Patent ID: 7427368

Claim:
A method of generating a synthesis gas product stream and carbon dioxide comprising: combusting a fuel in an oxygen transport membrane combustor to produce a flue gas stream containing the carbon dioxide and water; reacting part of a reactant stream, containing hydrocarbons and steam, in a combined reforming process and a remaining part of said reactant stream in a gas heated reformer to produce the synthesis gas product stream; the combined reforming process including a primary stage having a steam methane reformer to react part of the hydrocarbons and steam and a secondary stage having an oxygen transport membrane reactor configured to react residual methane produced in the primary stage through additional reforming and by catalytic partial oxidation; transferring heat from the flue gas stream to the primary stage and from the secondary stage to the gas heated reformer to support endothermic heat requirements of steam methane reforming reactions occurring within said primary stage and said gas heated reformer; cooling the flue gas stream; and separating water from the flue gas stream after having been cooled to produce the carbon dioxide at a concentration of at least 85 mol percent.