Reformer catalyst application and

optimisation
Rishabh Upadhyay
25 Mar 2015
Westin Hotel Gurgaon, India

Agenda

Catalyst combination for heavy natural gas feedstock

Pressure drop reduction and efficiency benefit
Steaming of primary reformer for carbon removal
Manage increased plant rate
Global excellence
Importance of monitoring process gas temperature
Catalysts for demanding top fired reformer exceed
performance in side fired reformer

Case Study 1: Customer with heavy NG

feed

A large methanol customer in Asia Pacific

Plant capacity ~ 2500 MTPD
Top fired reformer
Recently commissioned competition catalyst faced with
challenging conditions
Plant constrained to increase load

Background
Relatively heavy natural gas feedstock
Feedstock availability erratic, several trips seen during
operation
Tubes observed with hot spots and patches
Eventually some of the tubes ruptured
Carbon formation suspected
JM conducted Reformer Imager survey to identify potential
issues with the reformer

Thermal Imager reformer survey

TWTs were measured
accurately at two levels
Several hot spots were found
during survey
Few hot spots were above
the design temperature
Hot & cold zones identified
Hot spots in blind areas observed with the use of Thermal
Imager which has fish-eye lens

Temperature distribution

Benchmarking the reformer

Benchmarked against similar reformers to identify scope of
improvement

Carbon Number

Number of plants

Findings & recommendation

Carbon formation suspected due
to relatively heavy feed
Using standard catalysts carbon
formation is expected

Recommendation:
JM alkalised catalyst at the
top to avoid carbon formation
Smaller size for high activity
Larger catalysts at the bottom
for optimised pressure drop

Summary
Optimum combination of sizes and variants to:
Avoid carbon formation
Optimum pressure drop

JM catalyst preferred
KATALCOJM 25-4MQ
Small alkalised catalyst at the top

KATALCOJM 57-4GQ
Large catalyst at the bottom

Case Study 2: Pressure drop & extended

life benefit

Customer in USA
Plant capacity ~ 1700 MTPD
Top fired reformer
6 catalyst charges installed in 25 years operation span.
Plant faced the problem of low catalyst life and high
pressure drop for 10 years after commissioning.

Background
The plant was commissioned in 1990
Life of catalyst charges and pressure drop both were not
satisfactory
Life of each of competitors first 3 charges < 4 years
Customer replaced the charge with another competitor but
life achieved was still 4.3 years.
First JM charge achieved a life of 5.6 years.

Longer catalyst life

Johnson Matthey Catalyst

Life 5.6 years

Competitor A
(3 charges)
2.4 yrs

3.4 yrs

Competitor B
3.6 yrs

4.3 yrs

KATALCOJM
25-4Q/23-4Q

+30% life

Savings with increased catalyst life

The commercial benefits gained by customer with an increase of
30% in catalyst life
(Basis: Average life of JMs catalyst 5.5 years and that of competitors
catalyst 4 years)

Cost of one overhaul

Production loss during shutdown
Cost of one primary reformer catalyst batch

Leading low PD product

For the next charge, JM redesigned the catalyst bed and further
optimized by using the new leading low pressure drop product.
KATALCOJM57-4G
(4-hole)

KATALCOJM57-4XQ
(QUADRALOBE)

Nominal OD (mm)

19mm

19.7mm

Nominal hole dia. (mm)

5.5mm

5.5mm

Length (mm)

19.6 - 20.4

19.6 - 20.4

Nominal TBD (kg/l)

0.9

0.9

(radial) crush strength (kgf)

>56

>100

Relative pressure drop

1.0

0.76

GSA (m2/m3)

343

346

Average mean horizontal

Further savings with pressure drop

reduction
Second charge of Johnson Matthey reduced the pressure drop
by 20% and is still in service from last 5.1 years with
satisfactory performance.
Johnson Matthey Catalyst

Lower pressure drop

Competitor A
(3 charges)

2.4 yrs

3.4 yrs

Competitor B

3.6 yrs

4.3 yrs

KATALCOJM
25-4Q/23-4Q

5.6 yrs

KATALCOJM
25-4GQ/57-4XQ

5.1 yrs and running

Case Study 3: Steaming for carbon

removal

Customer in western Europe

Plant capacity ~ 1450 MTPD
Top fired reformer
Feedstock for the plant is LPG which is a challenging duty.
Plant faced the problem of carbon formation due to feeding
LPG condensate during startup.

Carbon formation incident

During startup, LPG condensate trapped in line was fed into
the primary reformer which resulted in carbon formation over
the catalyst.
The pressure drop over the
reformer increased by 1 bar
and went upto 4.2 bar.
Hotspots were observed over
the length of tube.
Customer reported the
incident to JM and mentioned
that they need to keep the
plant in operation.

Improvement with higher S:C ratio

JM recommended to operate at higher S:C to control carbon
and to steam the catalyst in next available oppurtunity.
Appearance improved in
short period of time with
higher S:C operation.
Pressure drop reduced by 0.3
bar.
TWT of the hot tubes also
came down.

Steaming of catalyst

Carbon removal profile

20 0
Pres sure Drop

CO + CO 2

2
( 29 .0 )

15 0

1. 5

10 0

1
( 14 .5 )

50

0. 5

0
0

10

Time (Hours)

15

0
20

Pressure drop (bar/ ps i)

CO + CO2 Exit Steam Refor mer (ppm)

Due to some reason, plant tripped after two months

operation and allowed full steaming.

Recovery of catalyst activity

Hot patches not visible due
to carbon removal by
steaming.
TWT and pressure drop
reduced considerably
The catalyst charged
performed satisfactorily for
4 more years after carbon
formation incident.

Summary
The high strength of JM catalyst restricted any breakage
even after feeding of LPG condensate. This allowed the
customer to recover the pressure drop.
Life of tubes was not adversely affected due to JMs
catalyst capability of regaining the activity.

Case Study 4: Increase in plant rate

managing P

Customer in western Europe

Plant capacity at commissioning~ 1750 MTPD
Present capacity ~ 2050 MTPD
Top fired reformer
ICI catalyst Katalco 57-3 was installed at commissioning
and provided 10 years of life.
Plant interested in increasing the capacity.

Enhanced shape and higher activity

catalyst catering higher load
KATALCOJM57-4G 4-hole catalyst
replaced previous charge and had
achieved a 10 year life

~10% increase in plant load

including pre reformer addition.
The higher surface area of 4 hole
catalyst helped customer to cater the
increased load
The picture of discharged catalyst
pellets points out the high strength of
JM shaped catalyst.

KATALCOJM 57-4G
after 10 yrs service

Reduction in pressure drop

In early 2000, plant increased the production to 2000
MTPD and were interested in any further pressure drop
saving
Installation of new KATALCOJM 57-4XQ has given even
lower pressure drop
Pressure Drop
Pressure drop reduced by 24%
Detailed performance surveys
completed
Confirmed expected catalyst
performance
Allowed plant to reach record rates

2.3 bar (earlier)

1.8 bar with

KATALCOJM57-4XQ

Summary
All 3 charges of catalyst since 1987 have achieved 10 years of
operation.
All the charges used different shapes and the performance of all
catalyst charges had been excellent.
The variations in shapes and sizes enables JM to optimize the
catalyst bed for every customer according to their specific
requirements.

Case Study 5 Feedstock changeover

Customer in India
Capacity 1350 MTPD

Installed in Aug 1999

Feedstock as naphtha (100%) till Apr 2004
Same charge operated on mixed feed (naphtha + NG) till
April 2007
100% feedstock converted during April 2007
Smooth feedstock changeover experienced
No issues on performance of primary reformer
Discharged catalysts didnt show loss of potash or strength

Customer in India
Second charge commissioned in 2007 for NG as feedstock
2 decker catalyst combination
50:50 alkalised and non-alkalised

Unidense loading
Operates around 105% of rated capacity
Lasted for 7 years without any issues

Performance
Consistence methane slip
Steady pressure drop
Good physical integrity
Time on line
(days)

Methane slip
(% mol, dry)

Norm. Pressure
drop (kg/cm2)

1737

12.21

2.96

1912

11.52

2.9

2166

12.75

3.06

2235

12.9

3.11

2483

12.49

3.12

2563

12.82

3.03

Case Study 6 : Global excellence

Capacity of 2500 MTPD

Side fired reformer
No of tubes : 210
Commissioned in 1997

Global excellence
Customer has a R&D facility along with methanol plant.
Philosophy : Operating with the best catalysts and
absorbents affects the competitive power in a business
with a high installed capacity
Belief : Most catalyst suppliers will state
that their product is the best ! Necessitates
need for independent testing.

Global excellence
Customer carried out independent tests on material
of shortlisted vendor at their own R&D facility in
2007 to find the best for them.

Johnson Matthey KATALCOJM57-4Q was selected.

First charge was installed in 2007 and changed in
2013, providing 100% more life than previous
charge of competitor.
Second JM primary reformer catalyst charge was
installed in 2013 and is providing satisfactory
operation

Case Study 7: Benefits of monitoring

process gas temperature
Customer is a renowned utility provider
Customers experience as a technology
licensor & plant designer:
Tubes are largest single capital investment
No economical fixes (large down time &
capital cost)
Nine references since 2003

Issues identified:
The detailed reformer inspections and surveys
are done only periodically and mainly during
incidents.
Lack of measurement technique of process
gas temperature inside tube

Failed Tube
in Operation

CatTracker: Solution for process gas

temperature measurement
Customer installed CatTracker units in their plants offered by
Johnson Matthey.
11 thermocouple measurement locations
Positioned at determined points of interest along length
Rugged and flexible with high accuracy

CatTracker Tube

Top Fired Reformer CatTrackers

CatTracker

Modified
flange

Side Fired Reformer CatTrackers

Reformer CatTrackers
process simulation calibration
Use with TWTs to calibrate simulation
Detailed reformer model (JM - REFORM)

Regress model physical parameters

More accurate prediction of catalyst performance

Reformer CatTrackers
example plant normal operating data

9 CatTrackers
Different measurement locations

Reformer CatTrackers start up

monitoring

Through startup CatTracker hotter than both outlets.

. in-tube TIs are leading Indicators

Reformer CatTrackers
Sulphur slip incident detection

Summary
On-line in-tube accurate and well proven temperature
measurement
First time direct process gas measurement in a reformer

Provided early indication of sulphur poisoning and enabled

customer to take early action preventing adverse effect on
catalyst tube.
CatTrackers also facilitate the customer to avert tube
failures and have safer operation.

Steam Reformer
Types

Competing reformer technologies in Asia Pacific:

Top fired
Side fired

Comparison
Temperature profiles for typical top and side fired reformers

Flue gas temperature significantly different

Process gas temperatures similar

Comparison
Top Fired

Side Fired

Peak heat flux

kW/m2

116.6

87.2

Average heat
flux kW/m2

78.2

78.0

Ratio
peak/average

149%

112%

Top fired duty is more onerous for catalyst

Higher peak heat flux for same average heat flux
Higher risk of carbon formation at peak heat flux point
Requires catalyst to have higher activity as compared to a
side fired furnace
Catalyst operating well in a top fired reformer is more than
good enough to work in a side fired reformer

Reformer catalyst market split

Market split between top and side fired furnaces
Top fired share has increased over time
Side fired share has a reducing trend because of single
designer in new plants.

Case Study 8 - Reformer analysis

Ammonia plant at 1100TPD
Topsoe side fired reformer
Using JM catalyst successfully
used since 2000
Reformer health-check
analysis completed by JM
Addressed concerns regarding
high TWTs

Tube Wall Temperature pattern

East Cell 1
Tubes 121 - 160

West Cell 1
Tubes 81 - 120

East Cell 2
Tubes 41 - 80

West Cell 2
Tubes 1 - 40
<840oC
900 920 oC
>920 oC

Furnace Balancing
Furnace Balancing
Well Balanced

50

50

40

40
Frequency (%)

Frequency (%)

Poorly Balanced

30
20
10
0
800

30

20

10

820

840
860
880
Temperature (C)

900

0
800

820
840
860
880
Temperature (C)

Standard Deviation a good measure

900

Max TWT down 40C, Avg TWT down 20C

02

02
20

9/

/0

02

02
20

7/

/0

09

20

6/

02

02
20

5/
/0

28

/0

31

02
20

5/

/0

09

02
20

4/

/0

12

02
20

3/

/0

22

02
20

2/

/0

27

01
20

1/

/0

31

01
20

2/

/1

14

01
20

1/

/1

23

01
20

0/

/1

15

20

9/

01

01

20

8/

/0

14

/0

06

01

20

7/

/0

20

20

7/

01

01

20

6/

/0

12

/0

28

01

20

5/

/0

25

01

20

4/

/0

20

01

20

3/

/0

02

00

20

1/

/0

26

00

20

2/

/1

20

00

20

2/

/1

15

20

00

20

0/

/1

8/

/0

Max TWT

25

11

Ave TWT
Deg C

TWT Improvement
940.0

PRIMARY REFORMER TUBE TEMPS

930.0

920.0

910.0

900.0

890.0

880.0

870.0

860.0

850.0

840.0

Case Study 8(b)

Plant Name
Design Capacity
Current Capacity
Construction Contractor
Process/Design Contractor
Reformer/Furnace Contractor
Reformer Type
Feedstock
Startup Date

Ammonia 1
1,500 T/D
1,725 T/D
Snamprogetti
Topsoe
Topsoe
Side fired
Nat. Gas
01/12/77

Catalyst performance

Customer chosen to get back to JM catalyst

LOTIS creep stain data visualisation

JM arranged Laser Optical Tube Inspection for tube creep study

Case Study 7(c) Tube inspection

Bottom of tubes

Side fired furnace spiral damage

Spiral pattern
of damage

Flue gas flow paths

Thank you