High temperature equalized pressure (htep) reactor

Abstract

Systems and methods are provided facilitating operation of a steam reformation process as part of a syngas production process. A steam reforming coil is placed inside a refractory lined pressure vessel, thereby allowing the pressure inside the pressure vessel to be controlled in accordance with the pressure in the steam reforming coil. By controlling an external pressure a wider range of materials can be employed to construct system apparatus. Further, a partial pressure operation can be conducted, where the chamber pressure is a ratio of the reforming coil pressure. Furthermore, apparatus can operate in a parasitic manner where, for example, produced syngas can be utilized to heat apparatus components and exhaust gas can power a turbine to compress feed air.

1 . A system for producing syngas, comprising:
 a steam reforming coil, located within a chamber; and   a control system, configured to:
 measure a pressure in the chamber; 
 measure a pressure in the steam reforming coil; and 
 adjust, based upon the measured chamber pressure and pressure measured in the steam reforming coil, the pressure in the chamber in accordance with the pressure in the steam reforming coil. 
   
     
     
         2 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the control system measures the chamber pressure with measurements received from a pressure sensor located at the chamber. 
     
     
         3 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the control system measures the pressure in the steam reforming coil with measurements received from a pressure sensor configured to monitoring syngas production pressure. 
     
     
         4 . The system of  claim 1 , the control system is further configured to determine a pressure differential between the chamber pressure and the pressure in the steam reforming coil. 
     
     
         5 . The system of  claim 4 , the control system is further configured to adjust the chamber pressure when the pressure differential exceeds a given range. 
     
     
         6 . The system of  claim 5 , the pressure differential is about 0.5 PSIG or less. 
     
     
         7 . The system of  claim 1 , in the event that at least one of the chamber pressure or the pressure in the steam reforming coil indicate that the process is operating in a potentially unsafe manner, syngas production is ceased. 
     
     
         8 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the pressure in the steam reforming coil is a pressure utilized in production of syngas. 
     
     
         9 . A method for controlling pressure within a chamber to facilitate high processing temperatures, comprising:
 measuring an internal pressure of a pipe;   measuring an internal pressure of a pressure vessel incorporating the pipe;   determining whether the internal pipe pressure and the internal pressure of the pressure vessel are equal; and   in the event that the pressures are not equal, modifying the internal pressure of the pressure vessel in relation to the internal pipe pressure.   
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 9 , further comprising, in the event that the internal pipe pressure exceeds the internal pressure of the pressure vessel, increasing the internal pressure of the pressure vessel by forcing compressed air into the pressure vessel. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 9 , further comprising, in the event that the internal pipe pressure is less that the internal pressure of the pressure vessel, venting compressed air from the pressure vessel to reduce the pressure therein. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 9 , further comprising, maintaining a pressure differential between the internal pipe pressure and the internal pressure of the pressure vessel to a specific range. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 12 , the specific range is about 1 PSIG or less. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 9 , during normal operating conditions the internal pipe pressure ranges from atmospheric pressure to about 50 PSIG. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 9 , further comprising, passing gas and super heated steam through the pipe. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 15 , the gas is produced by gasification of biomass material. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 15 , further comprising heating the gas and super heated steam to a temperature facilitating break down of tars in the gas. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 9 , the internal pipe pressure and the internal pressure of the pressure vessel are determined by the physical properties of materials comprising the pipe, pressure vessel and associated apparatus for a particular processing temperature. 
     
     
         19 . A computer readable storage medium comprising computer executable instructions that, in response to execution, cause a computing system to perform operations comprising:
 measuring an internal pressure of a pipe;   measuring an internal pressure of a pressure vessel incorporating the pipe;   determining whether the internal pipe pressure and the internal pressure of the pressure vessel are equal; and   in the event that the pressures are not equal, modifying the internal pressure of the pressure vessel to equal the internal pipe pressure.   
     
     
         20 . The computer readable storage medium of  claim 19 , the operations further comprising:
 maintaining a pressure differential between the internal pipe pressure and the internal pressure of the pressure vessel to a specific range.