PROCESS OF PRODUCING A FUEL GAS BY THE CATALYTIC REACTION OF METHANOL AND WATER VAPOR

摘要

: The production of a methane-containing fuel gas is carried out by supplying water vapor and vaporized methanol under superatmospheric pressure on a nickel catalyst, the water vapor and vaporized methanol being supplied at a weight ratio of about 0.5 to 1.5 and at inlet temperature of about 300 to 500.degree.C to a reactor and being reacted therein under adiabatic conditions and under a pressure in the range of about 10 to 40 bars; the nickel catalyst contains 25-50% by weight nickel in the form of the compound Ni5MgAl2O9, 5-40% by weight highalumina cement, and at least 5% by weight zirconium dioxide. The product gas leaving the reactor at temperatures of about 500 to 700.degree.C is subsequently cooled. The process of the invention has the advantage of producing a gas having a high calorific value without the supply of air so that the carbon monoxide content of the product gas is minimized.