US Patent 9067786 Primary reformer with secondary inlet channels supplying the burner

The invention relates to a reactor for catalytic reformation of hydrocarbons with steam at elevated pressure, said reactor comprising a reaction space and a fire space, said reaction space comprised of a multitude of vertical tubes arranged in rows and suitable for being filled with a catalyst, and having facilities for feeding hydrocarbons and steam to be reformed to the reaction space, and furthermore comprising facilities for discharge of reformed synthesis gas from the reaction space, and furthermore comprising a multitude of firing facilities in the upper area of the firing space, said firing facilities being able to generate mainly downwardly directed flames that are suitable to heat the aforementioned reaction tubes, with the tube feeding air to the burner being equipped with a facility for adjusting and setting the air flow, and there being a secondary air feeder mounted additionally to this tube and branching-off from it and configured in various layouts and having an independently controllable facility for adjusting and setting the air flow and also feeding air to the firing device so that a more favorable ratio of fuel gas versus air results at the burners so as to be able to achieve a waste gas poor in nitric oxides.