A catalyst arrangement disposed within a vertical reaction tube includes a structured catalyst within an upper part of the reaction tube, a particulate catalyst beneath the structured catalyst in a lower part of the reaction tube, and a catalyst support device located between the structured catalyst and the particulate catalyst, wherein the catalyst support device includes a cylindrical body having a first end adapted for connection to the structured catalyst, and a second end, and the cylindrical body has a diameter 70-90% of the internal diameter of the tube and a length/diameter in the range 0.5-2.5.

Provided are a photocatalyst having higher activity for hydrogen production through water splitting and a photoelectrode comprising the photocatalyst. The photocatalyst for water splitting of the present invention comprises a Ga selenide, an AgGa selenide, or both thereof.

A method of producing hydrogen may include: providing a catalyst-carbon gel; and flowing a hydrocarbon through a catalyst, wherein catalyst is a metal or mixture of metals that is non-wetting to solid carbon at 1 bar absolute and 10 C. above a melting point of the metal or mixture of metals.

A liquid fuel reformer (400) includes a fuel vaporizer (415) which utilizes heat from an upstream source of heat, specifically, an electric heater (406), operable in the start-up mode of the reformer (400), and therefore independent of the reforming reaction zone of the reformer, to vaporize fuel in a downstream vaporization zone.

A multiwalled carbon nanotube includes at least 2 carbon nanotube walls. The multiwalled carbon nanotube have an outer surface and at least a portion of an oxygen functional group is attached to the outer surface thereof. Up to 5 atomic percent of the multiwalled carbon nanotube surface is an oxygen functional group. The surface atomic ratio of carbon to oxygen is between 17:1 and 19:1. A photocatalysis process to produce hydrogen and at least one solid carbon nanostructure includes the steps of: applying light to saturated hydrocarbons in the presence of a metal particle supported metal oxide photocatalyst to produce at least hydrogen gas and at least one solid carbon nanostructure; separating the hydrogen from at least one solid carbon nanostructure; and collecting the separated hydrogen and the at least one solid carbon nanostructure.

The invention concerns a process and apparatus for cracking ammonia in which heated ammonia at super-atmospheric pressure is partially cracked over a first catalyst in a reaction zone of an electrically heated reactor to produce partially cracked ammonia gas which is then cracked in reactor tubes containing a second catalyst in a fired reactor to produce cracked gas comprising hydrogen gas, nitrogen gas and residual ammonia. The cracked gas is cooled and hydrogen is recovered from the cooled cracked gas in a hydrogen recovery unit. Offgas from the hydrogen recovery unit, or a cracked offgas derived therefrom, provides at least some, preferably all, of the fuel requirement in the fired reactor. Varying the power input to the first part of the cracking reaction enables direct control of the heat flux profile and hence accommodate any excess or shortfall in the heat input from the fired reactor.

The invention concerns a process and apparatus for cracking ammonia in which heated ammonia at super-atmospheric pressure is partially cracked in reactor tubes containing a first catalyst in a fired reactor to produce partially cracked ammonia gas which is then cracked over a second catalyst in a reaction zone of an electrically heated reactor to produce cracked gas comprising hydrogen gas, nitrogen gas and residual ammonia. The cracked gas is cooled and hydrogen is recovered from the cooled cracked gas in a hydrogen recovery unit. Offgas from the hydrogen recovery unit, or a cracked offgas derived therefrom, provides at least some, preferably all, of the fuel requirement in the fired reactor. Varying the power input to the second part of the cracking reaction enables direct control of the heat flux profile and hence optimization of the conversion.

Integrated liquid fuel catalytic partial oxidation (CPOX) reformer and fuel cell systems can include a plurality or an array of spaced-apart CPOX reactor units, each reactor unit including an elongate tube having a gas-permeable wall with internal and external surfaces, the wall enclosing an open gaseous flow passageway with at least a portion of the wall having CPOX catalyst disposed therein and/or comprising its structure. The catalyst-containing wall structure and open gaseous flow passageway enclosed thereby define a gaseous phase CPOX reaction zone, the catalyst-containing wall section being gas-permeable to allow gaseous CPOX reaction mixture to diffuse therein and hydrogen rich product reformate to diffuse therefrom. The liquid fuel CPOX reformer also can include a vaporizer, one or more igniters, and a source of liquid reformable fuel. The hydrogen-rich reformate can be converted to electricity within a fuel cell unit integrated with the liquid fuel CPOX reactor unit.

A method for conversion of greenhouse gases comprises: introducing a flow of a dehumidified gaseous source of carbon dioxide into a reaction vessel; introducing a flow of a dehumidified gaseous source of methane into the reaction vessel; and irradiating catalytic material in the reaction vessel with microwave energy. The irradiated catalytic material is heated and catalyzes an endothermic reaction of carbon dioxide and methane that produces hydrogen and carbon monoxide. At least a portion of heat required to maintain a temperature within the reaction vessel is supplied by the microwave energy. If desired, a mixture that includes carbon monoxide and hydrogen can flow out of the reaction vessel and be introduced into a second reaction vessel to undergo catalyzed reactions producing multiple-carbon reaction products.

A liquid fuel catalytic partial oxidation (CPOX) reformer can include a plurality or an array of spaced-apart CPOX reactor units, each reactor unit including an elongate tube having a gas-permeable wall with internal and external surfaces, the wall enclosing an open gaseous flow passageway with at least a portion of the wall having CPOX catalyst disposed therein and/or comprising its structure. The catalyst-containing wall structure and open gaseous flow passageway enclosed thereby define a gaseous phase CPOX reaction zone, the catalyst-containing wall section being gas-permeable to allow gaseous CPOX reaction mixture to diffuse therein and hydrogen rich product reformate to diffuse therefrom. At least the exterior surface of the CPOX reaction zone can include a hydrogen barrier. The liquid fuel CPOX reformer can include a vaporizer, one or more igniters, and a source of liquid reformable fuel.