Application:

The reformer tube used on hydrocarbon steam reforming furnace is widely used in oil refinery, chemical plant and metallurgy industry such as DRI plant.
The petrochemical industry has a big demand for hydrogen. Over 90% of global refineries and chemical plants produce hydrogen by hydrocarbon steam reforming process.
Hydrocarbon steam reforming furnace includes: inlet manifold, reformer tubes, outlet manifold and up/down pigtail tubes. Reformer tube is produced by centrifugal casting.

A modern steam reformer contains banks of catalyst filled tubes operating at temperatures around 850 to 1000℃ to produce hydrogen or mixtures of hydrogen and carbon monoxide for use in further processes.

The tubes are designed to operate at high temperature and pressure for a minimum life at design of 100,000 hours (11.4 years) and so must have high strength and exceptional quality. In order to reduce wall thicknesses and improve heat transfer, alloys of very high creep strength have been developed to give optimum life under severe operating conditions. Generally these materials are operated continuously for long periods but they must also have sufficient ductility after ageing to be shut down when required.

LMM can produce the ideal materials for these conditions to suit the operator’s requirements.

In addition LMM can produce inlet manifold systems and hot and cold collectors.