# US 10,246,326 B2 · Steam reforming > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 10,246,326 B2 - Document ID: US10246326B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 15/117,624 - Filed: 2015-02-17 - Published: 2016-12-01 - Granted: 2019-04-02 - Earliest claimed: 2014-03-04 - Assignees: Johnson Matthey Public Limited Company - Applicants: Johnson Matthey Public Limited Company - Inventors: Kenneth Chlapik; Peter William Farnell - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10246326B2 ## CPC - C01B 3/40: characterised by the catalyst - B01J 8/062: {being installed in a furnace} - B01J 8/067: {Heating or cooling the reactor (B01J8/062 takes precedence)} - B01J 19/32: Packing elements in the form of grids or built-up elements for forming a unit or module inside the apparatus for mass or heat transfer - B01J 19/325: {Attachment devices therefor, e.g. hooks, consoles, brackets} - C01B 3/382: Processes with two or more reaction steps, of which at least one is catalytic, e.g. steam reforming and partial oxidation - B01J 2208/00168: with heat exchange elements outside the bed of solid particles - B01J 2208/00221: comprising baffles for guiding the flow of the heat exchange medium - B01J 2208/00504: by means of a burner - B01J 2208/00814: the particulate material being provides in prefilled containers - B01J 2208/065: Heating or cooling the reactor - B01J 2219/3221: Corrugated sheets - B01J 2219/32237: Sheets comprising apertures or perforations - B01J 2219/32241: Louvres - B01J 2219/32244: Essentially circular apertures - B01J 2219/32272: relating to blocks in superimposed layers - B01J 2219/32279: Tubes or cylinders - B01J 2219/32296: Honeycombs - B01J 2219/32408: Metal - B01J 2219/32466: comprising catalytically active material - C01B 2203/0233: the reforming step being a steam reforming step - C01B 2203/0811: by combustion of fuel - C01B 2203/1005: Arrangement or shape of catalyst - C01B 2203/1011: Packed bed of catalytic structures, e.g. particles, packing elements - C01B 2203/1047: Group VIII metal catalysts - C01B 2203/1058: Nickel catalysts - C01B 2203/1082: Composition of support materials - C01B 2203/1241: Natural gas or methane - C01B 2203/141: At least two reforming, decomposition or partial oxidation steps in parallel - C01B 2203/169: Controlling the feed - C01B: NON-METALLIC ELEMENTS; COMPOUNDS THEREOF; {METALLOIDS OR COMPOUNDS THEREOF NOT COVERED BY SUBCLASS C01C} - B01J: CHEMICAL OR PHYSICAL PROCESSES, e.g. CATALYSIS OR COLLOID CHEMISTRY; THEIR RELEVANT APPARATUS ## Abstract An apparatus for steam reforming of hydrocarbons is described including a steam reformer containing a plurality of externally-heated vertical tubes each tube having an inlet for a feed gas mixture including hydrocarbon and steam, and an outlet for a reformed gas mixture, wherein the tubes contain a particulate steam reforming catalyst adjacent the outlet and a structured steam reforming catalyst adjacent the inlet. A process for steam reforming of hydrocarbons using the apparatus is also described. ## Claims ### Claim 1 An apparatus for steam reforming hydrocarbons, comprising a steam reformer having an inlet through which a feed gas mixture may pass and an outlet through which a reformed gas mixture may pass, the steam reformer containing a plurality of externally-heated vertical tubes each tube having: a tube inlet for a feed gas mixture comprising hydrocarbon and steam, and a tube outlet for a reformed gas mixture, wherein: the steam reformer inlet is in fluid communication with the tube inlets and the steam reformer outlet is in fluid communication with the tube outlet; and the plurality of externally-heated vertical tubes each contain a particulate steam reforming catalyst comprising nickel on a refractory oxide adjacent the tube outlet and a structured steam reforming catalyst comprising nickel on a refractory oxide adjacent the tube inlet, and the structured steam reforming catalyst is a steam reforming catalyst (a) supported on a metal or ceramic support structure wash-coated with a layer of steam reforming catalyst, said support structure comprising a plurality of passages through which a process fluid may pass in ordered, non-random directions or is a steam reforming catalyst (b) contained within a containing support structure and comprises discrete catalyst containers, cups or cans that include passages through which a process fluid may pass in ordered, non-random directions. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein in the steam reformer, heat is transferred to the plurality of externally-heated vertical tubes by means of a hot gas flowing around the tubes in a heat exchange zone. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the steam reformer is a top-fired steam reformer or a side-fired steam reformer, wherein the hot gas is provided by combusting a fuel gas using a plurality of burners disposed either at the top end or along the length of the plurality of externally-heated vertical tubes. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the steam reformer is a gas-heated reformer (GHR), wherein the hot gas is provided by (i) a flue-gas from a combustion process, (ii) catalytic or non-catalytic partial oxidation of a hydrocarbon, or (iii) autothermal reforming of a hydrocarbon and/or the reformed gas mixture. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the hot gas is mixed with the reformed gas after passing through the plurality of externally-heated vertical tubes. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the particulate steam reforming catalyst is formed from a refractory support material impregnated with nickel. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the particulate steam reforming catalyst comprises cylindrical pellets with one or more through holes, a diameter in the range of 3-50 mm and a length/diameter ratio in the range of 0.5-2.0. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the support structure is a cylindrical unit with a diameter complementary to the externally-heated vertical tube in which it is placed and comprises perforations, folded leafs, tabs, or a combination thereof, wherein the process fluid is able to flow axially and radially through the cylindrical unit. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the support structure is a cylindrical unit with a diameter complementary to the externally-heated vertical tube in which it is placed and comprises perforations, tubes, vanes, fins, or a combination thereof, wherein the process fluid flows axially and radially through the unit. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the steam reforming catalyst contained in the containing support structure is in the form of particles, pellets, granules, or extrudates, a metal foam, a ceramic foam, a metal honeycomb structure, or a ceramic honeycomb structure. ### Claim 11 (depends on 8) The apparatus according to claim 8, wherein the cylindrical units are stackable and self-supported within the externally-heated vertical tubes. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) The apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the structured catalyst is supported on an intermediate support device that sits on top of the particulate catalyst. ### Claim 13 (depends on 1) The apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the structured catalyst is configured such that it is free to move down the tube. ### Claim 14 (depends on 1) The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein proportion of structured catalyst to particulate catalyst is in the range of 1:9 to 9:1. ### Claim 15 (depends on 9) The apparatus according to claim 9, wherein the cylindrical units are stackable and self-supported within the tubes. ### Claim 16 (depends on 1) The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the proportion of structured catalyst to particulate catalyst is in the range of 1:3 to 2:1. ### Claim 17 (depends on 1) A process for steam reforming hydrocarbons, comprising the steps of: (i) passing a feed gas mixture, comprising hydrocarbon and steam through the plurality of externally-heated vertical tubes disposed within the steam reformer of claim 1, and (ii) recovering a reformed gas mixture from the tubes. ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) The process according to claim 17, wherein the mixture fed to the catalyst-containing tubes has a density-modified inlet mass rate in the range of 5 to 30 kg/m2s.