Combined synthesis gas generator

Abstract

In various systems and processes, synthesis gas generation may be combined. A partial oxidation reactor (POX) and a gas convectively heated steam/hydrocarbon catalytic reformer (GHR) may be combined to produce synthesis gas. In some implementations, a partial oxidation reactor, a gas convectively heated steam/catalytic reformer, and a waste hat boiler may be combined to produce synthesis gas.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A system for producing syngas containing at least hydrogen and carbon monoxide, comprising:
 a partial oxidation (POX) reactor that exothermically reacts a first portion of a hydrocarbon feed stream with an oxidant gas comprising molecular oxygen and optionally steam and carbon dioxide in a first reactor to produce an exothermically-generated syngas product, wherein the feed stream includes methane;   a gas heated reformer (GHR) positioned adjacent to the POX that endothermically reforms a second portion of the hydrocarbon feed stream with steam and optionally carbon dioxide over a catalyst in a heat exchange reformer to produce an endothermically-reformed syngas product, wherein heat used in generation of the endothermically-reformed syngas product is derived from heat released by cooling the combined stream of the product syngas from the POX and the GHR;   a waste heat boiler (WHB) positioned adjacent to the GHR which generates steam using heat derived by cooling the combined syngas stream from the GHR; and   wherein the POX, GHR and the WHB are contained in a single pressure vessel independent of piping between the POX, the GHR, and the WHB and having internal mixing between syngas from the POX and syngas from the GHR to produce a combined syngas stream that flows over tubes of the GHR providing heat for endothermic reforming reactions and passing combined syngas streams to exit a shell side of the GHR and enter the WHB to provide heat for production of steam.   
     
     
         2 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the POX, the GHR, and the WHB are arranged vertically with the POX positioned below the GHR and the WHB positioned above the GHR. 
     
     
         3 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the POX comprises a POX burner with a first inlet for a feed stream and a second feed for an oxygen stream and optionally a steam stream and a carbon dioxide stream and configured to inhibit zones of insignificant mixing and provide a uniform residence time for gases produced in the POX. 
     
     
         4 . The system of  claim 1 , further comprising a mixing stage between the POX and the GHR for mixing of the syngas product produced from the POX and the GHR such that combined gas streams entering the shell side of the GHR is at a substantially uniform temperature. 
     
     
         5 . The system of  claim 1  wherein an internal arrangement of the GHR includes a tube sheet in which GHR tubes include an opening through which a total syngas flow can pass isolated from a total GHR feed stream through a cover secured to and covering a part of the tube sheet in which the GHR tubes are secured. 
     
     
         6 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the GHR comprises a GHR inlet for a total feed stream including flexible members that compensate for thermal expansion. 
     
     
         7 . The system of  claim 1 , further comprising an internal connection between a total GHR feed gas inlet nozzle and a GHR tube sheet cover can be removed to expose GHR tubes. 
     
     
         8 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein a GHR bundle can be removed from a pressure vessel by removing the WHB to expose the GHR. 
     
     
         9 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein each of the GHR tubes includes a restriction such as a nozzle on an outlet end to increase a GHR syngas discharge velocity and located at least proximate a mixing area between the POX and the GHR. 
     
     
         10 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the GHR comprises a perforated plate located above outlet restrictions of the GHR tubes through which a total syngas product flows having holes for the tubes to pass through and holes for a total syngas to pass through sized to promote mixing of the total syngas product. 
     
     
         11 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein a layer of solid particles is placed above a perforated plate to trap carbon particles in the total syngas product stream and to enable sufficient residence time for a reaction of the deposited carbon and steam present in the total syngas product stream. 
     
     
         12 . The system of  claim 11 , wherein the solid particles include a catalyst for a carbon monoxide shift reaction to reduce a temperature of the total syngas product stream and reduce a carbon monoxide to hydrogen ratio in the total syngas product stream. 
     
     
         13 . The system according to  claim 1 , wherein exposed metallic surfaces in a space between the GHR and the WHB and on an underside of the GHR tube sheet are coated with a layer of material substantially impervious to diffusion of carbon monoxide under operating conditions. 
     
     
         14 . A system according to  claim 1 , wherein an internal wall of the pressure vessel in an areas of the POX and GHR and the space between the GHR and the WHB are internally insulated by a suitable refractory insulation. 
     
     
         15 . A system according to  claim 1 , wherein the GHR tubes are fabricated from a material substantially resistant to metal dusting caused by exposure to the total syngas product stream.