NEW SCHEME FOR INSTALLATION ON THE PRODUCTION OF HYDROGEN, BASED ON STEAM REFORMING, WITH INCREASED CARBON DIOXIDE RECOVERY

摘要

A new design of a steam reforming device, a new design of a KBA device for separating hydrogen, a new design of a hydrogen / nitrogen mixture enrichment device and application of a new treatment scheme are presented. The result of these innovations is the redistribution of most of the total CO emissions from the hydrogen plant to the high pressure syngas stream exiting the water gas reformer, while the CO emissions from the reformer off-gas are minimized. Compared to the conventional CO emission distribution between the syngas stream and the off-gas stream for a conventional steam reforming hydrogen production plant design, i.e. 60/40, the present invention achieves a CO 85/15 distribution or even better. As a result, about 85% or more of the total CO emissions are recovered from the synthesis gas stream using conventional, well established and cost effective amine scrubbing technology. This CO capture ratio of 85% or more exceeds the maximum, i.e. 55 to 60%, possible with conventional steam reforming hydrogen production technology. Since recovering CO from a high pressure syngas stream is much easier and cheaper than from a low pressure reformer off-gas, the present invention provides significant savings in recovering an equivalent amount of CO.