Abstract: The invention relates to an oxidation reactor for partial oxidation of a feed stream with an oxygen-containing oxidant stream to give a hydrogen-containing product stream. This partial oxidation may be conducted as a noncatalytic partial oxidation (POX) or as an autothermal reforming (ATR). Useful feed streams here include hydrocarbonaceous streams, but also ammonia-containing streams. According to the invention, the oxidation reactor is equipped with multiple cooling zones surrounding the reactor shell. As a result, operation of the oxidation reactor can continue if, for example, merely an inspection or repair at a particular point in the reactor shell is required. Operation of the oxidation reactor can continue over the duration of the inspection or repair measures, such that production shutdowns are avoided.

Abstract: The invention relates to an oxidation reactor for partial oxidation of a feed stream with an oxygen-containing oxidant stream to give a hydrogen-containing product stream. This partial oxidation may be conducted as a noncatalytic partial oxidation (POX) or as an autothermal reforming (ATR). Useful feed streams here include hydrocarbonaceous streams, but also ammonia-containing streams. According to the invention, the inlet region of the oxidation reactor is configured as a combination of a dome-shaped region with a (frusto) conical region, where the (frusto) conical inlet region merges into the cylindrical section of the oxidation reactor.

Abstract: Provided is a process for producing synthesis gas with minimized emissions of ammonia. The process includes converting hydrocarbon containing feed stream in reformer tubes (104A-N) and discharging a crude synthesis gas stream and a flue gas stream, routing the flue gas stream through a catalyst unit (112), cooling the crude synthesis gas stream to form an aqueous condensate stream comprising ammonia, tripping the aqueous condensate stream comprising ammonia with a stripping gas stream, routing out a condensate stream depleted in ammonia and a stripping gas stream enriched in ammonia, introducing the stripping gas stream enriched in ammonia into a flue gas duct (110), where both the at least a portion of the flue gas stream and the at least a portion of the stripping gas stream enriched in ammonia pass through a first catalyst zone (114) and subsequently through a second catalyst zone (116) of the catalyst unit (112).

Abstract: The invention relates to a device for controlling the temperature of a process gas and a heat exchanger having such a control device. The control device has an outer housing with an inflow and outflow chamber. Cooled process gas can flow into the inflow chamber, while temperature-controlled process gas can flow out of the control device via the outflow chamber. An inner housing, which is fluidically connected to a hot gas line, extends from the inflow chamber through an element that mechanically separates the chambers into the outflow chamber. An axially movable piston, through which flow can take place, is arranged within the inner housing. The inner housing and the piston have openings which allow fluidic connections to the hot gas line, the inflow chamber and the outflow chamber.

Abstract: An elevated flare system in a synthesis gas production plant for thermal disposal of offgases having at least two different contents of carbon monoxide arising in synthesis gas production and/or synthesis gas treatment.

Abstract: A reformer furnace having a reaction space formed with reaction tubes, a firing space fitted with burners and a flue gas channel in fluid connection with the firing space. The burners are arranged at a first end face of the reformer furnace and produce flames oriented towards a second end face to fire the reaction tubes. The flue gas channel has a transition region and a withdrawal region, wherein the flue gas channel is connected to the second end face of the firing space via the transition region and the transition region of the flue gas channel has a reduced channel diameter compared to the withdrawal region of the flue gas channel. The transition region has a constriction relative to the withdrawal region which results in a hydraulic decoupling between the firing space and the withdrawal region of the flue gas channel.

Abstract: The invention relates to a reformer furnace for catalytic reforming of a carbon-containing input material with steam. The reformer furnace has a steel construction which serves as a framework for a refractory lining and for the fastening of burners, reformer tubes and supply and discharge lines. The burners and reformer tubes are arranged in rows, parallel to one another and in alternating fashion. The steel construction includes a plurality of main carrier units, wherein each main carrier unit has at least two vertically extending supports and a horizontally extending main carrier which connects the supports. This type of steel construction makes it possible to achieve uniform spacing of the reformer tubes and burners over the entire reformer furnace. This results in advantages in terms of the maximum operating temperature of the reformer tubes, thereby extending their service life.

Abstract: The invention relates to a reformer furnace for catalytic reforming of a carbon-containing input material with steam. The reformer furnace has a steel construction which serves as a framework for a refractory lining and for the fastening of burners, reformer tubes and supply and discharge lines. The burners and reformer tubes are arranged in rows, parallel to one another and in alternating fashion. The steel construction includes a plurality of main carrier units, wherein each main carrier unit has at least two vertically extending supports and a horizontally extending main carrier which connects the supports. This type of steel construction makes it possible to achieve uniform spacing of the reformer tubes and burners over the entire reformer furnace. This results in advantages in terms of the maximum operating temperature of the reformer tubes, thereby extending their service life.

Abstract: A product gas manifold system for a steam reformer is provided. The product gas manifold system includes a product gas manifold including an outer jacket tube and a gas-conveying inner tube extending concentrically and coaxially over its entire length, a space between the inner and jacket tubes being at least partially filled with a first insulating material, a plurality of nozzle tubes, each for connecting a reformer tube to the product gas manifold, a second insulating material disposed around the jacket tube, a curved outer surface outwardly limiting the second layer of the second insulating material and following the shape of the jacket tube in the axial direction.

Abstract: The invention relates to a reactor, in particular a reactor for purifying offgases. The reactor includes a plurality of housing openings which open into a housing shaft, wherein the housing shafts are fitted with catalyst units. The reactor includes a sealing housing per housing shaft which allows replacement of the catalyst units in the course of ongoing operation of the reactor by way of a suitable arrangement of sealing elements and covering elements without there being any air exchange between an external environment of the reactor and the respective housing shaft.

Abstract: A reformer tube for producing synthesis gas by steam reforming of hydrocarbon-containing input gases is proposed where an outer shell tube is divided by means of a separating tray into a reaction chamber and an exit chamber, a dumped bed of a steam-reforming-active solid catalyst is arranged in the reaction chamber, at least one heat exchanger tube is arranged inside the reaction chamber and inside the dumped catalyst bed, whose entry end is in fluid connection with the dumped catalyst bed and whose exit end is in fluid connection with the exit chamber, the exit end of the heat exchanger tube is fed through the separating tray and opens out into a corrosion-protected inner tube which is disposed in the interior of the shell tube and is in fluid connection with a collection conduit for the synthesis gas product, and a gas-permeable thermal insulation layer is arranged between the inner wall of the shell tube and the outer wall of the inner tube.

Abstract: The invention relates to a process burner for combustion of a plurality of fuel gases with a gaseous auxiliary medium, wherein one of the fuel gases comprises carbon monoxide (CO). The process burner according to the invention includes a first fuel gas unit, a second fuel gas unit and an auxiliary media unit. A first fuel gas which may be natural gas for example is introduced into the process burner via a first fuel gas nozzle in the region of the combustion zone. Carbon monoxide-containing fuel gas is introduced into the process burner via the second fuel gas unit, wherein a second fuel gas nozzle for introducing the carbon monoxide-containing fuel gas is arranged in the region of the auxiliary media unit.

Abstract: An elevated flare system in a synthesis gas production plant for thermal disposal of offgases having at least two different contents of carbon monoxide arising in synthesis gas production and/or synthesis gas treatment.

Abstract: Moulded insulation bodies, processes for the production thereof and use thereof consisting essentially of ceramic material comprising SiO2 fibers and Al2O3 fibers which has been produced using Al2O3 sol as a binder and kilned at a temperature of above 800° C. for insulation of the ends of cracking tubes of a tubular reactor for performing a steam reforming process for generating synthesis gas which project out of the reactor heating space.

Abstract: A reformer furnace having a reaction space formed with reaction tubes, a firing space fitted with burners and a flue gas channel in fluid connection with the firing space. The burners are arranged at a first end face of the reformer furnace and produce flames oriented towards a second end face to fire the reaction tubes. The flue gas channel has a transition region and a withdrawal region, wherein the flue gas channel is connected to the second end face of the firing space via the transition region and the transition region of the flue gas channel has a reduced channel diameter compared to the withdrawal region of the flue gas channel. The transition region has a constriction relative to the withdrawal region which results in a hydraulic decoupling between the firing space and the withdrawal region of the flue gas channel.

Abstract: A steam reformer, comprising a combustion chamber, catalyst tubes arranged in several rows, feed conduits for the educt gas, which extend below the bottom of the combustion chamber, burners for heating the catalyst tubes which are installed in the bottom of the combustion chamber and are directed vertically upwards into the combustion chamber, feed conduits extending below the bottom of the combustion chamber, each for supplying the air and the fuel gas to the burners, openings installed in the ceiling of the combustion chamber for discharging the burner waste gas, and channels extending above the ceiling of the combustion chamber for discharging the burner waste gas.

Abstract: A steam reformer, with a combustion chamber, catalyst tubes arranged in several rows, with burners for heating the catalyst tubes, with feed conduits each for supplying the catalyst tubes with educt gas and the burners with air and fuel gas, with collecting conduits for discharging the product gas, with channels for discharging the burner waste gases from the combustion chamber, wherein the ceilings of the channels each are formed by the bottom or the ceiling of the combustion chamber, and wherein the channels for discharging the burner waste gases are designed such that the flow velocity of the burner waste gases is constant along the entire length of the channels, as seen vertically to the catalyst tubes.

Abstract: A system of product gas collecting conduits for a steam reformer, containing a plurality of reaction tubes within a reformer housing, for the production of synthesis gas, comprising: a) a product gas collecting conduit arranged outside the reformer housing of the steam reformer, b) several port tubes arranged along the length of the conduit for connecting one reaction tube each to the product gas collecting conduit, c) at least one windshield for the protection of the product gas collecting conduit against wind and draft.

Abstract: An exhaust system for a steam reformer comprises at least one longitudinal collecting tube, wherein along the longitudinal axis of the longitudinal collecting tube ports for connection to catalyst tubes are provided, which in the connected condition are aligned parallel to each other and vertically to the longitudinal collecting tube, a transverse collector which is connected to the at least one longitudinal collecting tube and has a longitudinal axis which extends vertically to the at least one longitudinal collecting tube and vertically to the catalyst tubes, wherein the longitudinal collecting tube is formed as hot exhaust system and the transverse collector is formed as cold exhaust system. The transverse collector is arranged on a side of the longitudinal collecting tube facing away from the ports centrally to the longitudinal collecting tube.

Abstract: A reformer tube for producing synthesis gas by steam reforming of hydrocarbon-containing input gases is proposed where an outer shell tube is divided by means of a separating tray into a reaction chamber and an exit chamber, a dumped bed of a steam-reforming-active solid catalyst is arranged in the reaction chamber, at least one heat exchanger tube is arranged inside the reaction chamber and inside the dumped catalyst bed, whose entry end is in fluid connection with the dumped catalyst bed and whose exit end is in fluid connection with the exit chamber, the exit end of the heat exchanger tube is fed through the separating tray and opens out into a corrosion-protected inner tube which is disposed in the interior of the shell tube and is in fluid connection with a collection conduit for the synthesis gas product, and a gas-permeable thermal insulation layer is arranged between the inner wall of the shell tube and the outer wall of the inner tube.