IP Library Granted Patent US 12,455,034
Granted Patent B2
US 12,455,034 · App. 17/253,496 · Granted Oct 28, 2025

Method for providing synthesis gas by means of an additional electric heater

Inventors: Martin Mai (Dortmund, DE); Klaus Nölker (Dortmund, DE); Bernd Keil (Dortmund, DE); Tarek El Hawary (Holzwickede, DE)
Assignees: thyssenkrupp Uhde GmbH; thyssenkrupp AG
F16L53/38B01J19/0013B01J19/2415C01B3/384C01C1/0488B01J2219/00081B01J2219/00083B01J2219/00085B01J2219/00135B01J2219/00157B01J2219/00162B01J2219/0871C01B2203/0233C01B2203/061C01B2203/068C01B2203/0816C01B2203/085C01B2203/0855C01B2203/0866C01B2203/1047C01B2203/1235
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,455,034
App. No.
17/253,496
Granted
Oct 28, 2025
Kind
B2
Abstract

A reformer for steam reforming a hydrocarbon-containing mixture, including a combustion chamber, a burner arranged within the combustion chamber, a first reactor tube which is arranged at least in sections within the combustion chamber, a catalyst arranged inside the first reactor tube, and an electrically heatable heating element is arranged inside the first reactor tube.

Claims (36)

1 . A reformer for the steam reforming of a hydrocarbon-containing mixture, at least comprising:

a combustion chamber,

a burner disposed within the combustion chamber,

a first reactor tube which is disposed at least sectionally within the combustion chamber,

a catalyst disposed within the first reactor tube, and

an electric heating element disposed within the first reactor tube, the electric heating element comprising an electrical resistance heating element,

wherein the electric heating element is spaced apart from the first reactor tube and the catalyst fills a space between the electric heating element and the first reactor tube.

2 . The reformer of claim 1 , further comprising a second reactor tube with a catalyst disposed within the second reactor tube, the second reactor tube free of a heating element.

3 . The reformer of claim 1 , wherein the first reformer tube has protrusions or constrictions in the region of the electric heating element.

4 . The reformer of claim 1 wherein the electric heating element comprises an inductively heatable heating element.

5 . The reformer of claim 4 wherein the inductively heatable heating element has at least one heating tube and a metallic wire or a metallic coating wound at least sectionally around the heating tube.

6 . The reformer of claim 5 wherein some or all of the heating tube has a metallic surface.

7 . The reformer of claim 5 wherein the metallic wire lies on the heating tube via notches.

8 . The reformer of claim 5 , wherein the heating tube is filled with the catalyst or with a second catalyst different from the catalyst.

9 . The reformer of claim 5 , wherein the ratio of the diameter of the first reactor tube, Ø 2a , to the diameter of the heating tube, Ø 6 , expressed as Ø 2a /Ø 6 , is from 100 to 2.

10 . The reformer of claim 5 wherein the metallic wire and/or the metallic surface and/or the metallic coating comprises one or more of iron, cobalt, nickel, copper, silver, and chromium.

11 . The reformer of claim 5 wherein the metallic wire and/or the metallic coating are connected to an electrical alternating current source.

12 . The reformer of claim 1 wherein the catalyst is disposed within the first reactor tube and within the heating tube.

13 . The reformer of claim 1 , wherein the electrical resistance heating element comprises an electrical heating resistor and a heating jacket.

14 . The reformer of claim 13 , wherein the heating jacket comprises electrical insulators.

15 . The reformer of claim 1 , wherein the electrical resistance heating element comprises a first electrical heating resistor and a second electrical heating resistor.

16 . The reformer of claim 1 , wherein the electrical resistance heating element is disposed in the first reactor tube via an electrical contacting/mechanical securement.

17 . A reformer for the steam reforming of a hydrocarbon-containing mixture, at least comprising:

a combustion chamber,

a burner disposed within the combustion chamber,

a first reactor tube which is disposed at least sectionally within the combustion chamber,

a catalyst disposed within the first reactor tube, and

an electric heating element disposed within the first reactor tube, the electric heating element comprising an electrical resistance heating element,

wherein the electric heating element is positioned radially inward of the first reactor tube and the catalyst spans an entire space between the electric heating element and the first reactor tube.

18 . A reformer for the steam reforming of a hydrocarbon-containing mixture, at least comprising:

a combustion chamber,

a burner disposed within the combustion chamber,

a first reactor tube which is disposed at least sectionally within the combustion chamber,

a catalyst disposed within the first reactor tube, and

an electric heating element disposed within the first reactor tube, the electric heating element comprising an electrical resistance heating element,

wherein the electric heating element is spaced apart from the first reactor tube, the catalyst is disposed within a space between the electric heating element and the first reactor tube, and the catalyst is disposed between an exterior of the electric heating element and an interior of the first reactor tube.

Assignments (2)
CHANGE OF NAME Recorded Feb 9, 2024
From: THYSSENKRUPP INDUSTRIAL SOLUTIONS AG
To: THYSSENKRUPP UHDE GMBH
Reel/Frame 066432/0751 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Feb 16, 2021
From: MAI, MARTIN; NÖLKER, KLAUS; KEIL, BERND; EL HAWARY, TAREK
To: THYSSENKRUPP INDUSTRIAL SOLUTIONS AG; THYSSENKRUPP AG
Reel/Frame 055266/0166 →
Priority Claims (2)
DE 10 2018 210 409.3 · Jun 26, 2018 · national
DE 10 2018 213 463.4 · Aug 10, 2018 · national
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20210254774A1 · Aug 19, 2021
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