Production of hydrogen
AssigneeBp P.L.C.
InventorMichael Graham Hodges
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A method of producing hydrogen for a fuel cell from a hydrocarbon fuel composition, by providing a hydrocarbon fuel composition, which is obtained by contacting a liquid hydrocarbon feed comprising an alkylating agent with an acidic catalyst, under conditions effective to alkylate at least a portion of the hydrocarbon feed; converting the hydrocarbon fuel composition into hydrogen; and optionally, introducing the hydrogen produced into a fuel cell. In a preferred embodiment the liquid hydrocarbon feed further comprises sulphur-containing impurities, at least a portion of which are alkylated during the alkylation step.
Claims22
A method of producing hydrogen for a fuel cell from a hydrocarbon fuel composition, said method comprising the steps of:
- (i) contacting a liquid hydrocarbon feed comprising an alkylating agent and aromatic compounds with an acidic catalyst, such that the aromatic compounds and at least a portion of the hydrocarbon feed are alkylated;
- (ii) recovering a lower boiling fraction which comprises hydrocarbons and a reduced concentration of aromatic hydrocarbons as the hydrocarbon fuel composition;
- and
- converting the hydrocarbon fuel composition into hydrogen.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.