A swirler includes a base and one or more fins coupled to the base. The swirler also includes a distribution member configured to divert or guide fluid. In some implementations, the distribution member includes an annular member coupled to the base and positioned at least partially around the longitudinal axis. The swirler may be included in an adsorption column.

An apparatus for carrying out endothermic reactions including a plurality of catalytic vessels, immersed in a combustion chamber having a contiguous overlaid convection chamber enclosing a top portion of the catalytic vessels wherein heat is recovered at a lower temperature level from the flue gases from the combustion chamber. The catalytic vessels may contain internal and coaxial heat recovery tubes creating an annular space filled in with a catalytic device. Both the external heat recovery through the catalyst tube outer surface and the internal heat recovery through the inner tube surface can be maximized by an enhanced catalytic device acting also as a heat transfer promoter in the process gas region. The apparatus provides enhanced and flexible heat recovery that permits to meet the request of minimum or none export steam production in one single apparatus, avoiding the need of a pre-reforming section and/or of a convective reformer downstream.

Catalyst gauze (1) for the reduction of the amount of N.sub.2O in an ammonia oxidation process, containing a first layer (2) of woven or knitted first wire material (4), whereby said first wire material (4) is made from Pd or a Pd-rich alloy, whereby said first layer (2) contains a reinforcement in the form of a second wire material (5) which is woven or knitted among the first wire material (4) and which has a different composition than the first wire material (5).

An apparatus for carrying out endothermic reactions including a plurality of catalytic vessels, immersed in a combustion chamber having a contiguous overlaid convection chamber enclosing a top portion of the catalytic vessels wherein heat is recovered at a lower temperature level from the flue gases from the combustion chamber. The catalytic vessels may contain internal and coaxial heat recovery tubes creating an annular space filled in with a catalytic device. Both the external heat recovery through the catalyst tube outer surface and the internal heat recovery through the inner tube surface can be maximized by an enhanced catalytic device acting also as a heat transfer promoter in the process gas region. The apparatus provides enhanced and flexible heat recovery that permits to meet the request of minimum or none export steam production in one single apparatus, avoiding the need of a pre-reforming section and/or of a convective reformer downstream.

Catalyst gauze (1) for the reduction of the amount of N.sub.2O in an ammonia oxidation process, containing a first layer (2) of woven or knitted first wire material (4), whereby said first wire material (4) is made from Pd or a Pd-rich alloy, whereby said first layer (2) contains a reinforcement in the form of a second wire material (5) which is woven or knitted among the first wire material (4) and which has a different composition than the first wire material (5).

A packed bed includes a vessel including a shell, an inlet, and an outlet, wherein the space inside the shell between the inlet and outlet forms an internal volume; a plurality of packing material structures filling at least a portion of the internal volume thereby forming a packed volume, wherein the packed volume has a void fraction, and the packing material structures provide an aggregate surface area; and the vessel has a pressure drop between the vessel inlet and vessel outlet, wherein the pressure drop is less than 1.0 times that of a packed bed of the non-twisted shapes with the same cross-section.