Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Enhancement of Hydrogen Production by Fluidization in Industrial-Scale Steam Reformers

  • Published:
Theoretical Foundations of Chemical Engineering Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

In this paper, the effect of the fluidization concept on the performance of methane steam reforming has been investigated by comparing a fluidized-bed steam reformer (FBSR) with an industrial-scale conventional steam reformer (CSR). Also, a fluidized-bed thermally coupled steam reformer (TCFBSR) and a fixed-bed thermally coupled steam reformer (TCSR) have been compared. In thermally coupled reactors, the hydrogenation of nitrobenzene to aniline exothermic reaction is employed. A steady state one dimensional heterogeneous model is applied to analyze methane conversion and hydrogen production for steam reforming of methane in different reactors (CSR, FBSR, TCSR, and TCFBSR). The modeling results show that, in FBSR, hydrogen production and methane conversion are increased by 2.13 and 0.52%, respectively, in comparison with CSR. Also, by using fluidized catalysts instead of fixed ones in TCSR, methane conversion and hydrogen yield are increased from 0.2776 to 0.2934 and from 0.9649 to 0.9836, respectively. These improvements represent the appropriate effect of the fluidization concept on the enhancement of hydrogen production in different steam reformers.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Patcharavorachot, Y., Wasuleewan, M., Assabumrungrat, S., and Arpornwichanop, A., Analysis of hydrogen production from methane autothermal reformer with a dual catalyst-bed configuration, Theor. Found. Chem. Eng., 2012, vol. 46, no. 6, p.658.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  2. Shigarov, A. B., Meshcheryakov, V. D., and Kirillov, V. A., Use of Pd membranes in catalytic reactors for steam methane reforming for pure hydrogen production, Theor. Found. Chem. Eng., 2011, vol. 45, no. 5, p.595.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  3. Holladay, J.D., Hu, J., King, D.L., and Wang, Y., An overview of hydrogen production technologies, Catal. Today, 2009, vol. 4, p.244.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  4. Padroce, G. and Lau, F., Advances in Hydrogen Energy, New York: Kluwer Academic, 2002.

    Google Scholar 

  5. Gallucci, F., Paturzo, L., and Basile, A., A simulation study of the steam reforming of methane in a dense tubular membrane reactor, Int. J. Hydrogen Energy, 2004, vol. 6, p.611.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  6. Shigarov, A.B. and Kirillov, V.A., Modeling of membrane reactor for steam methane reforming: From granular to structured catalysts, Theor. Found. Chem. Eng., 2012, vol. 46, no. 2, pp. 97–107.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  7. Arab, Z., Rahimpour, M., and Jahanmiri, A., A novel integrated thermally coupled configuration for methane-steam reforming and hydrogenation of nitroben-zene to aniline, Int. J. Hydrogen Energy, 2011, vol. 4, p. 2960.

    Google Scholar 

  8. Rahimpour, M. and Elekaei, H., Optimization of a novel combination of fixed and fluidized-bed hydrogen-permselective membrane reactors for Fischer–Tropsch synthesis in GTL technology, Chem. Eng. J, 2009, vol. 2, p.543.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  9. Friedler, F., Process integration, modelling and optimisation for energy saving and pollution reduction, Appl. Therm. Eng., 2010, vol. 30, p. 2270.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  10. Rahimpour, M., Dehnavi, M., Allahgholipour, F., Iranshahi, D., and Jokar, S., Assessment and comparison of different catalytic coupling exothermic and endothermic reactions: A review, Appl. Energy, 2012, vol. 99, p.496.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  11. Ramaswamy, R., Ramachandran, P., and Dudukovic, M., Recuperative coupling of exothermic and endothermic reactions, Chem. Eng. Sci., 2006, vol. 2, p.459.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  12. Amin, N.A.S. and Yaw, T.C., Thermodynamic equilibrium analysis of combined carbon dioxide reforming with partial oxidation of methane to syngas, Int. J. Hydrogen Energy, 2007, vol. 12, p. 1789.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  13. Patel, K.S. and Sunol, A.K., Modeling and simulation of methane steam reforming in a thermally coupled membrane reactor, Int. J. Hydrogen Energy, 2007, vol. 13, p. 2344.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  14. Khademi, M., Rahimpour, M., and Jahanmiri, A., Differential evolution (DE) strategy for optimization of hydrogen production, cyclohexane dehydrogenation and methanol synthesis in a hydrogen-permselective membrane thermally coupled reactor, Int. J. Hydrogen Energy, 2010, vol. 5, p. 1936.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  15. Ventura, C. and Azevedo, J., Development of a numerical model for natural gas steam reforming and coupling with a furnace model, Int. J. Hydrogen Energy, 2010, vol. 18, p. 9776.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  16. Rahimpour, M. and Bahmanpour, A., Optimization of hydrogen production via coupling of the Fischer–Tropsch synthesis reaction and dehydrogenation of cyclohexane in GTL technology, Appl. Energy, 2011, vol. 6, p. 2027.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  17. Abo-Ghander, N.S., Grace, J.R., Elnashaie, S.S.E.H., and Lim, C.J., Modeling of a novel membrane reactor to integrate dehydrogenation of ethylbenzene to styrene with hydrogenation of nitrobenzene to aniline, Chem. Eng. Sci., 2008, vol. 7, p. 1817.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  18. Klemm, E., Amon, B., Redlingshöfer, H., Dieterich, E., and Emig, G., Deactivation kinetics in the hydrogenation of nitrobenzene to aniline on the basis of a coke formation kinetics—investigations in an isothermal catalytic wall reactor, Chem. Eng. Sci., 2001, vol. 4, p. 1347.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  19. Abashar, M., Coupling of steam and dry reforming of methane in catalytic fluidized bed membrane reactors, Int. J. Hydrogen Energy, 2004, vol. 8, p.799.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  20. Deshmukh, S., Laverman, J., Cents, A., van Sint Annaland, M., and Kuipers, J., Development of a membrane-assisted fluidized bed reactor. 1. Gas phase back-mixing and bubble-to-emulsion phase mass transfer using tracer injection and ultrasound experiments, Ind. Eng. Chem. Res. 2005, vol. 16, p. 5955.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  21. Patil, C.S., van Sint Annaland, M., and Kuipers, J.A.M., Design of a novel autothermal membrane-assisted fluidized-bed reactor for the production of ultrapure hydrogen from methane, Ind. Eng. Chem. Res., 2005, vol. 25, p. 9502.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  22. Rahimpour, M., Dehnavi, M., Allahgholipour, F., Iranshahi, D., and Jokar, S., Assessment and comparison of different catalytic coupling exothermic and endothermic reactions: A review, Appl. Energy, 2012, vol. 99, p.496.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  23. Rahimpour, M.R. and Alizadehhesari, K., A novel fluidized-bed membrane dual-type reactor concept for methanol synthesis, Chem. Eng. Technol., 2008, vol. 12, p. 1775.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  24. Roy, S., Cox, B., Adris, A., and Pruden, B., Economics and simulation of fluidized bed membrane reforming, Int. J. Hydrogen Energy, 1998, vol. 9, p.745.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  25. Xiu, G., Li, P., and Rodrigues, A., Sorption-enhanced reaction process with reactive regeneration, Chem. Eng. Sci., 2002, vol. 18, p. 3893.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  26. Xu, J. and Froment, G.F., Methane steam reforming, methanation and water-gas shift: I. Intrinsic kinetics, AIChE J., 1989, vol. 1, p.88.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  27. Amon, B., Redlingshöfer, H., Klemm, E., Dieterich, E., and Emig, G., Kinetic investigations of the deactivation by coking of a noble metal catalyst in the catalytic hydrogenation of nitrobenzene using a catalytic wall reactor, Chem. Eng. Process. Process Intensif., 1999, vol. 4, p.395.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  28. Reid, R.C., Sherwood, T.K., and Prausnitz, J., The Properties of Gases and Liquids, New York: McGraw-Hill, 1997, 3rd ed.

    Google Scholar 

  29. Wilke, C., Estimation of liquid diffusion coefficients, Chem. Eng. Prog., 1949, vol. 3, p.218.

    Google Scholar 

  30. Kunii, D. and Levenspiel, O., Fluidization Engineering, New York: Wiley, 1991.

    Google Scholar 

  31. Mori, S. and Wen, C., Estimation of bubble diameter in gaseous fluidized beds, AIChE J., 1975, vol. 1, p.109.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  32. Sit, S. and Grace, J., Effect of bubble interaction on interphase mass transfer in gas fluidized beds, Chem. Eng. Sci., 1981, vol. 2, p.327.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  33. Smith, J.M., Chemical Engineering Kinetics, New York: McGraw-Hill, 1980.

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Chemical Engineering, School of Chemical and Petroleum Engineering, Persian Gulf University, Bushehr, 75169, Iran

    Mohsen Abbasi

  2. Department of Chemical Engineering, Shiraz University of Technology, Shiraz, 71555-313, Iran

    Mehdi Farniaei

  3. Development and Engineering Management Department, South Pars Gas Complex Company, Assaluyeh, 75391-311, Iran

    Saeid Abbasi

Authors
  1. Mohsen Abbasi
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Mehdi Farniaei
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Saeid Abbasi
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Mohsen Abbasi.

Additional information

The article is published in the original.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Abbasi, M., Farniaei, M. & Abbasi, S. Enhancement of Hydrogen Production by Fluidization in Industrial-Scale Steam Reformers. Theor Found Chem Eng 52, 416–428 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1134/S0040579518030016

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1134/S0040579518030016

Keywords

Search

Navigation