US 12,466,730 B2
ATR-based hydrogen process and plant
Steffen Spangsberg Christensen, Køge (DK); and Arunabh Sahai, Haryana (IN)
Assigned to HALDOR TOPSØE A/S, Kgs. Lyngby (DK)
Filed by HALDOR TOPSØE A/S, Kgs. Lyngby (DK)
Filed on Nov. 14, 2024, as Appl. No. 18/947,458.
Application 18/947,458 is a continuation of application No. 17/594,190, granted, now 12,172,896, previously published as PCT/EP2020/061244, filed on Apr. 22, 2020.
Claims priority of application No. 201911017599 (IN), filed on May 2, 2019; and application No. PA 2019 01210 (DK), filed on Oct. 15, 2019.
Prior Publication US 2025/0066193 A1, Feb. 27, 2025
This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.
Int. Cl. C01B 3/40 (2006.01); B01D 53/00 (2006.01); B01D 53/047 (2006.01); B01D 53/14 (2006.01); B01D 53/22 (2006.01); B01J 19/24 (2006.01); B01J 21/04 (2006.01); B01J 23/06 (2006.01); C01B 3/48 (2006.01); C01B 3/50 (2006.01); C01B 3/52 (2006.01); C01B 3/56 (2006.01); F25J 3/06 (2006.01)
CPC C01B 3/40 (2013.01) [B01D 53/1487 (2013.01); B01D 53/1493 (2013.01); B01D 53/22 (2013.01); B01J 19/245 (2013.01); B01J 21/04 (2013.01); B01J 23/06 (2013.01); C01B 3/48 (2013.01); C01B 3/501 (2013.01); C01B 3/506 (2013.01); C01B 3/52 (2013.01); C01B 3/56 (2013.01); F25J 3/067 (2013.01); B01D 53/002 (2013.01); B01D 53/047 (2013.01); B01D 2252/103 (2013.01); C01B 2203/0244 (2013.01); C01B 2203/0283 (2013.01); C01B 2203/0405 (2013.01); C01B 2203/0415 (2013.01); C01B 2203/048 (2013.01); C01B 2203/0816 (2013.01); C01B 2203/0827 (2013.01); C01B 2203/1076 (2013.01); C01B 2203/1235 (2013.01); C01B 2203/142 (2013.01); C01B 2203/148 (2013.01); C01B 2203/1614 (2013.01); C01B 2203/169 (2013.01); F25J 2260/60 (2013.01)] 45 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A plant for producing a H2-rich stream from a hydrocarbon feed, the plant comprising:
a reforming section comprising an autothermal reformer (ATR), the ATR being arranged to receive a hydrocarbon feed and convert it to a stream of syngas, and at least one fired heater, the at least one fired heater being arranged to pre-heat the hydrocarbon feed prior to the hydrocarbon feed being fed to the ATR;
a shift section, the shift section comprising a high temperature shift unit, the high temperature shift unit being arranged to receive a stream of syngas from the ATR and shift it in a high temperature shift step, thereby providing a shifted syngas stream;
a CO2 removal section, arranged to receive the shifted syngas stream from the shift section and separate a CO2-rich stream from the shifted syngas stream, thereby providing a CO2-depleted shifted syngas stream; and
a hydrogen purification unit, arranged to receive the CO2-depleted shifted syngas stream, from the CO2 removal section, and separate it into a high-purity H2 stream and an off-gas stream,
wherein the plant includes at least one of the following features:
(a) the plant is arranged to feed at least a part of the off-gas stream from the hydrogen purification unit as an off-gas recycle stream to a feed side of the ATR;
(b) the plant is arranged to feed at least a part of the off-gas stream from the hydrogen purification unit as an off-gas recycle stream to a feed side of the shift section; and
(c) the plant further comprises at least one prereformer unit arranged upstream the ATR, the prereformer unit being arranged to pre-reform the hydrocarbon feed prior to it being fed to the ATR and wherein the plant is arranged to feed at least a part of the off-gas stream from the hydrogen purification unit as an off-gas recycle stream to a feed side of the prereformer unit,
the plant further comprising (i) or (ii):
(i) a compressor arranged for compressing the off-gas recycle stream, and a membrane separation unit for separating the thus compressed off-gas recycle stream into a permeate membrane stream and a retentate membrane stream, the compressor being arranged upstream of the membrane separation unit, the permeate membrane stream being hydrogen rich, and wherein the plant includes at least one of the following features:
(a) the plant is arranged for recycling the permeate membrane stream, optionally via a compressor, to the feed side of the hydrogen purification unit, and
(b) the plant is arranged for mixing the permeate membrane stream with the high purity hydrogen stream from the hydrogen purification unit, and for recycling the membrane retentate as fuel for the at least one fired heater;
or
(ii) a compressor arranged for compressing the off-gas recycle stream, and a CO2 separation unit for removal of CO2 from the thus compressed off-gas recycle stream into a CO2-rich off-gas stream and a CO2-lean off-gas stream, the compressor being adapted upstream the CO2 separation unit, and wherein the plant is arranged for recycling the CO2-lean off-gas stream, optionally via a compressor, to at least one of the following: (a) the feed side of the ATR; (b) the feed side of the shift section; (c) the feed side of the hydrogen purification unit; and (d) the at least one fired heater as fuel.