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.

A hydrogen generator has: a reformer that produces hydrogen-containing gas from raw material gas through reforming; a temperature detector that detects the temperature of the reformer; a hydro-desulfurizer that removes sulfur from the raw material gas through hydrodesulfurization; a recycle flow passage through which recycle gas as a portion of the hydrogen-containing gas is supplied to the hydro-desulfurizer; a raw material gas flow detector that detects the flow rate of the raw material gas, the raw material gas flow detector located somewhere in a flow passage for the raw material gas upstream of a junction of the recycle gas and the raw material gas; and a controller that controls the flow rate of the recycle gas in accordance with the temperature of the reformer, the flow rate of the raw material gas, and the flow rate of the recycle gas.

A hydrogen generation system including: a reformer generating hydrogen-containing gas using a raw material and reforming water; a combustor combusting hydrogen-containing gas and air and generating exhaust gas; a first channel passing cooling water; a condenser generating condensed water by heat exchange between exhaust gas and cooling water; a tank storing condensed water as cooling water; a pump supplying cooling water from the tank to the condenser; a second channel branching at a branch between the pump and condenser in the first channel, and passing some cooling water to the reformer as reforming water; a heater provided downstream of the branch, and heating the first channel; a temperature detector detecting the temperature of the first channel; and a controller, in an activation operation mode, determining whether the second channel is filled with reforming water, based on the temperature detected by the temperature detector after the heater has operated.

A method and apparatus for the reduction of carbon dioxide emissions by the on-hoard treatment of a portion or all of the hydrocarbon fuel used to power an internal combustion engine mounted in a conventional transportation vehicle, utilize known decarbonization technology to break the fuel's hydrogen-carbon bond. The compounds are then cooled and separated into (1) elemental carbon powder that is stored on-board for later recovery and industrial use, and (2) hydrogen, or a hydrogen-rich gas stream, that is burned as a fuel in the ICE and/or diverted to other on-board energy related applications.

The invention relates to a plant and a method for the production of decarbonised hydrogen using carbonate, water, gas containing hydrocarbons and electricity. The plant 100 first of all comprises an electric calciner 10, a contactor 20, an apparatus for correcting the pH 30 and a metering device 40. The plant 100 is suitable for receiving electrical energy, carbonate, water, natural gas at its input and for releasing decarbonised hydrogen at its outlet and an alkaline water rich in bicarbonates which, once released into the sea, represents the permanent storage for CO.sub.2. The plant 100 uses bicarbonates as permanent storage of CO.sub.2 in the sea: this storage allows the production of decarbonised hydrogen at low costs and in modular plants.

Hydrogen purification devices and their components are disclosed. In some embodiments, the devices may include at least one foil-microscreen assembly disposed between and secured to first and second end frames. The at least one foil-microscreen assembly may include at least one hydrogen-selective membrane and at least one microscreen structure including a non-porous planar sheet having a plurality of apertures forming a plurality of fluid passages. The planar sheet may include generally opposed planar surfaces configured to provide support to the permeate side. The plurality of fluid passages may extend between the opposed surfaces. The at least one hydrogen-selective membrane may be metallurgically bonded to the at least one microscreen structure.

Systems and methods generally involve processing a gaseous reducing agent and a gaseous reforming agent to produce syngas in the presence of a stable-phase change metal-oxide based oxygen carrier. During operation, an oxygen content is measured for a reactor input stream and a reactor output stream. A percent oxygen depletion of the metal oxide is determined using an initial oxygen content of the metal oxide, the oxygen content of the input stream, and the oxygen content of the output stream. Based on the percent oxygen depletion, a mole ratio of reducing gas to oxidant in the input stream may be adjusted accordingly.

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.

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. A mixture that includes carbon monoxide and hydrogen can undergo catalyzed reactions producing multiple-carbon reaction products in a lower-temperature portion of the reaction vessel.

Processes are disclosed for the conversion of biomass to oxygenated organic compound using a simplified syngas cleanup operation that is cost effective and protects the fermentation operation. The processes of this invention treat the crude syngas from the gasifier by non-catalytic partial oxidation. The partial oxidation reduces the hydrocarbon content of the syngas such as methane, ethylene and acetylene to provide advantageous gas feeds for anaerobic fermentations to produce oxygenated organic compounds such as ethanol, propanol and butanol. Additionally, the partial oxidation facilitates any additional cleanup of the syngas as may be required for the anaerobic fermentation. Producer gases and partial oxidation processes are also disclosed.