Method for operating a reformer furnace and reforming plant

摘要

A method for producing a synthesis-gas product gas and a vapor stream includes catalytic steam reforming a hydrocarbonaceous feedstock in a steam reformer. The hot synthesis-gas product gas stream is cooled in a heat exchanger to form a cooled synthesis-gas product gas stream and a first partial vapor stream, which is supplied to the product vapor stream. The reforming furnace is operated so as to burn a burner feedstock in burners, cool a hot flue gas stream from the burners in a heat exchanger to form a cooled flue gas stream and a second partial vapor stream, and separate the cooled flue gas stream into a waste gas stream and a flue gas recirculation stream. The flow of the recirculated flue gas is increased with decreasing flow of the synthesis-gas product gas to obtain an approximately constant product vapor stream by increasing the second partial vapor stream.

主权项

1. A method for producing a synthesis-gas product gas and at least one product vapor stream, the method comprising:
catalytic steam reforming a hydrocarbonaceous feedstock in a steam reformer with variable production capacity of the synthesis-gas product gas so as to form the synthesis-gas product gas and the at least one product vapor stream, the steam reformer including a plurality of catalyst-containing reformer tubes and a reformer furnace with burners for firing the reformer tubes; cooling the hot synthesis-gas product gas stream in at least one heat exchanger by indirect heat exchange against a stream of water so as to form a cooled synthesis-gas product gas stream and a first partial vapor stream; and supplying the first partial vapor stream to the product vapor stream, wherein the reforming furnace is operated so as to include the following steps:
(a) supplying a burner feedstock including fuel, combustion air and at least one flue gas recirculation stream to the reformer furnace,(b) burning the burner feedstock in the burners so as to form a hot flue gas stream,(c) cooling the hot flue gas stream in at least one heat exchanger by indirect heat exchange against a stream of water so as to form a cooled flue gas stream and a second partial vapor stream which is supplied to the product vapor stream,(d) separating the cooled flue gas stream into a flue gas waste gas stream and at least one flue gas recirculation stream, the flue gas recirculation stream being recirculated to step (a), andincreasing a mass flow of the recirculated flue gas with decreasing mass flow of the synthesis-gas product gas so as to obtain an at least approximately constant product vapor stream by increasing the second partial vapor stream.