Electrical heating reactor for gas phase reforming

Electrical reactor for reforming a gas comprising at least one possibly substituted hydrocarbon, and/or at least one possibly substituted organic compound, containing carbon atoms and hydrogen as well as at least one heteroatom, in the presence of an oxidizing gas;

• said reactor including:
• an enclosure;
• a reaction chamber provided with at least two electrodes and disposed inside the enclosure, said reaction chamber comprising at least one conductive lining material and defining as a whole or in part a reforming catalyst, the lining in question being electrically insulated from the metal wall of the enclosure so as to prevent any short-circuit;
• at least one supply of gas to be reformed;
• at least one oxidizing gas supply, that is distinct or not from the supply of gas to be reformed;
• at least one reformed gas outlet;
• and
• one electrical source allowing to power up the electrodes and resulting in the production of an electronic flux in the conductive lining between the electrodes;
• and possibly
• at least one heat input into the lining, optionally preferably resulting from production of the electronic flux in the lining.

Electrical reactor for reforming a gas comprising at least one possibly substituted hydrocarbon, and/or at least one possibly substituted organic compound, containing carbon atoms and hydrogen as well as at least one heteroatom, in the presence of an oxidizing gas;

• said reactor including:
• an enclosure;
• a reaction chamber provided with at least two electrodes and disposed inside the enclosure, said reaction chamber comprising at least one conductive lining material and defining as a whole or in part a reforming catalyst, the lining in question being electrically insulated from the metal wall of the enclosure so as to prevent any short-circuit;
• at least one supply of gas to be reformed;
• at least one oxidizing gas supply, that is distinct or not from the supply of gas to be reformed;
• at least one reformed gas outlet;
• and
• one electrical source allowing to power up the electrodes and resulting in the production of an electronic flux in the conductive lining between the electrodes, said lining defining an iron or iron alloy based catalyst;
• and possibly
• at least one heat input into the lining, optionally preferably resulting from production of the electronic flux in the lining.

Electrical process for reforming hydrocarbons and/or organic compounds, consisting in reacting the latter in the presence of an oxidizing gas (preferably in the presence of water vapor and/or carbon dioxide and/or other gases), in a reaction chamber containing:

• 1) a metal based conductive lining defining a porous medium having a volume surface of more than 400 m2 of exposed surface per m3 of reaction chamber, this lining being simultaneously used as heating medium and catalysis medium;
• and
• 2) two metal electrodes each consisting of a tubular member and a perforated hollow disk in contact with the lining to provide for the supply of the electrical current required for heating this lining by Joule effect and to assist the catalysis by electron movements;
• comprising the following steps:
• a) mixing hydrocarbons and/or organic compounds and the oxidizing gas;
• b) introducing the mixture of step a) in the reaction chamber by injection into one of the electrodes;
• c) contacting the mixture of step a) with the lining;
• d) applying an electronic flux to power up the electrodes of the reaction chamber;
• e) heating the lining with the electronic flux and producing an electron movement enabling to assist the catalysis, by supplying an electrical current by means of the two electrodes, this current being such that it passes directly into the lining;
• and
• f) evacuating and recovering gas from the reactor by passing it into the other electrode.

Electrical process for reforming hydrocarbons and/or organic compounds, consisting in reacting the latter in the presence of an oxidizing gas (preferably in the presence of water vapor and/or carbon dioxide and/or other gases), in a reaction chamber containing:

• 1) a metal based conductive lining defining a porous medium having a volume surface of more than 400 m2 of exposed surface per m3 of reaction chamber, this lining being simultaneously used as heating medium and catalysis medium;
• and
• 2) two metal electrodes each consisting of a full disk in contact with the lining to provide for the supply of required electrical current for heating this lining by Joule effect and to assist the catalysis by electron movement;
• comprising the following steps:
• a) mixing the hydrocarbons and/or the organic compounds and the oxidizing gas;
• b) introducing in the reaction chamber, the mixture of step a) by injection at the level of the radial or tangential openings of the reaction chamber;
• c) contacting the mixture of step a) with the lining;
• d) applying an electronic flux to power up the electrodes of the reaction chamber;
• e) heating the lining with the electronic flux and producing an electron movement allowing to assist the catalysis by supplying an electrical current by means of the two electrodes, this current being such that it passes directly into the lining;
• and
• f) evacuating and recovering gas from the reactor by axial, tangential or radial gliding by means of axial, radial or tangential openings.