High throughput methane pyrolysis reactor for low-cost hydrogen production

An apparatus to decompose a hydrocarbon reactant into a gaseous product and a solid product comprising:

• a reactor volume,
• a reservoir of liquid material;
• a plurality of connected to the reservoir of liquid material, the plurality of nozzles configured to distribute the liquid material into the reactor volume from the reservoir as a liquid mist;
• a gas inlet connected to a hydrocarbon gas source to receive hydrocarbon gas reactant;
• a distributor connected to the inlet to distribute the hydrocarbon gas reactant into the reactor volume;
• a heat source located adjacent the reactor volume configured to generate sufficient heat in the reactor volume to maintain a temperature between 1100° C. and 1400° C. in the reactor volume;
• a separator to separate the solid product from the liquid material;
• a re-circulation path connected between the reactor volume and the reservoir to re-circulate the liquid material from the reactor volume to the reservoir;
• a gas outlet connected to the reactor volume configured to outlet hydrogen gas from the reactor volume;
• and
• at least one filter connected to the gas outlet to remove entrained solid product from the hydrogen gas.