Method for steam reforming methanol and a system therefor

Claim 1

A method for steam reforming methanol to produce a product mixture containing hydrogen comprising the step of heating a methanol-water mixture to form a methanol-steam mixture, wherein the heating step includes a preheating process, a vaporizing process, and a superheating process, and a step of reacting the mixture in the presence of a catalyst for producing hydrogen, wherein the reaction step includes a decomposition process and a conversion process, and wherein the method further comprises: (a) heating the heat transfer medium; (b) feeding a portion of the heated heat transfer medium to the decomposition process and feeding another portion of the heated transfer medium to the superheating process, for indirect heat-exchanging with the methanol-steam mixture; (c) merging the portion of the heat transfer medium from the superheating process with the portion of the heat transfer medium from the decomposition process; (d) feeding the merged portions of the heat transfer medium from the decomposition process and the superheating process to the vaporizing process for indirect heat-exchanging with the methanol-steam mixture; (e) leading a portion of the heat transfer medium from the vaporizing process for re-heating thereof, leading another portion of the heat transfer medium from the vaporizing process to the preheating process and then to the conversion process, and combining the two portions for re-heating.

Claim 2

A method for steam reforming methanol to produce a product mixture containing hydrogen comprising the step of heating a methanol-water mixture to form a methanol-steam mixture, wherein the heating step includes a preheating process, a vaporizing process, and a superheating process, and a step of reacting the mixture in the presence of a catalyst for producing hydrogen, wherein the reaction step includes a decomposition process and a conversion process, and wherein the method further comprises: (a) heating the heat transfer medium; (b) feeding a portion of the heated heat transfer medium to the decomposition process and feeding another portion of the heated transfer medium to the superheating process, for indirect heat-exchanging with the methanol-steam mixture; (c) merging the portion of the heat transfer medium from the superheating process with the portion of the heat transfer medium from the decomposition process; (d) feeding the merged portions of the heat transfer medium from the decomposition process and the superheating process to the vaporizing process for indirect heat-exchanging with the methanol-steam mixture; (e) leading a portion of the heat transfer medium from the vaporizing process for re-heating thereof, leading another portion of the heat transfer medium from the vaporizing process to the preheating process and then to the conversion process, and combining the two portions for re-heating.

Claim 9

A system for producing hydrogen by a steam reforming method, the system comprising (i) reformer means having a decomposition part and a conversion part for performing decomposition of a methanol-steam mixture to produce intermediate products and for converting the intermediate products to produce hydrogen, respectively; and (ii) heat exchanger means having a preheating part for preheating a liquid mixture of methanol and water, a vaporizing part for vaporizing the preheated mixture, and a superheating part for superheating the vaporized mixture; wherein the system further comprises: (a) heating means for heating a heat transfer medium; and (b) feeding means for feeding the heat transfer medium through the reformer means and the heat exchanger means, and arranged such that a portion of the heat transfer medium is led to the decomposition part of the reformer means and another portion of the heat transfer medium is led to the superheating part of the heat exchanger means for regulating the temperature thereof; the portions of the heat transfer medium from the decomposition part and the superheating part are led to the vaporizing part of the heat exchanger means to regulate the temperature thereof; and a portion of the heat transfer medium from the vaporizing part is led directly to the heater means and another portion of the heat transfer medium from the vaporizing part is led to the heater means after circulating through the preheating part of the heat exchanger and the conversion part of the reformer means.

Claim 10

A system for producing hydrogen by a steam reforming method, the system comprising (i) reformer means having a decomposition part and a conversion part for performing decomposition of a methanol-steam mixture to produce intermediate products and for converting the intermediate products to produce hydrogen, respectively; and (ii) heat exchanger means having a preheating part for preheating a liquid mixture of methanol and water, a vaporizing part for vaporizing the preheated mixture, and a superheating part for superheating the vaporized mixture; wherein the system further comprises: (a) heating means for heating a heat transfer medium; and (b) feeding means for feeding the heat transfer medium through the reformer means and the heat exchanger means, and arranged such that a portion of the heat transfer medium is led to the decomposition part of the reformer means and another portion of the heat transfer medium is led to the superheating part of the heat exchanger means for regulating the temperature thereof; the portions of the heat transfer medium from the decomposition part and the superheating part are led to the vaporizing part of the heat exchanger means to regulate the temperature thereof; and a portion of the heat transfer medium from the vaporizing part is led directly to the heater means and another portion of the heat transfer medium from the vaporizing part is led to the heater means after circulating through the preheating part of the heat exchanger and the conversion part of the reformer means.