Patent ID: 7220505

Claim:
A process for producing hydrogen, comprising: catalytically reforming a first hydrocarbon portion with steam and excess air in an autothermal reactor to produce a first syngas effluent at a temperature from 650° to 1050° C.; supplying the first syngas effluent to a reforming exchanger; passing a second hydrocarbon portion with steam through a catalyst zone in the reforming exchanger to form a second syngas effluent; discharging the second syngas effluent from the catalyst zone adjacent the inlet to form a syngas admixture with the first syngas effluent; passing the admixture across the catalyst zone in indirect heat exchange therewith to cool the admixture and heat the catalyst zone; collecting the cooled admixture from an outlet of the reforming exchanger; shift converting the admixture to obtain a carbon dioxide-rich gas stream lean in carbon monoxide; and separating the carbon dioxide-rich gas stream to form a hydrogen-lean, mixed gas stream comprising nitrogen and carbon dioxide and a hydrogen-rich product stream.