Evaluation Performance of Different Types Catalysts of an Industrial Secondary Reformer Reactor in the Ammonia Plants

Ali Ashour AL-Dhfeery, Ala’a Abdulrazaq Jassem

Department of Chemical Engineering, Basra University, Basra, Iraq.

DOI: 10.4236/mrc.2012.13006                

Abstract

In this paper, the effect of catalyst shape and characteristics has been investigated where five types of a catalyst were examined under the same operation conditions, where catalysts are similar in the chemical properties (Ni/MgOAl₂O₃) but it's different in their physical properties in the catalyst section of secondary reformer. The secondary reformer involves continuation of the methane reforming reaction that began in the primary reformer to produce Nitrogen and Hydrogen in the ammonia plant. In order to evaluate performance of various types of catalysts in the secondary reformer reactor, mathematical model have been created. The mathematical model covers all aspects of major chemical kinetics, heat and mass transfer phenomena in the secondary reformer in the ammonia plant at steady state conditions. It aims to optimize the best catalyst from five types of catalyst of the secondary reformer reactor in the State Company of Fertilizers South Region in the Basra/Iraq. The mathematical model allows calculating the axial variations of compositions, temperature and pressure of the gases inside two reactors in series by using the atomic molar balance and adiabatic flame temperature in the combustion section while, in the catalyst section, they are predicted by using a one-dimensional heterogeneous catalytic reaction model. The analysis evaluation performance of the catalyst (RKS-2-7H') have good results than other the catalyst types (RKS - 2, ICI 54 - 2, RKS-2-7H”, RKS-2-7H”’) in catalyst zone of the secondary reformer.

Keywords

Fertilizers; Autothermal Reformer; Steam Reforming; Catalysis; Hydrogen Production

Conflicts of Interest

The authors declare no conflicts of interest.

References

[1]	A. A. AL-Dhfeery and A. A. Jassem, “Modeling and Simulation of an Industrial Secondary Reformer Reactor in the Fertilizer Plants,” International Journal of Industrial Chemistry (IJIC), Vol. 3, No. 2012. doi:10.1186/2228-5547-3-14
[2]	A. Zamaniyan, A. Behroozsarand and H. Ebrahimi, “Analysis of a Secondary Autothermal Reformer Using a Thermodynamic POX Model,” Journal of World Academy of Science, Engineering and Technology, Vol. 49, No. 25, 2009, pp. 247-251.
[3]	J. A. C. Ruiz, F. B. Passos, J. M. C. Bueno, E. F. Souza-Aguiar, L. V. Mattos and F. B. Noronha, “Syngas Production by Autothermal Reforming of Methane on Supported Platinum Catalysts,” Applied Catalysis A: General, Vol. 334, No. 1-2, 2008, pp. 259-267. doi:10.1016/j.apcata.2007.10.011
[4]	K. Khorsand and K. Deghan, “Modeling and Simulation of Reformer Autothermal Reactor in Ammonia Unit,” Journal of Petroleum and Coal, Vol. 49, No. 2, 2007, pp. 64-71.
[5]	D. L. Hoang, S. H. Chan and O. L. Ding, “Hydrogen Production for Fuel Cells by Autothermal Reforming of Methane Over Sulfide Nickel Catalyst on a Gamma Alumina Support,” Journal of Power Sources, Vol. 159, No. 2, 2006, pp. 1248-1257. doi:10.1016/j.jpowsour.2005.11.094
[6]	S. Vaccaro, G. Ferrazzano and P. Ciambelli, “Coupling of Catalytic Endothermic and Exothermic Reactions by CPR: Modeling and FEM simulation,” COMSOL Conference User, Millano, 2006.
[7]	M. I. Shukri, A. R. Songip, A. Ahmad and N. S. Nasri, “Simulation Study of Methane Autothermal Reforming for Hydrogen Production,” Advanced in Fuel Cell Research, Fuel Cell Research Group, UTM, 2004, pp. 149-158.
[8]	Y. H. Yu, “Simulation of Secondary Reformer in Industrial Ammonia Plant,” Chemical Engineering Technology, Vol. 25, No. 3, 2002, pp. 307-314. doi:10.1002/1521-4125(200203)25:3<307::AID-CEAT307>3.0.CO;2-C
[9]	G. W. Bridger and G. C. Chiclen, “Catalyst Handbook,” Wolrd Scientific, London, 1970.
[10]	Mitsubishi Heavy Industries LTD MCEC, “Training Textbook,” Catalyst Manual of Ammonia Unit, Japan, 1977.
[11]	H. Topsoe, “Topsoe Secondary Reforming Catalyst RKS- 2-7H,” www.topsoe.com
[12]	R. M. Felder and R. W. Rousseau, “Elementary Principles of Chemical Processes,” 3rd Edition, John Wily & Sons Inc., Chichester, 2005.
[13]	J. M. Smith, “Chemical Engineering Kinetics,” 2nd Edition, McGraw-Hill, New York, 1970.
[14]	Mitsubishi Heavy Industries LTD MCEC, “Operation Manual,” Documents of State Company of Fertilizer Plant South Region, Japan, 1977.