Steam reforming

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9981236-B2
Application number	US-201715433718-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 15, 2017
Priority date	May 24, 2005
Publication date	May 29, 2018
Grant date	May 29, 2018

Abstract

A process for the steam reforming of hydrocarbons comprises partially oxidizing a feedgas comprising a hydrocarbon feedstock with an oxygen-containing gas in the presence of steam to form a partially oxidized hydrocarbon gas mixture at a temperature >1200° C. and passing the resultant partially oxidized hydrocarbon gas mixture through a bed of steam reforming catalyst, wherein the bed comprises a first layer and a second layer, each layer comprising a catalytically active metal on an oxidic support wherein the oxidic support for the first layer is a zirconia.

First claim

What is claimed:

1. A system for steam reforming hydrocarbons, the system comprising a reformer vessel, the reformer vessel comprising a bed of steam reforming catalyst, wherein the bed comprises a first layer and a second layer, each layer comprising a catalytically active metal on an oxidic support wherein the first layer is superposed on the second layer, and further wherein
the catalytically active metal in the first layer is selected from the group consisting of platinum, palladium, iridium, ruthenium or rhodium, and the oxidic support for the first layer is a zirconia,
the catalytically active metal in the second layer is nickel and the oxidic support for the second layer is a refractory support selected from the group consisting of zirconia, alumina, calcium aluminate, magnesium aluminate, titania, magnesia and a mixture thereof; wherein
the reformer vessel is configured to pass a feed gas through the first layer and then through the second layer of the bed of steam reforming catalyst.

2. The system of claim 1 further comprising a layer of zirconia balls, pellets or tiles placed on top of the first layer of reforming catalyst.

3. The system of claim 1 wherein at least one of the first layer and the second layer reforming catalysts are particulate, or comprise one or more monolithic supports.

4. The system of claim 1 wherein the first layer comprises rhodium on the zirconia and the second layer comprises nickel on an alumina or magnesium- or calcium-aluminate.

5. The system of claim 1 wherein the first layer is between 5% and 25% of the thickness of the bed.

6. The system of claim 1 wherein the first layer is comprised of a rhodium impregnated zirconia catalyst.

7. The system of claim 1 wherein the first layer is comprised of a 0.05 to 0.5% wt rhodium impregnated zirconia catalyst.

8. The system of claim 1 wherein the second layer is comprised of a catalyst consisting of nickel on alumina or calcium aluminate.

9. The system of claim 1 wherein the zirconia of the oxidic support for the first layer is a magnesia-, calcia-, lanthana-, yttria- or ceria-stabilised zirconia.

10. The system of claim 1 wherein the zirconia of the oxidic support for the first layer is a magnesia-, calcia-, lanthana-, yttria- or ceria-stabilised cubic zirconia.

11. The system of claim 1 wherein the zirconia of the oxidic support for the first layer is an yttria-stabilised cubic zirconia.

12. The system of claim 1 wherein the first layer has a catalytic activity higher than that of the second layer.

13. The system of claim 1 wherein the second layer has a catalytic activity which is between 50 and 95% of the catalytic activity of the first layer.

14. The system of claim 1 wherein the first layer is on top of the second layer.

15. The system of claim 1 , wherein the reformer vessel further comprises a burner apparatus, below which the bed of steam reforming catalyst is disposed.

Assignees

• Johnson Matthey Plc

Inventors

• Farnell Peter William
• Fowles Martin

Classifications

• B01J23/464 Primary

  Rhodium · CPC title

• Y02P20/52

  using catalysts, e.g. selective catalysts · CPC title

• C01B2203/1011

  Packed bed of catalytic structures, e.g. particles, packing elements · CPC title

• B01J35/00

  Catalysts, in general, characterised by their form or physical properties · CPC title

• C01B3/382

  Processes with two or more reaction steps, of which at least one is catalytic, e.g. steam reforming and partial oxidation · CPC title