Synthesis Gas / Syngas

Commercial Applications

Offering Competitive Advantages in Cost and Operability

For over 40 years, KBR has advanced synthesis gas (syngas) production technology to convert natural gas into hydrogen and carbon oxides with your key operational aims in mind: improved safety, lower capital costs and energy consumption, improved reliability and operability, and environmentally sound operations. As a leading SynGas licensor, we offer expertise in conventional steam methane reforming technology as well as proprietary technologies such as KBR's KRES™ and Purifier™ technologies for syngas production and purification.

SMR

For conventional steam reforming operations, KBR's top-fired steam methane reformer (SMR) design circumvents many of the mechanical design problems in competitors' primary reformer designs. The reformer tubes are efficiently heated from both sides, with firing occurring downwards from the top of the firebox, providing a relatively even load along the tubes. The convection section provides heat recovery from the flue gas for optimum furnace efficiency. Additionally, KBR's fired reformer can also be coupled with a gas turbine that drives an air compressor. This design allows the gas turbine exhaust to be used as preheated combustion air for the reformer radiant section, which reduces overall plant energy consumption.

For maximum conversion of natural gas feedstock into syngas, a secondary reformer is typically used to reform unconverted methane in the effluent from the primary reformer (SMR) into syngas.

Read more about KBR's top-fired steam-methane reformer (SMR) technology.

KRES™

KBR Reforming Exchanger System (KRES) replaces a primary and secondary reformer with a fired pre-heater, an autothermal reformer (ATR) and reforming exchanger. The system's proprietary design avoids direct firing on the exchanger tubes, which eliminates hot spots and keeps process temperatures lower. The system also provides decreased capital and operating costs, greatly-reduced plot space requirements and lower emissions compared to conventional reforming systems.

Read more about KBR's KRES™ technology.

Purifier™

Following a mild primary reforming step and secondary reforming with excess air, KBR's proprietary cryogenic syngas purification process removes excess nitrogen and impurities, resulting in nearly inert-free syngas. KBR's Purifier lowers capital and operating costs by allowing the reforming section to be operated with excess air and higher methane slip, reducing reforming catalyst volume and synthesis loop purge rates while eliminating the need for a separate purge gas recovery unit.

Read more about KBR's Purifier™ syngas purification technology.

KBR Waste Heat Boiler

Heat is recovered from the secondary reformer or from the KRES exchanger effluent in a waste heat boiler (WHB), often in combination with a steam superheater. KBR's proprietary design provides a vertical, natural-circulation, water-tube, floating-head design with refractory lining. Syngas plant operators using our waste heat boiler design report lower initial costs, higher reliability and less maintenance. Another advantage with our design is the WHB tube bundle is removable for easy maintenance, unlike bundles in a fired-tube boiler design.

Read more about the KBR Waste Heat Boiler.

For more information, please visit our KBR Ammonia and Syngas publications.