A reactor system for thermally treating a hydrocarbon-containing stream includes a pressure containment vessel having an interior chamber defined by a first end, a second end, and at least one sidewall extending from the first end to the second end. A heat transfer medium converts electrical current to heat is positioned within the interior chamber of the pressure containment vessel, and the heat transfer medium has a first end face, a second end face, and channels extending between the first end face and the second end face. A heat sink reservoir includes molten salt, and at least one of a heater or heat exchanger is fluidly coupled to the heat transfer medium and thermally coupled to the heat sink reservoir.

Disclosed is a hydrocarbon conversion process in which an alkane component is catalytically converted in the presence of an oxygen or oxidizing component (i.e., oxidant). The hydrocarbon conversion process can be an oxidative coupling reaction, which refers to the catalytic conversion of alkane in the presence of oxidant to produce an olefin product, i.e., a composition containing C.sub.2+ olefin. Reverse-flow reactors can be used to carry out the oxidative coupling reaction.

A monolith-type reactor includes a porous support body, a plurality of first cells through which a raw material gas flows, a plurality of second cells through which the sweep gas flows, separation membranes, and a catalyst. The first cells pass through the porous support body in a first direction. The second cells extend in the porous support body in the first direction. The separate membranes are respectively formed on inner peripheral surfaces of the first cells and permeable to a product of the conversion reaction. The catalyst is arranged inside the separation membranes, and promotes the conversion reaction. In a cross section taken along a second direction perpendicular to the first direction, the average cross-sectional area of the first cells is larger than the average cross-sectional area of the second cells.

A method for producing hydrogen by thermochemical splitting of water includes injecting one or more feed streams of water into a reaction chamber. The method further includes using a molten salt heated by a subterranean heat source to carry out the thermochemical splitting of water to form hydrogen and oxygen in the reaction chamber. The formed products are subsequently removed from the reaction chamber. Hydrogen formed in the reaction chamber may be used in a downstream process to generate hydrocarbons.

A method for generating a hybrid reaction flows feedstock gas that is also a plasma medium through microchannels. Plasma is generated with the plasma medium via excitation with a time-varying voltage. UV or VUV emissions are generated at a wavelength selected to break a chemical bond in the feedstock gas. The UV or VUV emissions are directed into the microchannels to interact with the plasma medium and generate a reaction product from the plasma medium. A hybrid reactor device includes a microchannel plasma array having inlets and outlets for respectively flowing gas feedstock into and reaction product out of the microchannel plasma array. A UV or VUV emission lamp has its emissions directed into microchannels of the microchannel plasma array. Electrodes ignite plasma in the microchannels and stimulating the UV or VUV emission lamp to generate UV or VUV emissions. One common or plural phased time-varying voltage sources drive the plasma array and the UV or VUV emission lamp.

Described herein are expandable center arrangements for use in a tubular reactor, such as a reformer, for enhancing heat transfer and reactor efficiency. The expandable center arrangement can include a cone being expandable in the radial direction and an expansion weight for promoting expansion of the cone. The cone and expansion weight can be slidably arranged on a center support. Expansion of the cones in the radial direction forces reactor components radially outward to an outer tube that houses the reactor components and expandable center arrangement. Expansion of reactor components towards the outer tube promotes heat for carrying out catalytic reactions.