The invention relates to a process for preparing hydrogen by reforming hydrocarbons with steam, and for separation of carbon dioxide. The process includes one endothermic and one autothermal reforming step for production of a synthesis gas stream, wherein heat generated in the autothermal reforming step is utilized for heating in the endothermic reforming step. The process also includes a step of converting the synthesis gas stream obtained for enrichment with hydrogen, a step of separating the hydrogen thus prepared by pressure swing adsorption, and a step of separation of carbon dioxide from the residual gas obtained in the pressure swing adsorption. The reforming units for the endothermal and autothermal reforming steps are arranged parallel to one another or in series.

A process for producing syngas in a first reactor, the process comprising: feeding carbon dioxide, hydrogen and first hydrocarbons into the first reactor; at least partially oxidizing the first hydrocarbons in the first region of the first reactor; producing syngas from the carbon dioxide, hydrogen and the oxidized first hydrocarbons in a second region of the first reactor.

A process for the production of hydrogen comprising the steps of subjecting a gaseous mixture comprising a hydrocarbon and steam and having a steam to carbon ratio of at least 2.6:1, to steam reforming in a gas-heated reformer followed by autothermal reforming with an oxygen-rich gas in an autothermal reformer to generate a reformed gas mixture, increasing the hydrogen content of the reformed gas mixture by subjecting it to one or more water-gas shift stages in a water-gas shift unit to provide a hydrogen-enriched reformed gas, cooling the hydrogen-enriched reformed gas and separating condensed water therefrom, passing the resulting de-watered hydrogen-enriched reformed gas to a carbon dioxide separation unit to provide a carbon dioxide gas stream and a crude hydrogen gas stream, and passing the crude hydrogen gas stream to a purification unit to provide a purified hydrogen gas and a fuel gas.

A process of hydrogen production comprising the steps of: subjecting a gaseous mixture comprising a hydrocarbon and steam, and having a steam to carbon ratio of at least 0.9:1, to adiabatic pre-reforming in a pre-reformer followed by autothermal reforming with an oxygen-rich gas in an autothermal reformer to generate a reformed gas mixture, optionally adding steam to the reformed gas mixture, increasing the hydrogen content of the reformed gas mixture by subjecting it to one or more water-gas shift stages in a water-gas shift unit to provide a hydrogen-enriched reformed gas, cooling the hydrogen-enriched reformed gas and separating condensed water therefrom, passing the resulting de-watered hydrogen-enriched reformed gas to a carbon dioxide separation unit to provide a carbon dioxide gas stream and a crude hydrogen gas stream, passing the crude hydrogen gas stream to a purification unit to provide a purified hydrogen gas and a fuel gas.

The invention is directed to a process for the preparation of a syngas comprising hydrogen and carbon monoxide from a methane comprising gas, which process comprises the steps of: (a) reacting the methane comprising gas with an oxidising gas in an autothermal reformer to obtain a hot raw syngas comprising carbon monoxide and hydrogen; (b) cooling the hot raw syngas resulting from step (a) to obtain the syngas, wherein step (b) comprises cooling the hot raw syngas by indirect heat exchange against the methane comprising gas used in step (a) and wherein sulphur is added upstream of cooling step (b). The invention also relates to a process for the preparation of hydrocarbon products in which a feed syngas is prepared in the process as described above followed by a desulphurisation treatment and the desulphurised syngas is subsequently converted into hydrocarbon products in a Fischer-Tropsch process.

A process for the co-production of methanol and ammonia is described comprising the steps of: (a) forming a first synthesis gas stream by reacting a first portion of a hydrocarbon feedstock and steam in a steam reformer, (b) forming a second synthesis gas stream in parallel to the first synthesis gas stream by reacting a second portion of the hydrocarbon feedstock with an oxygen-containing gas and steam in an autothermal reformer, (c) synthesising methanol from a first process gas comprising the first synthesis gas stream, and (d) synthesising ammonia from a second process gas prepared from the second synthesis gas stream, wherein a purge stream containing hydrogen is recovered from the methanol synthesis step (c) and a portion of the purge gas stream is fed to the autothermal reformer and/or the second synthesis gas in step (b).

Processes for conversion of methane and ethane into syngas and ethylene are provided. An exemplary process can include providing a reaction mixture of methane, ethane, oxygen, and carbon dioxide and contacting the reaction mixture with a catalyst that includes at least one metal oxide. The processes can be combined processes in which oxidative dry reforming of methane and dehydrogenation of ethane to ethylene with carbon dioxide and oxygen occur concurrently.

Provided is a method for manufacturing a diesel autothermal reforming catalyst, which includes: a step of coating a catalyst material containing an organic solvent, a binder, a plasticizer and a catalyst powder on a monolithic support; and a step of heat-treating the catalyst material at 500-900° C.

An apparatus of power generation is provided. The apparatus uses a stack of dense solid oxide fuel cells (SOFC). The exhaust gas generated by a burner of the apparatus enters into the SOFC stack for heating. At the same time, the SOFC stack is heated by the thermal radiation and heat transfer of the burner as well as the thermal convection of gases between the anode and the cathode. Thus, the SOFC stack is heated to reach an operating temperature for generating power without any additional electroheat device. The present invention has a simple structure, flexible operation. Moreover, it increased efficiency, reduced pollutant emission with lowered costs of equipment and operation.

The present invention provides for a pressure swing adsorption (PSA) process for the substantial removal of H.sub.2O and CO.sub.2 from a synthesis gas to obtain a multicomponent product gas substantially free of H.sub.2O and CO.sub.2 with high recovery of the product gas. Further, the present invention provides an integrated process that achieves sufficiently high H.sub.2 and CO recoveries such that compression and recycling of the syngas purification PSA tailgas is not necessary to be economically advantageous compared to the conventional processes.