Patent ID: 9156688
Filing Date: 2015-10-13
Classification: C01B

Abstract:
1. A method for thermally decomposing hydrocarbon feedstock, comprising: heating a first volume of non-oxidizing, inert carrier gas with a first heat exchanger such that the first volume of non-oxidizing, inert carrier gas if mixed with a volume of hydrocarbon feedstock would cause at least partial decomposition of the volume of hydrocarbon feedstock, wherein the first heat exchanger comprises at least one of a regenerative heat exchanger, a regenerator, a countercurrent heat exchanger, a recuperator, or combinations thereof; delivering a first volume of hydrocarbon feedstock into a reaction chamber; delivering the first volume of non-oxidizing, inert carrier gas into the reaction chamber such that the first volume of non-oxidizing, inert carrier gas and the first volume of hydrocarbon feedstock mix within the reaction chamber and the first volume of non-oxidizing, inert carrier gas transfers heat to the first volume of hydrocarbon feedstock within the reaction chamber causing the decomposition of the first volume of hydrocarbon feedstock, and wherein the decomposition of the first volume of hydrocarbon feedstock results in a product comprising hydrogen gas and carbon substances; collecting a first gaseous product stream, wherein the first gaseous product stream comprises hydrogen gas and at least a portion of the first volume of non-oxidizing, inert carrier gas; thermally coupling heat from at least a portion of the first gaseous product stream into a second volume of non-oxidizing, inert carrier gas with a second heat exchanger wherein after thermally coupling heat from the at least a portion of the first gaseous product stream into the second volume of carrier gas through use of the second heat exchanger, the at least a portion of the first gaseous product stream is converted into a second portion of the first gaseous product stream by at least partial removal of hydrogen gas from the portion of the first gaseous product stream; and delivering the second volume of non-oxidizing, inert carrier gas into the reaction chamber.