Synthesis gas is produced by contacting methanol in the vapor phase with a catalyst which is a supported metal of Group VIII of the Periodic Table either alone or in combination with one or more other metals from Groups I to VIII, excluding binary combinations of copper and nickel, typically at a temperature in the range 200.degree. to 600.degree. C. and at a pressure in the range 0 to 50 atmospheres. The best results are achieved with a mixture of rhodium and copper supported on silica, a 100% molar yield of carbon monoxide on methanol fed being obtained at 450.degree. C., atmospheric pressure and 3.5 second contact time.
A condensed liquid obtained after separation of gaseous components from the gas produced by the steam reforming reaction of methanol is brought into contact, in a gaseous phase, with catalyst (I) containing copper oxide (A), oxide of at least one type of metals selected from the group consisting of zinc, aluminium and chromium (B) and oxide of the group VIII metal in the periodic table (C), or catalyst (II) comprising the group VIII metal in the periodic table or compound thereof supported on carriers. The treatment of the condensed liquid yields water containing substantially no methanol, ethanol and high boiling point components. The treated condensed liquid causes no pollution problem when disposed as effluent and may be reused for the steam reforming reaction of methanol.
A process is described for producing carbon monoxide and hydrogen which comprises contacting methanol vapor at a temperature of 200.degree. to 500.degree. C. with an indirectly heated zinc containing catalyst while said methanol vapor is at a pressure in a range of 2 to 50 bars, whereby to obtain an effluent gas in which the components of carbon monoxide and hydrogen constitute at least 90% by volume of said gas, removing at least a part of the impurities from said effluent gas and separating said effluent gas into its carbon monoxide and hydrogen components by adsorption. The effluent gas can be separated into its carbon monoxide and hydrogen components by use of a plurality of adsorbers containing zeolite-type molecular sieve material where the zeolite is substantially permeable to hydrogen but sorbs carbon monoxide.
Methanol is converted to synthesis gas over a catalyst comprising Pd, an alkali metal, alkaline earth metal or a lanthanide on a carbon having defined surface area characteristics.
A methanol reforming catalyst that generates a reformed gas containing hydrogen by reforming methanol in the atmosphere containing oxygen and steam contains a metal oxide support and Pd--Zr alloy with which the metal oxide support is impregnated. The reforming catalyst accelerate a steam reforming reaction of the methanol as an endothermic reaction and a partial oxidation reaction of the methanol as an exothermic reaction while suppressing generation of CO gas. Also, a methanol reforming apparatus having the methanol reforming catalyst does not need a heater for the reforming reaction.
An alcohol such as methanol is decomposed to form hydrogen and carbon monoxide at elevated temperature in the presence of mixed metal oxide catalyst containing copper and a metal L selected from the group consisting of Th, Be, Zr, Ce, Mg and U. The catalyst can contain a further metal M selected from the group consisting of Ca, Mo, Mn, Pt, Ce, Cr, Zn, Al, Ti, La, V, U, Ru, Re and Pd. The catalysts are particularly effective at relatively low temperatures for example 200.degree.-200.degree. C.
