REATOR CATALÍTICO, PROCESSO PARA REALIZAR REFORMA METANO/VAPOR, E, PLANTA PARA O PROCESSAMENTO DE METANO PARA PRODUZIR HIDROCARBONETOS DE CADEIA MAIS LONGA

A catalytic reactor (40) comprising a plurality of flat metal sheets (42) arranged as a stack and bonded together, the sheets being shaped so as to define first flow channels (44) between adjacent sheets and to define second flow channels between adjacent sheets, first flow channels alternating with second flow channels in the stack, and such that there is good thermal contact between fluids in the first and the second flow channels; headers to supply fluids to the flow channels, the headers enabling different fluids to be supplied to the first and the second flow channels; wherein a permeable metal heat-transfer layer is provided within each flow channel, the metal heat-transfer layers (42)being removable and incorporating a catalytic coating; the catalytic coating in the second flow channels comprising a combustion catalyst, such that a gas mixture flowing in the second flow channels undergoes catalytic combustion, and wherein the combustion catalyst at least at the start of the channel is coated with a thin porous inert ceramic layer to restrict the contact of the gas mixture with the catalyst and so restrict the reaction rate.