Method and system for production of hydrogen rich gas mixtures

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9932229-B2
Application number	US-201214235020-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 26, 2012
Priority date	Jul 26, 2011
Publication date	Apr 3, 2018
Grant date	Apr 3, 2018

Abstract

The present invention relates to a process for producing a hydrogen containing gas mixture comprising the following steps: (i) providing a preheated mixture comprising a fossil fuel, preferably methane, and steam, (ii) conducting an adiabatic reaction between the fossil fuel and the steam, in the presence of a catalyst, wherein a first reaction product mixture is formed comprising methane, hydrogen and carbon dioxide, and (iii) conducting an oxygen-assisted reforming reaction in the presence of a catalyst between said first reaction product mixture and an oxygen comprising stream, wherein the oxygen comprising stream comprises at least 40 vol % oxygen, forming a second reaction product mixture comprising hydrogen and carbon monoxide. The invention also relates to a system suitable for hydrogen production from a hydrocarbon feed according to the present invention.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A process for producing a hydrogen containing gas mixture comprising the following steps:
(i) providing a preheated mixture comprising a fossil fuel and steam,
(ii) conducting an adiabatic reaction between the fossil fuel and the steam, in the presence of a catalyst, wherein a first reaction product mixture is formed comprising methane, hydrogen and carbon dioxide, and
(iii) mixing said first reaction product mixture with a gaseous oxygen-comprising stream to form a mixed stream and then conducting an oxygen-assisted reforming (OAR) reaction in a single OAR reaction zone between said first reaction product mixture and the gaseous oxygen comprising stream comprised in said mixed stream in the presence of a catalyst,
wherein the gaseous oxygen comprising stream comprises at least 40 vol % oxygen, and
wherein said OAR reaction zone has an outlet and wherein in said OAR reaction a second reaction product mixture is forming comprising hydrogen and carbon monoxide which is at a temperature of 800-1200° C. at said outlet of the OAR reaction zone, and
wherein steam is present in the OAR reaction such that the H 2 O/C molar ratio is in the range of 1.2 to 2.2 in said OAR reaction.

2. The process according to claim 1 , further comprising the steps:
(iv) cooling the second reaction product mixture and subsequently feeding said mixture to a water gas shift reactor, and
(v) conducting a water gas shift reaction wherein a third reaction product mixture is formed comprising hydrogen.

3. Process for hydrogen production comprising conducting a process according to claim 2 , followed by purifying the third reaction product mixture to obtain a purified hydrogen stream.

4. The process according to claim 3 , wherein the hydrogen purifying is performed by pressure swing adsorption or by membrane hydrogen separation.

5. The process according to claim 2 , wherein the third reaction product mixture is routed to a reactor for ammonia synthesis.

6. The process according to claim 1 , wherein the oxygen comprising stream comprises at least 90 vol % of oxygen.

7. The process according to claim 6 , wherein the oxygen comprising stream comprises at least 95 vol % of oxygen.

8. The process according to claim 1 , further comprising hydrogen separation from the second reaction product mixture.

9. The process according to claim 8 , wherein said hydrogen separation is carried out using a membrane.

10. The process according to claim 1 , where the fossil fuel is subjected to desulphurisation before step (i).

11. The process according to claim 1 , wherein the second reaction product mixture is routed to a Fischer-Tropsch or methanol synthesis reactor.

12. The process of claim 1 , wherein the fossil fuel is methane.

13. The process according to claim 1 , wherein the oxygen to carbon ratio is 0.4-1.0 in said OAR reaction.

14. The process according to claim 1 , wherein the catalyst is a monolith and the mixed stream is introduced directly into said monolith.

Assignees

• Iaquaniello Gaetano
• Palo Emma
• Contaldo Palma
• Stamicarbon

Inventors

• Iaquaniello Gaetano
• Palo Emma
• Contaldo Palma

Classifications

• C01B3/38 Primary

  using catalysts · CPC title

• C01B3/56

  by contacting with solids; Regeneration of used solids · CPC title

• C01B3/50

  Separation of hydrogen or hydrogen-containing gases from gaseous mixtures, e.g. purification · CPC title

• C01B3/48

  followed by reaction of water vapour with carbon monoxide · CPC title

• C01B2203/061

  Methanol production · CPC title