Autothermal reforming (ATR) combines endothermic steam reforming and exothermic partial oxidation to produce synthesis gas from hydrocarbons such as natural gas. In conventional steam reforming, hydrocarbons react with steam to form synthesis gas—a mixture of carbon monoxide (CO) and hydrogen (H₂)—and require an external heat supply. In contrast, autothermal reforming generates the required process heat internally.
In ATR, part of the hydrocarbon feed is oxidized with oxygen (O₂), releasing heat through an exothermic reaction. The resulting reaction products, water (H₂O) and carbon dioxide (CO₂), subsequently react with the remaining hydrocarbons at a defined steam-to-carbon (S/C) ratio in the steam reforming step, forming synthesis gas with a controlled H₂/CO ratio. This integrated process allows compact reactor design and high thermal efficiency.
For reliable autothermal operation, steam reforming catalysts with tailored activity and thermal stability are required to withstand different temperature zones within the reformer. ReforMax 420 and ReforMax 330 are designed for autothermal reforming applications and ensure high conversion, stable performance, and long catalyst lifetime under demanding operating conditions.
