Reformer process with variable heat flux side-fired burner system

• Main Authors: LI XIANMING, HERB BLAINE EDWARD, WANG SHOOU-I, PHAM HOANH NANG, YING DAVID HON SING
• Format: Patent
• Language: English
• Published: 15.08.2002
• Edition: 7
• Subjects: CHEMICAL OR PHYSICAL PROCESSES, e.g. CATALYSIS OR COLLOIDCHEMISTRY; CHEMISTRY; COMPOUNDS THEREOF; CRACKING HYDROCARBON OILS; FUELS; INORGANIC CHEMISTRY; LUBRICANTS; METALLURGY; MINERAL WAXES; NON-METALLIC ELEMENTS; PEAT; PERFORMING OPERATIONS; PETROLEUM, GAS OR COKE INDUSTRIES; PHYSICAL OR CHEMICAL PROCESSES OR APPARATUS IN GENERAL; PRODUCTION OF LIQUID HYDROCARBON MIXTURES, e.g. BY DESTRUCTIVEHYDROGENATION, OLIGOMERISATION, POLYMERISATION; RECOVERY OF HYDROCARBON OILS FROM OIL-SHALE, OIL-SAND, ORGASES; REFINING MIXTURES MAINLY CONSISTING OF HYDROCARBONS; REFORMING OF NAPHTHA; TECHNICAL GASES CONTAINING CARBON MONOXIDE; THEIR RELEVANT APPARATUS; TRANSPORTING

An apparatus for heating a fluid in a process having a process heat requirement includes a shell, at least one tube having a design temperature inside the shell, a plurality of burners adjacent the inner wall of the shell, and transfer means whereby flue gas flows from a first interior region to a second interior region of the shell. A first portion of the tube is in the first interior region and a second portion of the tube is in the second interior region. The first and second portions of the tube are adapted to contain a flow of the fluid. The burners produce the flue gas in the first interior region and a variable heat flux approximating the process heat requirement and simultaneously maximizing the heat flux to the first portion of the tube while maintaining substantially all of the first portion of the tube at the design temperature.