Melt pyrolysis of hydrocarbon feedstock containing nitrogen and/or hydrogen sulphide

Method for producing of solid carbon and one or more of liquid sulphur, hydrogen gas and ammonia gas by molten metal pyrolysis of hydrocarbons, the method comprising:

• (i) feeding a stream comprising hydrocarbon and nitrogen and/or hydrogen sulphide into a pyrolysis reactor comprising a catalytic layer of molten metal, wherein the reactor comprises two reaction zones, a first zone for pyrolysing the hydrocarbon into solid carbon and hydrogen gas, and a second zone at a lower temperature than the first zone, for reacting the hydrogen with the nitrogen to form ammonia, and/or for pyrolysing hydrogen sulphide into sulphur and hydrogen gas;
• (ii) feeding a stream of molten salt into the pyrolysis reactor to separate the solid carbon from the molten metal;
• (iii) collecting a product gas containing ammonia gas and/or hydrogen gas that evolves from the reactor;
• (iv) collecting a mixture comprising solid carbon and molten salt;
• (v) optionally collecting liquid sulphur;
• (vi) separating the mixture obtained in step (iv) to obtain a product comprising solid carbon and separated salt.