Process simulation of natural gas steam reforming: Fuel distribution optimisation in the furnace

Abstract

This paper describes a two-step method to simulate the natural gas steam reforming for hydrogen production. The first step is to calculate reforming tube length and fuel distribution with equilibrium approach associated with heat transfer. The second step is to calculate and validate reforming performance with kinetic model. A short-cut simulation of hydrogen plant has also been performed to calculate inputs for the reformer model, such as total flow rate and composition of mixed fuel burning in the furnace chamber. Heat transfer, especially radiative heat transfer, is the key role in the steam reforming technology, due to the high heat fluxes involved. For this reason, energy modelling of the furnace chamber has been performed. The simulation evaluates the most important design variables, as tubes height, maximum tube-wall temperature, and tube pressure drop. The heat flux profile can be selected to have suitable metal temperatures to lengthen the reformer tube life. The model calculates the design parameters for reforming tube and fuel distribution among burners.