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Technology

CO2 Reforming Process

Chiyoda has developed the CO2/Steam Reforming Process, which enables the development of low-quality natural gas fields containing CO2 or reuses efficiently CO2 emitted from various industrial processes. This reforming process can produce synthesis gases (H2 and CO) more efficiently than conventional steam-reforming process.

Synthesis gases are used as raw materials for producing liquid fuels (GTL, DME, etc.) and various chemicals. The produced liquid fuels contain no sulfuric and nitrogenous compounds, so that exhausted gases after combustion become extremely clean. This process uses CO2 as a raw material and uses Chiyoda’s unique reforming catalyst, thereby achieving high energy efficiency. Therefore, this reforming process is an environmentally-friendly technology due to significant reduction of carbon dioxide emissions.

The CO2/Steam Reforming Process

An overall view of JAPAN-GTL demonstration plant (production process of synthesis gas: The Chiyoda CO2/steam reforming process)

Direct Production of Synthesis Gases with a Wide Range of H2/CO Ratios

Direct production of synthesis gases with a wide range of H2/CO ratios is efficiently accomplished by controlling the raw material compositions such as steam/carbon ratios and CO2/carbon ratios. This process gives the synthesis gases with a H2/CO ratio of 2.0 suitable for producing GTL or methanol. Furthermore, this process is also applicable to the production of synthesis gas with a H2/CO ratio of 1.0 suitable for oxo-synthesis, and CO as a raw material of acetic acid.

Synthesis Gas Production under Optimum Conditions with a novel catalyst

Proprietary catalyst having high tolerance against carbon formation can reduce amounts of steam and CO2 supplied to the catalyst. As a consequence, the stable production of synthesis gases with the highest energy efficiency was attained in long-term operation without any carbon formation.

High Energy Efficiency and Cost-competitive Performance

By adopting this process, raw materials consumption can be reduced by ca. 60% compared to conventional steam-reforming process. This improvement of energy efficiency results in significant reduction of capital and running costs and emitted amounts of CO2. In particular, the capital cost can be reduced by more than 20% compared to conventional processes in the case of producing a synthesis gas with a H2/CO ratio of 1.0, and by more than 40% in the case of producing it having a H2/CO ratio of 0.5. Chiyoda’s reforming process is thus cost-competitive.