January 01, 2015

From the agrochemicals sector to steel production, from petroleum refineries to chemicals production — many sectors of the chemical process industries (CPI) would grind to a halt overnight without one crucial ingredient: syngas. Short for synthesis gas, syngas describes a blend of primarily hydrogen and carbon monoxide. Broadly speaking, syngas is generated by one of two ways: using a methane reforming process, based on a gaseous reaction principle; or applying a gasification technique, centered around a heterogeneous reaction. When it comes to the downstream application, on the other hand, the ratio of H2 to CO in the final syngas will vary depending on the process used. The rule of thumb is that reforming techniques yield a higher H2 content, while gasification tips the balance in favor of CO. This article focuses on methane-reforming technologies as the most efficient way of generating H2.