Catalysts for hydrocarbon reforming

Abstract

In some examples, a method for treating a reforming catalyst, the method comprising heating a catalyst metal used for reforming hydrocarbon in a reducing gas mixture environment. The reducing gas mixture comprises hydrogen and at least one sulfur-containing compound. The at least one sulfur-containing compound includes one or more of hydrogen sulfide, carbonyl sulfide, carbonyl disulfide and organic sulfur-containing compounds such as thiophenes, thiophanes, sulfides (RSH), disulfides (RS 2 R′), tri-sulfides (RS 3 R′) and mercaptans (RSR′).

1 . A method for treating a reforming catalyst, the method comprising heating a catalyst metal used for reforming hydrocarbon in a reducing gas mixture environment, wherein the reducing gas mixture comprises hydrogen and at least one sulfur-containing compound, wherein the at least one sulfur-containing compound includes one or more of hydrogen sulfide, carbonyl sulfide, carbonyl disulfide and organic sulfur-containing compounds such as thiophenes, thiophanes, sulfides (RSH), disulfides (RS 2 R′), tri-sulfides (RS 3 R′) and mercaptans (RSR′). 
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the catalyst metal is treated with a dose of sulfur during treatment such that catalyst performance is stabilized without substantially negatively impacting activity of the catalyst metal. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the heating the catalyst metal comprises heating the catalyst metal to a temperature between approximately 350 to 1,200 degrees Celsius. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising reforming hydrocarbons via a reformer with the catalyst metal to produce hydrogen. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein reforming hydrocarbons comprises steam reforming. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 4 , further comprising supplying the hydrogen to the fuel side of a solid oxide fuel cell stack. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein the at least one sulfur compound is periodically added to a feed stream of the reformer while reforming the hydrocarbons. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein a frequency, amount, and duration of the periodic addition of the sulfur compounds is selected such that catalyst performance is stabilized without substantially negatively impacting activity of the catalyst metal. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the catalyst metal is supported by a catalyst carrier. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the catalyst metal comprises one or more of Ni, Co, Rh, Ru, Pd, Pt and Co. 
     
     
         11 . An article for reforming hydrocarbons, the article comprising a catalyst metal for reforming hydrocarbons, wherein the catalyst metal has been treated by heating the in a reducing gas mixture environment, wherein the reducing gas mixture comprises hydrogen and at least one sulfur-containing compound, wherein the at least one sulfur-containing compound includes one or more of hydrogen sulfide, carbonyl sulfide, carbonyl disulfide and organic sulfur-containing compounds such as thiophenes, thiophanes, sulfides (RSH), disulfides (RS 2 R′), tri-sulfides (RS 3 R′) and mercaptans (RSR′). 
     
     
         12 . The article of  claim 11 , wherein the catalyst metal has been treated with a dose of sulfur during treatment such that catalyst performance is stabilized without substantially negatively impacting activity of the catalyst metal. 
     
     
         13 . The article of  claim 11 , wherein, during treatment, the catalyst metal is heated to a temperature between approximately 350 to 1,200 degrees Celsius. 
     
     
         14 . The article of  claim 11 , further comprising a reformer for reforming hydrocarbons, wherein the treated catalyst metal is used by the reformer to produce hydrogen. 
     
     
         15 . The article of  claim 14 , wherein reformer comprises a steam reformer. 
     
     
         16 . The article of  claim 14 , further comprising a solid oxide fuel cell stack, wherein the hydrogen produced by the reformer is supplied to the fuel side of the solid oxide fuel cell stack. 
     
     
         17 . The article of  claim 14 , wherein the at least one sulfur compound is periodically added to a feed stream of the reformer while reforming the hydrocarbons. 
     
     
         18 . The article of  claim 17 , wherein a frequency, amount, and duration of the periodic addition of the sulfur compounds is selected such that catalyst performance is stabilized without substantially negatively impacting activity of the catalyst metal. 
     
     
         19 . The article of  claim 11 , wherein the catalyst metal is supported by a catalyst carrier. 
     
     
         20 . The article of  claim 11 , wherein the catalyst metal comprises one or more of Ni, Co, Rh, Ru, Pd, Pt and Co.