Method and arrangement for heat energy recovery in systems comprising at least one reformer

1. A method for heat energy recovery in an installation, comprising:

at least one reformer in a synthesis gas installation having steam reforming means,

wherein at least the following process streams of the installation are interconnected:

combustion air for the reformer,

boiler feed water for steam generation,

process condensate on a cooling section of the installation, and

flue gas from the reformer;

the method comprising:

a) at least partially evaporating the process condensate on the cooling section;

b) recovering heat energy from the flue gas discharged through a flue gas duct;

c) conducting the combustion air through the flue gas duct prior to being supplied to the reformer for recovery of the heat energy;

d) one or both of preheating and evaporating the process condensate on the cooling section for the purpose of heat energy recovery by heat exchange with synthesis gas generated in the installation, and

e) preheating the combustion air by heat exchange by means of the boiler feed water prior to being preheated in the flue gas duct.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein heat transfer from the boiler feed water to the combustion air is realized in that the boiler feed water and the combustion air are conducted through at least one external air preheater arranged externally with respect to the flue gas duct, before the boiler feed water is conducted to the flue gas duct.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the boiler feed water is conducted via a KSW preheater arranged internally in the flue gas duct and is arranged at the end of the flue gas duct.

4. The method of claim 3 , wherein, in the flue gas duct, the flue gas is conducted through at least one air preheater arranged internally in the flue gas duct and is arranged upstream of the KSW preheater arranged internally in the flue gas duct.

5. The method of claim 3 , wherein the boiler feed water is heated in at least one external KSW preheater before it is conducted via a further external air preheater, to the flue gas duct, the external KSW preheater arranged on the cooling section by means of process gas.

6. The method of claim 5 , wherein, downstream of the external air preheater, the boiler feed water is subdivided into two parallel partial streams for the purpose of preheating the boiler feed water, into a partial stream to the KSW preheater arranged internally in the flue gas duct, and into a partial stream to the external KSW preheater, on the cooling section.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the cooled boiler feed water exiting the first external air preheater is reheated and then conducted to a further external air preheater, in which heat exchange with the combustion air is again realized.

8. The method of claim 3 , wherein the KSW preheater is a heat exchanger which is arranged on the cooling section and via which synthesis gas generated in the installation is conducted.

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein the preheating or evaporation of the process condensate on the cooling section is realized in a boiler evaporator, which comprises two heat exchanger units and a common steam chamber.

10. A heat energy recovery arrangement for installations, comprising:

at least one reformer for synthesis gas installations having steam reforming means, in which installations at least the following process streams of the installation are interconnected:

combustion air for the reformer,

boiler feed water for steam generation,

process condensate on a cooling section of the installation, and

flue gas from the reformer, which flue gas is discharged through a flue gas duct;

wherein the heat energy recovery arrangement comprises:

at least one air preheater for the combustion air, which is arranged externally with respect to the flue gas duct;

at least one heat exchanger for the process condensate or the boiler feed water;

a heat exchanger for the process condensate arranged on the cooling section and configured for heat energy recovery by way of heat exchange with synthesis gas generated in the installation, and

wherein the external air preheater is configured and arranged for heat exchange between the boiler feed water and the combustion air prior to the preheating thereof in the flue gas duct.

11. The heat energy recovery arrangement of claim 10 , wherein the heat exchanger for the process condensate is a boiler evaporator, which comprises two bundles and a common steam chamber.

12. The heat energy recovery arrangement of claim 10 , wherein at least one KSW preheater is arranged internally in the flue gas duct, downstream at the end of the flue gas duct, the KSW preheater arranged in the flow path of the flue gas.

13. The heat energy recovery arrangement of claim 12 , wherein a further external air preheater is arranged upstream of the internal KSW preheater; and/or a boiler feed water preheater is arranged on the cooling section, which is configured for heat exchange between the boiler feed water and process gas, downstream of the external air preheater.

14. The heat energy recovery arrangement of claim 10 , further comprising a logic unit configured to control volumetric flow rates or for the switching of installation components at an external air preheater through which boiler feed water and combustion air are conducted for preheating the combustion air.