Sorption-enhanced steam reforming of hydrocarbons with autothermal sorbent regeneration in a moving heat wave of a catalytic combustion reaction

A novel technological concept of sorption-enhanced steam reforming of hydrocarbons is suggested. The peculiarity of the concept is the autothermal regeneration of the carbon dioxide scavenger in the moving super-adiabatic heat wave of an exothermic catalytic combustion reaction performed directly inside the adsorption-catalytic bed. The capability and high efficiency of the proposed technological approach are confirmed by process simulation. The approach proposed is shown to open a way for the creation of an inexpensive, reliable and energy-saving adiabatic packed bed methane processors of unlimited processing capacity.