Process for producing synthesis gas

• US 20020165417A1
• Filed: 03/12/2002
• Published: 11/07/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 03/14/2001
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: TOYO Engineering Corporation
• Original Assignee: TOYO Engineering Corporation
• Inventors: Numaguchi, Toru, Nakamura, Hitoshi, Hirotani, Kunio, Shimagaki, Makoto
• Application Number:
  US10/094,796
• Publication Number:
  US 20020165417A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 585/310
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 2208/00504 by means of a burner
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 2208/0053 Controlling multiple zones along the direction of flow, e.g. pre-heating and after-cooling
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 2219/00006 Large-scale industrial plants
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 23/755 Nickel
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 23/78 with alkali- or alkaline earth metals
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 35/10 characterised by their surface properties or porosity
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 35/1038 less than 0.5 ml/g
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 35/1042 0.5-1.0 ml/g
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 35/108 Pore distribution
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 35/60 characterised by their surface properties or porosity
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 35/633 less than 0.5 ml/g
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 35/635 0.5-1.0 ml/g
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 35/66 Pore distribution
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 8/0488 the beds being placed in separate reactors
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 8/0496 Heating or cooling the reactor
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 8/062 being installed in a furnace
• CPC Class Codes: C01B 2203/0811 by combustion of fuel
• CPC Class Codes: C01B 2203/0816 Heating by flames
• CPC Class Codes: C01B 2203/0844 the non-combustive exothermic reaction being another reforming reaction as defined in groups C01B2203/02 - C01B2203/0294
• CPC Class Codes: C01B 2203/0866 by combination of different heating methods
• CPC Class Codes: C01B 2203/1052 : Nickel or cobalt catalysts
• CPC Class Codes: C01B 2203/1082 : Composition of support materials
• CPC Class Codes: C01B 2203/142 : At least two reforming, decomposition or partial oxidation steps in series
• CPC Class Codes: C01B 2203/143 : Three or more reforming, decomposition or partial oxidation steps in series
• CPC Class Codes: C01B 3/382 : Multi-step processes
• CPC Class Codes: C01B 3/384 : the catalyst being continuously externally heated
• CPC Class Codes: C01B 3/40 : characterised by the catalyst
• CPC Class Codes: Y02P 20/52 : using catalysts, e.g. selective catalysts

Abstract

A process for producing a synthesis gas which comprises the steps of mixing a desulfurized light natural gas with steam; pre-heating the mixed gas; carrying out a first reforming reaction at a temperature of 500 to 750° C. under adiabatic conditions by bringing the gas into contact with a catalyst having a specific porosity in which a specific amount of nickel or a platinum group metal is contained as an active component in a carrier composed of CaO and Al₂O₃ and containing a specific amount of CaO, at least part of CaO forming a compound together with Al₂O₃, or a catalyst in which a specific amount of nickel is contained in an α-alumina carrier containing 98% by weight or more of aluminum oxide and having a specific porosity; and then carrying out a second reforming reaction in reformer tubes in a heating furnace. The light natural gas may be a gas obtainable by reacting a desulfurized heavy natural gas with steam.

Claims

1. A process for producing a synthesis gas wherein a desulfurized light natural gas and steam are pre-heated and then a reforming reaction for the synthesis gas is carried out in two steps of a first step under adiabatic conditions and a second step under heating to produce the synthesis gas, said process comprising:

a step of feeding the pre-heated desulfurized light natural gas and steam to a first step reformer to carry out a first step reforming reaction at a temperature of 500 to 750°

C., and

a step of introducing the reformed gas coming from the first step reformer into reformer tubes in a heating furnace (a second step reformer) to carry out a second step reforming reaction,

wherein the first step reformer is filled with a catalyst in which nickel is contained in an amount of 3 to 20% by weight in terms of nickel oxide to the total weight of the catalyst or a platinum group metal is contained as a platinum group element in an amount of 0.2 to 5% by weight to the total weight of the catalyst in a carrier composed of CaO and Al₂O₃ and containing CaO in an amount of 0.5 to 25% by weight to the total weight of the catalyst, at least part of CaO forming a compound with Al₂O₃, and in which a porosity X of pores having a pore diameter of 0.5 μ

m to 20 μ

m is 0.08 or more, a porosity Y of pores having a pore diameter of less than 0.5 μ

m is 0.15 or more, and a porosity Z of the total pores is from 0.23 to 0.8 (provided that Z≧

X+Y), or a catalyst comprising nickel as an active component in an amount of 3 to 20% by weight in terms of nickel oxide to the total weight of the catalyst in an α

-alumina carrier containing 98% by weight or more of aluminum oxide, in which carrier a volume of pores having a pore diameter within a range of 0.1 to 0.5 μ

m is 0.2 cm³/g or more and a volume of pores having a pore diameter of 0.5 μ

m or more is 0.05 cm³/g or more.

2. The process for producing the synthesis gas according to claim 1, wherein the light natural gas has a high heating value of 9,850 Kcal/Nm³ or less.

3. The process for producing the synthesis gas according to claim 1, wherein the light natural gas is a gas obtainable by reacting a desulfurized heavy natural gas with steam.