A fuel reformer 20 producing a reformed gas by catalysis by using a fuel gas includes a combustion chamber 24, a combustion nozzle 30, an exhausting pipe 15, a gas distribution gap 25, an outer reforming portion 43, a fuel gas introduction pipe 10, and a reformed gas outlet pipe 11. The combustion nozzle 30 is located in the combustion chamber 24. A columnar protruding portion 40 is provided in the combustion chamber 24.

A process and apparatus for converting an alkane to an olefin. In one embodiment, the process involves oxidative coupling of an alkane, e.g., methane, with an oxidant, such as air, to produce an olefin having twice the number of carbon atoms as the alkane, e.g., ethylene. In another embodiment, the process involves oxidative dehydrogenation of an alkane, e.g., ethane, with an oxidant to form an olefin having the same number of carbon atoms as the alkane, e.g., ethylene. The process involves passing a flow of the oxidant from a first flow passage through a porous medium; diffusing a flow of the alkane from a second flow passage into the porous medium; and contacting the reactant alkane and the oxidant in the presence of a catalyst within the porous medium to produce the olefin.

An apparatus is described, as including a reaction region for contacting a reactant gas with a reactive solid under conditions effective to form an intermediate product, and an opening for allowing an unreacted portion of the gaseous reagent and the intermediate product to exit the reaction region. The apparatus can be beneficially employed to form a final product as a reaction product of the intermediate product and the reactant gas. The reaction of the reactant gas and reactive solid can be conducted in a first reaction zone, with the reaction of the reactant gas and intermediate product conducted in a second reaction zone. In a specific implementation, the reaction of the reactant gas and intermediate product is reversible, and the reactant gas and intermediate product are flowed to the second reaction zone at a controlled rate or in a controlled manner, to suppress back reaction forming the reactive solid.

Reactors and methods for producing olefins from paraffins are disclosed. A hydrocarbon feed stream comprising one or more alkanes is dehydrogenated to produce one or more alkenes in a dehydrogenation compartment of a reactor. The effluent from the dehydrogenation compartment is flowed into a isomerization compartment of the reactor. One or more of the alkenes is isomerized in the isomerization compartment to reduce the number of alkene isomers in a product stream from the isomerization compartment.

A bayonet reactor including a catalytic reactor in the form of an annular structured packing is provided with increased surface area for the transfer of heat between annulus gas and return gas, an increased coefficient of heat transfer between the annulus and return gases, and a reduced overall pressure drop relative to conventional reactors. The reactors of the present technology can enable intensified catalytic processing.

A process and apparatus for converting an alkane to an olefin. In one embodiment, the process involves oxidative coupling of an alkane, e.g., methane, with an oxidant, such as air, to produce an olefin having twice the number of carbon atoms as the alkane, e.g., ethylene. In another embodiment, the process involves oxidative dehydrogenation of an alkane, e.g., ethane, with an oxidant to form an olefin having the same number of carbon atoms as the alkane, e.g., ethylene. The process involves passing a flow of the oxidant from a first flow passage through a porous medium; diffusing a flow of the alkane from a second flow passage into the porous medium; and contacting the reactant alkane and the oxidant in the presence of a catalyst within the porous medium to produce the olefin.

Reactors and methods of using the reactors to produce 1-butene are disclosed. A feed stream comprising n-butane is flowed to a dehydrogenation compartment of a reactor. The dehydrogenation compartment includes a dehydrogenation catalyst for catalyzing the dehydrogenation of n-butane to produce a dehydrogenation compartment effluent comprising 1-butene, 2-butene, isobutene, and/or unreacted n-butane. The dehydrogenation compartment effluent is flowed to a isomerization compartment of the reactor. The isomerization compartment contains a catalyst for isomerizing 2-butene in the dehydrogenation compartment effluent to produce 1-butene. A heating section is disposed between the dehydrogenation compartment and the isomerization compartment to provide heat for the reactions in both compartments.

Reactors and methods of using the reactors to produce 1-butene are disclosed. A feed stream comprising n-butane is flowed to a dehydrogenation compartment of a reactor. The dehydrogenation compartment includes a dehydrogenation catalyst for catalyzing the dehydrogenation of n-butane to produce a dehydrogenation compartment effluent comprising 1-butene, 2-butene, isobutene, and/or unreacted n-butane. The dehydrogenation compartment effluent is flowed to a isomerization compartment of the reactor. The isomerization compartment contains a catalyst for isomerizing 2-butene in the dehydrogenation compartment effluent to produce 1-butene. A heating section is disposed between the dehydrogenation compartment and the isomerization compartment to provide heat for the reactions in both compartments.

A process for steam or dry reforming of hydrocarbons in a reforming reactor, comprising the steps of: (a) passing a feedstock, comprising one or more hydrocarbons together with steam and/or CO.sub.2, through a first catalytic zone at an elevated temperature, to form a partly reformed process gas, wherein the first catalytic zone comprises one or more elongate conduits, each containing reforming catalyst; and (b) passing the partly reformed process gas through a second catalytic zone at an elevated temperature, so as to form a reformed gas stream, wherein the second catalytic zone comprises one or more elongate conduits, each containing reforming catalyst; wherein the process further comprises the combustion of a fluid fuel with a combustion-sustaining medium in an exothermic combustion region, to form a hot combustion products stream, wherein the exothermic combustion region is adjacent to and laterally surrounds each of the second catalytic zone elongate conduits.

A fixed bed, radial flow reforming reactor having an inner catalyst zone between an inlet fluid zone and an outlet fluid zone. The catalyst zone is separated into two concentric, annular zones, a first annular zone having a first solid particle material having a first catalytic activity for reforming hydrocarbons into the catalyst zone, and, a second annular zone having a second solid particle material having a second catalytic activity for reforming hydrocarbons into the catalyst zone, wherein the second catalytic activity is different. One of the materials may be inert. A divider may be used to separate the two annular zones.