A method and system for determining changes in the catalytic activity of reforming catalyst where an outlet temperature of the catalytic reactor is measured and a temperature approach to equilibrium calculated based on the measured outlet temperature. The temperature approach to equilibrium is compared to an empirical model-based temperature approach to equilibrium calculated for the same operating conditions, the comparison showing changes in the catalytic activity of the reforming catalyst.

The present invention relates to a plant and a process for the continuous production of ammonia using renewable energies. The system includes at least one cracking unit for the catalytic cracking of ammonia. The process provides that part of the ammonia produced is catalytically cracked again, namely when availability decreases and/or when the amount of renewable energy falls below a minimum amount or when the supply of gaseous hydrogen falls below a minimum amount.

A gaseous fuel production system is adapted for producing a gaseous fuel from an object, and includes at least two adsorbing devices, a mixture space, a first detector, an air extractor pump, and a second detector. The at least two adsorbing devices are adapted for adsorbing a target gas. Each of the mixture space and the air extractor pump is connected downstream of the at least two adsorbing devices. Each of the at least two adsorbing devices is convertible between an adsorbing state, in which the adsorbing device adsorbs the target gas and the first detector measures a first concentration of the target gas in the mixture space, and a desorption state, in which the target gas is extracted from the adsorbing device by the air extractor pump and the second detector measures a second concentration of the target gas in a fluid located downstream of the air extractor pump.

The system comprises a steam reforming unit to produce hydrogen from exhaust gas supplied, a hydrogen permeable membrane to allow only hydrogen produced by the steam reforming unit to pass through it, a hydrogen storage unit to absorb hydrogen supplied through the hydrogen permeable membrane and release absorbed hydrogen, a fuel cell to generate power using hydrogen supplied from the hydrogen storage unit, a gas clean-up unit to clean up residual gases delivered not passing through the hydrogen permeable membrane, and a control unit to control the hydrogen storage unit to absorb or release hydrogen depending on whether the fuel cell is supplied with sufficient hydrogen.

There is described a method of producing hydrogen and nitrogen using a feedstock gas reactor. Reaction of feedstock and combustion gases in the reactor produces hydrogen and nitrogen through pyrolysis of the feedstock gas. Parameters of the process may be adjusted to control the ratio of hydrogen to nitrogen that is produced such that it may be suitable, for example, for the synthesis of ammonia.

A feed gas reforming system is provided. The system includes a reformer configured to receive feed gas and supply water and to produce and discharge mixed gas including hydrogen, a pressure swing absorber (PSA) configured to receive the mixed gas and to refine and discharge hydrogen gas, a feed gas supply unit configured to control the supply amount of feed gas, a supply water supply unit configured to control the supply amount of supply water, a hydrogen gas supply unit configured to control the amount of hydrogen gas, and a control unit configured to control the flow rate of hydrogen gas, to control the feed gas supply unit based on the pressure of the discharged hydrogen gas, and to control the supply water supply unit based on the flow rate of feed gas.

There is described a method of producing hydrogen and nitrogen using a feedstock gas reactor. Reaction of feedstock and combustion gases in the reactor produces hydrogen and nitrogen through pyrolysis of the feedstock gas. Parameters of the process may be adjusted to control the ratio of hydrogen to nitrogen that is produced such that it may be suitable, for example, for the synthesis of ammonia.

The fuel production system includes a CH.sub.4 recoverer, an electrolyzer, a liquid fuel producer, a steam reformer that performs steam reforming of the methane and produces hydrogen, and a controller. The controller includes: a heat amount determiner that determines whether or not an amount of heat required to increase a temperature in the gasification furnace to a temperature required to gasify the biomass feedstock is less than a predetermined threshold; a H.sub.2 production rate determiner that determines whether or not a production rate of hydrogen produced by the electrolyzer is equal to or greater than a predetermined threshold; and a steam reforming controller that controls the steam reformer to perform the steam reforming, and introduces the hydrogen produced, into the gasification furnace, in a case where the heat amount determiner determines that the required amount of heat for the gasification furnace is less than the predetermined threshold, and the H.sub.2 production rate determiner determines that the production rate of hydrogen is less than the predetermined threshold.

When the product gas producing operation is stopped, a stand-by operation is executed in which a product gas filling up a reforming processing unit is circulated, in a state in which an adsorbent of adsorption towers is maintained in a state in which adsorption target components are desorbed, and the heating of a reformer by a heating burner is maintained, and when the stand-by operation is stopped and the product gas producing operation is started, initial operation processing is executed in which immediately after the start, a source gas and steam are supplied to the reformer to produce a reformed gas, and the reformed gas from the reforming processing unit supplied to the adsorption towers to produce the product gas, and then the product gas producing operation in which the product gas is collected in a product gas tank is executed.

A process for generating hydrogen from a hydrocarbon, such a process for natural gas pyrolysis, or for a hydrocarbon reforming. The process includes interacting the hydrocarbon with a metal catalyst containing a mixture of at least two metals under conditions at which a solid phase of at least one of the metals and a liquid phase of the metal catalyst are simultaneously present. A system is for carrying out the process.