Reactor with electrically heated structured ceramic catalyst

A method for producing hydrogen and/or a synthesis gas and/or carbon dioxide from a fed reactive mixture stream by a catalytic reaction selected from the group consisting of an ammonia cracking, a steam reforming, a dry reforming, a partial oxidation, a reverse water gas shift, VOC oxidation reactions, and combinations of the ammonia cracking, the steam reforming, the dry reforming, the partial oxidation, the reverse water gas shift, and the VOC oxidation reactions in a reactor shell, the reactor shell comprising:

• at least one reactive stream duct having at least one reactive stream inlet, a reactive stream outlet, and at least one catalyst section provided between the at least one reactive stream inlet and the reactive stream outlet,
• an insulation filling at least partly encompassing the at least one reactive stream duct,
• at least one structured ceramic catalyst accommodated in the at least one catalyst section and having a plurality of hollow ceramic subunits, wherein the plurality of hollow ceramic subunits are configured to allow the fed reactive mixture stream to pass therethrough, and
• at least one resistive electrical heating means powered by at least two electrical feeds and connected to an electrical power supply, for heating the at least one structured ceramic catalyst up to a predetermined reaction temperature,
• the method comprising steps of:
• arranging the at least one resistive electrical heating means inside at least some of the plurality of hollow ceramic subunits, so a flowing passage being inside the plurality of hollow ceramic subunits still remains,
• energizing the at least one resistive electrical heating means via an electric power supply, so the at least one structured ceramic catalyst is heated up to a first temperature between 300° C. and 1300° C.,
• feeding the fed reactive mixture stream with a first pressure between 1 bar to 150 bar to the reactor shell through the at least one reactive stream inlet,
• allowing the fed reactive mixture stream to pass through the plurality of hollow ceramic subunits, so the fed reactive mixture stream contacting the at least one resistive electrical heating means, and
• allowing the fed reactive mixture stream to exit from the reactive stream outlet.