US 12,285,749 B2
Zoned reactor for the reforming of NH3
Elias Christopher Frei, Ludwigshafen am Rhein (DE); Matthias Felischak, Ludwigshafen am Rhein (DE); Lukasz Karwacki, Ludwigshafen am Rhein (DE); Nils Bottke, Ludwigshafen am Rhein (DE); and Peter Heidebrecht, Ludwigshafen am Rhein (DE)
Assigned to BASF SE
Appl. No. 18/728,504
Filed by BASF SE, Ludwigshafen am Rhein (DE)
PCT Filed Apr. 6, 2023, PCT No. PCT/EP2023/059124
§ 371(c)(1), (2) Date Jul. 12, 2024,
PCT Pub. No. WO2023/194526, PCT Pub. Date Oct. 12, 2023.
Claims priority of application No. 22167434 (EP), filed on Apr. 8, 2022.
Prior Publication US 2025/0001380 A1, Jan. 2, 2025
Int. Cl. B01J 8/04 (2006.01); B01J 23/58 (2006.01); B01J 23/78 (2006.01); C01B 3/04 (2006.01)
CPC B01J 8/0492 (2013.01) [B01J 8/0496 (2013.01); B01J 23/58 (2013.01); B01J 23/78 (2013.01); C01B 3/047 (2013.01); B01J 2208/00168 (2013.01)] 15 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A zoned reactor for the reforming of NH3 to N2 and H2, wherein the reactor is an adiabatic rector, and wherein the reactor comprises
a reactor inlet and a reactor outlet, the reactor inlet and the reactor outlet being separated by the axial length L of the reactor, and
n reaction zones arranged in sequence and extending from the reactor inlet to the reactor outlet along the axial length L of the reactor, wherein n is an integer in the range of from 2 to 5,
wherein the length of each of the n reaction zones in axial direction constitutes a fraction of the length L of the reactor, wherein the sum of the lengths of all of the reaction zones in axial direction is less than or equal to L,
wherein independently from one another, each of the n reaction zones comprises one or more catalytic components,
wherein the inlet reaction zone which is adjacent to the reactor inlet displays a higher light-off temperature T50 in the reforming of NH3 to N2 and H2 than each of the one or more subsequent reaction zones downstream thereof,
wherein the outlet reaction zone which is adjacent to the reactor outlet displays a lower light-off temperature T50 in the reforming of NH3 to N2 and H2 than each of the one or more preceding reaction zones upstream thereof, and
wherein each of the optional intermediate reaction zones between the inlet and outlet reaction zones respectively displays a light-off temperature T50 in the reforming of NH3 to N2 and H2 which is lower than each of the one or more preceding reaction zones upstream thereof and which is higher than each of the one or more subsequent reaction zones downstream thereof, wherein the T50 light-off temperature is determined according to Reference Example 1.