Hydrogen manufacture using centrifugal compressors

Abstract

Abstract A PROCESS FOR MANUFACTURING HYDROGEN FOR USE IN A HIGH PRESSURE PLANT EMPLOYS CENTRIFUGAL COMPRESSORS WITHIN THE FOLLOWING STEPS IN ONE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT: (1) STEAM REFORMING OF HYDROCARBONS TO PRODUCE AN EFFLUENT GAS COMPRISING H2, CO2 AND CO; (2) SHIFT CONVERSION OF CO IN THE EFFLUENT FROM STEP (1) TO PRODUCE AN EFFLUENT GAS COMPRISING H2 AND CO2; (3) CENTRIFUGAL OR TURBOCOMPRESSION OF THE STEP (2) EFFLUENT GAS MIXTURE COMPRISING H2 AND CO2 TO ABOVE ABOUT 900 P.S.I.G.; (4) LOWERING OF THE TEMPERATURE OF THE CO2-''I MIXTURE TO BELOW ABOUT 0*F. TO CONDENSE AND SEPARATE A PORTION OF THE CO2; (5) ABSORBING CO2 REMAINING IN THE HYDROGEN-RICH GAS USING A PHYSICAL ABSORBENT; (6) CATALYTIC METHANATION OF RESIDUAL CO2 AND CO IN THE EFFLUENT FROM THE ABSORPTION STEP (5) TO OBTAIN PURIFIED HYDROGEN; (7) USE OF THE PURIFIED HYDROGEN IN A HYDROCONVERSION PROCESS; AND (8) RECOVERY OF HEAT FROM THE HYDROCONVERSION PROCESS TO GENERATE STEAM WHICH IS USED AS A DRIVING MEDIUM FOR THE CENTRIFUGAL COMPRESSION OF STEP (3).

Inventors

• 👤 Calvin S Smith
• 👤 William J Mcleod

Bibliographic Details