Patent ID: 8609052

Claim:
A catalytic reactor having an inlet for reactants, two compartments in fluid connection with each other, and an outlet for products, each compartment comprising: (a) a hot media zone; (b) a first porous material acting as a gas distribution zones; (c) a catalytic reaction zone located above the first porous material gas distribution zone and comprising: (i) a first catalyst bed in a central region of the reactor and comprising a high temperature active catalyst; and (ii) a second catalyst bed in a peripheral region of the reactor and comprising a low temperature active catalyst, the second catalyst bed being substantially coplanar with the first catalyst bed and extending between a perimeter of the first catalyst bed and an inner wall of the reactor, thereby enabling the reactants to simultaneously react with the high temperature active catalyst and the low temperature active catalyst; and (d) a second porous material bed located above the catalytic reaction zone acting as a homogeneous reaction zone.