HEAT EXCHANGE REFORMING PROCESS AND REACTOR SYSTEM

摘要

A process and reactor system for hydrocarbon conversion by primary and secondary reforming; the improvement comprises: (i) reacting a process gas stream of hydrocarbon feed and steam in a first gas heated reactor in the presence of a steam reforming catalyst to a partially primary reformed process gas stream by indirect heat exchange with a moderately hot product gas stream from the shell side of a second gas heated reactor introduced into the shell side of the first gas heated reactor in counter-flow to the reacting process gas stream in the first gas heated reactor; (ii) dividing the partially primary reformed process gas stream from the first gas heated reactor into a first and second substream; (iii) reacting the first substream in the presence of a steam reforming catalyst in a convective heated tubular reactor furnace to a primary reformed gas stream; (iv) reacting the second substream in the second gas heated reactor in the presence of a steam reforming catalyst by indirect heat exchange with a hot product gas stream from an adiabatic secondary reforming reactor introduced into the shell side of the second gas heated reactor in parallel-flow to the reacting second substream in the second gas heated reactor to provide a primary reformed gas stream and to cool the hot product gas stream to the moderately hot product gas stream; (v) combining the primary reformed gas stream obtained in (iii) and (iv); and (vi) reacting the combined primary reformed gas stream in the adiabatic secondary reforming reactor with an oxidant gas in the presence of a secondary steam reforming catalyst to form the hot product gas stream.