Abstract: An apparatus for steam reforming of hydrocarbons, the apparatus comprising a vessel defining a combustion chamber. The combustion chamber has a burner device for combustion of a fuel and a flue gas outlet for exhausting flue gas resulting from the combustion. A second chamber is integrally formed with the vessel. The second chamber comprises a first inlet conduit adapted for receiving water therein and an outlet conduit for exhausting steam. A reformer tube in the combustion chamber is filled with a catalyst and is connected to a second inlet conduit for having a steam and hydrocarbon mixture flow therethrough, and to a second outlet conduit for exhausting a process gas resulting from a steam reforming process in the reformer tube. The reformer tube is disposed in the combustion chamber so as to transfer heat from the combustion to the steam reforming process.

Abstract: An apparatus for removing a contaminant from a gas effluent. The apparatus comprises an absorption tower in which is placed a suitable packing where the gas effluent and contaminant-absorbing liquid contact one another. A recirculation path transfers spent contaminant-absorbing liquid to the top of the tower allowing the liquid to effect a new contaminant-removal cycle. Reagent is introduced in the recirculation path to refresh the contaminant-absorbing liquid. A dual-controller system dynamically varies the amount of reagent introduced in the recirculation path in accordance with the amount of contaminant in the gas effluent. A master controller calculates a reagent concentration set-point. The set-point is communicated to a slave controller that meters reagent in the recirculation path according to the set-point value.