Recover heat from steam reforming

Journal Article · Fri Oct 01 04:00:00 EDT 1993 · Chemical Engineering Progress; (United States)

OSTI ID:5823528

Fleshman, J D ^[1]

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1. Foster Wheeler USA Corp., Livingston, NJ (United States)

Steam reforming is one of the most important chemical processes--it is used in the manufacture of ammonia, hydrogen, methanol, and many chemicals made from hydrogen and carbon monoxide. Furthermore, many current trends will increase its importance. For example, methanol for addition to gasoline is likely to be produced by steam reforming. Because steam reforming occurs at high temperatures--typically 750 C--900 C--it generates a large amount of waste heat. Clearly, heat recovery is crucial to process economics. A typical 50,000 Nm[sup 3]/h hydrogen plant using natural gas feed has a radiant heat duty of about 50 MW. At a radiant efficiency of 50% and fuel cost of $3/GJ, this means that the reformer fires $9 million worth of fuel per year. Obviously, this amount of fuel justifies a close loot at ways to reduce costs. This article first provides a brief overview of steam reforming. It then outlines the available heat-recovery options and explains how to select the best method.

• OSTI ID: 5823528
• Journal Information: Chemical Engineering Progress; (United States), Journal Name: Chemical Engineering Progress; (United States) Vol. 89:10; ISSN 0360-7275; ISSN CEPRA8
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

08 HYDROGEN
080103* -- Hydrogen-- Production-- Steam Reformer Processes
32 ENERGY CONSERVATION, CONSUMPTION, AND UTILIZATION
320304 -- Energy Conservation
Consumption
& Utilization-- Industrial & Agricultural Processes-- Waste Heat Recovery & Utilization
CHEMICAL REACTIONS
ECONOMICS
ENERGY RECOVERY
ENERGY SOURCES
FLUIDS
FOSSIL FUELS
FUEL GAS
FUELS
GAS FUELS
GASES
HEAT RECOVERY
HYDROGEN PRODUCTION
NATURAL GAS
REFORMER PROCESSES
STEAM REFORMER PROCESSES
SYNTHESIS GAS
WASTE HEAT UTILIZATION
WASTE PRODUCT UTILIZATION