Patent GB-728895-A (GB)
Title: Method of converting liquid hydrocarbons into industrial gases
IPC: C01B3/38
Filed: 1951-05-18
Abstract: Process for the semi-continuous gasification of liquid hydrocarbons such as gas oil, paraffin distillates and heavy fuel oils, comprises passing them together with steam, at elevated temperature, over a catalyst in a first stage and then in a second stage interrupting the supply of hydrocarbons and allowing the steam to react with the products absorbed by the catalyst, the gaseous products from both stages being collected and used together as a mixture.  When a heavy fuel oil is used as the hydrocarbon, it may be distilled first, the lighter fractions being passed together with the necessary steam over the catalyst and the heavy fractions are used to heat the tubes which contain the catalyst.  If a heavy oil is used directly a limited amount of air may be added to the steam in the second stage to complete the regeneration of the catalyst.  Gases suitable for use as a household fuel or for synthesis purposes may be obtained.  In the first case a catalyst consisting of nickel on a ceramic carrier is employed at temperatures of 750-800 DEG  C. and in the first stage the contact time of the oil and steam with the catalyst is about 1/2 second.  The gases obtained contain considerable quantities of ethylene.  If the contact time and temperature are increased to about two seconds and 900 DEG  C. respectively the quantity of ethylene and other hydrocarbons in the gases is reduced and the gases consist predominantly of carbon monoxide and hydrogen.  If the gas is to be used for synthesis purposes the methane and ethylene may be completely removed by passing the gases through a secondary catalyst chamber containing a nickel catalyst, air being added to the gases to raise the temperature to 1000 DEG  C. or higher.  The resulting gas contains a very low methane content, about 0.2-0.5 per cent.  The Specification also describes the production of gases containing a high ethylene content, for example 41.6 per cent, by the use of a catalyst of the china-clay type and in the first stage a temperature in the range of 600-750 DEG  C. and contact times of less than 1/2 second.  In this case, however, the gas from the second stage is not admixed with the gas from the first stage.ALSO:Process for the semi-continuous gasification of liquid hydrocarbons such as gas oil, paraffin distillates and heavy fuel oils, comprises passing them together with steam, at elevated temperature, over a catalyst in a first stage and then in a second stage interrupting the supply of hydrocarbons and allowing the steam to react with the products absorbed by the catalyst, the gaseous products from both stages being collected and used together as a mixture.  When a heavy fuel oil is used as the hydrocarbon, it may be distilled first, the lighter fractions being passed together with the necessary steam over the catalyst and the heavy fractions are used to heat the tubes which contain the catalyst.  If a heavy oil is used directly a limited amount of air may be added to the steam in the second stage to complete the regeneration of the catalyst.  Gases suitable for use as a household fuel or for synthesis purposes may be obtained.  In the first case a catalyst consisting of nickel on a ceramic carrier is employed at temperatures of 750-800 DEG  C. and in the first stage the contact time of the oil and steam with the catalyst is about 1/2 second.  The gases obtained contain considerable quantities of ethylene.  If the contact time and temperature are increased to 2 seconds and 900 DEG  C. respectively the quantity of ethylene and other hydrocarbons in the gases is reduced and the gases consist predominantly of carbon monoxide and hydrogen.  If the gas is to be used for synthesis purposes the methane and ethylene may be completely removed by passing the gases through a secondary catalyst chamber containing a nickel catalyst.  Air being added to the gases to raise the temperature to 1,000 DEG  C. or higher.  The resulting gas contains a very low methane content, about 0.2-0.5 per cent.  The Specification also describes the production of gases containing a high ethylene content, for example 41.6 per cent., by the use of a catalyst of the china-clay type and in the first stage a temperature in the range of 600-750 DEG  C. and contact times of less than 1/2 second.  In this case, however, the gas from the second stage is not admixed with the gas from the first stage.