Engelhard Corporation

William T McShea, Iii

Robert M Yarrington

A process for methanol production includes preparing a hydrogen containing synthesis gas by autothermally reforming a hydrocarbonaceous feed, such as a hydrocarbon feed, with oxygen and steam in an autothermal reformer utilizing a first, monolithic catalyst having a palladium and platinum containing catalyst therein, and a second, platinum group metal steam reforming catalyst. The autothermal reformer provides a relatively simple and compact reactor within which a wide variety of hydrocarbonaceous feeds, from heavy hydrocarbon feedstocks to natural gas, may be utilized for producing methanol synthesis gas, which is advantageously carried out at an elevated pressure. By controlling H.sub.2 O to carbon and O.sub.2 to carbon feed ratios, a given feed can be autothermally reformed to yield a synthesis gas of desired ratio of 1 H.sub.2 to (2CO+3CO.sub.2) for methanol production.

Method of methanol production

A process for the production of ammonia from a hydrocarbonaceous feed, comprising preheating an inlet stream comprising a hydrocarbonaceous feed, H.sub.2 O, air and oxygen to a preheat temperature sufficiently high to initiate catalytic oxidation of the feed, introducing the preheated inlet stream into a first catalyst zone comprising a monolithic body having a plurality of gas flow passages extending therethrough and having a catalytically effective amount of palladium and platinum catalytic components dispersed therein, passing the first zone effluent to a second catalyst zone containing a platinum group metal steam reforming catalyst to form a hydrogen-containing synthesis gas, and passing the synthesis gas into an ammonia synthesis loop.

Method of ammonia production

In coal gasification processes for the production of synthetic natural gas by the reaction of coal with steam and oxygen under pressure to form a gasifier synthesis gas and a liquid hydrocarbon by-product, the liquid hydrocarbon by-product is treated for solids and metal removal and is then passed to a catalytic partial oxidation zone containing a monolithic platinum-palladium catalyst. The hydrocarbon by-product liquids are converted to secondary synthesis gas by being reacted with steam and oxygen. Optionally, the effluent from the catalytic partial oxidation zone may be passed through a second, steam reforming catalyst to react residual hydrocarbons with water to produce hydrogen and carbon oxides. The gasifier and secondary synthesis gases may be treated to remove acid gases therefrom and then methanated to provide a product synthetic natural gas.

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Martinsville, NJ, United States of America

William T McShea, Iii