Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 27
Claim 1
Independent Claim
143 words
A partial combustion comprising the steps of: a. mixing an amount of an oxygen containing gas with a combustible fuel to produce a combustible gas mixture having an adiabatic combustion temperature, and b. passing the combustible gas mixture into a partial combustion zone containing a catalyst configuration comprising a support having longitudinal passageways with a leading zone containing a relatively higher activity palladium-containing catalyst containing a relatively higher concentration of palladium and a trailing zone containing a relatively lower activity palladium-containing catalyst containing a relatively lower concentration of palladium, the passageways adapted for the passage of the combustible gas from the leading zone to the trailing zone and for the partial combustion of the combustible gas mixture to produce a partially combusted exhaust gas having a bulk temperature and a catalyst temperature less than the adiabatic combustion temperature of the combustible gas mixture.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
143 words
A partial combustion comprising the steps of: a. mixing an amount of an oxygen containing gas with a combustible fuel to produce a combustible gas mixture having an adiabatic combustion temperature, and b. passing the combustible gas mixture into a partial combustion zone containing a catalyst configuration comprising a support having longitudinal passageways with a leading zone containing a relatively higher activity palladium-containing catalyst containing a relatively higher concentration of palladium and a trailing zone containing a relatively lower activity palladium-containing catalyst containing a relatively lower concentration of palladium, the passageways adapted for the passage of the combustible gas from the leading zone to the trailing zone and for the partial combustion of the combustible gas mixture to produce a partially combusted exhaust gas having a bulk temperature and a catalyst temperature less than the adiabatic combustion temperature of the combustible gas mixture.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
152 words
A partial combustion comprising the steps of: a. mixing an amount of an oxygen containing gas with a combustible fuel to produce a combustible gas mixture having an adiabatic combustion temperature, and b. passing the combustible gas mixture into a partial combustion zone containing a catalyst configuration comprising a support having longitudinal passageways with a leading zone containing a relatively higher activity palladium-containing catalyst containing and a trailing zone containing a relatively lower activity palladium-containing catalyst, the higher activity in the leading zone being accomplished by using palladium in a relatively thicker layer than in the trailing zone, the passageways adapted for the passage of the combustible gas from the leading zone to the trailing zone and for the partial combustion of the combustible gas mixture to produce a partially combusted exhaust gas having a bulk temperature and a catalyst temperature less than the adiabatic combustion temperature of the combustible gas mixture.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
152 words
A partial combustion comprising the steps of: a. mixing an amount of an oxygen containing gas with a combustible fuel to produce a combustible gas mixture having an adiabatic combustion temperature, and b. passing the combustible gas mixture into a partial combustion zone containing a catalyst configuration comprising a support having longitudinal passageways with a leading zone containing a relatively higher activity palladium-containing catalyst containing and a trailing zone containing a relatively lower activity palladium-containing catalyst, the higher activity in the leading zone being accomplished by using palladium in a relatively thicker layer than in the trailing zone, the passageways adapted for the passage of the combustible gas from the leading zone to the trailing zone and for the partial combustion of the combustible gas mixture to produce a partially combusted exhaust gas having a bulk temperature and a catalyst temperature less than the adiabatic combustion temperature of the combustible gas mixture.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
18 words
The process of claim 1 where the trailing zone additionally comprises a diffusion barrier on the palladium-containing catalyst.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
25 words
The process of claim 3 where the catalyst support comprises a material selected from the group of metal and a metal having an oxide coating.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
13 words
The process of claim 4 where the catalyst support comprises a ferrous alloy.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
25 words
The process of claim 3 where the catalyst support comprises a ferrous alloy coated by a non-catalytic oxide, a refractory metal oxide, or mixtures thereof.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
22 words
The process of claim 3 where the catalyst is at least partially covered by a diffusion barrier comprising a catalytically inactive oxide.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
11 words
The process of claim 7 where the diffusion barrier comprises zirconia.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
13 words
The process of claim 7 where the diffusion barrier layer is a washcoat.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
22 words
The process of claim 6 where the palladium is at least partially covered by a diffusion layer comprising a catalytically inactive oxide.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
11 words
The process of claim 10 where the diffusion barrier comprises zirconia.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
12 words
The process of claim 11 where the diffusion layer is a washcoat.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
32 words
The process of claim 3 where the combustible gas comprises methane and the combustible gas mixture is passed into the partial oxidation zone at a temperature of at least about 325° C.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
20 words
The process of claim 13 where the partial combustion zone has a gauge pressure between -0.25 atm and 17 atm.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
23 words
The process of claim 3 where the catalyst support having longitudinal passageways is in the form of a honeycomb, tubes, or rolled corrugation.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
16 words
The process of claim 15 where only a portion of the longitudinal passageway surfaces contain catalyst.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
35 words
The process of claim 16 where the portion of the longitudinal passageways surfaces containing catalyst are adjacent to passageway surfaces not containing palladium and those surfaces are in integral heat exchange relationship to each other.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
154 words
A partial combustion process comprising the steps of: a. mixing an amount of air and methane to produce a combustible gas mixture having an adiabatic combustion temperature, and b. passing the combustible gas mixture into a combustion zone containing a catalyst support of a spiral of corrugated ferrous alloy sheet having longitudinal passageways with a leading zone containing a relatively higher activity palladium-containing catalyst and a trailing zone containing a relatively lower activity palladium-containing catalyst, the higher activity of the leading zone being accomplished by using palladium at a relatively higher concentration than the palladium concentration in the trailing zone, the passageways adapted for the passage of the combustible gas from the leading zone to the trailing zone and for the partial oxidation of the combustible gas mixture to produce a partially oxidized exhaust gas having a bulk temperature and a catalyst temperature less than the adiabatic combustion temperature of the combustible gas mixture.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
154 words
A partial combustion process comprising the steps of: a. mixing an amount of air and methane to produce a combustible gas mixture having an adiabatic combustion temperature, and b. passing the combustible gas mixture into a combustion zone containing a catalyst support of a spiral of corrugated ferrous alloy sheet having longitudinal passageways with a leading zone containing a relatively higher activity palladium-containing catalyst and a trailing zone containing a relatively lower activity palladium-containing catalyst, the higher activity of the leading zone being accomplished by using palladium at a relatively higher concentration than the palladium concentration in the trailing zone, the passageways adapted for the passage of the combustible gas from the leading zone to the trailing zone and for the partial oxidation of the combustible gas mixture to produce a partially oxidized exhaust gas having a bulk temperature and a catalyst temperature less than the adiabatic combustion temperature of the combustible gas mixture.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
151 words
A partial combustion process comprising the steps of: a. mixing an amount of air and methane to produce a combustible gas mixture having an adiabatic combustion temperature, and b. passing the combustible gas mixture into a combustion zone containing a catalyst support of a spiral of corrugated ferrous alloy sheet having longitudinal passageways with a leading zone containing a relatively higher activity palladium-containing catalyst and a trailing zone containing a relatively lower activity palladium-containing catalyst, the higher activity of the leading zone being accomplished by using palladium in a relatively thicker layer than in the trailing zone, the passageways adapted for the passage of the combustible gas from the leading zone to the trailing zone and for the partial oxidation of the combustible gas mixture to produce a partially oxidized exhaust gas having a bulk temperature and a catalyst temperature less than the adiabatic combustion temperature of the combustible gas mixture.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
151 words
A partial combustion process comprising the steps of: a. mixing an amount of air and methane to produce a combustible gas mixture having an adiabatic combustion temperature, and b. passing the combustible gas mixture into a combustion zone containing a catalyst support of a spiral of corrugated ferrous alloy sheet having longitudinal passageways with a leading zone containing a relatively higher activity palladium-containing catalyst and a trailing zone containing a relatively lower activity palladium-containing catalyst, the higher activity of the leading zone being accomplished by using palladium in a relatively thicker layer than in the trailing zone, the passageways adapted for the passage of the combustible gas from the leading zone to the trailing zone and for the partial oxidation of the combustible gas mixture to produce a partially oxidized exhaust gas having a bulk temperature and a catalyst temperature less than the adiabatic combustion temperature of the combustible gas mixture.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
18 words
The process of claim 18 where the trailing zone additionally comprises a diffusion barrier on the palladium-containing catalyst.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
28 words
The process of claim 18 where the combustible gas mixture is preheated to a temperature of more than about 325° C. prior to passage into the combustion zone.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
19 words
The process of claim 18 where only a portion of the surfaces of the longitudinal passageways comprise the catalyst.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
40 words
The process of claim 22 where the portion of the surfaces of the longitudinal passageway surfaces containing the catalyst are adjacent to passageway surfaces not containing the catalyst and those surfaces are in integral heat exchange relationship to each other.