Catalyst configuration and methods for syngas production

1. A method for the partial oxidation of hydrocarbons to produce hydrogen and carbon monoxide by contacting with a mixture of a hydrocarbon-containing feed gas and an oxygen-containing feed gas a catalyst composition comprising a first layer comprising a catalytically active metal selected from the group consisting of nickel, cobalt, iron, platinum, palladium, iridium, rhenium, ruthenium, rhodium, osmium and combinations thereof dispersed on an inert carrier support and a second layer comprising a reduced metal catalyst consisting essentially of a transition metal selected from the group consisting of nickel, cobalt, iron, platinum, palladium, iridium, rhenium, ruthenium, rhodium, osmium, and combinations thereof supported on or in a stable inorganic metal oxide washcoated on a support, wherein said first and said second layers are serially aligned and said first layer is more stable to temperatures in excess of 1100° C. than said second layer.

2. The method as claimed in claim 1 wherein said catalytically active metal is selected from the group consisting of rhodium and nickel.

3. The method as claimed in claim 2 wherein said catalytically active metal is rhodium.

4. The method as claimed in claim 1 wherein said catalytically active metal is deposited on said inert carrier support in an amount ranging from about 0.1% to about 8.0% by weight.

5. The method as claimed in claim 1 where said inert carrier support has a shape selected from the group consisting of honeycomb, sphere, pellet, ring, wagonwheel, saddles, and granule.

6. The method as claimed in claim 5 wherein said inert carrier support is a monolithic support having a honeycomb shape.

7. The method as claimed in claim 6 wherein said honeycomb monolithic support is made from a material selected from the group consisting of alumina, mullite, zirconia, partially stabilized zirconia, ceria, silica, silicon carbide, silicon nitride, silicon nitride ceramic, aluminum nitride, boron nitride, aluminosilicate, magnesium aluminosilicates, a combination of magnesium aluminosilicates and aluminosilicate, and mixtures thereof.

8. The method as claimed in claim 7 wherein said material is selected from the group consisting of alumina and partially stabilized zirconia.

9. The method as claimed in claim 1 wherein said inert carrier support has a surface area of about 0.1 to about 50.0 m 2 /g.

10. The method as claimed in claim 1 wherein said support for the second layer is selected from the group consisting of a ceramic foam monolith, a honeycomb monolith, and a metal monolith.

11. The method as claimed in claim 10 wherein said support is ceria washcoated partially stabilized zirconia monolith support.

12. The method as claimed in claim 11 wherein said ceria-washcoated partially stabilized zirconia monolith support contains about 5% to about 30% ceria by weight.

13. The method as claimed in claim 1 wherein said transition metal is selected from the group consisting of rhodium, nickel and a mixture of rhodium and nickel.

14. The method as claimed in claim 1 wherein said transition metal is about 2 to about 4 percent by weight of said monolith support.

15. The method as claimed in claim 1 wherein said stable inorganic metal oxide is selected from the group consisting of oxides comprising one or more cations selected from the group consisting of groups IA, IIA, IIIA and IVA of the Periodic Table of the Elements, the transition metals and mixtures thereof.

16. The method as claimed in claim 15 wherein said cation is selected from the group consisting of ceria, aluminum, lanthanum, zirconium and barium and mixtures thereof.

17. The method as claimed in claim 16 wherein said cation is ceria.

18. The method as claimed in claim 1 wherein said inorganic metal oxide is about 5 to about 30 percent by weight of said monolith support.

19. The method as claimed in claim 15 wherein said stable inorganic metal oxide comprises an additional stabilizing agent selected from the group consisting of alkaline oxide of and rare earth oxide, thereby inhibiting the sintering of washcoat during reaction or pretreatment of said support.

20. The method as claimed in claim 6 wherein said ceramic foam monolith support is made from a material selected from the group consisting of alumina, mullite, zirconia, partially stabilized zirconia, ceria, silica, silicon carbide, silicon nitride, silicon nitride ceramic, aluminum nitride, boron nitride, aluminosilicate, magnesium aluminosilicates, a combination of magnesium aluminosilicates and aluminosilicate, and mixtures thereof.

21. The method as claimed in claim 20 wherein said material is selected from the group consisting of partially stabilized zirconia and silicon carbide.

22. The method as claimed in claim 1 comprising more than two layers.

23. The method as claimed in claim 1 further comprising a catalytically inactive substrate between said first layer and said second layer.

24. The method as claimed in claim 1 wherein said feed gas is at a pressure between about 1 to about 20 atmospheres.

25. The method as claimed in claim 1 wherein said feed gas has a standard gas hourly space velocity of about 5,000 to about 500,000 per hour.

26. The method as claimed in claim 1 wherein said feed gas has a linear velocity of about 0.2 to about 50.0 meters per second.

27. The method as claimed in claim 1 wherein said feed gas mixture is preheated to a temperature of about 10 to about 450° C.

28. The method as claimed in claim 1 further comprising adding steam and/or carbon dioxide to said feed gas mixture.

29. The method as claimed in claim 1 wherein during said partial oxidation said first layer maintains its crush strength.

30. The method as claimed in claim 1 wherein the crush strength of said first layer is not exceeded.