A top-fired reformer box is provided. The top-fired reformer box includes a burner row, a tube row, a reformer tunnel including a closed end, an open end, and a plurality of tunnel ports formed along a side wall of the reformer tunnel, the plurality of tunnel ports including a one or more tunnel port located along the side of the tunnel, and a flow resistor positioned at least one tunnel port applying a flow resistance for flue gas entering the reformer tunnel via the at least one tunnel port such that uniform flow is achieved within the reformer tunnel.

The present technology is directed to processes for conversion of synthesis gas in a tubular reactor to produce a synthetic product that utilizes high activity carbon monoxide hydrogenation catalysts and a heat transfer structure that surprisingly provides for higher per pass conversion with high selectivity for the desired synthetic product without thermal runaway.

The invention relates to a reactor configuration comprising an electrically heated furnace, with at least one reactor tube placed within the furnace and said reactor tube having an exit and entrance outside of the reactor furnace, and wherein said furnace is further provided with at least one electrical radiative heating element suitable for heating to high temperatures located inside said furnace in such a way that the heating element is in no direct contact with the reactor tube; and; and a number of inspection ports in the furnace wall such to be able to visually inspect the condition of the reactor tube on each opposite side of said reactor tube during operation, the total number of inspection ports being sufficient to inspect all reactor tubes present in the furnace at their full length and circumference; and wherein the heating duty of the furnace is at least 3 MW.

The present invention pertains to improved processes and catalysts for aromatization. The processes generally contacting a feed stream comprising a naphtha fraction having a C.sub.6 to C.sub.8 content with a catalyst pellet composition to form aromatic hydrocarbons. The catalyst pellet composition generally comprises a plurality of cylindrical pellets each pellet comprising a Group VIII metal on a zeolite. The pellets may have (a) a plurality of holes passing through the length of the cylindrical pellets, (b) a dome-shaped top and bottom, and (c) a plurality of semi-circular grooves along the length of the exterior of the cylinder.

A reformer furnace having a reaction space formed with reaction tubes, a firing space fitted with burners and a flue gas channel in fluid connection with the firing space. The burners are arranged at a first end face of the reformer furnace and produce flames oriented towards a second end face to fire the reaction tubes. The flue gas channel has a transition region and a withdrawal region, wherein the flue gas channel is connected to the second end face of the firing space via the transition region and the transition region of the flue gas channel has a reduced channel diameter compared to the withdrawal region of the flue gas channel. The transition region has a constriction relative to the withdrawal region which results in a hydraulic decoupling between the firing space and the withdrawal region of the flue gas channel.

A reformer suitable for micro-scale design has horizontal catalyst tube(s) passing through a baffled radiant section for convective and radiant heat transfer to the tube(s). To reduce the footprint and/or to facilitate field assembly a combustion chamber and convection section can be oriented transversely with respect to the radiant section; the tube(s) can be horizontal and/or include structured catalyst; and/or the combustion chamber provides flameless combustion or produces a flame without impinging on the tubes. Also, a skid frame-mountable version of the reformer; and a process for transporting, assembling, and/or operating the steam methane reformer.

A reformer suitable for micro-scale design has horizontal catalyst tube(s) passing through a baffled radiant section for convective and radiant heat transfer to the tube(s). To reduce the footprint and/or to facilitate field assembly a combustion chamber and convection section can be oriented transversely with respect to the radiant section; the tube(s) can be horizontal and/or include structured catalyst; and/or the combustion chamber provides flameless combustion or produces a flame without impinging on the tubes. Also, a skid frame-mountable version of the reformer; and a process for transporting, assembling, and/or operating the steam methane reformer.

An unsaturated hydrocarbon production apparatus includes: a light collecting device configured to collect sunlight, and to convert the sunlight into solar heat; and a heating furnace configured to heat a raw material gas containing at least any one selected from the group consisting of methane and hydrogen, methane and oxygen, and ethane with the solar heat generated by the light collecting device to 700 C. or more and 2,000 C. or less.

This invention relates to a novel molten salt system in chemical transformation of saccharides and a method as well as an apparatus for multi carbon production by the molten salt system. It is found that an eutectic molten salt composition is advantageous for multi-carbon productions through chemical transformation under mild conditions. This invention further provides a method and an apparatus for preparing 5-hydroxymethylfurfural (HMF) and HMF-derived chemicals from saccharides by the said molten salt system.

Provided is a method for producing aromatic hydrocarbons from light alkanes. A light alkane is contacted with catalyst particles in each of reactors, wherein each of the reactors is a fluidized bed reactor arranged in parallel with each other in a furnace. At least a portion of the alkane feed is converted to aromatic hydrocarbons using the catalyst particles, wherein the aromatic hydrocarbons form a part of a reactor effluent stream. The reactor effluent streams from each of the reactors are merged to form a first merged effluent stream. Catalysts particles deactivated through the light alkane conversion are either regenerated inside the reactors or withdrawn from the reactors for regeneration outside the reactors. The furnace comprises multiple furnaces, and the first merged effluent stream from each of the furnaces is further merged with each other to form a second merged effluent stream.