Corrosion-protected reformer tube with internal heat exchange

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11213795-B2
Application number	US-201716315407-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 27, 2017
Priority date	Jul 7, 2016
Publication date	Jan 4, 2022
Grant date	Jan 4, 2022

Abstract

A reformer tube for producing synthesis gas by steam reforming of hydrocarbon-containing input gases is proposed where
an outer shell tube is divided by means of a separating tray into a reaction chamber and an exit chamber, a dumped bed of a steam-reforming-active solid catalyst is arranged in the reaction chamber, at least one heat exchanger tube is arranged inside the reaction chamber and inside the dumped catalyst bed, whose entry end is in fluid connection with the dumped catalyst bed and whose exit end is in fluid connection with the exit chamber, the exit end of the heat exchanger tube is fed through the separating tray and opens out into a corrosion-protected inner tube which is disposed in the interior of the shell tube and is in fluid connection with a collection conduit for the synthesis gas product, and a gas-permeable thermal insulation layer is arranged between the inner wall of the shell tube and the outer wall of the inner tube.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A reformer tube for converting hydrocarbon-containing input material into a synthesis gas product comprising carbon oxides and hydrogen under steam reforming conditions, comprising
a. an outer, pressurized shell tube, wherein the outer, pressurized shell tube is divided into a reaction chamber and an exit chamber by means of a separating tray, so that it is possible to set a different pressure in the exit chamber than in the reaction chamber, and wherein the reaction chamber is externally heated,
b. a dumped bed of a steam-reforming-active solid catalyst arranged in the reaction chamber,
c. an entry for an input gas stream comprising the hydrocarbon-containing input material, arranged in the reaction chamber, wherein the entry for the input gas stream is in fluid connection with the dumped catalyst bed,
d. at least one helically coiled heat exchanger tube arranged inside the reaction chamber and inside the dumped catalyst bed, whose entry end is in fluid connection with the dumped catalyst bed and whose exit end is in fluid connection with the exit chamber, wherein the input gas stream after entry into the reaction chamber initially flows through the dumped catalyst bed and subsequently flows through the heat exchanger tube in countercurrent, and wherein the heat exchanger tube is in a heat exchange relationship with the dumped catalyst bed and the input gas stream flowing therethrough,
e. a collection conduit for the synthesis gas product, which is in fluid connection with the exit chamber,
wherein, in the exit chamber:
the exit end of the heat exchanger tube is fed through the separating tray and opens into an inner tube which is arranged in the interior of the shell tube and is in fluid connection with the collection conduit, so that the synthesis gas product is able to pass from the reaction chamber via the exit chamber into the collection conduit,
the inner tube is equipped with a corrosion protection layer or consists of a corrosion-resistant material, and
a gas-permeable thermal insulation layer is disposed between the inner wall of the shell tube and the outer wall of the inner tube.

2. The reformer tube according to claim 1 , wherein the exit end of the heat exchanger tube is furnished on its inside, and the portion fed through the separating tray on its outside as well, with a corrosion protection layer.

3. The reformer tube according to claim 1 , wherein the inner tube is seated on the separating tray but is not in gastight communication therewith.

4. The reformer tube according to claim 1 , wherein the heat exchanger tube is helically coiled.

5. A reformer furnace comprising refractorily lined or refractorily faced walls, a ceiling and a floor and an interior formed thereby, wherein the reformer furnace further comprises at least one reformer tube according to claim 1 and at least one burner for heating the reformer tube are arranged in the interior or in a secondary space in fluid connection with the interior in respect of burner flue gases.

6. The reformer furnace according to claim 5 , wherein the at least one reformer tube is arranged in the interior in hanging or standing fashion, wherein the portion of the shell tube comprising the reaction chamber is arranged in the interior and the portion of the shell tube comprising the exit chamber is at least partially fed through the ceiling or the floor.

7. The reformer furnace according to claim 5 , wherein a multiplicity of reformer tubes and burners are arranged in the interior, and in that the longitudinal axes of flames generated by the burners are oriented parallel to the longitudinal axes of the reformer tubes.

8. A process for producing synthesis gas by catalytic steam reforming of hydrocarbon-containing input material under steam reforming conditions in the presence of a steam-reforming-active solid catalyst, the process comprising the steps of:
a. providing an input gas stream comprising the hydrocarbon-containing input material and addition of reforming steam;
b. catalytically converting the input material under steam reforming conditions into a synthesis gas product comprising carbon oxides and hydrogen;
c. discharging the synthesis gas product;
wherein the catalytic conversion in step (b) is effected in the reformer tube according to claim 1 .

9. The process according to claim 8 , wherein a pressure in the exit chamber is lower than in the reaction chamber.

Assignees

• Air Liquide
• Lair Liquide Sa Pour Letude Et Lexploitation Des Procedes Georqes Claude

Inventors

• Hassler Nathanael
• Coscia Antonio

Classifications

• C01B2203/0233

  the reforming step being a steam reforming step · CPC title

• B01J2219/0286

  Steel · CPC title

• B01J2208/00504

  by means of a burner · CPC title

• B01J8/065 Primary

  Feeding reactive fluids · CPC title

• B01J2219/024

  Metal oxides · CPC title