British Gas Plc

Reginald G Banks

Alan Williams

Stephen David Jones

David R Bates

David C Puxley

Donald McKenzie

Christine M Sheppard

David James Paterson

James A Oliver

Heterocyclic and O-substituted aromatic species, for example those obtained as a by product of coal gasification, may be gasified by reaction with steam in the presence of a nickel-alumina containing catalyst to produce methane-containing gases. The reforming reaction is carried out at temperatures of not greater than 500.degree. C.

Production of methane containing gases

Silicon containing methanation catalysts e.g. those prepared by coprecipitation techniques, may be stabilized to prevent leaching of silicon species by a hydrothermal treatment comprising heating the reduced catalyst in a steam reducing gas atmosphere, lowering the temperature until liquid water species condense out, reheating to evaporate the condensed water and passivation in a mildly oxidizing atmosphere.

Methanation catalysts

A catalyst composition, suitable for steam reforming or methanation reactions, comprising a Feitknecht compound intermixed with or interstratified with and bonded with phyllosilicate layers of a clay mineral such as kaolin or benotonite. Conventional catalyst formulations can be modified so as produced catalysts have good dispersion of the catalytic sites.

Catalysts

Methane-containing gases are produced by passing a hydrocarbon feedstock having a boiling point of not greater than 350.degree. C. and steam over a catalyst at an elevated pressure and at a temperature of from 350.degree. C. to 550.degree. C. at the inlet of the catalyst and an exit of temperature of at least 450.degree. C., the catalyst comprising a reduced catalyst precursor which is resistant to deactivation by polymer formation or by sintering, the catalyst precursor containing (1) from 0 to not more than 0.43% K and from 0 to not more than 0.1% Na, (2) the combined weights of Na+ K does not exceed 0.011 gm atoms/100 gm of catalyst precursor, (3) the ratio of Na:K falls within the area defined by ABCDEO in FIG. 1 of the drawings, and (3) at combined Na+ K weights of from 0 to 0.05% the water loss is not more than 11.2%.

Gas making

Methane-containing gases are produced by the catalytic-stream-reforming of hydrocarbon feedstocks using a catalyst which includes a Group VIII metal such as nickel and alumina, and which in its calcined but unreduced precursor form has a pore size distribution defined as follows:

Steam reforming process

A catalyst precursor which when reduced can produce a catalyst suitable for the high pressure gasification of heavy hydrocarbons to produce methane-containing gases comprises a calcined coprecipitated-alumina containing from 50-65% Ni precursor. The catalyst contains (1) from 0 to not more than 0.43% K and from 0 to not more than 0.1% Na, (2) the combined weights of Na+K does not exceed 0.011 gm atoms/100 gm of catalyst, precursor (3) the ratio of Na: K falls within the area defined by ABCDEO in FIG. 1 of the drawings and (3) at combined Na+K weights of from 0 to 0.05% the water loss is not more than 11.2%. The catalyst precursors are prepared with the aid of a filtering aid selected from (NH.sub.4).sub.2 CO.sub.3, Na.sub.2 CO.sub.3, K.sub.2 CO.sub.3, Na NO.sub.3 or K NO.sub.3 to obtain low levels of alkali. The final catalyst may be employed for steam reforming reactions to produce methane-containing gases.

Gas making calcined catalyst precursors of nickel, alumina, sodium and

Steam reforming catalyst having good sinter and polymer resistance and which include a Group VIII metal such as nickel and alumina, have in their calcined but unreduced precursor form pore size distributions defined in the following relationships:

Catalyst for steam reforming of hydrocarbons

A catalyst suitable for the high pressure gasification of heavy hydrocarbons to produce methane-containing gases is a calcined coprecipitated-alumina containing from 50- 65% Ni on a calcined unreduced basis. The catalyst contains (1) from 0 to not more than 0.43% K and from 0 to not more than 0.1% Na, (2) the combined weights of Na+ K does not exceed 0.011 gm atoms/100 gm of catalyst, (3) the ratio of Na:K falls within the area defined by ABCDEO in FIG. 1 of the drawings and (3) at combined Na+ K weights of from 0 to 0.05% the water loss is not more than 11.2%. The catalysts are prepared with the aid of a filtering aid selected from (NH.sub.4).sub.2 CO.sub.3, Na.sub.2 CO.sub.3, K.sub.2 CO.sub.3, Na NO.sub.3 or K NO.sub.3 to obtain low levels of alkali in the precursor. The catalyst may be employed for steam reforming reactions to produce methane-containing gases.

Method of preparing and filtering coprecipitated nickel-alumina catalysts

A catalyst suitable for steam reforming, especially at low temperatures and high pressures, which is resistant to polymer deactivation, comprises nickel, alumina and ruthenium, optionally together with an oxide, hydroxide or carbonate of an alkali metal or alkaline earth-metal wherein the amount of ruthenium does not exceed 0.8% by weight of the weights of the other components of the catalyst. The nickel and aluminium components of the catalyst are prepared by coprecipitation with the nickel and aluminium components, by impregnation of the precipitated nickel and aluminium components or by physical blending of an insoluble ruthenium compound with the precipitated nickel and aluminium components.

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Solihull, United Kingdom

Reginald G Banks