Use of a Process for Hydrogen Production

Abstract

The present invention relates to the use of a process for hydrogen production in which at least a part of a hydrocarbonaceous feed gas (a) is passed into a reformer (c), wherein the feed gas is contacted in the reformer with a catalyst and the feed gas is converted to hydrogen and solid carbon, for the direct production of a hydrogenous gas at filling stations for sale to a consumer, and also to a reactor (d) for hydrogen on.

1 .- 46 . (canceled) 
     
     
         47 . A method of direct production of a hydrogen-containing gas at a filling station facility comprising:
 conducting at least a portion of a hydrocarbon-containing feed gas into a reformer; and   contacting the feed gas with a catalyst in the reformer;   
       wherein the feed gas reacts to form a hydrogen-containing gas and one or more solid carbon compounds. 
     
     
         48 . The method of  claim 47 , further comprising dispensing the hydrogen-containing gas to a motor vehicle. 
     
     
         49 . The method of  claim 47 , wherein the catalyst is a nanostructured catalyst on which the feed gas is reacted to form hydrogen and a nano-carbon compound. 
     
     
         50 . The method of  claim 47 , further comprising preheating the hydrogen-containing gas from the reformer prior to it entering the steam reformer. 
     
     
         51 . The method of  claim 47 , further comprising afterburning exhaust gases from the steam reformer to remove carbon monoxide. 
     
     
         52 . The method of  claim 47 , wherein the catalyst and feed gas in the reformer are conducted in a co-current flow or in counter-current flow. 
     
     
         53 . The method of  claim 47 , wherein feed gas in the reformer is contacted with a catalyst at a temperature ranging from 300° C. to 1400° C. 
     
     
         54 . The method of  claim 53 , wherein feed gas in the reformer is contacted with a catalyst at a temperature ranging from 400° C. to 700° C. 
     
     
         55 . The method of  claim 47 , wherein the catalyst comprises a group VIII transition element. 
     
     
         56 . The method of  claim 55 , wherein the catalyst comprises Fe, Ni, Co, Mo and/or a mixture thereof. 
     
     
         57 . The method of  claim 56 , wherein the catalyst comprises MoCo. 
     
     
         58 . The method of  claim 47 , wherein the catalyst is a composite catalyst comprising an earth alkali metal oxide, silicon, silicon oxide, or mixture thereof. 
     
     
         59 . The method of  claim 47 , further comprising continuously or discontinuously discharging and separating the catalyst in the reformer from adhering carbon compounds. 
     
     
         60 . The method of  claim 47 , further comprising producing carbon black, nanoonions, nanohoms, nanofibers and/or nanotubes, which adhere to the catalyst. 
     
     
         61 . A filling station facility comprising at least:
 an inlet for hydrocarbon-containing feed gas;   a reformer comprising a catalyst;   an exhaust gas line for hydrogen transport during use;   a compressor and/or a cooling device; and   a dispensing device suitable for withdrawing hydrogen-containing fluid and/or hydrogen-containing gas.   
     
     
         62 . The filling station facility of  claim 61 , further comprising at least one storage tank for either a cooled liquid hydrogen-containing fluid or a hydrogen-containing gas under pressure. 
     
     
         63 . The filling station facility of  claim 61 , wherein the catalyst is a nanostructured catalyst. 
     
     
         64 . The filling station facility of  claim 61 , further defined as comprising a compressor and/or a cooling device able to convert exhaust gas from the reformer into a cooled, liquid hydrogen-containing fluid. 
     
     
         65 . The filling station facility of  claim 61 , further comprising a mixing device for mixing the hydrogen-containing gas or fluid with a hydrocarbon-containing gas or fluid during use. 
     
     
         66 . The filling station facility of  claim 61 , wherein the reformer further comprises a supply and discharge device for continuous supply and discharge of the catalyst during use. 
     
     
         67 . A device for the production of a hydrogen-containing gas comprising a reactor comprising:
 an inlet for a hydrocarbon-containing feed gas;   an inlet for a catalyst suitable for cracking hydrocarbons to form hydrogen and solid carbon;   a reactor zone comprising catalyst during use;   an outlet for a reactor gas; and   an outlet for the catalyst;   
       wherein the reactor is configured for continuous operation and the inlets and outlets are arranged to enable the catalyst to be conducted in counter-current flow to the feed gas within the reactor zone, and the reactor comprises a cooling zone and a heating zone, said feed gas inlet being provided in the cooling zone during use. 
     
     
         68 . The device of  claim 67 , wherein the reactor comprises a preheating zone. 
     
     
         69 . The device of  claim 68 , wherein the preheating zone is adapted to maintain temperatures ranging between 100° C. and 900° C. during use. 
     
     
         70 . The device of  claim 68 , wherein the reactor gas outlet is in the preheating zone or in the heating zone. 
     
     
         71 . The device of  claim 70 , wherein the reactor gas outlet is in the preheating zone. 
     
     
         72 . The device of  claim 67 , wherein the cooling zone is configured for operating temperatures ranging between 100° C. and 600° C. and/or the heating zone is configured for operating temperatures ranging between 300° C. and 1400° C. 
     
     
         73 . The device of  claim 67 , wherein the heating zone is configured for operating temperatures ranging between 500° C. and 1000° C. 
     
     
         74 . The device of  claim 67 , wherein the outlet for the catalyst and produced solid carbon is in the cooling zone. 
     
     
         75 . The device of  claim 67 , wherein the reactor is adapted to provide a gradually decreasing temperature gradient from the heating zone to the cooling zone during use. 
     
     
         76 . The device of  claim 67 , wherein the inlet for the catalyst is in the heating zone or a preheating zone. 
     
     
         77 . The device of  claim 67 , wherein the heating zone comprises at least one heating rod, heating coil, and/or external gas burner. 
     
     
         78 . The device of  claim 67 , wherein the heating zone is less than 50% of a length of the reactor from the feed gas inlet to the reactor gas outlet. 
     
     
         79 . The device of  claim 67 , wherein the cooling zone is less than 50% of a length of the reactor from the feed gas inlet to the reactor gas outlet. 
     
     
         80 . The device of  claim 67 , comprising a pressure controller on the reactor for an overpressure of 1 to 500 mbar. 
     
     
         81 . The device of  claim 67 , adapted to convey catalyst through the reactor in or on a mechanical device during use. 
     
     
         82 . The device of  claim 67 , wherein the catalyst comprises a composite structure and at least one group VIII transition element component. 
     
     
         83 . The device of  claim 82 , wherein the catalyst comprises Fe, Ni, Co, Mo and/or mixtures thereof. 
     
     
         84 . The device of  claim 83 , wherein the catalyst comprises MoCo. 
     
     
         85 . The device of  claim 82 , wherein the catalyst comprises oxides and/or hydroxides of earth alkalis, silicon, aluminum, boron, titanium, and/or mixtures thereof. 
     
     
         86 . The device of  claim 85 , wherein the catalyst comprises caustically burnt magnesia and/or freshly precipitated magnesium hydroxide with a specific surface area of >1 m 2 /g. 
     
     
         87 . The device of  claim 67 , wherein the catalyst is a group VIIIB element and comprises an f- or d-transition metal or a rare earth metal. 
     
     
         88 . The device of  claim 87 , wherein the catalyst comprises vanadium, chromium, manganese, molybdenum, palladium, or platinum. 
     
     
         89 . The device of  claim 67 , wherein the catalyst is a nanostructured catalyst. 
     
     
         90 . The device of  claim 67 , further comprising a pressure swing adsorption plant downstream of the reactor gas outlet. 
     
     
         91 . The device of  claim 67 , further comprising a filter following the reactor gas outlet. 
     
     
         92 . The device of  claim 91 , wherein the filter precedes a pressure swing adsorption plant. 
     
     
         93 . The device of  claim 67 , further comprising a reactor gas compressor following the reactor gas outlet. 
     
     
         94 . The device of  claim 67 , further defined as comprised in a filling station facility. 
     
     
         95 . A method for producing a hydrogen-containing gas in a reactor comprising:
 obtaining a device of  claim 67 ; and   operating the reactor to bring about a counter-current flow of feed gas relative to catalyst heat feed gas flowing in a direction toward the outlet for the reactor gas.   
     
     
         96 . The method of  claim 95 , further comprising cooling catalyst conveyed in a direction of the catalyst outlet. 
     
     
         97 . The method of  claim 96 , further comprising cooling produced solid carbon. 
     
     
         98 . The method of  claim 95 , further defined as comprising catalytic cracking of the feed gas in the reactor at an overpressure of 1 to 500 mbar. 
     
     
         99 . The method of  claim 95 , wherein hydrogen is separated from the reactor gas. 
     
     
         100 . The method of  claim 95 , wherein the feed gas has an average residence time in the reactor of between 5 and 100 seconds. 
     
     
         101 . The method of  claim 95 , wherein the entry pressure of the feed gas and the exit pressure of the reactor gas on the reactor are substantially equal. 
     
     
         102 . The method of  claim 95 , further comprising reacting the feed gas on a nanostructured catalyst to form hydrogen and nano-carbon. 
     
     
         103 . The method of  claim 102 , wherein the nano-carbon is further defined as comprising carbon black, nanoonions, nanohoms, nanofibers and/or nanotubes. 
     
     
         104 . The method of  claim 95 , further defined as a method of directly producing a hydrogen-containing gas at a filling station facility for distribution to a consumer.