Method and system for producing hydrogen using an oxygen transport membrane based reforming system with secondary reforming
First Claim
1. A method for hydrogen production utilizing an oxygen transport membrane based reforming system, the method comprising the steps of:
- reforming a hydrocarbon containing feed stream in a reforming reactor in the presence of a reforming catalyst disposed in the reforming reactor and heat to produce a reformed synthesis gas stream comprising hydrogen, carbon monoxide, and unreformed hydrocarbon gas;
feeding the reformed synthesis gas stream to a reactant side of a reactively driven and catalyst containing oxygen transport membrane reactor, wherein the oxygen transport membrane reactor includes at least one oxygen transport membrane element configured to separate oxygen from an oxygen containing stream at the oxidant side of the reactively driven and catalyst containing oxygen transport membrane reactor and permeate separated oxygen to the reactant side through oxygen ion transport when subjected to an elevated operational temperature and a difference in oxygen partial pressure across the at least one oxygen transport membrane element;
reacting a portion of the reformed synthesis gas stream with oxygen permeated through the at least one oxygen transport membrane element to produce the difference in oxygen partial pressure across the at least one oxygen transport membrane element and generate reaction products and heat, including a first portion of the heat required for the reforming of the hydrocarbon containing feed stream in the reforming reactor;
reforming unreformed hydrocarbon gas in the reformed synthesis gas stream in the presence of one or more catalysts contained in the oxygen transport membrane reactor, the reaction products and the heat to produce a synthesis gas product stream;
treating at least a portion of the synthesis gas product stream in a separate high temperature shift reactor to form a hydrogen-enriched synthesis gas stream; and
treating the hydrogen-enriched synthesis gas stream in a hydrogen PSA and recovering a hydrogen product stream and a tail gas stream;
wherein a second portion of the heat required for the reforming of the hydrocarbon containing feed in the reforming reactor is transferred from an auxiliary heat source disposed proximate to the reforming reactor.
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Abstract
A method and system for producing hydrogen using an oxygen transport membrane based reforming system is disclosed that carries out a primary reforming process within a reforming reactor, and a secondary reforming process within a reactively driven and catalyst containing oxygen transport membrane reactor with or without an auxiliary source of heat to support primary reforming process within the reforming reactor to first form a synthesis gas product. The auxiliary source of heat is disposed within the oxygen transport membrane based reforming system proximate to the reforming reactors and comprises an auxiliary oxygen transport membrane reactor or a ceramic burner. The synthesis gas product is further treated in a separate high temperature water gas shift reactor and optionally in a separate low temperature water gas shift reactor. Hydrogen is produced from the resulting hydrogen-enriched gas using hydrogen PSA.
272 Citations
17 Claims
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1. A method for hydrogen production utilizing an oxygen transport membrane based reforming system, the method comprising the steps of:
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reforming a hydrocarbon containing feed stream in a reforming reactor in the presence of a reforming catalyst disposed in the reforming reactor and heat to produce a reformed synthesis gas stream comprising hydrogen, carbon monoxide, and unreformed hydrocarbon gas; feeding the reformed synthesis gas stream to a reactant side of a reactively driven and catalyst containing oxygen transport membrane reactor, wherein the oxygen transport membrane reactor includes at least one oxygen transport membrane element configured to separate oxygen from an oxygen containing stream at the oxidant side of the reactively driven and catalyst containing oxygen transport membrane reactor and permeate separated oxygen to the reactant side through oxygen ion transport when subjected to an elevated operational temperature and a difference in oxygen partial pressure across the at least one oxygen transport membrane element; reacting a portion of the reformed synthesis gas stream with oxygen permeated through the at least one oxygen transport membrane element to produce the difference in oxygen partial pressure across the at least one oxygen transport membrane element and generate reaction products and heat, including a first portion of the heat required for the reforming of the hydrocarbon containing feed stream in the reforming reactor; reforming unreformed hydrocarbon gas in the reformed synthesis gas stream in the presence of one or more catalysts contained in the oxygen transport membrane reactor, the reaction products and the heat to produce a synthesis gas product stream; treating at least a portion of the synthesis gas product stream in a separate high temperature shift reactor to form a hydrogen-enriched synthesis gas stream; and treating the hydrogen-enriched synthesis gas stream in a hydrogen PSA and recovering a hydrogen product stream and a tail gas stream; wherein a second portion of the heat required for the reforming of the hydrocarbon containing feed in the reforming reactor is transferred from an auxiliary heat source disposed proximate to the reforming reactor. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
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9. A hydrogen production system comprising:
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an oxygen transport membrane based reactor housing comprising; a reforming reactor disposed in the reactor housing and configured to reform a hydrocarbon containing feed stream in the presence of a reforming catalyst disposed in the reforming reactor and heat to produce a reformed synthesis gas stream; a reactively driven, catalyst containing oxygen transport membrane reactor disposed in the reactor housing proximate the reforming reactor and configured to receive the reformed synthesis gas stream and react a portion of the reformed synthesis gas stream with permeated oxygen and generate a first reaction product and heat, including a first portion of the heat required by the reforming reactor; wherein the reactively driven, catalyst containing oxygen transport membrane reactor is further configured to reform any unreformed hydrocarbon gas in the reformed synthesis gas stream in the presence of reforming catalyst, some of the heat and the first reaction product generated by the reaction of the reformed synthesis gas stream and permeated oxygen to produce a synthesis gas product stream; and an auxiliary heat source disposed in the reactor housing proximate the reforming reactor and configured to supply a second portion of the heat required by the reforming reactor to produce the reformed synthesis gas stream; the oxygen transport membrane based hydrogen production system further comprising; a water gas shift reactor unit; and a hydrogen PSA unit. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12, 13)
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14. A method for hydrogen production utilizing an oxygen transport membrane based reforming system, the method comprising the steps of:
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reforming a hydrocarbon containing feed stream in a reforming reactor in the presence of a reforming catalyst disposed in the reforming reactor and heat to produce a reformed synthesis gas stream comprising hydrogen, carbon monoxide, and unreformed hydrocarbon gas; feeding the reformed synthesis gas stream to a reactant side of a reactively driven and catalyst containing oxygen transport membrane reactor, wherein the oxygen transport membrane reactor includes at least one oxygen transport membrane element configured to separate oxygen from an oxygen containing stream at the oxidant side of the reactively driven and catalyst containing oxygen transport membrane reactor and permeate separated oxygen to the reactant side through oxygen ion transport when subjected to an elevated operational temperature and a difference in oxygen partial pressure across the at least one oxygen transport membrane element; reacting a portion of the reformed synthesis gas stream with oxygen permeated through the at least one oxygen transport membrane element to produce the difference in oxygen partial pressure across the at least one oxygen transport membrane element and generate reaction products and heat, including the heat required for the reforming of the hydrocarbon containing feed stream in the reforming reactor; reforming unreformed hydrocarbon gas in the reformed synthesis gas stream in the presence of one or more catalysts contained in the oxygen transport membrane reactor, the reaction products and the heat to produce a synthesis gas product stream; treating at least a portion of the synthesis gas product stream in a separate high temperature shift reactor followed by a low temperature shift reactor to form a hydrogen-rich synthesis gas stream; and treating the hydrogen-rich synthesis gas stream in a hydrogen PSA and recovering a hydrogen product stream and a tail gas stream. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17)
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Specification