Catalytic reactor, methane / steam reforming process, and methane processing plant to produce longer chain hydrocarbons

摘要

"CATALYTIC REACTOR, PROCESS TO PERFORM METHAN / STEAM REFORM, AND PLAN FOR PROCESSING METHANE TO MAKE LONGER CHAIN HYDROCARBONS". A catalytic reactor (40) comprises a plurality of sheets (42) defining flow channels (44) between them. Within each flow channel (44) is a sheet (46) of corrugated material whose surfaces are coated with catalytic material away from where they contact the sheets (44). At each end of the reactor (40) are manifolds for feeding gas mixtures to the flow channels (44), the manifolds communicating with adjacent channels being separated. Reactor (40) allows different gas mixtures to be fed to adjacent channels (44), which may be at different pressures, with corresponding chemical reactions also being different. When one of the reactions is endothermic, while the other reaction is exothermic, heat is transferred through the leaves (42) separating adjacent channels (44) from the exothermic reaction to the endothermic reaction. The reactor (40) can be used in a compact plant to perform steam / methane reforming, obtaining the necessary heat from catalytic methane combustion, and also for Fischer-Tropsch synthesis, so that the overall process involves methane conversion. in long chain hydrocarbons.