarbon fuel. The heating of vapor product and mixing of additional liquid hydrocarbon fuel can be done until a desired amount of liquid hydrocarbon fuel is vaporized.

Abstract: A multiple-stage steam reforming process for producing a substitute natural gas from kerosene boiling range hydrocarbons. Initially, a lower-boiling feedstock is steam reformed and a portion of the effluent is subjected to hydrogen-producing conditions to provide a vaporous phase enriched in hydrogen content. This vaporous phase is utilized throughout the reaction zone circuit to decrease the extent to which carbon becomes deposited upon the various catalytic composites, and especially with respect to those reaction zones in which the kerosene boiling range hydrocarbons are processed. Gasification of the kerosene fractions is effected at a minimum catalyst temperature of about 840.degree. F. (448.9.degree. C.) and a maximum catalyst temperature of about 1,000.degree. F. (537.8.degree. C.).

Abstract: An apparatus for treating raw material comprises a mixing chamber having fuel and air inlets for admitting therein fuel and air which are mixed to produce a combustible mixture. A combustion chamber receives the combustible mixture and burns the same to evolve hot products of combustion which are fed directly into an adjoining conditioning chamber. Additional gas is supplied to the conditioning chamber and mixed with the products of combustion to form a conditioned treating gas having a prescribed temperature and composition. To promote rapid and uniform mixing of the gases and hence form a uniform treating gas, the conditioning chamber is connected directly to and has a volume one and one-half to six times greater than that of the combustion chamber. A treating chamber disposed downstream from the conditioning chamber receives both the preconditioned treating gas and the raw material to be treated and the raw material is acted thereon by the treating gas while temporarily stored in the treating chamber.

Abstract: The non-catylic steam reformation system is provided whereby the hydrocarbon is continually decomposed in the presence of superheated steam which serves to fix the product gases. The reactants are held at a high temperature and the reaction controlled to continuously achieve an equilibrium between thermal cracking of the hydrocarbon and the oxidation of resultant coke deposits by the superheated steam so that there is a substantially constant coke inventory.

Abstract: Heat is supplied to chemical reactions, especially reactions involving the cracking of hydrocarbons for producing gas, by the combustion of fuels with heated combustion air followed by a heat exchange extraction of sensible heat from the flue gases produced by the combustion for heating air for the combustion. The hot reaction product is at least partly air cooled and the resulting heated cooling air is passed at least partly through the air preheater before the air is used as heated combustion air.

Abstract: Hydrocarbons are reformed with steam to produce synthesis gas or hydrogen and carbon monoxide. This reforming process can be improved if after the carbon monoxide in the reformer effluent is removed, the remaining effluent, essentially hydrogen, is recycled to the reformer. Carbon dioxide must be added to the reformer inlet in an amount to balance the hydrogen present in the recycle. By this process larger quantities of carbon monoxide relative to the hydrogen produced can be realized.