Indirectly heated thermochemical reactor processes

A process for steam reforming heavy liquid hydrocarbons comprising the steps of:

• (a) providing a bed of solid steam-activating particles in a first reaction vessel;
• (b) injecting steam into said bed to fluidize said bed;
• (c) heating said fluidized bed to a substantially uniform temperature to obtain a fluidized bed of agitated hot solid particles;
• (d) depositing a heavy liquid hydrocarbon fuel in an atomized state directly onto said agitated hot solid particles without premixing said fuel with steam prior to entry of said fuel into said first reaction vessel so that said fuel is immediately vaporized and residuals are pyrolized upon contact of said fuel with said particles prior to reacting with said solid steam-activating material;
• (e) forming a partially reformed gas containing hydrogen, light hydrocarbons and hydrogen sulfide in said first reaction vessel;
• (f) withdrawing said partially reformed gas from said first reaction vessel;
• and
• (g) providing said partially reformed gas to a second reaction vessel containing a fixed bed of solid steam-reforming catalyst heated to a substantially uniform temperature sufficient to steam reform said partially reformed gas to produce a hydrogen-containing product gas.

A process for steam reforming heavy liquid hydrocarbons comprising the steps of:

• (a) providing a bed of solid steam-activating particles in a first reaction vessel;
• (b) injecting steam into said bed to fluidize said bed and create a reaction zone;
• (c) heating said fluidized bed to a substantially uniform temperature to obtain a fluidized bed of agitated hot solid particles;
• (d) forming a partially reformed gas by injecting a heavy liquid hydrocarbon fuel into said reaction zone in said first reaction vessel without premixing said fuel with steam prior to entry of said fuel into said first reaction vessel;
• (e) withdrawing said partially reformed gas from said first reaction vessel;
• and
• (f) providing said partially reformed gas to a second reaction vessel containing a fixed bed of solid steam-reforming catalyst heated to a substantially uniform temperature sufficient to steam reform said partially reformed gas to produce a hydrogen-containing product gas.