Reducing catalyst changeout costs for steam reforming Advances in catalyst shape, material stability, and nickel distribution are extending catalyst lifetimes while lowering operating costs
Jumal Shah Johnson Matthey
S team methane reforming is the dominant technology for large-scale syngas production, essential to the ammonia, methanol, and hydrogen industries. As pressure mounts to cut emissions, control operational costs, and maintain plant reliability, catalyst selection has become one of the most impactful levers available to plant operators. Through improvements in catalyst design, the average changeout cycle of steam reforming catalysts is now four to six years, which is a 50% increase over the last 20 years. Plants can operate longer without risking high tube wall temperatures, carbon formation, or elevated pressure drop. Those that have extended catalyst lives from one turnaround cycle to two have, on average, saved $300,000 to $400,000 per cycle in catalyst replacement and handling costs. Catalyst designs continue to evolve due to increasing demands for plant efficiency, considerations for alternative feedstocks, requirements for low emissions, and volatile metal prices that can impact catalyst costs. The latest innovations in catalyst design use innovative synthesis techniques to optimise the distribution of the active metal species. These catalysts lower operating costs, improve the carbon footprint, and help mitigate against volatile metal prices, while critically retaining performance reliability. Economics of reforming and why catalyst design matters Steam reforming operates via well-understood reactions:
• CH₄ + H₂O ⇌ CO + 3H₂
∆ H = +206 kJ/mol
• C x H y + xH₂O → xCO + (x + y/2)H₂ • CO + H₂O ⇌ CO₂ + H₂ ∆ H = -41 kJ/mol
The overall steam reforming process is endothermic, and combustion of fuel is necessary to drive the reaction. To provide the process heat, the steam methane reformer (SMR) passes the process gas through catalyst-filled tubes housed in a furnace. The SMR includes complex header and burner systems to uniformly distribute both the process gas and the heat. As the largest and most expensive item in the flowsheet, efficient design and operation of the SMR is critical to a syngas plant’s economics. Natural gas is currently the most common feed for syngas plants. Over the past decade, natural gas prices have experienced significant volatility. In 2021, prices surged dramatically, especially in Europe and Asia, driven by post-COVID demand recovery, supply disruptions, and geopolitical tensions. These increases have pressured plants to explore options for reducing operating costs and improving efficiency. While gas prices have since moderated, ongoing geopolitical unrest means operators remain concerned about recurrence in the future. Many plant operators focus on process control, burner efficiency, and feedstock quality; however, the catalyst often provides the most accessible and cost-effective lever for performance improvement. A well-optimised catalyst can enable plants to maintain high throughput and improve operating efficiency by reducing pressure drop, suppressing carbon formation, lowering tube wall temperatures, and sustaining performance deeper into the operating cycle.
Refining India
23
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