| 摘要 |
PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To enable the downsizing of a desulphurization mechanism and the reduction of installation cost by placing a layer of an absorbing agent for removing an S-component contained in a raw material gas, at the upstream side of a layer of a reforming catalyst in a reformer tube. SOLUTION: A layer 21 of an absorbing agent (e.g. a layer of pellet-formed ZnO), which removes an S-component (e.g. mercaptan, etc.), an odorant, contained in a hydrocarbon gas (e.g. CH4 ) of a raw material gas, is placed at the upstream side of a layer 22 of a reforming catalyst (e.g. ruthenium catalyst layer) in a reformer tube 20. It is preferable that a preheating section 16 for preheating the raw material gas with exhaust heat from a burner 28, which heats the reformer tube 20, is placed, and the apparatus is constructed so that the layer 21 of absorbing agent is kept at the activating temperature with the heat which is given to the layer 21 of absorbing agent when the preheated raw material gas passes the layer 21 of absorbing agent and with the heat transmission from a casing 14. It is not necessary to separately place a heating mechanism for the layer 21 of absorbing agent. |
