Increasing the potential of pre-reforming Furthering feedstock flexibility and catalyst longevity in hydrogen plants with pre-reforming catalysts
Jumal Shah Johnson Matthey
A s the refining and petrochemical industries evolve toward greater efficiency, flexibility, and sustainability, pre-reforming has become a key process step for the hydrogen plant within the refinery. Pre-reforming serves as a preparatory stage in the production of synthesis gas (syngas) after feed purification. The pre-reformer converts heavier hydrocarbons into lighter molecules such as methane, carbon monoxide (CO), and hydrogen. This step allows hydrogen plants to operate with a wider range of feeds and at lower steam-to-carbon (S:C) ratios. The pre-reforming catalyst is critical to delivering reliable operation and maximising the value from the pre-reformer. This article reviews the development and benefits of Katalco 65-3XR, which represents a significant advancement in pre-reforming catalyst technology, offering Hydrocarbon feed
When directly reforming with a steam- methane reformer (SMR), the installed SMR catalyst is designed to operate with either a light feed, such as natural gas, or with heavier feeds, such as naphthas. SMR catalysts designed for heavier feeds tend to be highly alkalised to protect against carbon formation. If these catalysts are operated with light feeds, they encounter issues with accelerated potash migration, leading to potential downstream fouling and corrosion issues. Conversely, if an SMR is installed with catalysts designed for lighter feeds, operating with a heavy feed can lead to carbon formation. Carbon formation within the SMR leads to inhibition of the endothermic reforming reaction, impacting heat transfer and eventually forming hot spots on the reformer tubes. This can force a
Recycle hydrogen
SMR
Pre- reformer
enhanced thermal stability, improved sulphur tolerance, and longer operational life. Pre-reforming process Today’s hydrogen plants seek to be flexible in their ability to process a variety of feeds, driven by factors such as the availability of feedstocks, changing feedstock costs, and incentives to use waste off-gas streams to reduce site emissions.
Reformed gas
Process steam
HDS
ZnO
Figure 1 Typical installation of a pre-reformer in a syngas plant
Refining India
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