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AssigneeGti Energy
InventorsTerry Marker, Jim WANGEROW, Martin LINCK
Estimating the term…
Electrically heated reforming reactors and associated reforming processes are disclosed, which benefit from a number of advantages in terms of attaining and controlling the input of heat to catalytic conversion processes such as in the reforming of hydrocarbons (e.g., methane) using H2O and/or CO2 as an oxidant. The disclosed reactors provide the ability to target the input of heat to specific regions within a catalyst bed volume. This allows for the control of the temperature profile in one or more dimensions (e.g., axially and/or radially) and/or otherwise tailoring heat input for processing specific reformer feeds, achieving specific reformer products, effectively utilizing the catalyst, and/or compensating for a number of operating parameters (e.g., flow distribution). Dynamic control of the heat input may be used in response to changes in feed or product composition and/or catalyst activity.
An electrically heated reforming reactor comprising an outer shell defining an interior space including a catalyst bed volume for containing catalyst, said reforming reactor further comprising a plurality of heating elements extending partly or completely through the catalyst bed volume and configured for heating separate regions within the catalyst bed volume.
An electrically heated reforming reactor comprising an outer shell defining an interior space including a catalyst bed volume for containing reforming catalyst, said reforming reactor further comprising at least one heating element extending unidirectionally through the catalyst bed volume and configured for heating the catalyst bed volume.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.