Methanol reforming

A critical factor in your plant design

Producing the synthesis gas (syngas) needed for methanol synthesis accounts for up to 60% of the operating costs of a typical methanol plant. This makes efficient and reliable syngas generation a critical factor in your plant design and overall plant profitability.

Syngas production involves converting natural gas to a suitable stoichiometric syngas in the syngas generation section of your methanol plant. The conversion is normally carried out via tubular steam methane reforming (SMR), autothermal reforming (ATR), or a combination of these processes. To increase capacity or improve methanol reforming efficiency, these processes are sometimes combined with heat-exchange reforming, adiabatic pre-reforming and other technologies.

Whichever process you choose, it must be highly efficient and reliable to ensure profitable operation. The following Topsoe processes are designed specifically to help you maximize efficiency without compromising on reliability.

Steam reforming

Steam methane reforming (SMR) is a more conventional method for converting natural gas to syngas. Our side-fired SMR design features flexible tube-wall temperature control, which offers multiple benefits. It enables operators to adjust the firing to maintain the desired temperature and reduce the risk of hot bands and potential tube rapture. It also allows for operation with lowest possible variation of tube temperature, leading to increased conversion of methane to syngas. These benefits make Topsoe SMR solutions some of the most widely used in the industry today.

SynCOR technology

An efficient and reliable technology, Topsoe SynCOR consists of a pre-reformer followed by an autothermal reformer. Both components operate at a uniquely low steam-to-carbon ratio (≤ 0.6). The low ratio means energy savings, smaller methanol production equipment, and a smaller environmental footprint for your plant.

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Exchange reforming

Exchange reforming is a convenient and affordable method for adding extra capacity to your syngas generation unit. We offer several exchange reforming technologies that enable you to utilize waste heat and/or waste gas to boost capacity. One such technology is our HTER technology, which uses thermal energy in your reformer effluent to increase reforming capacity. Another is our HTCR technology, which adds reforming capacity using heat generated by natural gas, LPG, naphtha or off-gas.

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Adiabatic prereforming

Adiabatic prereforming helps you maximize efficiency and boost reforming capacity using waste heat. Our adiabatic prereforming technology relies on the Topsoe AR-series catalyst. This catalyst features high resistance to carbon formation and a proven ability to operate with a steam-to-carbon ratio below 0.6. All this means greater flexibility, improved safety and lower energy consumption.

Catalysts for methanol reforming

AR-401 catalyst

AR-401 is a nickel catalyst on activated magnesium alumina spinel support.

RKA-02 catalyst

RKA-02 is a nickel based top layer catalyst for oxygen fired secondary and autothermal reformers.

RKS-2 catalyst

RKS-2 is a nickel based reforming catalyst for secondary and autothermal reformers.

RKS-2-7H catalyst

RKS-2-7H is a nickel based reforming catalyst. It is used in the main bed of secondary and autothermal reformers.

RA-67-7H catalyst

RA-67-7H is a low ammonia formation catalyst for steam reforming.

RKA-10 catalyst

The RKA-10 catalyst helps you optimize the run length of your oxygen-fired reformers.

RC-67 TITAN™ catalyst

RC-67 TITAN is a non-alkali catalyst for steam reforming.

RKC-2-7H catalyst

RKC-2-7H is a nickel based reforming catalyst for secondary reforming.

RK-500 TITAN™ catalyst

A turbular reforming catalyst with superior resistance and unmatched stability.

RK-600R TITAN™ catalyst

The RK-600R TITAN is a prereduced alkali promoted steam reforming catalyst.

RK-600 TITAN catalyst

The RK-600 TITAN is an alkali promoted steam reforming catalyst.

Convection reformer HTCR

Our Convection Reformer™ (HTCR) technology is a compact, high-efficiency heat exchange reformer that provides refinery operators with a straightforward, inexpensive way to meet the growing ...

Air-fired secondary reformer

Achieve stable operation with our proven secondary reformer design. Unlike the upstream tubular primary reformer, the secondary reformer is adiabatic, and the operating conditions are more ...

Oxygen-fired secondary reformer

The secondary oxygen reformer is much more compact than the primary reformer. Combustion of the process gas hydrocarbon in oxygen causes a temperature rise that provides heat for the reforming ...

Bayonet reformer (SMR-b)

Achieve efficient hydrogen production. Our bayonet reformer SMR-b combines the novel properties of convection and radiant heat transfer in one steam reformer.

Tubular radiant wall steam reformer

The radiant wall steam reformer consists of a number of catalyst tubes in a single line in one or two fired boxes with burners placed at the walls at several elevations.

SynCOR™ - Autothermal Reformer (ATR)

Achieve autothermal reforming at low steam-to-carbon ratio. Our SynCOR process not only offers the market’s lowest cost of ownership, it is also supported by 70 years of proven reliability and ...

SynCOR™ CTS burner

A high-performance burner for reliable reformer operation. With the CTS burner, the process gas is well mixed and evenly distributed before it enters into the target tile layer and the catalyst ...

Heat Exchange Reformer (HTER)

Maximize your reforming efficiency with heat-integrated HTER technology. The HTER is ideal for all synthesis gas production and in particular for hydrogen and ammonia production.

HTZR™ target tiles

Enhance reactor performance and achieve increased lifetime of the floor, reduced material deposition in the catalyst bed, longer runtime and reduced risk of critical disintegration of the tile ...

Rampart™ catalyst bed support structure

Ensure a strong and reliable bottom support system, which takes up the same or less space than conventional support systems and minimizes operational risks and the need for maintenance.

$Reactor refractory lining$

Reactor refractory lining

Optimize your reactor reliability with advanced refractory linings designed to keep the risk of gas penetration during operation at an absolute minimum.

FreeBurn™ for secondary reformers

Optimize ammonia production. FreeBurn ensures a perfectly homogeneous admission of the process air and a gas mixture which is uniform in both temperature and composition.

Two-step methanol

This tubular reforming technology is the most commonly used methanol technology, providing the lowest CAPEX and OPEX.

One-step methanol

Low cost technology for small to medium capacity. This technology uses only steam reforming as synthesis gas generator.

SynCOR Methanol™

Proven large scale for new built. This is the most cost efficient industrially proven methanol technology available on the market.

Highlights

Customer case

Boosted operational lifetime by more than 5 times

An Asian methanol producer overcame costly shutdowns with the AR catalysts. Delivering over 5 times the competitor’s catalyst lifetime, Topsoe ensured savings, reduced downtime, and stabilized operations.

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Proven autothermal reforming technology for modern large-scale methanol plants

Brochure

Unlock the future of large-scale methanol production today

Discover how our proven autothermal reforming (ATR) technology delivers high CO/CO₂ syngas ratios, reduced costs, and unmatched efficiency for methanol plants exceeding 5,000 MTPD.

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Leaflet

The preferred choice for prereforming

Achieve superior activity, feedstock flexibility, and durability. Our AR-401 catalyst ensures reliable performance, carbon resistance, and fast startups for optimized operations.

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Applications within this area

Purification

A well-functioning purification of the feedstock to the methanol plant will have a great impact on the performance of the downstream processes and their purification catalysts.

Synthesis

Making best use of the synthesis gas and turn it into valuable high-quality methanol through methanol synthesis at the minimum cost, energy expenditures and environmental impact is our focus.

Co-production

Topsoe's integrated methanol and ammonia process IMAP™ gives you the flexibility you need to get ahead and stay there.

Contact us

Do you have a question about our products or solutions? Or do you want to know how our technologies can support your business? Contact our experts today.