JPS5626992A - Catalytic reforming of methanol and steam - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To make it possible to reduce the scale of equipments, to prolong a catalyst life and to reduce production cost, by carrying out the reforming reaction by a system of two serial stage reaction, while maintaining a material system at specific temperatures. CONSTITUTION:A former stage reformer F1 composed of a heating cylinder H1 surrounded with a catalyst layer C1 is connected, in series, with a latter stage reformer F2 composed of a heating cylinder H2 surrounded with catalyst layers C2 and C2'. By each heating cylinder H1 or H2, the temperature of the material system is maintained in a temperature range in which the reforming reaction can proceed and, in addition, deactivation of catalyst does not occur. The material system (mixed gas of methanol and steam) is heated to about 260 deg.C in a preheater Hp, passed through the heating cylinder H1 of the former stage reformer F1, heated therein to about 420 deg.C and, then, passed through the catalyst layer C1 thereby to reform about 40% of the material system. Then, the material system at about 300 deg.C is introduced to the heating cylinder H2 of the latter stage reformer F2, and is heated to about 520 deg.C. The heated material system is passed through passages P1-P3 to the catalyst layers C2 and C2' wherein the reforming reaction is completed. Then, the effluent from the latter stage reformer is passed through the preheater, in which heat exchange is performed, and introduced to a subsequent process.