Device for the generation of hydrogen

A process for producing a joint exothermic catalyst stage which comprises the steps:

• (a) providing a hollow body;
• (b) dipping of the hollow body into a suspension of a first support comprising a metal oxide over a first part of a length of the hollow body;
• (c) fixing of the first support on the first part of the length of the hollow body so that a first coating is produced;
• (d) application of a metal to the first coating, with the metal being selected from the group consisting of the metals of groups IB and VIIIB of the Periodic Table of the Elements and rhenium, and mixtures thereof;
• and
• (e) application of a methanization catalyst comprising ruthenium on a second support to at least a part of the length of the hollow body which is not covered by the first coating.

An apparatus for producing hydrogen, which comprises:

• (a) a heated steam reforming stage (1) comprising a reforming catalyst to convert gaseous or vaporizable hydrocarbons and water into hydrogen, carbon monoxide and further reformer products;
• (b) at least one shift stage (2) downstream of the steam reforming stage for the catalytic conversion of the mixture of hydrogen, carbon monoxide and excess team leaving the steam reforming stage;
• and
• (c) a fine purification stage (3) downstream of the at least one shift stage (2) for the catalytic lowering of the residual carbon monoxide content of the conversion products by selective methanization, wherein a methanization catalyst for the fine purification stage comprises at least ruthenium, and
• wherein the shift stage (2) and the fine purification stage (3) are configured as a unitary hollow body.