Production of protective or reaction gas for heat treatment of metals

摘要

Production of a protective or reaction gas for the heat treatment of metals, contg. mainly N2 and a controlled amount of H2 and CO, comprises endothermally catalytically reacting a mixture of hydrocarbons and N2 contaminated with O2 in a reactor. The novelty is that to increase the H2/CO ratio, the N2 contaminated with O2 is moistened before catalytically converting with water in liquid or vaporous aggregate state. Also claimed is an appts. for carrying out the process, comprising a moistening device (13) arranged between a source (10) for the N2 contaminated with O2 and a reactor (18) connected to a gas feed.