BIDIRECTIONAL ADIABATIC SYNTHESIS GAS GENERATOR

This paper describes a unique reactor for the production of synthesis gas, carbon monoxide and hydrogen, from the catalytic partial oxidation of natural gas with air. The reactor operates near atmospheric pressure with nickel on alumina catalyst at about 800°C. The product synthesis gas has a hydrogen to carbon monoxide mole ratio near two, which is ideal for feed to a Fischer-Tropsch conversion reactor. The reactor operates adiabatically and autothermally, requiring no additional energy for operation other than the exothermic heat of reaction. Waste heat is efficiently recovered using packed bed heat exchangers. Problems of coke formation are effectively eliminated. The two packed beds are situated in the reactor above and below the catalyst bed. The reactor operates in an unsteady-state mode with feed and product gas flow directions periodically reversed. The reactor was tested experimentally on a laboratory scale unit processing about three liters per minute of natural gas and on a large pilot plant processing about 1400 cubic meters per day of natural gas. A mathematical and computer simulation model was developed to describe the reactor and its operation. © 1990.