Hydrogen gas plants need refractory solutions to reliably insulate steam reformers used at refineries and petrochemical plants to convert natural gas to hydrogen. The resulting hydrogen is used to manufacture high-value chemical products such as ammonia for the fertilizer and agriculture industries.
Hydrogen Gas Plants Refractory Solutions
HarbisonWalker International provides hydrogen gas plants with tailored solutions for refractory linings to ensure that steam reformer units have high thermal insulation for reliable, energy efficient operation in a severe environment. HWI’s refractory linings are specifically designed for environments with elevated temperatures, reactive gases, and hydrogen corrosion.
Hydrogen gas plants convert natural gas into hydrogen in contact with steam and a catalyst in a primary steam reformer operating at temperatures of 2200°F. The 1600°F hydrogen gases are then passed through refractory-lined transfer lines to the next processing vessel.
HarbisonWalker International refractory linings for hydrogen plants are designed for the highest insulating value possible. We provide every type of lightweight product needed to line steam reformers including INSWOOL® ceramic fiber, EMPIRE® DP high-duty firebricks, and GREENTHERM low-iron insulating firebrick.
We also provide refractory specially designed for hydrogen transfer lines where silica contamination is an issue. Silica can be vaporized from the refractory, travel downstream, and condense inside equipment causing blockage and bringing down all operations. Our silica-free product lines GREENCAST®-94 and KAST-O-LITE® 97 L eliminate this concern.
What’s more, we are a distributor of emissivity coatings, a special refractory coating used to maximize efficiency, reduce maintenance and downtime, and enhance the performance of steam methane reformers.
Hydrogen Gas Plants Refractory Linings: Key Benefits
- Consistent thermal reliability at extremely high temperatures
- Resistance to hydrogen corrosion
- Extended service life of units
- Increased production efficiency
- Reduced fuel use
- Reduced maintenance costs and downtime
Featured Products for Hydrogen Gas Plants
INSWOOL® BLANKET and INSWOOL® MODULES: ceramic fiber products for the reformer sidewall and roof. They provide lower shell temperatures and superior thermal-shock resistance during unit operation. Ceramic fiber products can also be heated faster after installation to help reduce unit downtime.
EMPIRE® DP: a dense, high-duty firebrick for steam reformer floor hot-face lining. The key benefits of these products include low porosity to withstand combustion slag buildup from dirty fuels and high strength to withstand maintenance equipment loads during turnarounds.
GREENTHERM 23 LI: a low-iron insulating firebrick for steam reformer linings, provides very low thermal conductivity values to reduce steel temperatures and immediate startup of the unit after installation to help reduce unit downtime.
KALA®: dense, 50% alumina, mullite-bonded, alkali and creep resistant brick designed for use in applications where the brick will be completely heated on all sides for an extended period of time. Because of its great creep resistance, KALA is perfectly suited for tunnel walls and division walls in various designs of reformers and heaters.