HC 4946: H2 Generating Plant Caloric

Soci Mas Anlagenbau GmbH

1 DESCRIPTION OF THE PLANT

1.1 GENERAL SHORT DESCRIPTION

With the Caloric HC Process, a hydrogen rich syngas is produced by steam
reforming of hydrocarbons at high temperature and the presence of a catalyst in the
generation unit. The syngas is purified in a pressure swing adsorption (PSA) unit to
achieve hydrogen with a high purity.

The H2 generation unit is built for a full automatic operation and is characterised by a
high flexibility and reliability.

The descriptions correspond to the enclosed process flow diagram (PFD)

4946.PFD.000-01 and 4946.PFD.000-02.

In the process flow diagram mentioned values are based on

the design data and can vary in practice!

 Generation unit

The feed is mixed with a split stream of hydrogen and then preheated in heat
exchangers 04.01.09 and 04.01.07, installed inside the waste heat boiler 05.01.01.
Afterwards it is sent through sulphur removal vessels 04.02.03 and 04.02.08. Here
the sulphur in the feed is hydrated in a first catalytic step and adsorbed in a second.

The feed gas, free of sulphur, is now mixed with steam. After further heating up in
the feed-steam heat exchanger 04.04.01 the mixture is sent to the reformer
01.02.01. While passing the nickel catalyst in the reformer tubes, the mixture of
steam and hydrocarbons is converted into a syngas containing mostly hydrogen (H2),
as well as smaller amounts of carbon monoxide (CO), carbon dioxide (CO 2),
methane (CH4) and water vapour (H2O). The temperature of the syngas leaving the
reformer tubes is kept constant by the flue gas temperature control loop (TIC
1.02.03).

The hot syngas is cooled down passing a waste heat boiler 05.01.01. The energy
released thereby is used to generate steam. In a subsequent CO-Shift reactor
06.01.03 the contained CO and H2O is converted into H2 and CO2. This reaction is
exothermal and starts at a temperature of apx. 300 to 330°C.

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HC 4946: H2 Generating Plant Caloric
Soci Mas Anlagenbau GmbH

Steam production is used for feeding the process; surplus steam is mixed with
syngas after CO-Shift. Then syngas is further cooled down in syngas cooler
06.02.03. Due to cooling, steam is condensed and later separated from the syngas
in the separator 06.03.01, where the condensate is degasified. Condensate is
recycled to BFW unit.

The reformer is fired by a high velocity burner. Here fuel (natural gas - as specified)
and tailgas (coming from the PSA unit and homogenised in the tailgas buffer tank
10.10.01) are burnt.

The hot flue gases leaving the reformer are used for steam production in two boiler
passes and for heating of feed as well as feed-steam mixture in heat exchanger
04.01.07 and 04.04.01.

Downstream the flue gas pass the combustion air pre-heater 03.01.08 is installed,
where the residual heat of the flue gases also serves to heat the combustion air
before the flue is sent to atmosphere via the stack.

The waste heat boiler is supplied with water from the BFW unit (description see
below).

 PSA unit

To obtain pure hydrogen, the syngas is sent to a purification step in which the
gaseous impurities are adsorbed by aluminium oxide, activated carbon and
molecular sieve.

For the PSA unit, the principle of the pressure swing adsorption process is used in
which the impurities are adsorbed at high syngas pressure and then desorbed at low
pressure. The process operates on a repeated cycle, consisting of adsorption and
regeneration at the same temperature level.

The PSA unit consists of four adsorber vessels. One of these adsorbers is in
adsorption and the others in regeneration. Thereby a continuous purification of the
syngas is achieved.

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HC 4946: H2 Generating Plant Caloric
Soci Mas Anlagenbau GmbH

 Compressor units

Natural gas is compressed by a redundant compressor system 4.06.11 and 4.07.11

from 1,5 bar (g) to 18 bar(g) for feeding the process.

After PSA unit a redundant compressor system 15.02.00 and 15.20.00 compresses
hydrogen. Hydrogen buffer tank I 15.00.00 is provided to compensate pressure
fluctuation from PSA.

 Nitrogen

For purging at start-up, shutdown and hot idling mode as well as for initial activation
of catalysts nitrogen is used. Nitrogen shielding is also used to prevent air (oxygen)
coming into the system during shut-off.

 Cold flare

Gas produced during start-up and shutdown, during malfunctions and resulting from
safety relief valve blow-off is sent into a vent system.

This vent system is permanently purged with as small stream of nitrogen.

 Cooling circuit

Cooling of syngas is achieved by heat exchange in syngas cooler 06.02.03. Cooling

of hydrogen after product compressor is achieved by heat exchanger 15.04.01,
recycle natural gas from feed compressor is cooled by heat exchanger 4.05.29.

 Instrument air

For operation of pneumatic valves, instrument air (clean, dry, oilfree) is delivered to
the plant.

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HC 4946: H2 Generating Plant Caloric
Soci Mas Anlagenbau GmbH

 Boiler feed water unit

In this unit boiler feed water is preheated and de-aerated in de-aerator 05.20.02 on
top of boiler feed water tank 05.20.01 by steam taken from the surplus steam line.
Rest-hardness and residual oxygen are bound by means of dosing chemicals.

 Process control system

A process control system is controlling and monitoring start-up, operation and

shutdown of the plant fully automatically. Requirement for operator staff is reduced to
a minimum.

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