Patent ID: 7377951
Filing Date: 2008-05-27
Classification: C01B,Y02E,Y02P

Abstract:
1. A process for steam reforming hydrocarbons in a steam-hydrocarbon reformer receiving a flow of hydrocarbon feed and a flow of steam, the steam-hydrocarbon reformer generating a flow of a process gas containing a first amount of heat and a flow of a flue gas containing a second amount of heat, comprising the steps of: providing a water heater, a boiler feed water preparation system in fluid communication with the water heater, a boiler in fluid communication with the boiler feed water preparation system, and a first boiler feed water heater in fluid communication with the boiler feed water preparation system, the boiler being adapted to generate a stream of steam at a pressure between about 5 psig and about 60 psig; feeding a flow of water to the water heater; eventually feeding at least a portion of the water from the water heater to the boiler feed water preparation system; feeding a first stream of the water to the boiler from the boiler feed water preparation system; feeding a second stream of the water from the boiler feed water preparation system to the first boiler feed water heater; eventually heating at least a portion of the second stream of the water fed to the first boiler feed water heater with a first portion of the first amount of heat at a first temperature; eventually heating at least a portion of the water in the boiler with a second portion of the first amount of heat; generating the stream of steam at the pressure between about 5 psig and about 60 psig in the boiler; and eventually heating with at least a portion of the stream of steam the boiler feed water preparation system or another internal system in direct or indirect fluid communication with the steam-hydrocarbon reformer.