NAME: NIK MUHAMMAD HARRIS BIN NIK AZHARUDDEEN

COURSE SUBJECT: PRINCIPLES OF CHEMICAL ENGINEERING

TITLE: ENGINEERING REPORT, ASSIGNMENT 2-PRODUCTION OF HYDROGEN
PREPARED BY: NIK MUHAMMAD HARRIS BIN NIK AZHARUDDEEN
PREPARED FOR: PROFESSOR SAIBAL GANGULY

PROBLEM STATEMENT
Hydrogen is the chemical element with atomic number 1. It is the most abundant chemical
element, constituting about 75% of the Universes chemical elemental mass. Hydrogen gas
was first artificially manufactured in the early 16th century by mixing metals with strong acids.
For many years the industrials demands for hydrogen were limited to the relatively small
quantities used in operating oxy-hydrogen lamps used for projection purpose and for use in
the oxyhydrogen blowpipe for melting refractory materials. But in 1900s we started using it
in production of ammonia and on a alcohols and for the refinery purpose other than this now
it is used in chemical refinery, metal treating and oil hydrogenation.
How is hydrogen actually produced? This research is basically providing information on how
hydrogen is made and what are its feeds.

PROBLEM ANALYSIS

Energy balance for Pre heater

In this feed is heated from initial available temperature of 500C to 2500C
By steam heating, steam is available at 600 psig
Data:
Inlet temperature of feed = 500C

Outlet temperature = 2100C

Steam is available at 600 psig
Flow rate of feed gas = 529.74 kmol/hr
Flow rate of methane in the feed mixture = 527.62 kmol/hr
Flow rate of nitrogen in the feed mixture = 2.12kmol/hr
(CP)CH4 =0.625 cal/gm C =10 cal/gmolC = 41.8 kJ/kmol K
(CP)H2 = 0.265 cal/gC = 7.42 cal/gmolC = 30.430 kJ/kmol

(CP) mix =(0.996 x 41.8 kJ/kmol K) + (0.004x30.430 kJ/kmol K)

(CP) mix =41.75 kJ/kmol K

Heat balance for waste heat boiler is given by

In W.H.B(waste heat boiler) gas from reactor are cooled from cold water which is converted
to steam with the heat transferred by gas cooling.
Data:
Inlet temperature of gas = 13000C
Outlet temperature of gas = 2500C
Boiler water is available at = 200C
Steam is produced at 600 psig
Gas Flow rate
Gas

Composition (vol %)

CO2
CO
H2
CH4
N2
H2S

4.32
46.55
47.15
0.60
0.56
0.81

CP of mixture = = 35.773 kJ/kmol0C

Heat transferred by gas = 1832.48 x 35.773 x 1050
Heat taken by cold water = M x CP x T +M x s
We have
M x CP x T +M x s = 1832.48 x 35.773 x 1050
M (4.187 x 80 + 2210) =1832.48 x35.773 x1050
Mass flow rate of cold water = 27045.99 kg/h = 7.51 kg/s

PROBLEM FORMULATION

CP
(kJ/kmolC)
70.00
36.43
31.768
100.48
36.343
neglected

Heat transferred by steam will be used by feed gas for heating.

Using formula:
Heat received by gas = n x Cp x T
= 529.62 x 41.75 x 160
= 3537861.6 KJ/h
Heat supplied by steam
Let steam flow rate be M Kg/h
Also
M x s = 3537861.6 KJ/h
M = 0.44 kg/sec

RESULTS AND DISCUSSIONS

While decreasing coal usage continues to force hydrogen out of the energy sector, the long
term chances for its return remain good as long as its advantages of renewable production
and carbon-free nature continue to be demanded. But why should these demands continue
to increase in the near future? In the local emission balance, the quantum leap has already
been achieved by a shift from petrol and diesel to natural gas. In this respect hydrogen offers
emission levels way beyond existing and future emission standards.
An application therefore only makes sense where, along with the local low emission levels,
other advantages are offered. As secondary energy carrier, hydrogen offers the possibility,
through change in the share of energy sources, of a gradual change from CO2 emitting to
CO2-free traffic while retaining existing technology. The basis for a long term change is
caused on the one hand by the concern about the depletion of fossil fuel resources and on
the other hand by the need of drastically reducing all (and in particular climate affecting)
emissions. In this respect, it is unimportant whether the depletion of fossil fuels or the
pollution of the atmosphere dictates the course of action. With these points in mind, it is only
in connection with renewable energy based production that hydrogen has significant
importance:
For the storage of energy,
For the transport of energy and
As a pollution free mobile energy carrier.

Having accepted these considerations, then due to the long lead-time before securing a
significant market share, a well-timed program of continual development, testing and
demonstration is required. The move to a large scale hydrogen based energy sector will also
be seen as an important option when the contribution by fluctuating generation electricity
producers (wind, solar) reaches such a level that the electricity supply and demand can only
be matched with the aid of a storage mechanism. Simulations with data from the German
electricity industry show that this would be necessary for a 20 - 25% contribution from
renewable energy sources, a level not subject to possible changes. Hydrogen presently has
the most attractive properties as a "Storage Medium" of electricity: Compared with the
storage of electricity in batteries, the material costs are many times lower. This application is
used on a small scale in the energy-autonomous solar house of the Fraunhofer Institute for
Solar Energy Systems. Excess electricity is stored in a 5-m3 hydrogen tank and then used
as required for heating support, cooking or regeneration of electricity at times of low solar
radiation. If the same amount of energy were to be stored in batteries, a lead-acid battery
installation weighing 40 t and consuming an area of 100 m3 would be needed. Independent
of this long-term option, hydrogen can be used as a pollution free fuel for traffic applications.
In the short term, this could best be applied to urban vehicles in order to reduce emissions in
city centers, in long term however every form of transport vehicle could be affected, be it
ships, trains or aeroplanes. The advantages of no pollution and reduced fuel weight are
however coupled with an increase in the volume and weight of the required fuel tank, which
for small vehicles would lead to a reduction in range and payload.

If one is to follow the long term strategy of establishing hydrogen as an energy carrier, then
the early "niche applications" in the transport area or fuel cell applications present the first
available markets. A low cost introduction and testing phase can take place in the
surroundings of conventional chemical hydrogen production. Within the next five to ten
years, this should lead to an economical market penetration that could be sustainably
extended in the medium-term with imported hydrogen and other hydrogen sources (e.g.
biomass gasification).

REFERENCES
Website:

1) http://www.sbioinformatics.com

FLOWDIAGRAMS
1) PRIMARY REFORMER

Steam at 850C

Products at 850C

Feed at 600C

1) Calculation for primary reformer:

Naptha feed rate 422987 kg/hr
For Naptha, specific heat is given by
Cp = (4.0 S) x (t + 670) = Btu/lbF
6450
Where S = Specific gravity
For Naptha S = 0.686
t = 1112F
Cp = (4.0 0.686) x (1112 + 670)
6450

= 0.9155 Kcal/kgC
Now Datum Temperature = 850C at which products are withdrawn
Energy coming with feed = mCp (T)

= 422987 x0.9155 x (600 850)

= - 96811073.33 Kcal/hr
This much heat is to be supplied to the reformer.

2) SECONDARY REFORMER

Air at 600C
Inlet at 850C

Outlet at 950C

Components
CH4
CO
CO2
H2
H2O

Kmol/hr
258.31
731.57
494.6
2841.7
1867.39
2) Calculation for second

Components
CH4
CO
CO2
N2
H2
H2O
Ar

Kmol/hr
7.73
967.817
508.88
1292.5
2911.392
2373.05
16.57

reformer:
Assuming datum temperature = 850C
Energy coming with air = 1988.8 7.5 (600 850)

= - 3729000 Kcal
At Outlet = ni Cpi dT
= (7.73 14.4 + 967.817 7.5 + 508. 88 11.75 + 2911.392 7.1 + 1292.5 7.5
+ 16.575 4.95 +2373.05 9.1) 100
= 6526146.395 Kcal/hr
After Reaction = -8476.19 Kcal/kmol
Total heat of reaction = -210584342.2 Kcal
Amount of energy to be supplied = 7535775Kcal/hr
Heat exchanger between second reformer and HTS converter
Water available at 25C, outlet water temperature assumed to be 60C
Amount of heat to be removed = nCpT
= (7.73 14.4 + 967.817 7.5 + 508. 88 11.75 +
2911.392 7.1 + 1292.5 7.5 + 16.575 4.95 +
2373.05 9.1) (950 340)
= 39809493.01 Kcal/hr
Amount of water required to remove this much amount of heat

= 39809493.01
60.25
= 1137414.086 Kg/hr