• Get samples of all your spent materials for postmortem analysis. Your catalyst
supplier will generally be willing to provide some analyses of the spent catalysts
to identify poisoning mechanisms and other potential issues.
Work with your catalyst and adsorbent suppliers and the catalyst handling
personnel to ensure the materials are loaded and unloaded safely and correctly.
This will provide the best performance from the fixed-bed reactors and absorbers/
adsorbers.
SMR Reformer Tubes
Unloading and loading of reformer tubes presents some special challenges. Each
tube is a small, fixed-bed reactor. A few of the critical items are noted below.
• The reforming catalyst contains high levels of nickel, which is a known carcinogen.
Anyone handling the catalyst or around catalyst dust should be wearing respiratory
protection. Vacuum systems and dust suppression measures should be used.
• Catalyst is unloaded from the reformer furnace tubes by vacuuming. It may be
necessary to break the catalyst up to get it out. Contractors experienced in
hydrogen plant catalyst replacement are accustomed to the procedures.
• Reloading of catalyst is best accomplished with one of several available dense
loading methods (Unidense, Spiraload, Catcade, etc.). Sock loading can be done,
but is not as effective (i.e., you will probably have to vacuum out and reload
more tubes to meet pressure-drop constraints).
• A typical catalyst tube loading and loading data sheet are shown in Table 8.
• Every tube in the reforming furnace must have as close to the same pressure drop
as possible because flow to the tubes is distributed by pressure drop. The dPs of
all tubes will be measured (1) empty, (2) after loading each layer of catalyst, and
(3) after all the tubes are completely loaded. When measuring the dP on each
layer, load all the tubes before taking the measurements and do not load tubes
while you are taking measurements. Each dP should be within +/À 10 % of the
average dP using a pressure-drop measurement apparatus like that shown in
Fig. 17. An experienced hydrogen plant catalyst loading company will have their
own pressure-drop apparatus. Dense loading techniques generally are able to
achieve +/À 5 %.
• Sample the spent SMR catalyst from each catalyst layer at several points in the
furnace. Composite these samples by layer for analysis. Your catalyst supplier
will generally provide a postmortem analysis of the catalyst to identify poisoning
mechanisms and enable him to advise you on future operations. This is especially important if you experience a rapid, unexpected poisoning event for which
you could not identify a cause.
• When loading, make sure you get the right catalysts in the right order in the
tubes. This is most easily accomplished by only loading one type of catalyst at a
time throughout the entire furnace.
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S.A. Treese
supplier will generally be willing to provide some analyses of the spent catalysts
to identify poisoning mechanisms and other potential issues.
Work with your catalyst and adsorbent suppliers and the catalyst handling
personnel to ensure the materials are loaded and unloaded safely and correctly.
This will provide the best performance from the fixed-bed reactors and absorbers/
adsorbers.
SMR Reformer Tubes
Unloading and loading of reformer tubes presents some special challenges. Each
tube is a small, fixed-bed reactor. A few of the critical items are noted below.
• The reforming catalyst contains high levels of nickel, which is a known carcinogen.
Anyone handling the catalyst or around catalyst dust should be wearing respiratory
protection. Vacuum systems and dust suppression measures should be used.
• Catalyst is unloaded from the reformer furnace tubes by vacuuming. It may be
necessary to break the catalyst up to get it out. Contractors experienced in
hydrogen plant catalyst replacement are accustomed to the procedures.
• Reloading of catalyst is best accomplished with one of several available dense
loading methods (Unidense, Spiraload, Catcade, etc.). Sock loading can be done,
but is not as effective (i.e., you will probably have to vacuum out and reload
more tubes to meet pressure-drop constraints).
• A typical catalyst tube loading and loading data sheet are shown in Table 8.
• Every tube in the reforming furnace must have as close to the same pressure drop
as possible because flow to the tubes is distributed by pressure drop. The dPs of
all tubes will be measured (1) empty, (2) after loading each layer of catalyst, and
(3) after all the tubes are completely loaded. When measuring the dP on each
layer, load all the tubes before taking the measurements and do not load tubes
while you are taking measurements. Each dP should be within +/À 10 % of the
average dP using a pressure-drop measurement apparatus like that shown in
Fig. 17. An experienced hydrogen plant catalyst loading company will have their
own pressure-drop apparatus. Dense loading techniques generally are able to
achieve +/À 5 %.
• Sample the spent SMR catalyst from each catalyst layer at several points in the
furnace. Composite these samples by layer for analysis. Your catalyst supplier
will generally provide a postmortem analysis of the catalyst to identify poisoning
mechanisms and enable him to advise you on future operations. This is especially important if you experience a rapid, unexpected poisoning event for which
you could not identify a cause.
• When loading, make sure you get the right catalysts in the right order in the
tubes. This is most easily accomplished by only loading one type of catalyst at a
time throughout the entire furnace.
612
S.A. Treese