A novel steam reforming catalyst comprising hibonite and potassium beta-alumina with improved resilience, improved activity, reduced potassium leaching and reduced coking problems. It also regards a method for producing the novel catalyst and uses of the novel catalyst in reforming reactors, in a plant for producing hydrogen gas, or in a plant for producing synthesis gas.

In one aspect, the disclosure relates to multi-functional catalysts for use in carbon dioxide-assisted dehydroaromatization (CO.sub.2-DHA) processes utilizing a microwave reactor. The disclosed multifunctional catalysts inhibit coke production, thereby solving a long-standing problem of rapid deactivation and regeneration issues. Moreover, the disclosed multifunctional catalysts, when used in the disclosed processes, provide for a reduced reaction temperature and improved BTX aromatic selectivity versus conventional process. The disclosed multifunctional catalysts for the aromatization of natural gas provide a more cost effective and energy efficient processes than existing conventional methods. Accordingly, the disclosed technology can significantly improve process economics for natural gas conversion and BTX aromatics production and yield a higher percent of product while limiting side reactions. This abstract is intended as a scanning tool for purposes of searching in the particular art and is not intended to be limiting of the present disclosure.

The present disclosure provides methods for fabricating catalysts for ammonia decomposition. The method may comprise (a) subjecting a catalyst support to one or more physical or chemical processes to optimize one or more pores, morphologies, and/or surface chemistry or property of the catalyst support; (b) depositing a composite support material on the catalyst support, wherein the composite support material comprises a morphology or surface chemistry or property; and (c) depositing one or more active metals on at least one of the composite support material and the catalyst support, wherein the one or more active metals comprise one or more nanoparticles configured to conform to the morphology of the composite support material and/or catalyst support material, thereby optimizing one or more active sites on the nanoparticles for ammonia processing.

The present disclosure provides methods for fabricating catalysts for ammonia decomposition. The method may comprise (a) subjecting a catalyst support to one or more physical or chemical processes to optimize one or more pores, morphologies, and/or surface chemistry or property of the catalyst support; (b) depositing a composite support material on the catalyst support, wherein the composite support material comprises a morphology or surface chemistry or property; and (c) depositing one or more active metals on at least one of the composite support material and the catalyst support, wherein the one or more active metals comprise one or more nanoparticles configured to conform to the morphology of the composite support material and/or catalyst support material, thereby optimizing one or more active sites on the nanoparticles for ammonia processing.

The present invention addresses to a catalyst, and the method for obtaining the same, for generating hydrogen and/or syngas. More specifically, the present invention describes a catalyst based on nickel, molybdenum and tungsten, for steam reforming processes of natural gas or other hydrocarbon streams (refinery gas, propane, butane, naphtha or any mixture thereof) that presents high resistance to deactivation by coke deposition. According to the present invention, the catalyst has NiMoW as its active phase, in bulk form and/or supported on an alumina oxide and other high surface area oxide supports, and may also contain other promoters. Furthermore, the present invention teaches the production of a catalyst whose active phase of NiMoW has high activity for hydrocarbon steam reforming reaction.

Systems and methods are provided for using oxycombustion to provide heat within a reverse flow reactor environment. The oxygen for the oxycombustion can be provided by oxygen stored in an oxygen storage component in the reactor. By using an oxygen storage component to provide the oxygen for combustion during the regeneration step, heat can be added to a reverse flow reactor while reducing or minimizing addition of diluents and while avoiding the need for an air separation unit. As a result, a regeneration flue gas can be formed that is substantially composed of CO.sub.2 and/or H.sub.2O without requiring the additional cost of creating a substantially pure oxygen-containing gas flow.

The present invention relates to a dry reforming catalyst in which an active material is impregnated on the surface of a metal oxide support and the active material is surrounded by a surfactant, a method of preparing the same, and a method of producing a synthetic gas using the catalyst. Since the surfactant on the surface of the active material prevents the active material from being sintered and the active material surface from being covered with carbon, the dry reforming catalyst exhibits high activity at high temperature for a long period of time without having to use a precious metal, and thus is useful for the production of a synthetic gas.

A new process for the decomposition of hydrocarbon feed stream(s) that achieves the conversion of a hydrocarbon feed stream to hydrogen and filamentous carbon, with minimal resulting production of carbon oxides is described herein. In this invention it is proposed to achieve the hydrocarbon conversion by the use of dual fluidized bed reaction zones, fluidly connected, for (i). hydrocarbon reaction (the reactor) and (ii). catalyst regeneration and heating (the regenerator) and to use a transition metal supported catalyst to achieve high hydrocarbon conversion and to produce high quality filamentous carbon.

Systems and methods are provided for performing hydrocarbon reforming within a reverse flow reactor environment (or another reactor environment with flows in opposing directions) while improving management of CO.sub.2 generated during operation of the reactor. The improved management of CO.sub.2 is achieved by making one or more changes to the operation of the reverse flow reactor. The changes can include using an air separation unit to provide an oxygen source with a reduced or minimized content of nitrogen and/or operating the reactor at elevated pressure during the regeneration stage. By operating the regeneration at elevated pressure, a regeneration flue gas can be generated that is enriched in CO.sub.2 at elevated pressure. The CO.sub.2-enriched stream can include primarily water as a contaminant, which can be removed by cooling while substantially maintaining the pressure of the stream. This can facilitate subsequent recovery and use of the CO.sub.2.

The present invention addresses to a method of preparing steam reforming catalysts, of the eggshell type, using a solution of glycerin, in polar solvent, preferably water, to occupy the pores of a support. Next, the solvent is removed and the support is impregnated with a nickel salt solution, which may contain promoters such as rare earths. The steps can be repeated until the desired content of the active phase and promoters is reached.