Patent ID: 7060118

Claim:
A process for the preparation of hydrogen and carbon monoxide rich gas by steam reforming of a hydrocarbon feedstock in the presence of a steam reforming catalyst supported as thin film on a wall of a reactor, comprising the steps of: (a) passing a process gas of hydrocarbon feedstock through a first reactor ( 10 ) having an inner wall and an outer wall, wherein a thin film of steam reforming catalyst is supported on the inner wall of the reactor ( 10 ), wherein the first reactor ( 10 ) is a preheater coil, and wherein the reactor ( 10 ) is in a heat conducting relationship with a hot gas stream of flue gas; (b) passing effluent from the first reactor ( 10 ) to a subsequent tubular reactor ( 14 ) comprising at least one reformer tube having an inner wall and an outer wall and being provided with a steam reforming catalyst, wherein the steam reforming catalyst is a thin film of steam reforming catalyst supported on the inner wall of the at least one reformer tube and/or steam reforming catalyst pellets and wherein the at least one reformer tube is heated by burning of fuel, thereby obtaining a partially steam reformed gas effluent and the hot gas stream of flue gas; (c) passing the effluent from the second reactor ( 14 ) to an autothermal reformer ( 16 ); and (d) withdrawing from the autothermal reformer ( 16 ) a hot gas stream of product gas ( 20 ) rich in hydrogen and carbon monoxide.