Patent ID: 7700005

Claim:
A thermo-neutral reforming process for the production of a hydrogen-rich synthesis gas from a liquid hydrocarbon fuel, which comprises: a) providing a mixture of a liquid hydrocarbon fuel, an O 2 -rich gas and steam to an interior zone of a reactor, said interior zone including a catalyst bed consisting of a combined combustion and steam and/or O 2 reforming catalyst containing Ni, La 2 O 3 , Ce 2 O 3 , Pt, Z r O 2 , Rh and Re; b) pre-heating the fuel, the O 2 -rich gas and steam to a temperature in the range of about 380° C. to about 450° C.; and c) bringing the pre-heated mixture into contact with the catalyst bed at a gas hour space velocity of about 30,000 h −1 to about 70,000 h −1 causing an exothermic combustion reaction raising the reaction temperature to about 800° C. to about 900° C., and also causing an endothermic steam reforming reaction for a period of time sufficient to reform the liquid fuel to yield a hydrogen-rich synthesis gas.