On demand hydrogen from methanol
AssigneeHaldor TopsøE A/S
InventorsPeter Mølgaard Mortensen, Kasper Emil Larsen, Kim Aasberg-Petersen, Robert Klein
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Abstract
A reactor system and a process for carrying out the methanol cracking reaction of a feedstock comprising methanol to hydrogen are provided, where the heat for the endothermic methanol cracking reaction is provided by resistance heating.
Claims11
A reactor system for production of hydrogen from a feedstock comprising methanol in the presence of a catalyst under methanol cracking reaction conditions, said reactor system comprising:
- a supply of feedstock comprising methanol and water;
- a structured catalyst arranged for catalyzing said methanol cracking reaction of said feedstock, said structured catalyst comprising a macroscopic structure of an electrically conductive material, said macroscopic structure supporting a ceramic coating, wherein said ceramic coating supports a catalytically active material;
- a pressure shell housing said structured catalyst, said pressure shell comprising an inlet for letting in said feedstock and an outlet for letting out product gas, wherein said inlet is positioned so that said feedstock enters said structured catalyst in a first end of said structured catalyst and said product gas exits said structured catalyst from a second end of said structured catalyst;
- a heat insulation layer between said structured catalyst and said pressure shell;
- at least two conductors electrically connected to said structured catalyst and to an electrical power supply placed outside said pressure shell, wherein said electrical power supply is dimensioned to heat at least part of said structured catalyst to a temperature of at least 150° C. by passing an electrical current through said macroscopic structure;
- an outlet for a product stream comprising hydrogen.
A process for carrying out the methanol cracking reaction of a feedstock comprising methanol and water to hydrogen in the presence of a catalyst under methanol cracking reaction conditions, in a reactor system comprising a pressure shell housing a structured catalyst arranged for catalyzing said methanol cracking reaction of a feedstock, said structured catalyst comprising a macroscopic structure of electrically conductive material, said macroscopic structure supporting a ceramic coating, wherein said ceramic coating supports a catalytically active material;
- wherein said reactor system is provided with heat insulation between said structured catalyst and said pressure shell;
- said process comprising the steps of:
- pressurizing said feedstock,
- supplying said pressurized feedstock to said pressure shell through an inlet positioned so that said feedstock enters said structured catalyst in a first end of said structured catalyst;
- allowing the feedstock to undergo an methanol cracking reaction over the structured catalyst and outletting a product gas from said pressure shell, wherein said product gas exits said structured catalyst from a second end of said structured catalyst;
- supplying electrical power via electrical conductors connecting an electrical power supply placed outside said pressure shell to said structured catalyst, allowing an electrical current to run through said macroscopic structure, thereby heating at least part of the structured catalyst to a temperature of at least 150° C.
- outletting a product gas comprising hydrogen from the reactor system.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.