Abstract: Waste heat boiler comprising within a cylindrical shell a plurality of heat exchanging tubes having an inlet end and outlet end;attached to the shell, means for introducing water on shellside of the tubes;means for introducing a hot process stream into the inlet end of the tubes and passing the gas stream through the tubes in indirect heat exchange with the water on the shellside of the tubes to produce water/steam and to cool the introduced process stream;means for withdrawing produced water/steam, and means for withdrawing the cooled gas stream;wherein the tubes are arranged in at least two tube bundles each of which is provided with means for adjusting flow distribution and flow rate of the hot gas stream between the tube bundles to control the production of steam and the cooling of the process stream.

Abstract: In a process for carrying out non-adiabatic catalytic reactions in a tubular heat exchange reactor by indirect heat exchange between a process stream and a heat conducting medium, the wall temperature at the critical outlet end of the reactor tube is decreased, by progressively supplying the heat conducting medium to the external surface of the reactor tube in increasing amounts from a region close to the outlet end to a region between the outlet end and the inlet end of the tube.

Abstract: A cooled reactor for exothermic catalytic conversion of gaseous materials, e.g. for the oxo synthesis, for the conversion of hydrogen and nitrogen to form ammonia and for the reaction of carbon oxides with hydrogen to form methanol, comprises a cylindrical pressure shell (10), distributor means (34) for synthesis gas, at least one tube sheet (30) and one or more catalyst beds (20) provided with cooling tubes (38) for the indirect cooling of reacting gas. Each cooling tube (38) consists of an outer tube (4) provided with a heat exchanging outer wall (7); this outer tube surrounds and is coaxial with an inner tube (2) and hence defines an annular space the inner wall of which is provided with perforations (8) to direct the stream of cooling gas, which may consist of or contain components of the synthesis gas, to the annular space and along the heat exchanging wall.

Abstract: A modular manifold arrangement for distributing a flow of a gas in a reactor. The manifold arrangement includes a tank or a container, within the walls of which a bed for a granulated catalyst or substance, with which the gas is to react, is arranged. The bed is at least partially surrounded by gas-permeable gratings. In order to provide elements that may pass through a narrow manhole and from which it is possible to construct passages for providing a uniform flow through the reactor bed, the manifold arrangement includes an elongate tube. The tube is closed at one end and open for inlet of gas at the other end. The tube further has a gas-impermeable rear sidewall with a shape corresponding to the walls of the tank and a front side which is a gas-permeable grating having a sheet or plate provided therein with a large number of nozzles.

Abstract: Improved heat utilization is achieved in a process for the catalytic steam reforming of hydrocarbons to form a product stream rich in hydrogen by (a) first passing the process gas through a first portion of catalyst comprising 25-75% of the total steam reforming catalyst (whereby the heat needed for the endothermic reactions during reforming and for heating the process gas is supplied partly from a moderately hot flue gas generated by combustion of a fluid fuel and partly from the product stream) and then (b) passing the partly reformed process gas through the remaining portion of the reforming catalyst. In this second step, the heat needed for the further endothermic reactions and for heating the process gas is supplied by a hot flue gas, the hot flue gas thereby being cooled to form the moderately hot flue gas mentioned unde (a). A reactor for use in this process is also described.

Abstract: An improved heat utilization in catalytic steam reforming of hydrocarbons to form a product stream rich in hydrogen is obtained by (a) first passing the process gas through a first portion comprising 25-75% of the steam reforming catalyst, whereby the heat needed for the endothermic reactions during reforming and for heating the process gas is supplied partly from a moderately hot flue gas and partly from the product stream; after which (b) the partly reformed process gas is passed through the remaining portion of the reforming catalyst, the heat needed for the further endothermic reactions and for heating the process gas is supplied by a hot flue gas generated by combustion of a fluid fuel, the hot flue gas being thereby cooled to form the moderately hot flue gas mentioned under (a). A reactor for use in this process is also described.