Ceramic compositions with catalytic activity are provided, along with methods for using such catalytic ceramic compositions. The ceramic compositions correspond to compositions that can acquire increased catalytic activity by cyclic exposure of the ceramic composition to reducing and oxidizing environments at a sufficiently elevated temperature. The ceramic compositions can be beneficial for use as catalysts in reaction environments involving swings of temperature and/or pressure conditions, such as a reverse flow reaction environment. Based on cyclic exposure to oxidizing and reducing conditions, the surface of the ceramic composition can be converted from a substantially fully oxidized state to various states including at least some dopant metal particles supported on a structural oxide surface.

A process is described for steam reforming a hydrocarbon feedstock, comprising passing a mixture of the hydrocarbon feedstock and steam through a catalyst bed comprising a particulate nickel steam reforming catalyst and a structured nickel steam reforming catalyst disposed within a plurality of externally heated tubes in a tubular steam reformer, wherein each tube has an inlet to which the mixture of hydrocarbon and steam is fed, an outlet from which a reformed gas containing hydrogen, carbon monoxide, carbon dioxide, steam and methane is recovered, and the steam reforming catalyst at the outlet of the tubes is the structured steam reforming catalyst, wherein the particulate steam reforming catalyst comprises 5 to 30% by weight nickel, and the structured steam reforming catalyst comprises nickel dispersed over the surface of a porous metal oxide present as a coating on a non-porous metal or ceramic structure.

A process for steam reforming a hydrocarbon feedstock containing one or more nitrogen compounds, including passing a mixture of the hydrocarbon feedstock and steam through a catalyst bed of one or more nickel steam reforming catalysts disposed within a plurality of externally heated tubes in a tubular steam reformer, each tube having an inlet to which the mixture of hydrocarbon and steam is fed, an outlet from which a reformed gas containing hydrogen, carbon monoxide, carbon dioxide, steam, ammonia and methane is recovered. The steam reforming catalyst at least at the outlet of the tubes comprises nickel dispersed over a porous metal oxide surface present as a coating on a non-porous metal or ceramic structure. The nickel content of the metal oxide coating is in the range of 5 to 50% by weight and the thickness of the coating is in the range of 5 to 150 micrometres.

The invention relates to a method and apparatus for producing a product gas from a feed comprising at least carbon dioxide, hydrogen and hydrocarbons. The feed is supplied to a reactor comprising a catalyst, the catalyst is heated electrically, the feed is supplied through the catalyst and a reaction is performed at least between carbon dioxide (CO.sub.2) and hydrogen (H.sub.2) in the presence of the catalyst in the reactor, and the product gas comprising at least carbon monoxide (CO) and hydrogen (H.sub.2) is formed in the reactor. Further, the invention relates to the use of the method.

An apparatus and method to desulfurize a biogas containing sulfur. Since biogas is produced by an anaerobic digester from human, animal, kitchen and agriculture's wastes, Itis a short term recycled product from the photosynthesis of CO.sub.2, and has a net zero carbon emission. The sulfur compounds in the biogas can be removed by the following steps: (1) converting all sulfur compounds into H.sub.2S by the hydrogen produced from the biogas over Pt group metal catalysts; (2) adsorbing the H.sub.2S at high temperature by the regenerable Pt group metal catalyst and adsorbents. The desulfurized biogas is further converted by an ATR/CPO reformer or a steam generating reformer to produce various reformates.

A reactor system and a process for carrying out the ammonia cracking reaction of a feed gas comprising ammonia to hydrogen are provided, where the heat for the endothermic ammonia cracking reaction is provided by resistance heating.

An apparatus and method to desulfurize a biogas containing sulfur. Since biogas is produced by an anaerobic digester from human, animal, kitchen and agriculture's wastes, it is a short term recycled product from the photosynthesis of CO.sub.2, and has a net zero carbon emission. The sulfur compounds in the biogas can be removed by the following steps: (1) converting all sulfur compounds into H.sub.2S by the hydrogen produced from the biogas over Pt group metal catalysts; (2) adsorbing the H.sub.2S at high temperature by the regenerable Pt group metal catalyst and adsorbents. The desulfurized biogas is further converted by an ATR/CPO reformer or a steam generating reformer to produce various reformates.

In accordance with one or more embodiments of the present disclosure, a method of starting a fuel reformer including a heating element and a subsequent autothermal reformer includes contacting a first fluid comprising oxygen with the heating element, passing the first fluid into the autothermal reformer to preheat a reformer catalyst within the autothermal reformer to a first temperature, reducing flow of the first fluid into the autothermal reformer, introducing a fuel into the autothermal reformer subsequent to preheating the reformer catalyst to initiate a partial oxidation reaction and generating additional heat, increasing flow of the fuel and first fluid to initiate autothermal reforming, and controlling the temperature of the reformer catalyst by supplying a cooling fluid, the first fluid, and the fuel and adjusting flow of each.

In accordance with one or more embodiments of the present disclosure, a method of starting a fuel reformer including a heating element and a subsequent autothermal reformer includes contacting a first fluid comprising oxygen with the heating element, passing the first fluid into the autothermal reformer to preheat a reformer catalyst within the autothermal reformer to a first temperature, reducing flow of the first fluid into the autothermal reformer, introducing a fuel into the autothermal reformer subsequent to preheating the reformer catalyst to initiate a partial oxidation reaction and generating additional heat, increasing flow of the fuel and first fluid to initiate autothermal reforming, and controlling the temperature of the reformer catalyst by supplying a cooling fluid, the first fluid, and the fuel and adjusting flow of each.

A hydrogen plant for producing hydrogen, including: a reforming reactor system including a first catalyst bed including an electrically conductive material and a catalytically active material, a heat insulation layer between the first catalyst bed and the pressure shell, and at least two conductors electrically connected to the electrically conductive material and to an electrical power supply placed outside the pressure shell, wherein the electrical power supply is dimensioned to heat at least part of the first catalyst bed to a temperature of at least 500° C. by passing an electrical current through the electrically conductive material, where the pressure shell has a design pressure of between 5 and 200 bar; a water gas shift unit downstream the reforming reactor system; and a gas separation unit downstream the water gas shift unit. A process for producing hydrogen from a feed gas including hydrocarbons.