Method for oxidative reforming
OwnerMaxim Lyubovsky, Subir Roychoudhuryinventors
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Abstract
A method is taught for oxidatively reforming a fuel that is part of a fuel rich feed stream. The method involves the catalytic partial oxidation of a portion of the fuel followed by the catalytic reforming of a portion of the fuel. The method is conducted within a single catalytic bed wherein the feed stream experiences a generally decreasing mass flux as it passes therethrough. An optional step referred to as equilibration may occur after the conclusion of the catalytic reforming. An apparatus incorporating the method is a catalytic bed wherein the area of the entrance and exit are sized such that partial oxidation and reforming occurs within portions of the catalytic bed and the mass flux of a feed stream therethrough will generally decrease.
Claims14
A method for the oxidative reforming of a fuel comprising the steps of:
- a) providing a catalytic reactor having a catalytic bed therein, the catalytic bed being configured so that a reacting stream passing through the catalytic bed experiences a generally decreasing mass flux;
- b) injecting the feed stream comprising fuel and molecular oxygen in fuel rich proportions into the catalytic bed;
- c) oxidizing at least a portion of the fuel with the molecular oxygen creating partial oxidation products;
- and
- d) reforming at least a portion of the fuel after at least a portion of the molecular oxygen has been consumed.
A method for oxidative reforming comprising the steps of passing a feed stream comprising fuel and molecular oxygen in fuel rich proportions through a catalytic bed suitable for supporting partial oxidation reactions and reforming reactions and wherein the mass flux of the reacting stream generally decreases as it passes through the catalytic bed and initial mass flux being sufficiently high to permit the partial oxidation reactions to occur.
A method for chemically converting an input into an output comprising:
- a) providing a catalytic reactor having a catalytic bed therein with at least one catalyst deposited thereon, the catalytic bed being configured so that a flow stream passing through the catalytic bed experiences a generally decreasing mass flux;
- b) introducing a feed stream into the catalytic bed wherein the feed stream experiences a generally decreasing mass flux;
- c) forming a reacting stream flowing through a first portion of the catalytic bed wherein the reacting stream experiences a generally decreasing mass flux;
- and
- d) reforming the reacting stream flowing through a second portion of the catalytic bed wherein the reformed reacting stream experiences a generally decreasing mass flux.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.