Chapter 11 - Hydrogen Production

Abstract

The increasing demand for clean fuels is a strong incentive to build new refineries with greater conversion and treating capacity. Hydrogen is needed for the conversion processing of heavy petroleum fractions into lighter products and for removing sulfur, nitrogen and metals from many petroleum fractions. This chapter discusses hydrogen production for refineries. The demand for hydrogen in refineries depends on the quality of the processed crude oil. Heavier crude oils necessitate more demand for hydrogen. The stringent specifications of product quality also increase hydrogen demand. Synthesis gas, as a mixture of hydrogen, carbon oxides and nitrogen, is also produced in large quantities from the manufacture of ammonia or methanol. Hydrogen consumption that causes the increased demand is the result of the chemical reaction of hydrogen with the petroleum fractions, ranging from naphtha to vacuum residue in the processes such as: Hydrotreating of the various cuts ranging from naphtha to heavy vacuum gas oil, to remove sulfur, nitrogen, and metals; Hydrocracking and hydroconversion of gas oil and heavier feedstocks to produce light products. The consumption of hydrogen depends on the quality of the feed and the severity of the process and ranges between 15 and 35 kg (33 and 77 lb) of hydrogen per ton of feed. These processes require hydrogen of high purity and at high pressure to meet process and economic requirements.