Steam-hydrocarbon reforming method with limited steam export

A method for generating hydrogen and/or synthesis gas in a production facility comprising:

• withdrawing a reformed gas mixture comprising H2, CO, CO2 and H2O from a plurality of catalyst-containing reformer tubes of a reformer;
• forming a H2 product gas stream, a CO2 by-product stream, and a residual gas stream from the reformed gas mixture, wherein the residual gas stream has a mass flow rate, WT, and contains less than 10 mole % CO2 and less than 65 mole % H2;
• optionally introducing a first portion of the residual gas stream into a shift reactor, wherein the first portion of the residual gas stream has a mass flow rate, W1;
• forming a reformer feed gas mixture stream from a feed steam stream, a second portion of the residual gas stream, and a reformer feedstock stream comprising a hydrocarbon, wherein the feed steam stream has a first steam mass flow rate, R1 and wherein the second portion of the residual gas stream has a mass flow rate, W2;
• introducing the reformer feed gas mixture stream into the plurality of catalyst-containing reformer tubes and reacting the hydrocarbon with the steam in a reforming reaction under reaction conditions effective to form the reformed gas mixture;
• introducing a fuel stream comprising combustible gases into a combustion section of the reformer, the fuel stream comprising a third portion of the residual gas stream and optionally a supplemental fuel stream, the third portion of the residual gas stream having a mass flow rate, W3;
• introducing an oxidant stream containing oxygen into the combustion section of the reformer;
• combusting the combustible gases with the oxygen in the combustion section under conditions effective to combust the combustible gases to form a combustion product gas mixture and generate heat to supply energy for the reforming reaction;
• withdrawing the combustion product gas mixture from the combustion section of the reformer;
• and
• generating an intermediate gas stream comprising steam from a liquid water-containing stream via indirect heat exchange between the liquid water-containing stream and at least one of a stream formed from the reformed gas mixture and a stream formed from the combustion product gas mixture, the intermediate gas stream comprising steam having a pressure of 2 MPa to 12 MPa and having a second steam mass flow rate, R2, wherein
• 0.9
• ≤
• R
• 2
• R
• 1
• ≤
• 1.2
• ;
• and wherein
• 0
• <
• W
• 1
• +
• W
• 2
• W
• T
• <
• 0.35
• .