Process for producing hydrogen from hydrocarbons

1. A process for producing hydrogen from a hydrocarbon gas comprising contacting, at a temperature in the range from 500° C. to 1200° C., the hydrocarbon gas with a catalyst to catalytically convert the hydrocarbon gas to hydrogen and solid carbon;

wherein the catalyst comprises a calcined Fe-containing catalyst; and wherein the solid carbon is generated in the catalytic conversion as spherical graphitic particles.

2. The process according to claim 1 , wherein the hydrocarbon gas is contacted with the calcined Fe-containing catalyst at a temperature in a temperature range of from 650° C. to 1100° C.

3. The process according to claim 1 , wherein the hydrocarbon gas is contacted with the calcined Fe-containing catalyst at a temperature in a temperature range of from 800° C. to 1100° C.

4. The process according to claim 1 , wherein the hydrocarbon gas is contacted with the calcined Fe-containing catalyst at a pressure range of from 1.75 bar to 10 bar.

5. The process according to claim 1 , wherein the Fe-containing catalyst is selected from the group comprising stainless steel, carbon steel, rare earth doped stainless steel, low carbon stainless steel, and iron-containing metal alloys.

6. The process according to claim 1 , wherein the Fe-containing catalyst is an Fe-containing metal alloy with a catalytic activator.

7. The process according to claim 6 , wherein the catalytic activator is selected from a group consisting of nickel, molybdenum, ruthenium, tantalum, lanthanide metals, and titanium.

8. The process according to claim 1 , wherein prior to contacting the hydrocarbon gas with the Fe-containing catalyst, said catalyst is calcined at a temperature greater than 700° C. for a period of from about one to two hours.

9. The process according to claim 8 , wherein after calcining, the calcined Fe-containing catalyst is reduced at elevated temperatures.

10. The process according to claim 9 , wherein the calcined Fe-containing catalyst is reduced in the presence of a reducing agent.

11. The process according to claim 9 , wherein the calcined Fe-containing catalyst undergoes reduction with methane contained in the hydrocarbon gas concurrently with the catalytic conversion of hydrocarbon gas into hydrogen and solid carbon.

12. The process according to claim 1 , wherein the hydrocarbon gas is one or more chemical compounds that contain only carbon and hydrogen, having a carbon number of 6 or less.

13. The process according to claim 1 , wherein the hydrocarbon gas is methane.

14. The process according to claim 1 , wherein the mean diameter of the spherical graphitic particles is 0.4-4 μm.

15. The process according to claim 1 , comprising the further step of thermally treating the recovered spherical graphitic particles and converting any ambient amorphous carbon material to graphite.

16. The process according to claim 10 , wherein the reducing agent is hydrogen.

17. A process for generating electricity from light hydrocarbons, the process comprising the steps of:

contacting, at a temperature in the range from 500° C. to 1200° C., a hydrocarbon gas with a catalyst to catalytically convert the hydrocarbon gas to hydrogen and solid carbon, wherein the solid carbon is generated in the catalytic conversion as spherical graphitic particles;

(ii) separating and recovering the hydrogen generated in step (i);

(iii) using a first portion of recovered hydrogen in a fuel cell to generate electricity; and

(iv) combusting a second portion of recovered hydrogen to generate elevated temperature in step (i);

wherein, the catalyst comprises a calcined Fe-containing catalyst.

18. The process according to claim 17 , further comprising the step of:

(v) providing hydrogen feedstock for ammonia synthesis.

19. An apparatus for generating electricity from light hydrocarbons, the apparatus comprising:

(i) a catalytic reactor comprising a catalyst, wherein the catalytic reactor is configured to receive a hydrocarbon gas and contact said gas with said catalyst at a temperature in the range from 500° C. to 1200° C., to catalytically convert the hydrocarbon gas to hydrogen and solid carbon, wherein the solid carbon is generated in the catalytic conversion as spherical graphitic particles;

(ii) a separator to separate and recover hydrogen generated in the catalytic reactor; and

(iii) a fuel cell configured to receive and use a first portion of recovered hydrogen to generate electricity;

wherein, the catalyst comprises: a calcined Fe-containing catalyst; and

the catalytic reactor is adapted to receive and combust a second portion of recovered hydrogen to elevate temperatures therein.