Methanation process
AssigneeFoster Wheeler Energy Corporation
InventorsPeter Steiner, Ernest L. Daman
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Abstract
A process and apparatus for producing methane by reacting carbon monoxide with hydrogen, the improvement comprising feeding a gas containing hydrogen and carbon monoxide into at least one tubular reactor containing a helical, nickel-containing catalyst (turbulator) are disclosed. The catalyst defines a spiral-shaped path for the gas. The exterior of the reaction tube is cooled to remove the heat of reaction. Preferably, additional heat of reaction is removed by passing a cooling medium through the center of the turbulator catalyst.
Claims4
In a process for producing methane by reacting carbon monoxide with hydrogen, the improvement comprising feeding a gas containing hydrogen and carbon monoxide into at least one reaction tube containing an annular, spiral-shaped passageway defined by a helical, nickel-containing catalyst which is wrapped around a central cooling duct;
- said spiral-shaped passageway having a Y factor of 3.0 or less, said Y factor being defined by the equation Y = L/D wherein L is the length of a single twist and D is the diameter of the reaction tube;
- passing a cooling medium through said cooling duct and cooling the exterior of said reaction tube to remove the heat of reaction.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.