Reaction apparatus for producing a hydrogen containing gas

Claim 1

Reaction apparatus constructed to alternately: (a) make a hydrogen containing gas by the cracking and catalytic steam reforming of a hydrocarbon feedstock; and (b) be regenerated, comprising: at least one reaction vessel having an upstream end and downstream end, said vessel having disposed therein, in sequence from its upstream to downstream end, a first volume of inert packing material containing no reform catalyst, a second volume of material substantially adjacent said first volume and including a first region of reform catalyst material, and a third volume of material substantially adjacent said second volume; said vessel including first inlet means upstream of said second volume for introducing a hydrocarbon feedstock and steam into said first volume during the making of the hydrocarbon containing gas, and first outlet means at said downstream end of said vessel for exhausting the hydrogen containing gas produced in the vessel; said vessel including second inlet means at its downstream end for introducing a hydrogen purge gas into said third volume during the regeneration of the apparatus, and second outlet means at said upstream end for exhausting gases produced during regeneration; and conduit means disposed in said vessel and surrounded by at least some of said materials, said conduit means having an inlet means communicating outside said vessel for carrying an oxygen containing gas from outside said vessel into indirect heat exchange relationship with said surrounding materials during regeneration of the apparatus, said conduit means including outlet means within said second volume of material located upstream of said first region of reform catalyst material, said conduit means constructed and arranged with respect to said first region of reform catalyst material to prevent mixing of the oxygen containing gas and hydrogen purge gas downstream of or within said first region of reform catalyst material.