HYDROGEN PRODUCTION METHOD

• Main Authors: ZAGNOLI, DAVID ANTHONY, SNYDER, GREGORY DAVID, DIMARTINO, STEPHEN PAUL, SR, STANGO, JAMES JOSEPH
• Format: Patent
• Language: English; French
• Published: 08.11.2008
• Subjects: CARBURETTING AIR OR OTHER GASES; CHEMISTRY; CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION TECHNOLOGIES IN THE PRODUCTION ORPROCESSING OF GOODS; COMPOUNDS THEREOF; FUELS; GENERAL TAGGING OF CROSS-SECTIONAL TECHNOLOGIES SPANNING OVER SEVERAL SECTIONS OF THE IPC; GENERAL TAGGING OF NEW TECHNOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENTS; INORGANIC CHEMISTRY; LUBRICANTS; METALLURGY; NON-METALLIC ELEMENTS; PEAT; PETROLEUM, GAS OR COKE INDUSTRIES; PRODUCTION OF PRODUCER GAS, WATER-GAS, SYNTHESIS GAS FROMSOLID CARBONACEOUS MATERIAL, OR MIXTURES CONTAINING THESE GASES; PURIFYING OR MODIFYING THE CHEMICAL COMPOSITION OF COMBUSTIBLEGASES CONTAINING CARBON MONOXIDE; TECHNICAL GASES CONTAINING CARBON MONOXIDE; TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS; TECHNOLOGIES OR APPLICATIONS FOR MITIGATION OR ADAPTATION AGAINSTCLIMATE CHANGE

A hydrogen production method that integrates a catalytic steam reformer and a gasifier. Hydrogen is generated in a catalytic steam reformer at a high production rate or design capacity. The catalytic steam reformer is then turned down to a fraction of design capacity while a gasifier produces the needed hydrogen. During the turned do wn state of the catalytic steam reformer, more of a hydrogen-containing stream formed fr om gasifier effluent is fed to the catalytic steam reformer as a feed thereby reducing t he flow rate of feedstock required for the catalytic steam reformer in the turned down state . Optionally, hydrogen mixtures from the catalytic steam reformer and gasifier are fed to one or more adsorbers for hydrogen purification and adsorber effluent is fired as fuel i n the steam reformer furnace to provide a majority of the heat needed for the reforming reaction.