Catalyst for the production of a hydrogen-rich gas
AssigneeTexaco Inc.
InventorsRoger G. Duranleau, Walter C. Gates, Jr.
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Hydrogen-rich gas is produced by reacting gas mixtures comprising CO and H.sub.2 O in a reactor containing an improved unsupported catalyst comprising an alkali-metal promoted partially reduced mixture of at least one copper uranate and at least one oxide of copper. The weight percent uranium present in the activated catalyst, based on total weight of catalyst composition, is in the range of over 50 to about 90.
Claims8
A catalyst composition consisting essentially of an alkali-metal promoted partially reduced mixture of at least one copper uranate selected from the group consisting of CuUO.sub.4 and CuU.sub.3 O.sub.10 and at least one oxide of copper selected from the group consisting of CuO and Cu.sub.2 O;
- and wherein the total weight of uranium present in the partially reduced catalyst composition based on the total weight of said catalyst composition is in the range of over 50 to about 90 weight percent, the weight ratio U/Cu in the catalyst is in the range of about 7-1;
- and at least 30 to 80 weight percent of the copper in the catalyst is in the metallic state and of the remainder of the copper 85 to 100 percent weight % is in the form of said copper uranate and the balance of the copper if any is present in the form of said copper oxide.
A method for preparing an activated catalyst composition consisting essentially of an alkali-metal promoted partially reduced mixture of at least one copper uranate and at least one oxide of copper which comprises:
- (1) heating to molten conditions and mixing together 0.1 to 10 moles of copper nitrate hexahydrate (Cu(NO.sub.3).sub.2.6H.sub.2 O);
- 0.00036 to 0.1333 moles of an alkali-metal compound having the formula M-A wherein M is an alkali metal selected from the group consisting of Na, the alkali metal Cs and K and A is a member selected from the group consisting of CO.sub.3, HCO.sub.3, NO.sub.3, OH, oxalate, and acetate;
- and 0.1 to 10.0 moles of at least one oxide of uranium selected from the group consisting of U.sub.3 O.sub.8, UO.sub.3, and UO.sub.2 ;
- and stirring said mixture until emission of nitrogen oxides and frothing ceases;
- (2) drying small pieces of the material from (1), heating at a temperature in the range of about 400.degree. to 725.degree. F. until a powder is formed and crushing the powder to a particle size in the range of about 100 to 1000 microns;
- and
- (3) partially reducing the material produced in (2) in a reactor with pure hydrogen at a temperature in the range of about 850.degree.-900.degree. F. and a pressure in the range of about 200-350 psig for a period of about 16-23 hours to produce said activated catalyst composition;
- wherein the total weight of uranium present in the activated catalyst composition based on the total weight of said activated catalyst composition is in the range of over 50 to about 90 weight percent, the weight ratio U/Cu in the activated catalyst is in the range of about 7-1;
- and at least 30 to 80 weight percent of the copper in the activated catalyst is in the metallic state and of the remainder of the copper 85 to 100 weight % is in the form of said copper uranate and the balance of the copper if any is present in the form of said copper oxide.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.