This type of reformer can also be used in place of a primary reformer with tight
heat integration.
Additional feed gas and steam may be introduced ahead of the post-reformer to
provide incremental production. About 35–40 % additional hydrogen can be made by
post-reforming. As with the pre-reformer, the shift cooling and product purification
systems may have to be debottlenecked to take advantage of post-reforming.
This technology is offered by Haldor Topsoe, KBR, Uhde, and others.
Autothermal Reforming
Autothermal reforming (ATR) can be added in parallel to a standard SMR furnace to
significantly increase hydrogen production or it can be used in place of the conventional SMR furnace. In autothermal reforming, feed gas is partially burned using pure
oxygen. Steam may be injected along with the feed. The CO 2 produced is recycled to
moderate the combustion temperatures. The heat from burning is used to drive the
reforming reactions in the balance of the feed. You make CO directly in the combustion process and then shift it to hydrogen. No catalyst is required; however, some
systems do incorporate reforming catalyst. The ATR effluent joins the main hydrogen
plant gases going to the HTS converter and flows through the rest of the plant.
An ATR can also be used in series as a post-reformer. You find ATRs more
commonly in ammonia or methanol manufacture than refinery hydrogen production, since ATRs can easily make the necessary synthesis gas.
This approach to reforming is related to gasification, although gasification
usually refers to making hydrogen from residuum/pitch or solids by partial oxidation followed by a sour shift reactor and product cleanup.
As with the other variations, if an ATR is added, the cooling and purification
system capacities may need to be debottlenecked. This type of reformer also requires
availability of pure oxygen, which usually means proximity to an air separation plant.
This technology is offered by several suppliers, including Haldor Topsoe, KBR,
S€ ud Chemie, Lurgi, Imperial Chemical Industries, and Johnson Matthey.
Partial Oxidation
Introduction
Partial oxidation (POX) has been used commercially to produce hydrogen from
very heavy liquid feedstocks (resid, asphalt, tar) and solids (coal, petroleum coke).
Essentially, this is a gasification process. More commonly, the technology is used to
generate synthesis gas for other products, however. Texaco had several POX
hydrogen plants at one time, but these have been largely replaced by the more
reliable and easier to operate SMR furnace plants. Still you will occasionally find
POX plants associated with refineries.
POX is essentially the same as autothermal reforming discussed above. The
distinction drawn here is between the types of feedstocks. In autothermal
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S.A. Treese
heat integration.
Additional feed gas and steam may be introduced ahead of the post-reformer to
provide incremental production. About 35–40 % additional hydrogen can be made by
post-reforming. As with the pre-reformer, the shift cooling and product purification
systems may have to be debottlenecked to take advantage of post-reforming.
This technology is offered by Haldor Topsoe, KBR, Uhde, and others.
Autothermal Reforming
Autothermal reforming (ATR) can be added in parallel to a standard SMR furnace to
significantly increase hydrogen production or it can be used in place of the conventional SMR furnace. In autothermal reforming, feed gas is partially burned using pure
oxygen. Steam may be injected along with the feed. The CO 2 produced is recycled to
moderate the combustion temperatures. The heat from burning is used to drive the
reforming reactions in the balance of the feed. You make CO directly in the combustion process and then shift it to hydrogen. No catalyst is required; however, some
systems do incorporate reforming catalyst. The ATR effluent joins the main hydrogen
plant gases going to the HTS converter and flows through the rest of the plant.
An ATR can also be used in series as a post-reformer. You find ATRs more
commonly in ammonia or methanol manufacture than refinery hydrogen production, since ATRs can easily make the necessary synthesis gas.
This approach to reforming is related to gasification, although gasification
usually refers to making hydrogen from residuum/pitch or solids by partial oxidation followed by a sour shift reactor and product cleanup.
As with the other variations, if an ATR is added, the cooling and purification
system capacities may need to be debottlenecked. This type of reformer also requires
availability of pure oxygen, which usually means proximity to an air separation plant.
This technology is offered by several suppliers, including Haldor Topsoe, KBR,
S€ ud Chemie, Lurgi, Imperial Chemical Industries, and Johnson Matthey.
Partial Oxidation
Introduction
Partial oxidation (POX) has been used commercially to produce hydrogen from
very heavy liquid feedstocks (resid, asphalt, tar) and solids (coal, petroleum coke).
Essentially, this is a gasification process. More commonly, the technology is used to
generate synthesis gas for other products, however. Texaco had several POX
hydrogen plants at one time, but these have been largely replaced by the more
reliable and easier to operate SMR furnace plants. Still you will occasionally find
POX plants associated with refineries.
POX is essentially the same as autothermal reforming discussed above. The
distinction drawn here is between the types of feedstocks. In autothermal
618
S.A. Treese