Reformer device comprising a CO
A reformer device including a reaction chamber for carrying out a reaction having a hydrocarbon stream as a reactant gas and with hydrogen rich synthesis gas as a reaction product. The membrane is provided within the reaction chamber. The reformer device further includes a heating reactor for heating the reaction chamber, where the membrane is a semi-permeable membrane arranged to allow CO 2 pass through it; the reaction chamber includes a catalyst material arranged to catalyze a steam methane reforming reaction and to catalyze a water gas shift reaction; and the reformer device is arranged to carry out the steam methane reforming reaction at a pressure between about 15 and about 50 barg within the reaction chamber. A method for carrying out a reaction having a hydrocarbon stream as a reactant gas and with hydrogen rich synthesis gas as reaction product, in a reformer device.
1. A reformer device comprising a reaction chamber for carrying out a reaction having a hydrocarbon stream as a reactant gas and with hydrogen rich synthesis gas as a reaction product, wherein a membrane is provided within the reaction chamber, said reformer device further comprising a heating reactor for heating the reaction chamber,
wherein
a. the membrane is a semi-permeable membrane arranged to allow CO 2 pass through it,
b. the reaction chamber comprises a catalyst material arranged to catalyze a steam methane reforming reaction and to catalyze a water gas shift reaction, and
c. the reformer device is arranged to carry out the steam methane reforming reaction at a pressure between about 25 and about 50 barg within the reaction chamber.
2. A reformer device according to claim 1 , wherein the membrane defines an inner diffusion chamber, the inner diffusion chamber having an inlet to admit a sweep gas arranged to sweep CO 2 diffused into the diffusion chamber out through an outlet from the diffusion chamber.
3. A reformer device according to claim 1 , wherein the membrane defines an inner reaction chamber and an outer diffusion chamber, the outer diffusion chamber having an inlet to admit a sweep gas arranged to sweep CO 2 diffused into the diffusion chamber out through an outlet from the diffusion chamber.
4. A reformer device according to claim 2 , arranged to allow the sweep gas and the reactant gas to flow in countercurrent.
5. A reformer device according to claim 1 , wherein the permeance of the CO 2 membrane is above about 1 kmol/m 2 /h/atm.
6. A reformer device according to claim 1 , wherein the membrane is only provided in a most downstream half of the reaction chamber.
7. A reformer device according to claim 1 , wherein the temperature within the reformer device during steam reforming is below about 800° C.
8. A reformer device according to claim 1 , wherein the reformer device is a fired reformer, a radiant wall reformer, a convective reformer, or an autothermal reformer.
9. A reformer device according to claim 1 , wherein the membrane is only provided in a most downstream third of the reaction chamber.
10. A reformer device according to claim 1 , wherein the membrane is only provided in a most downstream fourth of the reaction chamber.
11. A reformer device according to claim 1 , wherein the temperature within the reformer device during steam reforming is below about 700° C.
12. A reformer device according to claim 1 , wherein the reformer device is arranged to carry out the steam methane reforming reaction at a pressure between about 30 and about 50 barg within the reaction chamber.