Patent ID: 7918906

Claim:
A natural gas steam reforming apparatus for generating an output gas mixture of carbon dioxide and hydrogen, comprising: a first enclosure comprising: a source of water and superheated steam; and channels, located within a lower portion of the first enclosure and containing a water-gas-shift catalyst for converting CO into CO 2 and H 2 , wherein heat from hot gas flowing through the channels is released into the first enclosure to boil the water to generate said superheated steam; and a second enclosure, contained within an upper portion of the first enclosure, comprising: a steam inlet for receiving said superheated steam from the first enclosure; a combustion chamber for combusting a portion of the natural gas to generate additional steam, heat, and a hot gas mixture of CO 2 , CO, and H 2 ; and a reformation chamber for steam reforming a remaining portion of the natural gas to generate additional hot gas mixture of CO 2 , CO, and H 2 , wherein said hot gas mixture is directed through the channels installed in the first enclosure in which said water-gas-shift catalyst converts residual CO into additional CO 2 and additional H 2 , to produce the output gas mixture of carbon dioxide and hydrogen, wherein the first and second enclosures function as a top-to-bottom linear countercurrent heat exchanger; and wherein said channels are partially immersed in boiling water and extend from a bottom of said second enclosure.