Patent ID: 9359201
Filing Date: 2016-06-07
CPC Classification: B01J,C01B,Y10T

Claim Text:
1. A process for producing hydrogen from a natural gas, said process comprising the steps of: (i) providing an autothermal heat exchanger packed-bed membrane reformer (APBMR) comprising: (a) an external gas oxidation tube comprising an inlet, an outlet and packed oxidation catalyst particles, said inlet and outlet being located each at one extremity of said external gas oxidation tube; (b) gas steam-reforming tube disposed within said external gas oxidation tube and substantially parallel to a longitudinal axis of said external gas oxidation tube, said gas steam-reforming tube comprising an inlet, an outlet and packed steam-reforming catalyst particles, said inlet and outlet being located each at one extremity of said internal gas steam-reforming tube; (c) at least one hydrogen-separating membrane disposed within said steam-reforming tube and substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis of said steam-reforming tube; (d) one insulation layer surrounding said external tube; and, (e) at least one internal gas oxidation tube disposed within said steam-reforming tube and substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis of said gas steam-reforming internal tube, and comprising an inlet, an outlet and packed oxidation catalyst particles, said inlet and outlet being located each at an extremity of said at least one internal gas oxidation tube wherein said inlet(s) of said internal gas oxidation tube(s) and said inlet of said external gas oxidation tube are located at opposite extremities, providing opposing flow direction alongside said steam reforming tube, so as to reduce temperature gradient along said steam reforming tube;