ATR-based hydrogen process and plant
AssigneeHaldor TopsøE A/S
InventorsSteffen Spangsberg Christensen, Arunabh Sahai
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A plant and process for producing a hydrogen rich gas are provided, said process comprising the steps of: reforming a hydrocarbon feed in a reforming step using an autothermal reformer (ATR) thereby obtaining a synthesis gas comprising CH4, CO, CO2, H2 and H2O; shifting said synthesis gas in a shift configuration including a high temperature shift step; passing the shifted syngas to a first hydrogen purification unit, e.g. a PSA unit; passing a portion of the off-gas from the first hydrogen purification unit to a second hydrogen purification unit, and using off-gas from the first and second hydrogen purification unit as e.g. fuel for a preheater unit before the ATR.
Claims13
A plant for producing a H2-rich stream from a main hydrocarbon feed, said plant comprising:
- a reforming section, said reforming section comprising an autothermal reformer (ATR), said ATR being arranged to receive a hydrocarbon feed and convert it to a stream of syngas;
- a shift section, said shift section comprising a high temperature shift (HTS) unit, said high temperature shift unit being arranged to receive a stream of syngas from the ATR and shift it in a high temperature shift step, thereby providing a shifted syngas stream;
- a water separation section, said water separation section comprising a separator unit, said water separation section arranged to receive the shifted syngas stream from said shift section and separating water from said shifted syngas stream as a process condensate stream in said separator unit, thereby providing a water-depleted shifted syngas stream;
- a first hydrogen purification unit, arranged to receive said water-depleted shifted syngas stream from said separator unit, and separate it into a first high-purity H2 stream and a first off-gas stream;
- means for separating said first off-gas stream into a first off-gas fuel stream and a first off-gas feed stream;
- a second hydrogen purification unit, arranged to receive said first off-gas feed stream and separate it into a second high-purity H2 stream and a second off-gas fuel stream;
- and
- said reforming section further comprises at least one fired heater arranged to pre-heat said main hydrocarbon feed prior to it being fed to said ATR, and said plant is arranged to feed said first off-gas fuel stream and/or said second off-gas fuel stream as fuel for said at least one fired heater,
- wherein said plant further comprises a compressor arranged for compressing said first off-gas feed stream prior to it being fed to said second hydrogen purification unit,
- wherein said reforming section further comprises at least one pre-reforming unit which is arranged upstream the ATR to pre-reform said main hydrocarbon feed and form said hydrocarbon feed prior to it being fed to the ATR,
- wherein said reforming section further comprises a hydrogenator unit, a sulfur absorption unit arranged upstream said at least one pre-reformer unit, and a hydrogen-recycling compressor for feeding a portion of said first high-purity H2 stream into said main hydrocarbon feed prior to it being fed to the feed side of said at least one pre-reformer unit or prior to it being fed to the feed side of said hydrogenator,
- wherein said plant is without a CO2-removal section downstream said shift section and upstream said water separation section.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.