Edmonton Refinery - Plant 53   Steam-Methane Reforming Unit

The function of the steam-methane reforming unit is to convert natural gas, which is predominantly methane, in the presence of an excess of steam, to a mixture of hydrogen, carbon monoxide, and carbon dioxide.  Since the reaction is equilibrium limited and there is an excess of steam present to minimize catalyst deactivation, there is also steam and methane remaining in the product. The first step of the process involves desulphurization of the feed gas, mostly natural gas with some hydrogen from the platformer (Plant 5) and/or the reformer (Plant 6).  This involves heating the feed gas and then passing it over a bed of Co-Mo catalyst where any sulphur compounds are converted to hydrogen sulphide.  The hydrogen sulphide is then physically absorbed into one of two beds of ZnO catalyst. After desulphurization, the feed gas is combined with the steam and passed through small tubes containing the nickel-based reforming catalayst at high temperature (1000 to 1200 °F).  Since the overall reforming reaction is endothermic and requires high temperature, the catalyst tubes are contained in a terrace-walled furnace which permits furnace firing at two levels for optimum heat transfer to the catalyst tubes. After the reforming reaction has occurred in the furnace, the product stream is subsequently cooled,  passed over a "shift reaction" catalyst, cooled again, and then passed over another "shift reaction" catalyst.  The first catalyst contains chromium promoted iron and the second catalyst is copper based.  The final step involves further cooling to condense the remaining steam before being fed to the pressure swing adsorption unit. General Information: Refinery Area:   Syncrude area, Block K Process Name:   Steam-methane reforming unit Process Technology:   Foster Wheeler       Commissioned Date:   1983 Major Revamps:   Full Throughput Operation (1993)       Nameplate Capacity:   13.5 MMSCFD of natural gas Major Feedstock(s):   natural gas and platformer/reformer H2 Major Product(s):   hydrogen rich gas Process Flow Diagram (PDF) Plot Plan (PDF) Equipment List

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