Design an example of electrically-heated process equipment. The electricallyheated equipment to be designed an electric furnace to conduct a
steam-methane-reforming reaction. In this case you will assume the availability of carbon-emissions-free electricity at conditions (phase, voltage) commonly
available in industrial settings in any amount needed. An explanation of case follows:
Case – Electric endothermic steam methane reformer:
There are a number of important high temperature endothermic reactions, for example, steam cracking of ethane to ethylene and steam methane reforming
to make hydrogen (steam in both cases is not entirely coincidental as steam also suppresses coke formation and plugging in high temperature reactions).
These reactions are conducted in nickel-chromium alloy tubes. In the case of steam methane reforming, the reaction is catalyzed with a heterogeneous
catalyst packed into the tubes. These tubes might be resistively heated by passing electric current through them or by wrapping resistance heating elements
around them, or them might be inductively heated. Typical temperature range 800-900C.
Specifically, design an electrically heated steam methane reforming (SMR) furnace capable of producing 10,000 Nm3/hr (Normal conditions: 0C, 1atm,
1.013bar) hydrogen prior to any water gas shift assuming complete methane conversion and selectivity. The endothermic reaction (206kJ/mol CH4) is to
occur in tubes packed with a nickel catalyst operating at 900C, 20bara, and a molar steam to carbon ratio of 3:1 with a gas residence time of 0.1s. These m…
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