Keywords
Refinery • Hydrogen • Reforming • Steam methane reforming • SMR • POX •
PSA • Membranes
Introduction and Scope of Discussion
Introduction
As refinery product specifications become more stringent to meet environmental
requirements, refinery demand for hydrogen has continually increased to supply the
required hydroprocessing units. Additional improvements in burning qualities, like
cetane, also require more hydrogen.
For many refineries, the by-product hydrogen produced by naphtha reforming
has been able to supply sufficient hydrogen. The drive toward ultralow sulfur diesel
and near-zero gasoline sulfur has exceeded the availability of hydrogen from
reforming in most cases.
Full-conversion and cracking refineries today generally need incremental hydrogen that is produced “on purpose.” A refinery with a hydrocracker will almost
always need incremental hydrogen. This chapter explores the alternative methods
for hydrogen production, with a focus on the most commonly applied hydrogen
plant technologies.
Many refineries obtain the additional hydrogen supply “over the fence” from a
second party. Several gas suppliers, like Praxair, Air Liquide, and Air Products,
offer these services. They are especially common where the hydrogen can be used
by several different facilities in an area. The plants used to make the hydrogen still
follow the same processes discussed below. The main difference in over-thefence supply is that the refiner is not directly responsible for the hydrogen plant
operation.
Production Processes
The first source for hydrogen in a refinery is always catalytic naphtha reforming.
This process is discussed in detail elsewhere in this book. We will only touch on
reformer hydrogen qualities and issues in this section.
Incremental hydrogen will be our primary focus here. In order of importance to
refineries, the key processes for making or recovering incremental hydrogen are:
• Steam-methane reforming
• Refinery gas recovery
• Partial oxidation/gasification
• Olefins cracking by-product recovery
• Electrolytic hydrogen
• Other processes
Hydrogen Production and Management for Petroleum Processing
567
Refinery • Hydrogen • Reforming • Steam methane reforming • SMR • POX •
PSA • Membranes
Introduction and Scope of Discussion
Introduction
As refinery product specifications become more stringent to meet environmental
requirements, refinery demand for hydrogen has continually increased to supply the
required hydroprocessing units. Additional improvements in burning qualities, like
cetane, also require more hydrogen.
For many refineries, the by-product hydrogen produced by naphtha reforming
has been able to supply sufficient hydrogen. The drive toward ultralow sulfur diesel
and near-zero gasoline sulfur has exceeded the availability of hydrogen from
reforming in most cases.
Full-conversion and cracking refineries today generally need incremental hydrogen that is produced “on purpose.” A refinery with a hydrocracker will almost
always need incremental hydrogen. This chapter explores the alternative methods
for hydrogen production, with a focus on the most commonly applied hydrogen
plant technologies.
Many refineries obtain the additional hydrogen supply “over the fence” from a
second party. Several gas suppliers, like Praxair, Air Liquide, and Air Products,
offer these services. They are especially common where the hydrogen can be used
by several different facilities in an area. The plants used to make the hydrogen still
follow the same processes discussed below. The main difference in over-thefence supply is that the refiner is not directly responsible for the hydrogen plant
operation.
Production Processes
The first source for hydrogen in a refinery is always catalytic naphtha reforming.
This process is discussed in detail elsewhere in this book. We will only touch on
reformer hydrogen qualities and issues in this section.
Incremental hydrogen will be our primary focus here. In order of importance to
refineries, the key processes for making or recovering incremental hydrogen are:
• Steam-methane reforming
• Refinery gas recovery
• Partial oxidation/gasification
• Olefins cracking by-product recovery
• Electrolytic hydrogen
• Other processes
Hydrogen Production and Management for Petroleum Processing
567