Rotating catalyst bed with pressurized gas seal for methane conversion system

摘要

Hydrocarbon gas, such as methane, is partially oxidized by flowing the gas through a moving catalyst bed supported on a rotating drum disposed in a partitioned duct. Catalyst is regenerated by exposure to an oxygen containing gas flowing through a passage formed in the duct. A gas seal is formed between the duct partition and a surface of the catalyst support drum on the downstream side of the drum to minimize the leakage flow of hydrocarbon gas into the regenerator gas. The pressures of the hydrocarbon gas and regenerator gas are regulated upstream of the catalyst bed to minimize leakage flow of one gas into the flow space of the other gas through a space formed between the duct partition and the drum upstream of the catalyst bed.