Patent ID: 9028720
Filing Date: 2015-05-12
Classification: C01B

Abstract:
1. A method for producing a synthesis gas product comprising hydrogen and carbon monoxide, comprising the steps of: (a) reacting a reactant gas mixture comprising steam and a hydrocarbon in a reforming reaction in a primary reformer system to form an intermediate gas mixture having a composition comprising methane, hydrogen, and carbon oxides; (b) introducing at least a portion of the intermediate gas mixture into a membrane oxidation reactor system comprising a plurality of membrane oxidation reactor stages arranged in series including a first membrane oxidation reactor stage and a second membrane oxidation reactor stage in the series, each stage comprising a membrane oxidation reactor and a catalyst, each membrane oxidation reactor comprising a reactant zone, an oxidant zone, and one or more mixed metal oxide membranes separating the reactant zone from the oxidant zone, wherein all of the intermediate gas mixture that is introduced into the membrane oxidation reactor system is introduced into the reactant zone of the first membrane oxidation reactor stage of the plurality of membrane oxidation reactor stages, and wherein each of the reactant zones of the plurality of membrane oxidation reactor stages has an effluent discharged therefrom, wherein at least a portion of the effluent from the reactant zone of the first membrane oxidation reactor stage is introduced into the reactant zone of the second membrane oxidation reactor stage as a feed thereto, and wherein the feed to the reactant zone of the second membrane oxidation reactor stage consists of the at least a portion of the effluent from the first membrane oxidation reactor stage; (c) introducing an oxygen-containing oxidant gas mixture into the oxidant zone of each of the plurality of membrane oxidation reactor stages and permeating oxygen through the one or more mixed metal oxide membranes of each of the plurality of membrane oxidation reactor stages; (d) reacting the at least a portion of the intermediate gas mixture with the oxygen that has permeated through the one or more mixed metal oxide membranes of one or more of the plurality of membrane oxidation reactor stages to form the synthesis gas product; (e) discharging the synthesis gas product as an effluent from the membrane oxidation reactor system; (f) measuring the temperature of the synthesis gas product from the membrane oxidation reactor system; and (g) controlling reaction conditions of the primary reformer system as a function of the measured temperature of the synthesis gas product from the membrane oxidation reactor system.