Method and Fuel Composition for Catalytic Heater

Abstract

A method and fuel composition for pre-heating and/or operating a catalytic heater is described herein. In one aspect, there is provided a method of preheating a catalyst in a catalytic heater comprising the steps of: providing a preheat composition comprising greater than 60% by volume hydrogen and at least one fluid component selected from natural gas, propane, butane, refinery off gas, ethylene off gas, methanol, ethanol, butanol, liquefied biogas and mixtures thereof; and contacting the catalyst with the preheat composition for a period of time sufficient to raise the temperature of the catalyst to a one or more temperatures. In this or other embodiments, there is a fuel composition that comprises at least one component selected from natural gas, propane, butane and mixtures thereof and optionally hydrogen.

1 . A method of preheating a catalyst in a catalytic heater comprising the steps of:
 providing a preheat composition comprising greater than 60% by volume hydrogen and at least one fluid selected from natural gas, propane, butane, refinery off gas, ethylene off gas, methanol, ethanol, butanol, liquefied biogas and mixtures thereof; and   contacting the catalyst with the preheat composition for a period of time sufficient to raise the temperature of the catalyst to a one or more preheat temperatures.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1  further comprising introducing a fuel composition into the catalytic heater. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2  wherein the percentage of fuel slip flow rate/natural gas supply flow rate after about 8 minutes is equivalent to the methane slip measured for normal operation of the catalytic heater at that fuel flow rate. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the preheat composition comprises 70% by volume hydrogen or greater. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the preheat composition comprises 90% by volume hydrogen or greater. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the preheat composition comprises 99% by volume hydrogen or greater. 
     
     
         5 . A method of heating a catalyst in a catalytic heater comprising the steps of:
 providing a preheat composition comprising greater than 60% by volume hydrogen and at least one selected from natural gas, propane, butane, and mixtures thereof;   contacting the catalyst with the preheat composition for a period of time sufficient to raise the temperature of the catalyst to a one or more preheat temperatures; and   introducing a fuel composition comprising at least one selected from natural gas, propane, butane and mixtures thereof and optionally hydrogen to operate the catalytic heater at one or more operating temperatures.   
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 5  wherein the fuel composition comprises hydrogen. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 6  wherein the fuel composition comprises at least 60% by volume hydrogen or greater. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 6  wherein the fuel composition comprises 90% by volume hydrogen or greater. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 6  wherein the fuel composition comprises 99% by volume hydrogen or greater. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 5  wherein the percentage of fuel slip flow rate/natural gas supply flow rate after about 8 minutes is equal to the methane slip measured for normal operation of the catalytic heater at the same fuel flow rate.