Method for the production of hydrogen-containing gaseous mixtures
AssigneeAlchemix Corporation
InventorsJames Kelly Kindig, Thomas E. Weyand
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A method for the production of a hydrogen-containing gas composition, such as a synthesis gas including hydrogen and carbon monoxide. The molar ratio of hydrogen to carbon monoxide (H2:CO) in the synthesis gas can be well-controlled to yield a ratio that is adequate for the synthesis of useful products such as methane or methanol, without the need to remove carbon oxides from the gas stream to adjust the ratio.
Claims112
A method for the production of a gas stream comprising H2 and CO wherein the molar H2:CO ratio is at least about 1:1, comprising the steps of:
- a) providing a molten metal in a reactor comprising at least a first reactive metal;
- b) contacting steam with said molten metal to react a first portion of said steam with said reactive metal to form hydrogen gas and a metal oxide;
- c) contacting a carbonaceous material with said molten metal in the presence of steam to react said carbonaceous material with a second portion of said steam and form carbon monoxide gas;
- and
- d) extracting said gas stream from said reactor having a molar H2:CO ratio of at least about 1:1.
A method for the production of a gas stream comprising H2 and CO wherein the H2:CO molar ratio is at least about 1:1, comprising the steps of:
- a) providing a molten metal in a reactor comprising at least a first reactive metal;
- b) contacting steam with said molten metal to react a first portion of said steam with said reactive metal to form hydrogen gas and a metal oxide;
- c) contacting a carbonaceous material with said molten metal to react said carbonaceous material with a second portion of said steam and form carbon monoxide;
- d) extracting said gas stream from said reactor having a molar H2:CO ratio of at least about 1:1;
- e) terminating said contacting of steam;
- and
- f) reducing said metal oxide with a reductant back to said molten metal.
A method for the gasification of coal, comprising the steps of:
- a) injecting coal into a molten metal contained in a reactor;
- b) injecting steam into said molten metal;
- and
- c) extracting a gas stream from said reactor comprising H2 and CO wherein the molar H2:CO ratio is at least about 1:1;
- wherein a sufficient excess of steam is injected into said molten metal to react a first portion of said steam with said coal and form CO and react a second portion of said steam with said molten metal to produce hydrogen gas and a metal oxide.
A method for the production of methane gas, comprising the steps of:
- a) providing a molten metal comprising at least a first reactive metal in a reactor;
- b) injecting steam into said molten metal to react a first portion of said steam with said reactive metal to form hydrogen gas and a metal oxide;
- c) injecting a carbonaceous material into said molten metal to react said carbonaceous material with a second portion of said steam and form carbon monoxide;
- d) extracting a gas stream from said reactor comprising H2 and CO;
- and
- e) reacting said gas stream in the presence of a catalyst to form methane gas.
A method for the production of methanol, comprising the steps of:
- a) providing a molten metal comprising at least a first reactive metal in a reactor;
- b) injecting steam into said molten metal to react a first portion of said steam with said reactive metal to form hydrogen gas and a metal oxide;
- c) injecting a carbonaceous material into said molten metal to react said carbonaceous material with a second portion of said steam and form carbon monoxide;
- d) extracting a gas stream from said reactor comprising H2 and CO;
- and
- e) reacting said gas stream in the presence of a catalyst to form methanol.
A method for the production of ammonia, comprising the steps of:
- a) contacting steam with a reactive metal in a reactor to reduce at least a portion of the steam and form hydrogen gas;
- b) contacting air with said reactive metal to combust oxygen contained in said air and form a nitrogen gas stream;
- c) extracting a gas stream from said reactor comprising hydrogen gas and nitrogen gas;
- and
- d) contacting said gas stream with a catalyst to form ammonia.
A method for the formation of a gas stream comprising hydrogen and at least a second gaseous component, comprising the steps of:
- a) contacting steam with a reactive metal in a reactor to oxidize said reactive metal and form hydrogen gas;
- b) contacting at least a second material with at least one member selected from the group consisting of said steam and said reactive metal in said reactor to form said second gaseous component;
- and
- c) extracting a gas stream from said reactor comprising a mixture of said hydrogen gas and said second gaseous component.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.