Shaped catalyst particle

1. A catalyst particle comprising a catalyst support in the form of a three-dimensional ellipsoidal shape having three major axes at least two of which axes are of different lengths including a principal axis having a length in a range of from 0.5 mm to 100 mm, the catalyst particle having an external surface and comprising two or more intra-particle channels, each intra-particle channel having an internal surface and comprising ribs, flutes, or vanes on its internal surface that optionally provide a threaded or helical channel, the channels extending from a first opening at a first location on the external surface of the particle through the interior of the particle to a second opening at a second location on the external surface of the particle, such that the first and second openings of the two or more intra-particle channels are distributed around the external surface of the catalyst particle in a regular pattern, and wherein the catalyst support is coated with at least one catalytically active composition.

2. The catalyst particle of claim 1 , wherein all three of the major axes are of different lengths.

3. The catalyst particle of claim 1 , wherein the catalyst support is a metal oxide or mixed metal oxide.

4. The catalyst particle of claim 3 , wherein the catalyst support comprises an alumina, silica, a metal-aluminate, an alumino-silicate, zirconia, titania, magnesia, silicon nitride, silicon carbide, zinc oxide, carbon or a mixture thereof.

5. The catalyst particle of claim 1 , comprising from 2 to 12 intra-particle channels, each intra-particle channel having an internal surface and extending from a first opening at a first location on the external surface of the particle through the interior of the particle to a second opening at a second location on the external surface of the particle, such that the first and second openings of the 2 to 24 intra-particle channels are distributed around the surface of the catalyst particle in a regular pattern.

6. The catalyst particle of claim 1 , comprising from 1 to 100 intra-particle channels per cm 2 of the particle's cross-section.

7. The catalyst particle of claim 1 , comprising a cavity that is in communication with two or more intra-particle channels extending from the external surface of the particle through the interior of the particle to said cavity.

8. The catalyst particle of claim 1 , wherein the each of the two or more of intra-particle channels has a cross-section which varies along the length of the intra-particle channel.

9. The catalyst particle of claim 1 , wherein each of the first and second openings of the two or more intra-particle channels has a chamfered edge.

10. The catalyst particle of claim 1 , wherein the length of the principal axis is in a range of from 3 mm to 30 mm.

11. The catalyst particle of claim 1 , comprising at least two different catalytically active compositions.

12. The catalyst particle of claim 1 , wherein said catalytically active composition comprises at least one metal or metal compound is Na, K, Mg, Ca, Ba, Al, Si, Ti, V, Cr, Mn, Fe, Co, Ni, Cu, Zn, Y, Zr, Nb, Mo, Ru, Rh, Pd, Ag, Sn, Sb, La, Hf, W, Re, Ir, Pt, Au, Pb, or Ce or a compound thereof.

13. The catalyst particle of claim 1 , wherein the at least one catalytically active composition is distributed on the external surface of the catalyst particle.

14. The catalyst particle of claim 1 , wherein the at least one catalytically active composition is distributed on the internal surfaces of the two or more intra-particle channels of the catalyst particle.

15. A catalyst bed comprising a plurality of catalyst particles of claim 1 that are packed together within a vessel, the catalyst bed comprising void spaces between and within the catalyst particles, wherein the void spaces between particles form inter-particle channels through which a fluid may flow.

16. The catalyst bed of claim 15 , wherein the volume of the void space within the catalyst particles equals the volume of void space between particles+/−50%.

17. The catalyst bed of claim 15 , wherein the average minimum cross-sectional area of the intra-particle channels through the catalyst particles equals the average cross-sectional area of the inter-particle channels+/−50%.

18. A catalyst bed comprising a plurality of catalyst particles of claim 1 .

19. The catalyst particle of claim 1 , wherein each of the two or more intra-particle channels has a circular, elliptical, or polygonal cross-sectional shape, optionally providing a helical channel.

20. The catalyst particle of claim 1 , wherein the ribs, flutes, or vanes on the internal surface of each of the two or more intra-particle channels provide threaded or helical channels.

21. The catalyst particle of claim 1 , wherein each of the two or more intra-particle channels have (a) different cross-sectional dimensions, (b) different cross-sectional shapes, (c) differently chamfered first and second openings, or (d) a combination of (a), (b), or (c).

22. A method of performing a chemical reaction, the method comprising the step of contacting at least one starting chemical compound with a catalyst bed comprising a plurality of catalyst particles according to claim 15 to form at least one product chemical compound.

23. The method of claim 22 , wherein said chemical reaction comprises hydrogenation, dehydrogenation, oxidation, hydrodesulphurisation, steam reforming, catalytic steam reforming, autothermal reforming, secondary reforming, reforming for direct reduction of iron, catalytic partial oxidation, water-gas shift, sour shift, low-temperature shift, intermediate temperature shift reaction, medium temperature shift reaction, high temperature shift reaction, methanation, a Fischer-Tropsch reaction, methanol synthesis, ammonia synthesis, ammonia oxidation, nitrous oxide decomposition, selective oxidation or reduction reaction of internal combustion engine or power station exhaust gas.

24. The method of claim 23 , wherein the steam reforming is steam pre-reforming or the water-gas shift is an isothermal-shift reaction.

25. A method of treating a fluid mixture to selectively remove one or more target components of said mixture, the method comprising contacting said fluid with a packed bed comprising a catalyst bed of claim 15 , wherein at least a portion of said one or more target components are transferred from said fluid mixture to said catalyst particles.

26. The method of claim 25 , wherein said target components comprise a material that is sulphur, a compound of sulphur, a metal, a metal compound, or a carbonaceous particulate material.

27. The method of claim 22 , wherein said starting chemical compound is a hydrocarbon, a nitrogen oxide, a substituted hydrocarbon, an alcohol, an amine, an ether, an aromatic hydrocarbon, or a substituted aromatic hydrocarbon.