Study on a methane-steam reformer by high-temperature helium

This report concerns the preliminary study on a methane-steam reformer by high-temperature helium, for which the high-temperature heat exchanger loop, previously reported at the BNES conference on the High-Temperature Reactor and Process Applications in 1974, was reconstructed and redesigned. The loop was designed for use in basic research on methane-steam reforming using high-temperature helium to develop a reformer for a nuclear complex producing iron and steel. As in the case of the high-temperature heat exchanger, the Iron and Steel Institute of Japan provided an outline for the research and IHI undertook its execution, including both the design and construction of the loop. The purpose of the research is to conduct studies on reformed gas production and permeation of hydrogen contained in the reformed gas through heat-resisting alloys. The primary coolant used was helium at a maximum pressure of 6kg/cm2(g) and maximum temperature of 10100C at the reformer inlet. Reduction gas reformed in the secondary side had a maximum pressure of 4kg/cm2(g) and maximum temperature of 9250C at the reformer outlet. (author)