Resumen

CORREA, D.J.. Elimination of Hot Bands in a Natural Gas Reformer. Inf. tecnol. [online]. 2004, vol.15, n.3, pp. 91-96. ISSN 0718-0764.  doi: 10.4067/S0718-07642004000300015.

The purpose of this study was to find the causes of formation of hot bands due to coke deposition in a natural gas reformer which caused the unit to go out of service, resulting in higher production costs. A literature study was made to determine the variables which affected the incidence of this problem, and to produce an index which quantified the formation of coke, named Obstruction Index. The impact of different variables was systematically analyzed and these variables were related to the evolution of the Obstruction Index, always taking into account the information from the industrial plant studied. All hypotheses were discarded except that relating to the presence of light hydrocarbons. It was determined that the problem of the hot bands did not originate within the reforming unit, but rather upstream of the process in the desulfurization unit

Palabras clave : gas reforming; hot bands; coke formation; Obstruction Index; steam reformer; desulfurization.