WO1999000183A1 - Catalytic reactor - Google Patents

Catalytic reactor Download PDF

Info

Publication number
WO1999000183A1
WO1999000183A1 PCT/GB1998/001677 GB9801677W WO9900183A1 WO 1999000183 A1 WO1999000183 A1 WO 1999000183A1 GB 9801677 W GB9801677 W GB 9801677W WO 9900183 A1 WO9900183 A1 WO 9900183A1
Authority
WO
WIPO (PCT)
Prior art keywords
tubes
reactor
catalyst bed
catalytic reactor
catalytic
Prior art date
Application number
PCT/GB1998/001677
Other languages
French (fr)
Inventor
Neil Edwards
Ian Barry Irons
Arjan Nicolaas Johan Van Keulen
Original Assignee
Johnson Matthey Public Limited Company
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Johnson Matthey Public Limited Company filed Critical Johnson Matthey Public Limited Company
Priority to AU81152/98A priority Critical patent/AU8115298A/en
Publication of WO1999000183A1 publication Critical patent/WO1999000183A1/en

Links

Classifications

    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
    • H01M—PROCESSES OR MEANS, e.g. BATTERIES, FOR THE DIRECT CONVERSION OF CHEMICAL ENERGY INTO ELECTRICAL ENERGY
    • H01M8/00—Fuel cells; Manufacture thereof
    • H01M8/06—Combination of fuel cells with means for production of reactants or for treatment of residues
    • H01M8/0606—Combination of fuel cells with means for production of reactants or for treatment of residues with means for production of gaseous reactants
    • H01M8/0612—Combination of fuel cells with means for production of reactants or for treatment of residues with means for production of gaseous reactants from carbon-containing material
    • H01M8/0625—Combination of fuel cells with means for production of reactants or for treatment of residues with means for production of gaseous reactants from carbon-containing material in a modular combined reactor/fuel cell structure
    • H01M8/0631—Reactor construction specially adapted for combination reactor/fuel cell
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B01—PHYSICAL OR CHEMICAL PROCESSES OR APPARATUS IN GENERAL
    • B01J—CHEMICAL OR PHYSICAL PROCESSES, e.g. CATALYSIS OR COLLOID CHEMISTRY; THEIR RELEVANT APPARATUS
    • B01J8/00—Chemical or physical processes in general, conducted in the presence of fluids and solid particles; Apparatus for such processes
    • B01J8/02—Chemical or physical processes in general, conducted in the presence of fluids and solid particles; Apparatus for such processes with stationary particles, e.g. in fixed beds
    • B01J8/06—Chemical or physical processes in general, conducted in the presence of fluids and solid particles; Apparatus for such processes with stationary particles, e.g. in fixed beds in tube reactors; the solid particles being arranged in tubes
    • B01J8/067—Heating or cooling the reactor
    • C—CHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
    • C01—INORGANIC CHEMISTRY
    • C01B—NON-METALLIC ELEMENTS; COMPOUNDS THEREOF; METALLOIDS OR COMPOUNDS THEREOF NOT COVERED BY SUBCLASS C01C
    • C01B3/00—Hydrogen; Gaseous mixtures containing hydrogen; Separation of hydrogen from mixtures containing it; Purification of hydrogen
    • C01B3/50—Separation of hydrogen or hydrogen containing gases from gaseous mixtures, e.g. purification
    • C01B3/56—Separation of hydrogen or hydrogen containing gases from gaseous mixtures, e.g. purification by contacting with solids; Regeneration of used solids
    • C01B3/58—Separation of hydrogen or hydrogen containing gases from gaseous mixtures, e.g. purification by contacting with solids; Regeneration of used solids including a catalytic reaction
    • C01B3/586—Separation of hydrogen or hydrogen containing gases from gaseous mixtures, e.g. purification by contacting with solids; Regeneration of used solids including a catalytic reaction the reaction being a methanation reaction
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
    • H01M—PROCESSES OR MEANS, e.g. BATTERIES, FOR THE DIRECT CONVERSION OF CHEMICAL ENERGY INTO ELECTRICAL ENERGY
    • H01M8/00—Fuel cells; Manufacture thereof
    • H01M8/06—Combination of fuel cells with means for production of reactants or for treatment of residues
    • H01M8/0662—Treatment of gaseous reactants or gaseous residues, e.g. cleaning
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B01—PHYSICAL OR CHEMICAL PROCESSES OR APPARATUS IN GENERAL
    • B01J—CHEMICAL OR PHYSICAL PROCESSES, e.g. CATALYSIS OR COLLOID CHEMISTRY; THEIR RELEVANT APPARATUS
    • B01J2208/00—Processes carried out in the presence of solid particles; Reactors therefor
    • B01J2208/00008—Controlling the process
    • B01J2208/00017—Controlling the temperature
    • B01J2208/00026—Controlling or regulating the heat exchange system
    • B01J2208/00035—Controlling or regulating the heat exchange system involving measured parameters
    • B01J2208/00044—Temperature measurement
    • B01J2208/00053—Temperature measurement of the heat exchange medium
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B01—PHYSICAL OR CHEMICAL PROCESSES OR APPARATUS IN GENERAL
    • B01J—CHEMICAL OR PHYSICAL PROCESSES, e.g. CATALYSIS OR COLLOID CHEMISTRY; THEIR RELEVANT APPARATUS
    • B01J2208/00—Processes carried out in the presence of solid particles; Reactors therefor
    • B01J2208/00008—Controlling the process
    • B01J2208/00017—Controlling the temperature
    • B01J2208/00026—Controlling or regulating the heat exchange system
    • B01J2208/00035—Controlling or regulating the heat exchange system involving measured parameters
    • B01J2208/00044—Temperature measurement
    • B01J2208/00061—Temperature measurement of the reactants
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B01—PHYSICAL OR CHEMICAL PROCESSES OR APPARATUS IN GENERAL
    • B01J—CHEMICAL OR PHYSICAL PROCESSES, e.g. CATALYSIS OR COLLOID CHEMISTRY; THEIR RELEVANT APPARATUS
    • B01J2208/00—Processes carried out in the presence of solid particles; Reactors therefor
    • B01J2208/00008—Controlling the process
    • B01J2208/00017—Controlling the temperature
    • B01J2208/00026—Controlling or regulating the heat exchange system
    • B01J2208/00035—Controlling or regulating the heat exchange system involving measured parameters
    • B01J2208/00088—Flow rate measurement
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B01—PHYSICAL OR CHEMICAL PROCESSES OR APPARATUS IN GENERAL
    • B01J—CHEMICAL OR PHYSICAL PROCESSES, e.g. CATALYSIS OR COLLOID CHEMISTRY; THEIR RELEVANT APPARATUS
    • B01J2208/00—Processes carried out in the presence of solid particles; Reactors therefor
    • B01J2208/00008—Controlling the process
    • B01J2208/00017—Controlling the temperature
    • B01J2208/00106—Controlling the temperature by indirect heat exchange
    • B01J2208/00168—Controlling the temperature by indirect heat exchange with heat exchange elements outside the bed of solid particles
    • B01J2208/00194—Tubes
    • C—CHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
    • C01—INORGANIC CHEMISTRY
    • C01B—NON-METALLIC ELEMENTS; COMPOUNDS THEREOF; METALLOIDS OR COMPOUNDS THEREOF NOT COVERED BY SUBCLASS C01C
    • C01B2203/00—Integrated processes for the production of hydrogen or synthesis gas
    • C01B2203/04—Integrated processes for the production of hydrogen or synthesis gas containing a purification step for the hydrogen or the synthesis gas
    • C01B2203/0435—Catalytic purification
    • C01B2203/0445—Selective methanation
    • C—CHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
    • C01—INORGANIC CHEMISTRY
    • C01B—NON-METALLIC ELEMENTS; COMPOUNDS THEREOF; METALLOIDS OR COMPOUNDS THEREOF NOT COVERED BY SUBCLASS C01C
    • C01B2203/00—Integrated processes for the production of hydrogen or synthesis gas
    • C01B2203/04—Integrated processes for the production of hydrogen or synthesis gas containing a purification step for the hydrogen or the synthesis gas
    • C01B2203/0465—Composition of the impurity
    • C01B2203/047—Composition of the impurity the impurity being carbon monoxide
    • Y—GENERAL TAGGING OF NEW TECHNOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENTS; GENERAL TAGGING OF CROSS-SECTIONAL TECHNOLOGIES SPANNING OVER SEVERAL SECTIONS OF THE IPC; TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS
    • Y02—TECHNOLOGIES OR APPLICATIONS FOR MITIGATION OR ADAPTATION AGAINST CLIMATE CHANGE
    • Y02E—REDUCTION OF GREENHOUSE GAS [GHG] EMISSIONS, RELATED TO ENERGY GENERATION, TRANSMISSION OR DISTRIBUTION
    • Y02E60/00—Enabling technologies; Technologies with a potential or indirect contribution to GHG emissions mitigation
    • Y02E60/30—Hydrogen technology
    • Y02E60/50—Fuel cells

Definitions

  • This invention relates to a catalytic reactor for exothermic chemical reactions.
  • this invention relates to a catalytic reactor for purifying gas streams containing hydrogen, carbon monoxide and carbon dioxide, eg the removal of carbon monoxide from reformate gas mixtures.
  • One method of catalytically removing carbon monoxide from a reformate gas mixture is by the selective methanation of carbon monoxide to methane. Temperature control of methanation reactions is extremely important because methanation reactions are exothermic and too high a temperature results in unwanted carbon dioxide methanation. At lower temperatures, carbon monoxide methanation inhibits carbon dioxide methanation and even when there is little carbon monoxide left in the reformate, carbon dioxide methanation remains limited.
  • An object of the present invention is to provide a catalytic methanation reactor in which control of temperature in the catalyst bed can be achieved very accurately thus ensuring selective methanation of substantially all of the carbon monoxide in the reformate gas stream with little or no methanation of carbon dioxide.
  • a catalytic reactor for exothermic chemical reactions comprises a housing of heat-conducting material in which is located (a) a plurality of catalyst bed tubes inter-connected in series and adapted to receive in each tube successively a through-flowing gas to be catalytically reacted and (b) one or more cooling tubes adapted to receive a through-flowing coolant for controllable extraction of heat from the exothermic reaction.
  • the catalyst bed tubes are located around the cooling tube or tubes.
  • the reactor is associated with means for supplying controllable heat to the outer surface of the housing.
  • the reactor of the invention has at least three catalyst bed tubes and preferably it has eight catalyst bed tubes and four cooling tubes.
  • the catalyst bed tubes are inter-connected in such manner that the gas to be reacted flows through the catalyst bed tubes alternately co-current and counter-current to the coolant.
  • the housing of the reactor is a solid cylinder of heat-conducting material having the catalyst bed tubes and the cooling tubes drilled lengthwise in the cylinder.
  • the heat-conducting material of the housing is aluminium, copper, stainless steel or carbon steel.
  • the present invention is an exothermic chemical reaction conducted in a catalytic reactor as claimed herein.
  • the exothermic chemical reaction is the removal of carbon monoxide from a hydrogen-containing gas, eg a reformate gas mixture.
  • the catalytic reactor of the invention is particularly suitable for small scale portable applications such as portable hydrogen generation units.
  • a particular advantage of the reactor of the invention is that it can reduce the carbon monoxide in a reformate gas mixture from around 5vol% to below lOOppm in a single pass through the reactor.
  • Figure 1 is a sectional front elevation of the reactor
  • Figure 2 is a side elevation of the front end of the reactor
  • Figure 3 is a sectional side elevation of the front end of the reactor on the line X-X;
  • Figure 4 is a side elevation of the rear end of the reactor;
  • Figure 5 is a sectional side elevation of the rear end of the reactor on the line Z-Z, and
  • Figure 6 illustrates the results obtained in the tests conducted under Example 3 below.
  • the catalytic reactor 1 is constructed from a solid aluminium cylinder 2.
  • Eight equispaced radially disposed tubes 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10 are drilled lengthwise in the solid aluminium cylinder 2 from the front end of the reactor for most of its length.
  • the tubes 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10 when filled with catalyst function as one continuous catalyst bed.
  • holes 11, 12, 13, 14 are drilled in the solid aluminium cylinder 2 from the rear end of the reactor 1 to such depth as to connect them with tubes 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10.
  • the holes 11, 12, 13, 14 are located such that they provide connections at the rear end of the reactor 1 between certain of the tubes 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10 as follows: (i) 3 is connected to 4; (ii) 5 is connected to 6; (iii) 7 is connected to 8; and (iv) 9 is connected to 10. Aluminium weld plugs 15, 16, 17, 18 are then welded into the holes 11, 12, 13, 14 to seal them off.
  • three holes 19, 20, 21 are drilled inwards from the circumferential wall of the aluminium cylinder 2.
  • the holes 19, 20, 21 are of such depth and are positioned such that they provide connections at the front end of the reactor 1 between certain of the tubes 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10 as follows: (i) 4 is connected to 5;
  • Aluminium weld plugs 22, 23, 24 are then welded into the holes 19, 20, 21 to seal them off.
  • tubes 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10 are filled with catalyst and aluminium weld plugs 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30 are inserted into tubes 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9 to seal them off.
  • Tubes 3 and 10 have gas connectors 31 and 32 inserted into them. Catalyst is retained within tubes 3 and 10 by gauzes located therein.
  • the cooling system of the reactor 1 is made as follows.
  • a hole 33 is drilled axially from the front end of the reactor 1 inwards for a short distance.
  • Four equispaced radially disposed holes 34, 35, 36, 37 of narrow diameter are drilled from the front end of the reactor 1 for almost the whole length of the reactor 1 to provide tubes for the flow of coolant through the centre of the reactor 1.
  • a hole 38 is drilled axially inwards from the rear end of the reactor 1 for a short distance. Hole 38 is then part-threaded for more than half of its length.
  • the hole 38 connects with the four coolant tubes 34, 35, 36, 37 so that the coolant entering the rear end of the reactor 1 through hole 38 passes down the centre of the reactor 1 by means of tubes 34, 35, 36, 37.
  • a coolant connector (not shown) is screwed into hole 38 at the rear end of the reactor 1 and an adaptor 39 is fitted into hole 33 at the front of the reactor 1.
  • the arrangement of catalyst-filled tubes 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10 provides eight catalyst beds connected in series giving a total catalyst bed volume of around 61ml.
  • the gas which is to undergo the exothermic catalytic reaction enters the reactor 1 at the front end through tube 3 and then passes in turn through each of tubes 4, 5, 6, 7, 8 and 9 and finally leaves from the front end of the reactor 1 through tube 10.
  • the coolant enters the reactor 1 through its rear end and leaves at the front end.
  • the arrangement is such that the gas flows through the tubes 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10 alternately co-current and counter-current to the cooling medium.
  • a wide variety of coolants can be used, (eg air or water).
  • the reactor 1 operates on the principle of a heat exchanger.
  • the reactor 1 can be heated to the temperatures at which the exothermic reaction commences by a heating mantle (not shown), which fits exactly around the outside of the aluminium cylinder 2.
  • the heating mantle can be set to cut out when the required reaction temperature is reached.
  • the outer part of the reactor 1 is heated, while the inner part is cooled. This gives excellent temperature control of the reactor 1 and the catalyst beds.
  • Suitable methanation catalysts are supported noble metal catalysts, eg rhodium supported on alumina.
  • the catalyst preferably is in the form of pellets.
  • Coolant flow 24 litres/minute air.
  • Figure 6 illustrates the results which were obtained using the methanation reactor to clean up the reformate of a reformer as disclosed in WO 96/00186.
  • the Table below illustrates the average results.

Landscapes

  • Chemical & Material Sciences (AREA)
  • Chemical Kinetics & Catalysis (AREA)
  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Organic Chemistry (AREA)
  • Sustainable Development (AREA)
  • Manufacturing & Machinery (AREA)
  • Life Sciences & Earth Sciences (AREA)
  • Sustainable Energy (AREA)
  • Electrochemistry (AREA)
  • General Chemical & Material Sciences (AREA)
  • Combustion & Propulsion (AREA)
  • Inorganic Chemistry (AREA)
  • Organic Low-Molecular-Weight Compounds And Preparation Thereof (AREA)
  • Devices And Processes Conducted In The Presence Of Fluids And Solid Particles (AREA)

Abstract

A catalytic reactor (1) comprises a housing (2) of heat conducting material in which is located (a) a plurality of catalyst bed tubes (3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10) interconnected in series and adapted to receive in each catalyst bed tube a through-flowing gas to be catalytically reacted and (b) cooling tubes (34, 35, 36, 37) adapted to receive a through-flowing coolant for controllable extraction of heat from the exothermic reaction. The housing (2) can be a solid cylinder of aluminium or other heat conducting material having the catalyst bed tubes (3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10) and the cooling tubes (34, 35, 36, 37) drilled lengthwise in the cylinder. The catalytic reaction is particularly suitable for the removal of carbon monoxide from a hydrogen-containing gas by selective catalytic methanation.

Description

CATALYTIC REACTOR
This invention relates to a catalytic reactor for exothermic chemical reactions.
More particularly, but not exclusively, this invention relates to a catalytic reactor for purifying gas streams containing hydrogen, carbon monoxide and carbon dioxide, eg the removal of carbon monoxide from reformate gas mixtures.
One method of catalytically removing carbon monoxide from a reformate gas mixture is by the selective methanation of carbon monoxide to methane. Temperature control of methanation reactions is extremely important because methanation reactions are exothermic and too high a temperature results in unwanted carbon dioxide methanation. At lower temperatures, carbon monoxide methanation inhibits carbon dioxide methanation and even when there is little carbon monoxide left in the reformate, carbon dioxide methanation remains limited.
An object of the present invention is to provide a catalytic methanation reactor in which control of temperature in the catalyst bed can be achieved very accurately thus ensuring selective methanation of substantially all of the carbon monoxide in the reformate gas stream with little or no methanation of carbon dioxide.
According to the present invention, a catalytic reactor for exothermic chemical reactions comprises a housing of heat-conducting material in which is located (a) a plurality of catalyst bed tubes inter-connected in series and adapted to receive in each tube successively a through-flowing gas to be catalytically reacted and (b) one or more cooling tubes adapted to receive a through-flowing coolant for controllable extraction of heat from the exothermic reaction.
Preferably, the catalyst bed tubes are located around the cooling tube or tubes. Further preferably, the reactor is associated with means for supplying controllable heat to the outer surface of the housing.
Suitably, the reactor of the invention has at least three catalyst bed tubes and preferably it has eight catalyst bed tubes and four cooling tubes.
Preferably, the catalyst bed tubes are inter-connected in such manner that the gas to be reacted flows through the catalyst bed tubes alternately co-current and counter-current to the coolant.
Preferably, the housing of the reactor is a solid cylinder of heat-conducting material having the catalyst bed tubes and the cooling tubes drilled lengthwise in the cylinder.
Further preferably, the heat-conducting material of the housing is aluminium, copper, stainless steel or carbon steel.
From another aspect, the present invention is an exothermic chemical reaction conducted in a catalytic reactor as claimed herein.
Suitably, the exothermic chemical reaction is the removal of carbon monoxide from a hydrogen-containing gas, eg a reformate gas mixture.
The catalytic reactor of the invention is particularly suitable for small scale portable applications such as portable hydrogen generation units.
A particular advantage of the reactor of the invention is that it can reduce the carbon monoxide in a reformate gas mixture from around 5vol% to below lOOppm in a single pass through the reactor.
A specific embodiment of the invention will now be described, simply by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Figure 1 is a sectional front elevation of the reactor; Figure 2 is a side elevation of the front end of the reactor;
Figure 3 is a sectional side elevation of the front end of the reactor on the line X-X; Figure 4 is a side elevation of the rear end of the reactor; Figure 5 is a sectional side elevation of the rear end of the reactor on the line Z-Z, and Figure 6 illustrates the results obtained in the tests conducted under Example 3 below.
The catalytic reactor 1 is constructed from a solid aluminium cylinder 2.
Eight equispaced radially disposed tubes 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10 are drilled lengthwise in the solid aluminium cylinder 2 from the front end of the reactor for most of its length. The tubes 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10 when filled with catalyst function as one continuous catalyst bed.
Four equispaced radially disposed holes 11, 12, 13, 14 are drilled in the solid aluminium cylinder 2 from the rear end of the reactor 1 to such depth as to connect them with tubes 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10. As can be seen in Figure 5, the holes 11, 12, 13, 14 are located such that they provide connections at the rear end of the reactor 1 between certain of the tubes 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10 as follows: (i) 3 is connected to 4; (ii) 5 is connected to 6; (iii) 7 is connected to 8; and (iv) 9 is connected to 10. Aluminium weld plugs 15, 16, 17, 18 are then welded into the holes 11, 12, 13, 14 to seal them off.
Referring now to Figure 3 of the drawings, three holes 19, 20, 21 are drilled inwards from the circumferential wall of the aluminium cylinder 2. The holes 19, 20, 21 are of such depth and are positioned such that they provide connections at the front end of the reactor 1 between certain of the tubes 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10 as follows: (i) 4 is connected to 5;
(ii) 6 is connected to 7; and
(iii) 8 is connected to 9.
Aluminium weld plugs 22, 23, 24 are then welded into the holes 19, 20, 21 to seal them off.
The tubes 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10 are filled with catalyst and aluminium weld plugs 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30 are inserted into tubes 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9 to seal them off. Tubes 3 and 10 have gas connectors 31 and 32 inserted into them. Catalyst is retained within tubes 3 and 10 by gauzes located therein.
The cooling system of the reactor 1 is made as follows. A hole 33 is drilled axially from the front end of the reactor 1 inwards for a short distance. Four equispaced radially disposed holes 34, 35, 36, 37 of narrow diameter are drilled from the front end of the reactor 1 for almost the whole length of the reactor 1 to provide tubes for the flow of coolant through the centre of the reactor 1. A hole 38 is drilled axially inwards from the rear end of the reactor 1 for a short distance. Hole 38 is then part-threaded for more than half of its length. The hole 38 connects with the four coolant tubes 34, 35, 36, 37 so that the coolant entering the rear end of the reactor 1 through hole 38 passes down the centre of the reactor 1 by means of tubes 34, 35, 36, 37. A coolant connector (not shown) is screwed into hole 38 at the rear end of the reactor 1 and an adaptor 39 is fitted into hole 33 at the front of the reactor 1.
The arrangement of catalyst-filled tubes 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10 provides eight catalyst beds connected in series giving a total catalyst bed volume of around 61ml. The gas which is to undergo the exothermic catalytic reaction enters the reactor 1 at the front end through tube 3 and then passes in turn through each of tubes 4, 5, 6, 7, 8 and 9 and finally leaves from the front end of the reactor 1 through tube 10. The coolant enters the reactor 1 through its rear end and leaves at the front end. The arrangement is such that the gas flows through the tubes 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10 alternately co-current and counter-current to the cooling medium. A wide variety of coolants can be used, (eg air or water). The reactor 1 operates on the principle of a heat exchanger. The reactor 1 can be heated to the temperatures at which the exothermic reaction commences by a heating mantle (not shown), which fits exactly around the outside of the aluminium cylinder 2. The heating mantle can be set to cut out when the required reaction temperature is reached. Thus the outer part of the reactor 1 is heated, while the inner part is cooled. This gives excellent temperature control of the reactor 1 and the catalyst beds.
Whilst the reactor described above can be used for many exothermic catalytic chemical reactions it is particularly suitable for the selective methanation of carbon monoxide in a hydrogen-containing gas, eg a reformate gas. Suitable methanation catalysts are supported noble metal catalysts, eg rhodium supported on alumina. The catalyst preferably is in the form of pellets.
There now follows some examples of the reactor being used for carbon monoxide methanation.
EXAMPLE 1
A synthetic reformate consisting of H2 (55vol%), N2 (24vol%), C02 (20vol%) and CO (lvol%) was tested. The measurements were taken at intervals of 15 minutes.
Figure imgf000007_0001
Test Conditions
1. Total flow 10 litres/min or 600 1/hour
2. Reactor temperature 266 °C. 3. Feed stream inlet temperature 160- 170 °C.
4. Coolant flow 27 litres/minute air.
5. Catalyst 2% Rh/Al2O3.
EXAMPLE 2
A synthetic reformate consisting of H2 (55vol%), N2 (23vol%), C02 (20vol%) and CO (2vol%) was tested. The measurements were taken at intervals of 15 minutes.
Figure imgf000008_0001
Test Conditions:
1. Total flow 10 litres/minute or 600 litres/hour
2. Reactor temperature (see column 1).
3. Feed stream inlet temperature 160-170°C.
4. Coolant flow 24 litres/minute air.
5. Catalyst 2% Rh Al2O3.
EXAMPLE 3
Figure 6 illustrates the results which were obtained using the methanation reactor to clean up the reformate of a reformer as disclosed in WO 96/00186. The Table below illustrates the average results.
Figure imgf000009_0001
* - no MeOH detected, therefore the concentration is smaller than lOOppm.

Claims

1. A catalytic reactor for exothermic chemical reactions comprising a housing of heat- conducting material in which is located (a) a plurality of catalyst bed tubes inter-connected in series and adapted to receive in each tube successively a through-flowing gas to be catalytically reacted and (b) one or more cooling tubes adapted to receive a through-flowing coolant for controllable extraction of heat from the exothermic reaction.
2. A catalytic reactor as claimed in claim 1 wherein the catalyst bed tubes are located around the cooling tube or tubes.
3. A catalytic reactor as claimed in claim 1 or 2 associated with means for supplying controllable heat to the outer surface of the housing.
4. A catalytic reactor as claimed in any one of the preceding claims having at least three catalyst bed tubes.
5. A catalytic reactor as claimed in any one of the preceding claims having eight catalyst bed tubes and four cooling tubes.
6. A catalytic reactor as claimed in any one of the preceding claims wherein the catalyst bed tubes are inter-connected in such manner that the gas to be reacted flows through the catalyst bed tubes alternately co-current and counter-current to the coolant.
7. A catalytic reactor as claimed in any one of the preceding claims wherein the housing is a solid cylinder of heat-conducting material having the catalyst bed tubes and the cooling tubes drilled lengthwise in the cylinder.
8. A catalytic reactor as claimed in any one of the preceding claims wherein the heat- conducting material of the housing is aluminium, copper, stainless steel or carbon steel.
9. An exothermic catalytic chemical reaction conducted in a reactor as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 8.
10. A process for the catalytic removal of carbon monoxide from a hydrogen-containing gas conducted in a reactor as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 8.
11. A process as claimed in claim 10 wherein the hydrogen-containing gas is a reformate gas mixture.
PCT/GB1998/001677 1997-06-27 1998-06-24 Catalytic reactor WO1999000183A1 (en)

Priority Applications (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
AU81152/98A AU8115298A (en) 1997-06-27 1998-06-24 Catalytic reactor

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
GBGB9713474.6A GB9713474D0 (en) 1997-06-27 1997-06-27 Catalytic reactor
GB9713474.6 1997-06-27

Publications (1)

Publication Number Publication Date
WO1999000183A1 true WO1999000183A1 (en) 1999-01-07

Family

ID=10814936

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
PCT/GB1998/001677 WO1999000183A1 (en) 1997-06-27 1998-06-24 Catalytic reactor

Country Status (3)

Country Link
AU (1) AU8115298A (en)
GB (1) GB9713474D0 (en)
WO (1) WO1999000183A1 (en)

Cited By (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
WO2005054125A1 (en) * 2003-12-02 2005-06-16 Viessmann Werke Gmbh & Co. Kg Apparatus for producing hydrogen

Citations (6)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
EP0027329A1 (en) * 1979-10-15 1981-04-22 Imperial Chemical Industries Plc Catalytic process and apparatus therefor
US4371500A (en) * 1979-06-30 1983-02-01 Unique Energy Systems, Inc. Apparatus for generating hydrogen
CA1223895A (en) * 1984-03-05 1987-07-07 Hugo I. De Lasa Pseudodiabatic reactor for exothermal catalytic conversions
JPS6339624A (en) * 1986-08-01 1988-02-20 Yamaha Motor Co Ltd Reformer for fuel cell
JPH01107842A (en) * 1987-10-20 1989-04-25 Mitsubishi Heavy Ind Ltd Accumulation heating type catalyst reaction device
WO1993019005A1 (en) * 1992-03-19 1993-09-30 International Fuel Cells Corporation Method of and apparatus for removing carbon monoxide from gaseous media

Patent Citations (6)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US4371500A (en) * 1979-06-30 1983-02-01 Unique Energy Systems, Inc. Apparatus for generating hydrogen
EP0027329A1 (en) * 1979-10-15 1981-04-22 Imperial Chemical Industries Plc Catalytic process and apparatus therefor
CA1223895A (en) * 1984-03-05 1987-07-07 Hugo I. De Lasa Pseudodiabatic reactor for exothermal catalytic conversions
JPS6339624A (en) * 1986-08-01 1988-02-20 Yamaha Motor Co Ltd Reformer for fuel cell
JPH01107842A (en) * 1987-10-20 1989-04-25 Mitsubishi Heavy Ind Ltd Accumulation heating type catalyst reaction device
WO1993019005A1 (en) * 1992-03-19 1993-09-30 International Fuel Cells Corporation Method of and apparatus for removing carbon monoxide from gaseous media

Non-Patent Citations (2)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Title
DATABASE WPI Section Ch Week 8813, Derwent World Patents Index; Class L03, AN 88-088356, XP002080709 *
PATENT ABSTRACTS OF JAPAN vol. 013, no. 328 (C - 621) 24 July 1989 (1989-07-24) *

Cited By (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
WO2005054125A1 (en) * 2003-12-02 2005-06-16 Viessmann Werke Gmbh & Co. Kg Apparatus for producing hydrogen

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
AU8115298A (en) 1999-01-19
GB9713474D0 (en) 1997-09-03

Similar Documents

Publication Publication Date Title
US7481857B2 (en) Carbon monoxide conversion process and reactor
US7074373B1 (en) Thermally-integrated low temperature water-gas shift reactor apparatus and process
AU2006264046B2 (en) Compact reforming reactor
US6409974B1 (en) Water gas shift process and apparatus for purifying hydrogen for use with fuel cells
US4666680A (en) Autothermal production of synthesis gas
US6171574B1 (en) Method of linking membrane purification of hydrogen to its generation by steam reforming of a methanol-like fuel
AU2006264047B2 (en) Compact reforming reactor
US6923944B2 (en) Membrane reactor for gas extraction
AU2008258890B2 (en) Device and method for catalytic gas phase reactions and the use thereof
JP2001504141A (en) Fuel gas desulfurization method and apparatus
CA2413388A1 (en) Improved system for hydrogen generation through steam reforming of hydrocarbons and integrated chemical reactor for hydrogen production from hydrocarbons
AU2009218827A1 (en) Reactor for the preparation of methanol
US20220212928A1 (en) Combination of structured catalyst elements and pellets
KR20230027205A (en) Hydrogen production using a membrane reformer
JPH05261272A (en) Method for executing gas phase reaction by heterogeneous catalyst
CA1302436C (en) Catalyst layer-fixed reactor
RU2261756C2 (en) Method and reactor for performing non-adiabatic catalytic reactions
WO2003031050A1 (en) Heat exchange reactor
WO1999000183A1 (en) Catalytic reactor
US20040197246A1 (en) Fuel processing reactor with internal heat exchange for low pressure gas stream
KR880012735A (en) Hydrocarbon Production Method and Mechanism
JP2002531247A (en) Reactor and method for removing carbon monoxide from hydrogen
JPH0640704A (en) Reactor for dehydrogenation reaction
CA2005079C (en) System for increasing co conversion in pre-existing reactors, and reactors obtained accordingly
US6962678B2 (en) Reactor for carrying out non-adiabatic reactions

Legal Events

Date Code Title Description
AK Designated states

Kind code of ref document: A1

Designated state(s): AL AM AT AU AZ BA BB BG BR BY CA CH CN CU CZ DE DK EE ES FI GB GE GH GM GW HU ID IL IS JP KE KG KP KR KZ LC LK LR LS LT LU LV MD MG MK MN MW MX NO NZ PL PT RO RU SD SE SG SI SK SL TJ TM TR TT UA UG US UZ VN YU ZW

AL Designated countries for regional patents

Kind code of ref document: A1

Designated state(s): GH GM KE LS MW SD SZ UG ZW AM AZ BY KG KZ MD RU TJ TM AT BE CH CY DE DK ES FI FR GB GR IE IT LU MC NL PT SE BF BJ CF CG CI CM GA GN ML MR NE SN TD TG

DFPE Request for preliminary examination filed prior to expiration of 19th month from priority date (pct application filed before 20040101)
121 Ep: the epo has been informed by wipo that ep was designated in this application
NENP Non-entry into the national phase

Ref country code: JP

Ref document number: 1999505353

Format of ref document f/p: F

REG Reference to national code

Ref country code: DE

Ref legal event code: 8642

122 Ep: pct application non-entry in european phase
NENP Non-entry into the national phase

Ref country code: CA