Application: Ultra-desulfurization and adiabatic-steam reforming of hydrocarbon feed from refinery offgas or natural gas through LPG to naphtha feeds as a prereforming step in the route to hydrogen production.
Description: Sulfur components contained in the hydrocarbon feed are converted to H 2 S in the HDS vessel and then fed to two desulfurization vessels in series. Each vessel contains two catalyst types—the first for bulk sulfur removal and the second for ultrapurification down to sulfur levels of less than 1 ppb.
The two-desulfurization vessels are arranged in series in such a way that either may be located in the lead position allowing online change out of the catalysts. The novel interchanger between the two vessels allows for the lead and lag vessels to work under different optimized conditions for the duties that require two catalyst types. This arrangement may be retrofitted to existing units.
Desulfurized feed is then fed to a fixed bed of nickel-based catalyst that converts the hydrocarbon feed, in the presence of steam, to a product stream containing only methane together with H 2, CO, CO 2 and unreacted steam which is suitable for further processing in a conventional fired reformer. The CRG prereformer enables capital cost savings in primary reforming due to reductions in the radiant box heat load. It also allows high-activity gas-reforming catalyst to be used. The ability to increase preheat temperatures and transfer radiant duty to the convection section of the primary reformer can minimize involuntary steam production.
Operating conditions: The desulfurization section typically operates between 170 ° C and 420 ° C and the CRG prereformer will operate over a wide range of temperatures from 250 ° C to 650 ° C and at pressures up to 75 bara.
Licensor: The process and CRG catalyst are licensed by Davy Process Technology.
