Patent ID: 11964868
Assignee: TOTALENERGIES ONETECH
Field: Chemical engineering (Chemistry)
Classification: CPC C  B  Y | IPC B  C

Claim 0:
1. A process to perform an endothermic steam reforming of hydrocarbons to produce synthesis gas, said process comprising the steps of:
a) providing at least one fluidized bed reactor comprising at least two electrodes and a bed comprising particles;
b) putting the particles of the bed in a fluidized state by passing upwardly through said bed a fluid stream, to obtain a fluidized bed;
c) heating the fluidized bed to a temperature ranging from 700° C. to 1200° C. to conduct the endothermic steam reforming reaction of a hydrocarbon feedstock in presence of steam;
d) obtaining a reactor effluent containing hydrogen, carbon monoxide, carbon dioxide and unconverted hydrocarbons and steam;
the process is characterized in that the particles of the bed comprise electrically conductive particles and particles of a catalytic composition, wherein at least 10 wt. % of the particles based on the total weight of the particles of the bed are electrically conductive particles, have a resistivity ranging from 0.001 Ohm·cm to 500 Ohm·cm at 800° C.; in that from 50 wt. % to 100 wt. % of the electrically conductive particles of the bed based on the total weight of the electrically conductive particles of the bed are or comprise one or more particles selected from the group consisting of one or more non-metallic resistors, one or more metallic carbides, one or more transition metal nitrides, one or more metallic phosphides, one or more superionic conductors, one or more phosphate electrolytes, one or more mixed oxides being doped with one or more lower-valent cations, one or more mixed sulphides being doped with one or more lower-valent cations, and any mixture thereof;
wherein the catalytic composition comprises a catalytic support that is electrically conductive particles;
wherein said process comprises as step of pre-heating with a gaseous stream said fluidized bed reactor before conducting said endothermic steam reforming reaction in the fluidized bed reactor, and wherein the hydrocarbon feedstock in presence of steam is pre-heated to a temperature of 560° C. to 650° C.; and
wherein the step (c) of heating the fluidized bed is performed by passing an electric current through the fluidized bed and the reactor has an outlet temperature ranging from 800° C. to 1200° C.