The Boc Group, Inc.

Sekharipuram V Krishnan

Satish S Tamhankar

Donald P Satchell, Jr

Kirk Walton Limbach

Yongxian Zeng

Rifat Alchalabi

Michael H Leison

The present invention provides a process for producing hydrogen by passing a hydrocarbon-containing gas over a ceramic monolith at a temperature sufficient to produce hydrogen; and passing an oxygen-containing gas over the ceramic monolith at a temperature sufficient to react with the carbon on the ceramic monolith and to produce carbon monoxide. The process is performed cyclically using one or more beds in a manner such that hydrogen is produced followed by carbon monoxide production.

Hydrogen production process

In an industrial furnace used to melt glass batch or glass melt least two oxy-fuel burners are employed in the roof or side-wall of the furnace. At least one oxy-fuel burner is operated with a fuel-rich mixture and at least one other oxy-fuel burner is operated with a fuel-lean mixture. The flames are directed to intersect near the surface of the batch or the melt in order to substantially complete combustion in the vicinity of the melt thereby increasing heat transferred to the material to be melted while also reducing flame temperatures near the burner block. Axisymmetric burners are employed in the crown or roof while non-axisymmetric burners are employed in the side-wall of the furnace. Alternatively, curved burners could be employed in either location to enhance control of the respective fuel-rich and fuel-lean flame interaction.

Enhanced heat transfer through controlled interaction of separate fuel-rich and fuel-lean flames in glass furnaces

Partial oxidation of hydrocarbons to produce hydrogen and carbon monoxide is carried out by a fluidized bed process which includes the steps of passing air through a perovskite-type ceramic mixed conductor in an adsorption zone at an elevated temperature, thereby at least partially saturating the mixed conductor with oxygen, and subsequently contacting the hot, at least partially oxygen-saturated mixed conductor with a hydrocarbon in a partial oxidation reaction zone. During the partial oxidation reaction phase of the process, the sorbed oxygen reacts with the hydrocarbon, thereby producing hydrogen, carbon monoxide or mixtures of these. The oxygen-depleted mixed conductor is recycled to the adsorption zone.

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Bridgewater, NJ, United States of America

Sekharipuram V Krishnan