What is the principle of hydrocarbon steam reforming?
Nov 17, 2023
The principle of hydrocarbon steam reforming involves hydrocarbon feedstocks undergoing purification (primarily through processes like hydrodesulfurization and dechlorination) and then entering a tubular reformer furnace along with steam. In the presence of steam reforming catalyst inside the reformer furnace, the following reactions take place:
C₄H+nH₂O-→nCO+(n+m/2)H₂
CH₄+H₂O→3H₂+CO
CO+H₂O→H₂+CO₂
The actual reaction process is highly complex and involves homogeneous thermal cracking of higher hydrocarbons, catalytic cracking, dehydrogenation, hydrogenation, carbon deposition, decarburization, oxidation, transformation, methane conversion, and other reactions.
