# US 2009/0013600 A1 · Dual mode reactor smr integration

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- Number: US 2009/0013600 A1
- Document ID: US20090013600A1
- Status: Published application
- Kind: A1
- Application number: 12/125,585
- Filed: 2008-05-22
- Published: 2009-01-15
- Earliest claimed: 2007-05-22
- Assignees: Praxair Technology, Inc.
- Inventors: Raymond Francis Drnevich; Vasilis Papavassiliou; Troy Michael Raybold; Ramchandra Mukund Watwe
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20090013600A1

## CPC

- C01B 3/382: Processes with two or more reaction steps, of which at least one is catalytic, e.g. steam reforming and partial oxidation
- C01B 3/384: with external heating of the catalyst
- C01B 3/386: Catalytic partial combustion
- C01B 2203/0233: the reforming step being a steam reforming step
- C01B 2203/0244: the reforming step being an autothermal reforming step, e.g. secondary reforming processes
- C01B 2203/0261: containing a catalytic partial oxidation step [CPO]
- C01B 2203/0283: containing a CO-shift step, i.e. a water gas shift step
- C01B 2203/043: Regenerative adsorption process in two or more beds, one for adsorption, the other for regeneration
- C01B 2203/0816: Heating by flames
- C01B 2203/0822: the fuel containing hydrogen
- C01B 2203/1005: Arrangement or shape of catalyst
- C01B 2203/1023: Catalysts in the form of a monolith or honeycomb
- C01B 2203/1029: Catalysts in the form of a foam
- C01B 2203/1047: Group VIII metal catalysts
- C01B 2203/1241: Natural gas or methane
- C01B 2203/142: At least two reforming, decomposition or partial oxidation steps in series
- C01B 2203/148: involving a recycle stream to the feed of the process for making hydrogen or synthesis gas
- C01B 2203/1647: Controlling the amount of the product
- C01B 2203/1671: Controlling the composition of the product
- Y02P 20/10: Process efficiency
- C01B: NON-METALLIC ELEMENTS; COMPOUNDS THEREOF; {METALLOIDS OR COMPOUNDS THEREOF NOT COVERED BY SUBCLASS C01C}
- Y02P: CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION TECHNOLOGIES IN THE PRODUCTION OR PROCESSING OF GOODS

## Abstract

The present invention relates to systems and processes for producing syngas in steam methane reformer (SMR)-based plants, particularly to the use of a high space velocity, dual mode catalytic reactor to pre-reform plant feedstock. The dual mode reactor has the capability to operate in two modes: either without oxygen addition in a reforming mode or with oxygen addition in a partial oxidation-reforming mode. The dual mode reactor allows the syngas production rate of the plant to be manipulated without the added capital expense of a reheat coil and with reduced impact on export steam production.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A steam methane reforming method, the method comprising:
introducing a feedstock comprising steam and desulfurized hydrocarbons into a high space velocity catalytic reactor configured for dual mode operation, one of the dual modes of operation being operation without oxygen addition in a reforming mode and another of the dual modes of operation being operation with oxygen addition in a partial oxidation-reforming mode;
reacting the feedstock in the high space velocity catalytic reactor such that a pre-reformed gas is produced in the high space velocity catalytic reactor, the pre-reformed gas comprising reduced amounts of heavier hydrocarbons relative to the feedstock;
withdrawing the pre-reformed gas from the high space velocity catalytic reactor;
introducing the pre-reformed gas into a steam methane reforming unit; and
reacting the pre-reformed gas in the steam methane reforming unit to produce a syngas.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein high space velocity catalytic reactor contains a catalyst supported on a metallic monolith therein.

### Claim 3 (depends on 2)

The method of claim 2, wherein the metallic monolith is coated with a catalytic layer comprising one or more Group VIII metals.

### Claim 4 (depends on 3)

The method of claim 3, wherein the Group VIII catalyst comprises platinum, rhodium, palladium, nickel, ruthenium or mixtures thereof.

### Claim 5 (depends on 2)

The method of claim 2, wherein the monolith is reticulated foam, honeycomb or a corrugated foil wound in a spiral configuration.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the syngas is further processed to produce a purified hydrogen stream.

### Claim 7 (depends on 6)

The method of claim 6, wherein the amount of syngas produced is adjustable based on adjusting the amount of oxygen addition into the high space velocity, dual mode catalytic reactor during the partial oxidation-reforming mode.

### Claim 8 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the high space velocity of the high space velocity, dual mode catalytic reactor is greater than 30,000/hr.

### Claim 9 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the pre-reformed gas is not subjected to heating after withdrawing the pre-reformed gas from the high space velocity, dual mode catalytic reactor and prior to introduction into the SMR unit.

### Claim 10 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein a temperature of the pre-reformed gas being withdrawn from the high space velocity, dual mode catalytic reactor during operation in the partial oxidation-reforming mode is equal to or greater than a temperature of the feedstock being introduced into the high space velocity, dual mode catalytic reactor.

### Claim 11 (depends on 10)

The method of claim 10, wherein the temperature of the pre-reformed gas being withdrawn from the high space velocity, dual mode catalytic reactor is less than about 1800° F.

### Claim 12 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the amount of syngas produced is adjustable based on adjusting the amount of oxygen addition into the high space velocity, dual mode catalytic reactor during the partial oxidation-reforming mode.

### Claim 13 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein a portion of the feedstock bypasses the high space velocity, dual mode catalytic reactor prior to introduction into the SMR unit.

### Claim 14 (depends on 13)

The method of claim 13, wherein the amount of syngas produced is adjustable based on adjusting the amount of feedstock that is bypassed around the high space velocity, dual mode catalytic reactor.

### Claim 15 (depends on 14)

The method of claim 14, wherein the amount of syngas produced is further adjustable based on the amount of oxygen addition into the high space velocity, dual mode catalytic reactor during the partial oxidation-reforming mode.

### Claim 16

A system for steam methane reforming, comprising:
a high space velocity catalytic reactor configured for dual mode operation and configured to receive a desulfurized feedstock, one of the dual modes of operation being operation without oxygen addition in a reforming mode and another of the dual modes of operation being operation with oxygen addition in a partial oxidation-reforming mode, wherein the high space velocity, dual mode reactor is configured to produce a pre-reformed gas; and
a steam methane reforming unit to receive the pre-reformed gas and produce a syngas.

### Claim 17 (depends on 16)

The system of claim 16, wherein the system is configured such that the high space velocity, dual mode catalytic reactor is configured to receive a first portion of the feedstock and is further configured such that a second portion of the feedstock can bypass the high space velocity, dual mode reactor and be combined with the effluent from the high space velocity, dual mode catalytic reactor.

### Claim 18 (depends on 16)

The system of claim 16 wherein the high space velocity, dual mode catalytic reactor contains a catalyst supported on a metallic monolith therein.

### Claim 19 (depends on 18)

The system of claim 18, wherein the metallic monolith is coated with a catalytic layer comprising one or more Group VIII metals.

### Claim 20 (depends on 19)

The system of claim 19, wherein the Group VIII catalyst comprises platinum, rhodium, palladium, nickel, ruthenium or mixtures thereof.

### Claim 21 (depends on 18)

The system of claim 18, wherein the monolith is reticulated foam, honeycomb or a corrugated foil wound in a spiral configuration.

### Claim 22 (depends on 16)

The system of claim 16, further including a pressure swing adsorption unit positioned downstream of the steam methane reforming unit and configured to produce a purified hydrogen stream from the syngas.

### Claim 23 (depends on 16)

The system of claim 16, further comprising a second reactor configured to receive a portion of the feedstock such that the portion of the feedstock fed to the second reactor bypasses the high space velocity, dual mode catalytic reactor.

### Claim 24 (depends on 23)

The system of claim 23, wherein the second reactor comprises an adiabatic pre-reformer.

### Claim 25 (depends on 23)

The system of claim 23, wherein the second reactor comprises a high space velocity, dual mode reactor.