Abstract: An apparatus for an endothermic reaction, such as steam reforming of hydrocarbon gas, comprises a reaction vessel sandwiched or surrounded by heat generating apparatus. In the heat generating apparatus, a primary fuel gas and air are supplied and mixed therein, then pass through a fuel gas heating section therefor, a combustion catalyst bed, a combustion section and a discharge section in that order. A secondary fuel gas is supplied into the combustion section, typically in a plurality of stages. The primary fuel gas mixture is heated up or ignited in the preheating section, burns and passes through the catalyst bed. At least a part of the combustion section is packed with heat transfer bodies. The gas from the catalyst bed burns in the combustion section with the secondary fuel. The heat transfer bodies receive heat from the combustion gas passing therethrough by convection and radiates the heat to the reaction vessel.

Abstract: A compact concentric-tube catalytic reaction apparatus for converting distillable hydrocarbon feedstock or methanol to useful industrial gases, such as hydrogen and carbon monoxide, comprises an annular reaction chamber concentrically disposed around an internal burner chamber. An infrared burner assembly vertically disposed within the burner chamber provides a uniformly radiating source for heat transfer to the reaction chamber. The burner chamber employs a convective section of enhanced thermal efficiency. The present invention eliminates the problems of flame impingement and local heat maldistribution associated with compact designs employing flame burners directly radiating to the reaction chamber wall.

Abstract: An apparatus for treating carbonaceous material, e.g. waste oil by effecting the gasification thereof to produce a relatively high BTU content gas 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 vaporizer for converting liquid fuel into fuel vapor wherein an annular chamber defined by inner and outer walls is provided and wherein rings are situated one after the other along the length of the chamber, each ring extending around the circumference of the chamber in contact with the inner and outer walls and including a passageway for conveying fluid and/or vapor between the liquid/vapor flow spaces situated on opposite sides of the ring.

Abstract: Effluent gas streams for steam reforming, partial oxidation or coal gasification operations are advantageously treated in shift conversion, scrubbing and pressure swing adsorption units for recovery of a purified, hydrogen-containing product gas stream. By recycling a portion of the waste gas removed from the pressure swing adsorption system to the shift conversion unit and/or to the effluent gas generation operation, enhanced product recovery is achieved without the necessity for employing low temperature shift or for achieving essentially complete removal of the carbon dioxide content of the gas being treated prior to its passage to said pressure swing adsorption system.

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: In a device for the gasification of carbon and/or carbon-containing media, in particular for the continuous production of a gas essentially containing CO and H.sub.2 with a molten bath of iron or an iron alloy, a reactor receives the carbon-containing media and oxidizing gasification media under the surface of the molten bath, and outlets are provided for gas and for removing at least one liquid phase, in particular slag. The reactor is stationary and is tightly sealed to a gas outlet and to a liquid outlet. In a wall region of the reactor and close to the floor thereof a plurality of nozzles are provided for feeding the gasification media. The nozzles are distributed almost symmetrically with respect to a vertical plane which extends axially with respect to the liquid outlet and to the reactor floor about the circumference of the wall region.

Abstract: Apparatus for high temperature catalytic conversion of gases is disclosed in which the first part of the heating is done with a heating gas and the final most difficult part is done with electric heaters. The heating gas is passed between spaced layers of catalyst, out of contact and crosswise and countercurrent to the flow of gases to be converted. The gases are first subjected to preheating with heating gas, then heating as the gases contact catalyst, and then superheating, i.e. heating to a final high temperature, with electric heaters in the absence of heating gas.

Abstract: A catalytic reaction vessel makes hydrogen from a hydrocarbon feedstock and steam using heat stored in the 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: To more uniformly distribute heat to the plurality of catalyst tubes in a catalytic reaction furnace, the burner disposed in the furnace above the tops of the tubes includes concentric primary and secondary annular fuel and air outlets. The fuel-air mixture from the primary outlet is directed towards the tubes adjacent the furnace wall, and the burning secondary fuel-air mixture is directed horizontally from the secondary outlet and a portion thereof is deflected downwardly by a slotted baffle toward the tubes in the center of the furnace while the remaining portion passes through the slotted baffle to another baffle disposed radially outwardly therefrom which deflects it downwardly in the vicinity of the tubes between those in the center and those near the wall of the furnace.

Abstract: A reactor for steam reforming of hydrocarbon fuel to produce hydrogen having an inner cylindrical wall and outer cylindrical wall which provide an annular reaction chamber within which solid particles such as catalysts are disposed. During operation of the reactor, the reactor goes through temperature cycles in which the temperature of the reactor is increased and decreased, such as, during start up and shut down and the volume within the annular reaction chamber increases during heating a greater amount than the volume of the solid particles due to different coefficients of expansion of the inner and outer walls and of the solid particles. This differential expansion allows the solid particles to slump when the temperature of the reactor is elevated and results in pressure being exerted by the walls of the reactor against the solid particles when the temperature of the reactor is reduced. This pressure may result in crushing of the solid particles.

Abstract: The specification discloses an automatic sequencing control system for operating a unit consisting of a pair of oil gas-producing generators in staggered sequence, each generator of which comprises a cooperating pair of reactor shells functioning alternately in a forward direction of product gas flow and in a reverse direction of product gas flow. The control system includes a start-up control, a burner control, a burner fuel ignition control, and an electric power failure control for heat and make periods of operation. An individual reverse flow wash box is provided for each generator and also a waste heat boiler common to both generators, valving for which is under control of sequencing control apparatus.The method of operation of a pair of generators disclosed enables operation within a narrow range of temperatures for long periods of time and without necessity for repair or rebuilding of reactor chambers.

Abstract: A catalytic reaction apparatus, such as for steam reforming a hydrocarbon feedstock to produce hydrogen, includes a tubular reactor disposed within a furnace. The reactor includes an annular reaction chamber which is heated along its outer wall by a countercurrent flow of furnace gases traveling through a narrow annulus external thereof. The reaction chamber is also heated along its inner wall by regenerative heat from the reaction products which leave the annular chamber and flow countercurrent to the flow within the reaction chamber through a narrow annulus disposed along the inner wall thereof. This apparatus is capable of high reactor thermal efficiency over a wide range of heating rates, including very high heating rates. The apparatus is very compact and is particularly suited for use with a large number of closely packed tubular reactors disposed within a single furnace.

Abstract: Compact reaction apparatus, such as for steam reforming a hydrocarbon feedstock to produce hydrogen, includes a plurality of reactor tubes disposed within a furnace. A portion of each reactor extends into the burner cavity or combustion volume of the furnace. Baffles, such as sleeves, are disposed around these portions of the reactor tubes to shield the tubes from excessive radiant heat from the wall of the burner cavity and to more evenly distribute heat among and around all of the reactors. These baffles permit the reactor tubes to be closely packed within the furnace and reduce temperature differences between the tubes.

Abstract: Compact reaction apparatus, such as apparatus for steam reforming a hydrocarbon feedstock to produce hydrogen, comprises a plurality of tubular reactors vertically disposed and closely packed within a furnace. The furnace is divided into an enhanced heat transfer portion and a burner cavity. Each of the several reactors is disposed partly within the burner cavity and partly within the enhanced heat transfer portion. Heat transfer means, such as particles of a heat transfer packing material, is disposed within the enhanced heat transfer portion of the furnace and is constructed and arranged to provide substantially uniform and enhanced conductive, convective, and radiant heating of that portion of the reactors disposed within the heat transfer portion.

Abstract: A tubular catalytic reactor, such as for steam reforming a hydrocarbon feedstock to produce hydrogen, is disposed within a furnace and includes an annular first bed of reaction catalyst. A second bed of reaction catalyst is disposed coaxial with the first bed and inwardly thereof. Product gases from the first bed, without adding heat thereto, are passed through the second bed essentially adiabatically resulting in a substantial reduction in the amount of unreacted hydrocarbons heavier than methane which were present in the product gases leaving the first bed. The apparatus is compact and uses only the sensible heat in the reaction products leaving the first bed to reduce the level of unwanted hydrocarbons. Thus, in the process of the present invention, the reduction in the level of unwanted heavier hydrocarbons is accomplished in compact apparatus without burning additional fuel and without extracting additional heat energy from the furnace.

Abstract: A hot fuel gas generator for an internal combustion engine simultaneously vaporizes gasoline and water in a multi-chambered heated pressure vessel having built in regulators for controlling pressure and volume and delivers the resulting superheated steam and gaseous fuel to the internal combustion engine downstream from the usual carburetor. A single device operating at a very high temperature, for example 1600.degree. F., is used for the simultaneous vaporization of the fuel and water to develop desirable working pressure and volume. The high temperature steam and gaseous fuel positions the fuel molecules at the greatest degree of separation from each other providing the greatest opportunity for contact of the oxygen, the reacting species in the gaseous condition as chemical reactions occur only between particles at the atomic or molecular level and it is necessary for the reacting species to be in actual contact at the time of reaction.

Abstract: A method for removing slag cakes from synthesizing gas reactors. The seal at the bottom of the reactor is removed, an orifice is melted through the partially solidified slag cake by means of the flame of an oxygen core lance, the liquid slag is drained and the residual parts of the slag cake are liquified by means of an oxygen excess powered gas flame and allowed to drain. When the seal at the bottom of the reactor is in the form of a flat frustum of a cone and made of refractory material filled into a fixed refractory ring the method is facilitated.

Abstract: A steam-hydrocarbon reformer is provided having a catalyst tube assembly which includes an outer casing and a central coaxial inner tube within the casing. A column of stacked catalyst pellets surrounds the inner tube. An annular passageway is provided between the outer surface of the column of stacked catalyst pellets and the outer casing. The fluid containing the reactants and products flows in this annular passageway and through another passageway in the center of the inner tube.

Abstract: A multimetallic acidic catalytic composite, comprising a combination of catalytically effective amounts of a platinum or palladium component, a rhodium component, a nickel component and a halogen component with a porous carrier material is disclosed. Preferred modifying components for the disclosed catalytic composite are a sulfur component and/or a Group IVA metallic component. The principal utility of this composite is in the conversion of hydrocarbons, particularly in the reforming of a gasoline fraction to make a high octane reformate. A specific example of the disclosed catalytic composite is a combination of catalytically effective amounts of a platinum component, a rhodium component, a nickel component and a chloride component with an alumina carrier material.