MULTI-LAYER CATALYST FOR THE AUTOTHERMAL STEAM REFORMING OF HYDROCARBONS AND A METHOD FOR USING SAID CATALYST

摘要

The invention relates to a catalyst, in addition to a method for the autothermal catalytic steam reforming of hydrocarbons using said catalyst. The catalyst has a multi-layer structure, containing a lower catalyst layer lying directly on a support body and an upper catalyst layer lying on said lower layer. Preferably, the lower catalyst layer catalyses the partial oxidation process and the upper catalyst layer the steam reforming process. An additional embodiment discloses a triple-layer catalyst, which has an additional catalyst layer for carbon-monoxide conversion. Each catalyst layer contains at least one metal from the platinum group on an oxidic support material. The steam reforming method is achieved in an adiabatic process by guiding an educt mixture consisting of hydrocarbons, oxygen and water or water vapour that has been heated to preheating temperature over the multi-layer catalyst. Said catalyst and method can be used to generate combustible gases containing hydrogen in reformer systems, preferably for fuel cells.