Method of reforming gaseous hydrocarbons

Claim 1

THE CYCLIC PROCESS FOR THE MANUFACTURE OF A COMPONENT OF A COMBUSTIBLE GAS SUITABLE FOR DISTRIBUTION IN CITY GAS SYSTEMS WHIH COMPRISES, IN ONE PART OF THE CYCLE, BURNING A FLUID FUEL AND PASSING THE HOT PRODUCTS OF COMBUSTION THROUGH A BED OF HEAT STORAGE MATERIAL TO STORE HEAT THEREIN, THEN THROUGH A BED A CATALYST FOR THE ENDOTHERMIC REACTION BETWEEN GASEOUS HYDROCARBONS AND STEAM TO STORE HEAT THEREIN, AT LEAST THE LATTER PORTION OF SAID BURNING BEING CONDUCTED IN THE PRESENCE OF INSUFFICIENT AIR TO SUPPORT COMPLETE COMBUSTION; AND, DURING ANOTHER PART OF THE CYCLE, PASSING A NORMALLY GASEOUS HYDROCARBON AND STREAM THROUGH SAID BED OF HEAT STORAGE MATERIAL TO HEAT SAID GASES; PASSING THE HOT GASES THROUGH SAID CATALYST BED AT A TEMPERATURE TO EFFECT CONVERSION THEREOF TO HYDROGEN AND OXIDES OF CARBON, MAINLY CARBON MANOXIDE, AND EFFECTING IN SAID CATALYST BED CONVERSION OF SAID HOT GASES INTO A GAS RICH IN HYDROGEN AND CARBON OXIDES, MAINLY CARBON MONOXIDE, AND CONTAINING ONLY A RELATIVELY SMALL AMOUNT OF HYDROCARBONS, AND COLLECTING THE RESULTING GAS.