Use of a Process for Hydrogen Production
The present invention relates to the use of a process for hydrogen production in which at least a part of a hydrocarbonaceous feed gas (a) is passed into a reformer (c), wherein the feed gas is contacted in the reformer with a catalyst and the feed gas is converted to hydrogen and solid carbon, for the direct production of a hydrogenous gas at filling stations for sale to a consumer, and also to a reactor (d) for hydrogen on.
1 .- 46 . (canceled)
47 . A method of direct production of a hydrogen-containing gas at a filling station facility comprising:
conducting at least a portion of a hydrocarbon-containing feed gas into a reformer; and
contacting the feed gas with a catalyst in the reformer;
wherein the feed gas reacts to form a hydrogen-containing gas and one or more solid carbon compounds.
48 . The method of claim 47 , further comprising dispensing the hydrogen-containing gas to a motor vehicle.
49 . The method of claim 47 , wherein the catalyst is a nanostructured catalyst on which the feed gas is reacted to form hydrogen and a nano-carbon compound.
50 . The method of claim 47 , further comprising preheating the hydrogen-containing gas from the reformer prior to it entering the steam reformer.
51 . The method of claim 47 , further comprising afterburning exhaust gases from the steam reformer to remove carbon monoxide.
52 . The method of claim 47 , wherein the catalyst and feed gas in the reformer are conducted in a co-current flow or in counter-current flow.
53 . The method of claim 47 , wherein feed gas in the reformer is contacted with a catalyst at a temperature ranging from 300° C. to 1400° C.
54 . The method of claim 53 , wherein feed gas in the reformer is contacted with a catalyst at a temperature ranging from 400° C. to 700° C.
55 . The method of claim 47 , wherein the catalyst comprises a group VIII transition element.
56 . The method of claim 55 , wherein the catalyst comprises Fe, Ni, Co, Mo and/or a mixture thereof.
57 . The method of claim 56 , wherein the catalyst comprises MoCo.
58 . The method of claim 47 , wherein the catalyst is a composite catalyst comprising an earth alkali metal oxide, silicon, silicon oxide, or mixture thereof.
59 . The method of claim 47 , further comprising continuously or discontinuously discharging and separating the catalyst in the reformer from adhering carbon compounds.
60 . The method of claim 47 , further comprising producing carbon black, nanoonions, nanohoms, nanofibers and/or nanotubes, which adhere to the catalyst.
61 . A filling station facility comprising at least:
an inlet for hydrocarbon-containing feed gas;
a reformer comprising a catalyst;
an exhaust gas line for hydrogen transport during use;
a compressor and/or a cooling device; and
a dispensing device suitable for withdrawing hydrogen-containing fluid and/or hydrogen-containing gas.
62 . The filling station facility of claim 61 , further comprising at least one storage tank for either a cooled liquid hydrogen-containing fluid or a hydrogen-containing gas under pressure.
63 . The filling station facility of claim 61 , wherein the catalyst is a nanostructured catalyst.
64 . The filling station facility of claim 61 , further defined as comprising a compressor and/or a cooling device able to convert exhaust gas from the reformer into a cooled, liquid hydrogen-containing fluid.
65 . The filling station facility of claim 61 , further comprising a mixing device for mixing the hydrogen-containing gas or fluid with a hydrocarbon-containing gas or fluid during use.
66 . The filling station facility of claim 61 , wherein the reformer further comprises a supply and discharge device for continuous supply and discharge of the catalyst during use.
67 . A device for the production of a hydrogen-containing gas comprising a reactor comprising:
an inlet for a hydrocarbon-containing feed gas;
an inlet for a catalyst suitable for cracking hydrocarbons to form hydrogen and solid carbon;
a reactor zone comprising catalyst during use;
an outlet for a reactor gas; and
an outlet for the catalyst;
wherein the reactor is configured for continuous operation and the inlets and outlets are arranged to enable the catalyst to be conducted in counter-current flow to the feed gas within the reactor zone, and the reactor comprises a cooling zone and a heating zone, said feed gas inlet being provided in the cooling zone during use.
68 . The device of claim 67 , wherein the reactor comprises a preheating zone.
69 . The device of claim 68 , wherein the preheating zone is adapted to maintain temperatures ranging between 100° C. and 900° C. during use.
70 . The device of claim 68 , wherein the reactor gas outlet is in the preheating zone or in the heating zone.
71 . The device of claim 70 , wherein the reactor gas outlet is in the preheating zone.
72 . The device of claim 67 , wherein the cooling zone is configured for operating temperatures ranging between 100° C. and 600° C. and/or the heating zone is configured for operating temperatures ranging between 300° C. and 1400° C.
73 . The device of claim 67 , wherein the heating zone is configured for operating temperatures ranging between 500° C. and 1000° C.
74 . The device of claim 67 , wherein the outlet for the catalyst and produced solid carbon is in the cooling zone.
75 . The device of claim 67 , wherein the reactor is adapted to provide a gradually decreasing temperature gradient from the heating zone to the cooling zone during use.
76 . The device of claim 67 , wherein the inlet for the catalyst is in the heating zone or a preheating zone.
77 . The device of claim 67 , wherein the heating zone comprises at least one heating rod, heating coil, and/or external gas burner.
78 . The device of claim 67 , wherein the heating zone is less than 50% of a length of the reactor from the feed gas inlet to the reactor gas outlet.
79 . The device of claim 67 , wherein the cooling zone is less than 50% of a length of the reactor from the feed gas inlet to the reactor gas outlet.
80 . The device of claim 67 , comprising a pressure controller on the reactor for an overpressure of 1 to 500 mbar.
81 . The device of claim 67 , adapted to convey catalyst through the reactor in or on a mechanical device during use.
82 . The device of claim 67 , wherein the catalyst comprises a composite structure and at least one group VIII transition element component.
83 . The device of claim 82 , wherein the catalyst comprises Fe, Ni, Co, Mo and/or mixtures thereof.
84 . The device of claim 83 , wherein the catalyst comprises MoCo.
85 . The device of claim 82 , wherein the catalyst comprises oxides and/or hydroxides of earth alkalis, silicon, aluminum, boron, titanium, and/or mixtures thereof.
86 . The device of claim 85 , wherein the catalyst comprises caustically burnt magnesia and/or freshly precipitated magnesium hydroxide with a specific surface area of >1 m 2 /g.
87 . The device of claim 67 , wherein the catalyst is a group VIIIB element and comprises an f- or d-transition metal or a rare earth metal.
88 . The device of claim 87 , wherein the catalyst comprises vanadium, chromium, manganese, molybdenum, palladium, or platinum.
89 . The device of claim 67 , wherein the catalyst is a nanostructured catalyst.
90 . The device of claim 67 , further comprising a pressure swing adsorption plant downstream of the reactor gas outlet.
91 . The device of claim 67 , further comprising a filter following the reactor gas outlet.
92 . The device of claim 91 , wherein the filter precedes a pressure swing adsorption plant.
93 . The device of claim 67 , further comprising a reactor gas compressor following the reactor gas outlet.
94 . The device of claim 67 , further defined as comprised in a filling station facility.
95 . A method for producing a hydrogen-containing gas in a reactor comprising:
obtaining a device of claim 67 ; and
operating the reactor to bring about a counter-current flow of feed gas relative to catalyst heat feed gas flowing in a direction toward the outlet for the reactor gas.
96 . The method of claim 95 , further comprising cooling catalyst conveyed in a direction of the catalyst outlet.
97 . The method of claim 96 , further comprising cooling produced solid carbon.
98 . The method of claim 95 , further defined as comprising catalytic cracking of the feed gas in the reactor at an overpressure of 1 to 500 mbar.
99 . The method of claim 95 , wherein hydrogen is separated from the reactor gas.
100 . The method of claim 95 , wherein the feed gas has an average residence time in the reactor of between 5 and 100 seconds.
101 . The method of claim 95 , wherein the entry pressure of the feed gas and the exit pressure of the reactor gas on the reactor are substantially equal.
102 . The method of claim 95 , further comprising reacting the feed gas on a nanostructured catalyst to form hydrogen and nano-carbon.
103 . The method of claim 102 , wherein the nano-carbon is further defined as comprising carbon black, nanoonions, nanohoms, nanofibers and/or nanotubes.
104 . The method of claim 95 , further defined as a method of directly producing a hydrogen-containing gas at a filling station facility for distribution to a consumer.