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04/22/2002

Incorporating gas heated reforming (GHR) technology into autothermal reforming

(ATR)-based GTL processes offers combined benefits of significantly higher carbon

efficiency and lower capital cost.

An AGHR and secondary reformer was installed at the Coogee Energy methanol plant,

Melbourne. Photo courtesy of Synetix.

Click here to enlarge image

The two reformers can be linked in different ways; the configuration in which feed gas

passes through the GHR and ATR in series gives the best benefits.

Synetix, in partnership with Methanex Corp., the world's largest producer of methanol,

has constructed a materials demonstration unit (MDU) in New Zealand to establish the

benefits of combining GHR with ATR.


Engineering work on the project started in mid-2000, and the units were commissionedin Feb 2002. Preliminary results will be available later in 2002 with final results in 2003.

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Page 1 of 10Gas heated reforming improves Fischer-Tropsch process - Oil & Gas Journal

16.06.2015http://www.ogj.com/articles/print/volume -100/issue-16/processing/gas-heated-reformi...
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With the same basis as the preceding ATR example (natural gas composition, steam

ratio, ATR and secondary exit temperature), 18% less oxygen combustion is needed to

satisfy the heat balance and less hydrogen i s consumed, leaving more available for FT

liquid synthesis.

Eq. 3 shows that the scheme is now well balanced-for every 100 units of feed carbon,

only 2 units of carbon must be purged, and reaction efficiency to CO improves nearly

8%. This will boost the overall carbon efficiency of a GTL plant. 2

Economic benefits

We have completed detailed evaluations of the GHR technology. We compared the

GHR-based process to POX and ATR in terms of process and utility requirements.

Cost estimates are based on detailed equipment lists using established methods. The

estimates include vendor quotes for major equipment items where appropriate.

The studies consistently show significant benefits with the GHR-based process. The

main benefits are reduced:

Total energy per barrel, up to 10%.

Oxygen requirement, up to 25%.

Overall CO 2 emissions, up to 45%.


Table 1 summarizes the results of a study based on a light natural gas feedstock. The

GHR-based process operating at a steam ratio (SR) of 2.0 achieves 5% lower total

energy consumption than POX or ATR. If we lower the SR to less than 1.0, energy

consumption improves by up to 10%.

The maximum efficiency improvement (and the SR at which it occurs) depends on

many factors, such as feed composition, FT conversion and selectivity, LPG recovery,

etc. The optimum is a balance between the feed and fuel requirements for natural gas;

the optimum may be at an intermediate SR.

We configured all the processes for zero power export-any heat that could not be used

in the process was rejected in flue gas or used for air or water cooling. Table 1 also

shows the substantial reductions in oxygen requirement and CO 2 emissions.

Capital costs

GHR has lower capital costs compared to competing processes. GHR simplifies the

flowsheet, eliminating some systems and reducing the size and cost of others,

especially regarding utilities. The main benefits are:

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Smaller air-separation unit.

Elimination of the high-pressure process waste heat boiler.

Simpler, smaller steam and power-generation systems.

Lower cooling duties and smaller cooling systems.


At an SR of 2.0, capital cost is the same as the ATR-based process (at an SR of 0.6)

and about 5% lower than for a POX-based system. At lower SRs, the capital cost

savings are more than 10% for a complete GTL facility. Table 2 shows typical savings.

Different GHR configurations

There are various options for coupling a GHR with an oxygen-fired reformer. They

require different process and mechanical design considerations and have different

overall effects on GTL process performance.

In Lineup A (Fig. 2), the GHR and oxygen-based reformer (secondary reformer) are in

series. GHR catalyst tube bottoms are sealed within a tubesheet to prevent methane

leakage into the syngas product. This is the design of the Synetix AGHR.


In Lineup B (Fig. 3), the natural gas and steam mixture is split and fed to the GHR and

ATR, which operate in parallel. The GHR catalyst tubes are open ended. The two

reformed gas streams mix in the GHR shell before they provide heat to reform the gas

in the GHR.


Lineup C (Fig. 4) has a similar parallel configuration to Lineup B. The difference is that

that the two reformed gas streams do not mix in the GHR. Syngas from the GHR

catalyst is cooled separately in bayonet tubes that are within the annular catalyst beds

in each outer tube.

The relative effect that these lineups have on the FT production process, as well as the

comparative size of GHR needed for each duty, can be simulated for different

reforming conditions.




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The GHR catalyst exit temperature is a key process parameter. It determines the

reduction in oxygen flow compared to a standalone ATR. It also influences the GHR's

size, because the GHR is simply a heat exchanger with catalyst in the tubes-the higher

the tube exit temperature, the lower the temperature differential driving heat transfer.

Due to less gas passing through the catalyst, Lineups B and C can have a lower

pressure drop than Lineup A. Therefore, they must have a higher GHR exit catalyst

temperature to keep the levels of unreacted methane acceptably low.


Table 3 and Fig. 5 show a comparison between these schemes. In process terms,

Lineups B and C are identical. An important differentiator between these lineups is the

total concentration of CH4, CO 2 , N2, and Ar in the syngas product. These gases are

inert in FT synthesis-the higher the inerts level, the worse the FT gas quality.


Even with GHR catalyst exit temperatures up to 1,650 F., the total inerts level is still

much higher in the parallel lineups than the series configuration. This results in lower

process efficiency and an increased requirement for syngas and oxygen production.

Lineups B and C show the same upward trend in heat transfer area (HTA) with

increasing catalyst (or tube) exit temperature. If the tube exit temperature is 1,560 F.

(process performance not competitive with lineup A), the equipment size will tend to be

the same or larger. At 1,650 F., there is still a 5% efficiency penalty, and the HTA

requirements are more than twice those of the series arrangement.

Altering other variables-such as splitting steam between the GHR and ATR, or

considering a GHR in combination with a non-catalytic partial oxidation reactor rather

than an ATR-can result in minor improvements compared to the parallel schemes, but

they do not affect the overall results.

The materials demonstration unit for GHR and secondaries is in New Plymouth, New

Zealand. Photo courtesy of Synetix.





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A series configuration is both smaller and more efficient than a parallel GHR and ATR

combination.

GHR development

Synetix first developed the leading concept ammonia (LCA) process, which

incorporated GHR, in the 1980s. LCA was applied to ammonia production with plants

being commissioned near Bristol, UK, in 1988 and later at Yazoo City, Miss., in 1998.

In the early 1990s Synetix adapted the technology for methanol production as theleading concept methanol (LCM) process. A demonstration methanol unit has been

operating near Melbourne, Australia, since 1994.

In the latest extension, we have applied GHR technology to the syngas production for

FT-based GTL plants.

Advanced GHR

The early applications of GHR technology were successful. Technology developmentcontinued during the 1990s when it became apparent that there were some features of

the first-generation GHR that could be improved.

For example, catalyst loading was more difficult and time consuming than in a

conventional steam reformer. Some design aspects of the bayonet tube units werecomplex, which added to the unit cost and limited the maximum size.

By 1998, Synetix developed an improved and simplified design of GHR known as theadvanced gas heated reformer (AGHR). Synetix installed a demonstration unit in the

methanol plant now operated by Coogee Energy Pty Ltd., Melbourne, to test the novelfeatures of the new design.


The AGHR (Fig. 6) has a simplified internal design with a seal system that

accommodates tube expansion without the need to use bayonet tubes.

These changes simplify the design and fabrication and result in a substantial reduction

in unit cost. Catalyst loading and removal is also much easier and performed the sameway as a conventional steam reformer using traditional sock loading or an advanced

catalyst loading system.

Detailed engineering studies show that the AGHR can be scaled up to a capacity of

25,000-30,000 b/d in a single train. The Coogee AGHR has been in operation for morethan 3 years and has proved the unit's new design features.




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Metal dusting corrosion

AGHR plants for methanol and ammonia production have operated for many years,

and the materials of construction as well as the process and mechanical design arefully established for these applications.

Using an AGHR for GTL offers a significant improvement in thermal efficiency. Evenmore efficiency gains and capital cost benefits result from more severe reforming

conditions, specifically a lower SR. The optimum SR is normally between 0.6 and 1.0,the exact optimum of which depends on the individual project.

No materials of construction have been commercially demonstrated to operatesuccessfully at the lower SR conditions required for the optimum use of GHR

technology in GTL plants. Experience shows that, while laboratory and other small-

scale testing may provide some limited initial screening of materials, it cannot providereliable data on the performance of an alloy under plant conditions.

Materials demonstration unit

The MDU has two GHRs with full-size tubes, each coupled to a secondary reformer

and associated equipment. The two trains operate at different conditions todemonstrate metallurgy suitable for GTL and enhanced methanol process conditions.

In an experimental program initially lasting 18 months, the MDU will test severaldifferent alloys simultaneously with conditions closely replicating those of a full-scale

commercial unit. The unit will provide long-term data under commercial plantconditions.

References

1. Chang, T., "New JV markets one-stop GTL package," OGJ, Dec. 18, 2000, p. 49.

2. Steynberg, A.P., Vogel, A.P., Price, J.G., and Nel, H.G., "Technology targets forgas to liquids applications," presented at the AIChE Spring meeting, Apr. 22-26,

2001, Houston.

The authors

Jim Abbott is a GTL technology specialist for Synetix, Bill ingham, UK, in which hefocuses on delivering the application of syngas technology to GTL. Recently, he was

engaged in process development of Synetix's refinery business. Abbott joined ICI 22years ago and joined the Katalco group in 1987. He has worked for 8 years in the

methanol business, in which he played a key role in demonstrating the Synetix leading

concept methanol technology. He has a degree from Cambridge University, UK.

Bernard J. Crewdson is a business development manager for Synetix's GTL and fuel

cells businesses. He joined joined ICI in 1975 and held a number of posts in processengineering and production management before joining Synetix (formerly Katalco) in

1987. Crewdson also spent 10 years in catalyst sales and marketing. He graduated

from Cambridge University with a degree in chemical engineering.

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