Hydrogen manufacture using pressure swing reforming
OwnerFrank Hershkowitz, Robert L. Segarichinventors
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Abstract
The invention provides a method for generating high pressure hydrogen at improved thermal efficiencies. First a synthesis gas stream at a first pressure is produced in a pressure swing reformer. Next the synthesis gas stream is subjected to a high temperature water gas shift process to produce a hydrogen enriched stream from which high pressure hydrogen is obtained. Specific embodiments of the invention involve: regenerating the reformer at a pressure lower than the synthesis gas generation; operating the synthesis gas generation step at conditions sufficient to provide a syn gas stream at a temperature in the range used in the water gas shift reaction; and using pressure swing adsorption to separate the hydrogen.
Claims15
A steam reforming and high temperature water gas shift process method for producing high pressure hydrogen comprising:
- steam reforming a hydrocarbon during the reforming cycle in a pressure swing reformer, the reforming being conducted at high pressure and under temperature conditions sufficient to provide a synthesis gas stream at a temperature substantially in the range of temperatures used in the high temperature water-gas shift reaction;
- subjecting the synthesis gas to a high temperature water-gas shift reaction to provide a multi component product gas stream enriched in hydrogen;
- separating high pressure hydrogen from the multi component product gas stream;
- combusting a fuel and oxygen in the regeneration cycle of the pressure swing reformer at a pressure lower than that used in the reforming cycle thereby providing temperature conditions sufficient for the reforming cycle and generating a flue gas exiting the reformer.
A method for producing high pressure hydrogen comprising:
- (a) passing a feed stream under high pressure conditions and comprising a hydrocarbon and stream through a first zone containing packing materials and a steam reforming catalyst at an elevated temperature to produce a high pressure synthesis gas stream;
- (b) passing at least a portion of the synthesis gas stream of step (a) through the first end of a second zone containing bed packing materials at a temperature lower than the first zone thereby transferring sensible heat from the product to the packing material in the second zone and providing a high pressure synthesis gas at a temperature approaching that of the packing material at the second end;
- said steps (a) and (b) being conducted at conditions sufficient to provide a synthesis gas at said second end of said second zone in the range of about 220° C. to about 400° C.;
- (c) removing substantially all of the high pressure synthesis gas from the second zone and introducing said gas into a high temperature water-gas shift reaction zone to provide a gas stream enriched in hydrogen;
- (d) passing the hydrogen enriched gas stream through a hydrogen separation zone to separate high pressure hydrogen;
- (e) removing high pressure hydrogen from the separation zone;
- (f) introducing a fuel and an oxygen containing gas at a pressure lower than in step (a) into the second end of the second zone for combustion and passage through said second and first zone thereby heating the first zone to reforming temperatures and creating a flue gas which exits through the first end of the first zone.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.