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US 12,358,794 B2Granted
Apparatuses and methods for hydrogen production
Assignee8 Rivers Capital, LLC
InventorRodney John Allam
Life of this patent
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Abstract
The present disclosure provides systems and methods for hydrogen production as well as apparatuses useful in such systems and methods. Hydrogen is produced by steam reforming of a hydrocarbon in a gas heated reformer that is heated using one or more streams comprising combustion products of a fuel in an oxidant, preferably in the presence of a carbon dioxide circulating stream.
Claims23
A hydrogen production system comprising:
- a reactor comprising a pressure containment vessel and at least one set of reaction tubes positioned within the pressure containment vessel and arranged to receive reactants for an endothermic reaction that forms a synthesis gas stream comprising at least hydrogen and carbon monoxide, the pressure containment vessel being configured to receive a stream of heated carbon dioxide as a source of convective heating of the endothermic reaction carried out within the at least one set of reaction tubes;
- at least one component effective to process the synthesis gas and deliver a stream of substantially pure hydrogen product;
- at least one shift reactor configured to convert at least a portion of the carbon monoxide in the synthesis gas from the reactor to carbon dioxide and output a shift stream comprising at least hydrogen, carbon dioxide, and waste gas, the at least one shift reactor being arranged between the reactor and the at least one component effective to process the synthesis gas and deliver a stream of substantially pure hydrogen;
- and
- at least one component effective to provide the stream of heated carbon dioxide;
- wherein the at least one set of reaction tubes comprises:
- an outer catalyst tube;
- an inner reaction product gas tube;
- and catalyst material positioned within a space defined between an inside surface of the outer catalyst tube and an outside surface of the inner reaction product gas tube;
- wherein the at least one set of reaction tubes is arranged vertically so that an upper end of the at least one set of reaction tubes defines a hot end where the reactor operates with a higher temperature, and a lower end of the at least one set of reaction tubes defines a cold end where the reactor operates with a lower temperature relative to the hot end;
- and
- wherein the reactor comprises an inlet arranged so that the stream of heated carbon dioxide enters the reactor, contacts the hot end of the at least one set of reaction tubes, and flows downwardly around an outer surface of the outer catalyst tube toward a second outlet through which the stream of heated carbon dioxide leaves the reactor.
9 more elements
A hydrogen production system comprising:
- a reactor comprising an outer vessel and at least one set of reaction tubes positioned within the outer vessel, the at least one set of reaction tubes being arranged to receive reactants for an endothermic reaction that forms a synthesis gas stream comprising at least hydrogen and carbon monoxide, and the at least one set of reaction tubes being arranged vertically within the outer vessel to define a hot end where the reactor operates with a higher temperature, and a cold end where the reactor operates with a lower temperature, relative to the hot end;
- at least one component effective to process the synthesis gas and deliver a stream of substantially pure hydrogen product;
- at least one shift reactor configured to convert at least a portion of the carbon monoxide in the synthesis gas from the reactor to carbon dioxide and output a shift stream comprising at least hydrogen, carbon dioxide, and waste gas, the at least one shift reactor being arranged between the reactor and the at least one component effective to process the synthesis gas and deliver a stream of substantially pure hydrogen;
- at least one component effective to provide the stream of heated carbon dioxide;
- a reactor inlet that is configured to receive a stream of heated carbon dioxide as a source of convective heating of the endothermic reaction carried out within the at least one set of reaction tubes, the reactor inlet being arranged so that the stream of heated carbon dioxide received in the reactor contacts the hot end of the at least one set of reaction tubes and flows around an outer surface of the at least one set of reaction tubes;
- and
- a reactor outlet through which the stream of heated carbon dioxide passes from the reactor.
4 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.