A steam reformer is provided which comprises at least one externally-heated tube. Each tube comprises a first catalyst bed comprising a first catalyst in particulate form and a second catalyst supported on a structure, wherein said first catalyst bed is located between the inlet of the tube and the second catalyst supported on said structure. A process for steam reforming of a feed gas mixture using said steam reformer is also provided.

A process is proposed for producing pure hydrogen by steam reforming of a feed gas comprising hydrocarbons, preferably natural gas or naphtha, with a simultaneously low and preferably adjustable export steam flow rate. The process includes the steam reforming of the feed gas, for which the heat of reaction required is provided by combustion of one or more fuel gases with combustion air in a multitude of burners arranged within the reformer furnace. According to the invention, the combustion air, before being introduced into the burners, is heated by means of at least one heat exchanger in indirect heat exchange with the hot flue gas to temperatures of at least 530° C.

Disclosed herein is an integrated small and medium-sized natural gas steam reforming reactor comprising a furnace body, a combustion module located outside the furnace body, and a conversion reaction module, a steam generation and superheating module, a medium temperature shift module and a desulfurization module arranged inside the furnace body, wherein the combustion module supplies combustion flue gas into an interior of the furnace body, the interior of the furnace body is partitioned into a plurality of flue cavities by a plurality of high-temperature partition plates, and adjacent flue cavities are communicated via gaps between the high-temperature partition plates and an inner wall of the furnace body, thus forming a flue gas channel that zigzags several times; and the flue cavities and the modules arranged therein sequentially form a conversion unit, a steam generation unit, a medium temperature shift unit and a desulfurization unit.

The invention is directed to a method for heating a process gas in a top or bottom fired reformer, a method for improving the temperature spread over a top or bottom fired reformer, and to a top or bottom fired reformer wherein these methods can applied. This can be achieved by the lane flow rate of at least one outer tube lane being different from the lane flow rate of at least one inner tube lane.

A method for producing methanol is disclosed. The method includes supplying a high oxygen content oxidant to combust hydrocarbons, in particular methane, and then using the resulting hot gases to heat natural gas so as to convert the natural gas to synthesis gas. The synthesis gas is used to produce methanol in a methanol synthesis reactor. At least some of the carbon dioxide from the hot gases is fed to the methanol synthesis reactor to make methanol.

The present invention relates to reactor tubes packed with a catalyst system employed to deliberately bias process gas flow toward the hot tube segment and away from the cold segment in order to reduce the circumferential tube temperature variation.

Integrated process for the synthesis of ammonia and nitric acid including: a) production of an ammonia make-up synthesis gas, comprising steam reforming of a hydrocarbon feedstock under provision of steam reforming heat; catalytic conversion of said make-up synthesis gas into ammonia; catalytic oxidation of a stream of ammonia obtaining a process gas; absorption of said process gas with water obtaining nitric acid, wherein at least a portion of the steam reforming heat is recovered from said hot process gas.

A reformer for steam reforming a hydrocarbon-containing mixture, including a combustion chamber, a burner arranged within the combustion chamber, a first reactor tube which is arranged at least in sections within the combustion chamber, a catalyst arranged inside the first reactor tube, and an electrically heatable heating element is arranged inside the first reactor tube.

A hydrogen reforming system includes: a steam reforming system (i) receiving a raw material gas and reacting the raw material gas with water to generate a first mixed gas containing hydrogen, (ii) reacting the first mixed gas with the water to separate the first mixed gas into hydrogen and carbon dioxide, and (iii) discharging hydrogen and carbon dioxide; a dry reforming system (i) receiving and reacting the raw material gas and the carbon dioxide discharged from the steam reforming system to generate a second mixed gas containing hydrogen, (ii) reacting the second mixed gas with the water to separate the second mixed gas into hydrogen and carbon dioxide, and (iii) discharge hydrogen and carbon dioxide; and a water supply device supplying the water to the steam reforming system and the dry reforming system.

A system for production of hydrogen includes a steam methane reformer (SMR) including an outer tube, wherein a first end of the outer tube is closed; and an inner tube disposed in the outer tube, wherein a first end of the inner tube is open. An SMR flow channel is defined within the inner tube and an annular space is defined between the outer tube and the inner tube. The flow channel is in fluid communication with the annular space. The SMR includes a foam disposed in the annular space. The system includes a water gas shift reactor comprising a reaction tube, wherein a reaction channel is defined within the reaction tube, and wherein the reaction channel is in fluid communication with the SMR flow channel; a heat transfer material disposed in the reaction channel; and a catalyst disposed in the reaction channel.