Steam Reformer 
Design, Fabrication and Erection 
 
 
 
 
Baher EL Shaikh  
baherfm@yahoo.com
April, 2010 
 
1. Introduction:
The steam reformer is one of the main critical equipment in Methanol and
Ammonia production plants. The cost of the reformer is a substantial part of the
investment of the complete plant. This paper covers in brief the service, design,
and construction of the steam reformer with concentration on the construction
materials, damage mechanisms and their mitigation for the radiant section
(catalyst tube – inlet and outlet pigtail – inlet and outlet manifold). This is mainly to
help in maintaining high levels of safety, reliability, and structure integrity of the
reformer

2. Service
The steam reformer is used in the production of synthesis gases from the natural
gas. In the steam reformer steam is mixed with the natural gas and the combined
stream is further heated and routed through tubes in a reforming furnace
containing nickel oxide catalyst. Here a reforming reaction occurs in which
methane in the natural gas is partially converted into hydrogen, carbon dioxide
and carbon monoxide.

CH4 + H2O CO + 3H2 (Steam Methane)

CO + H2O CO2 + H2 (Water Gas Shift)

3. Description
The steam reformer is a rectangular
insulated structure containing vertically
supported tubes filled with nickel oxide
catalyst in which the steam reforming
takes place at elevated temperatures.

The endothermic heat of reaction is

supplied from downward firing burners
situated in the roof of the Reformer. These
are fired on a mixture of combined
process waste gas streams supplemented
with natural gas. The burners are
arranged in rows between the reforming
tubes and are positioned such that no
flame impingement occurs on the tubes or on the furnace walls.

The natural gas and steam reactants are evenly distributed by a system of
headers on the top of the reforming furnaces and the connections to each tube
are made by solid drawn alloy flexible connectors.
4. Main components
4.1. Burners : Main and auxiliary burners
4.2. Radiant coils:
 Catalyst tubes
 Inlet and outlet manifolds
 Inlet and outlet pigtails
4.3. Convection section coil
4.4. Ducting
 Air ducting with supports and guides
 Turning Flue gas ducting with supports
 Main burners duct
 Transition duct
 Air intake
 Flue gas duct to stack
4.5. Refractory radiant and auxiliary firing lining
4.6. Steel works
4.7. Piping included in reformer package
 Interconnection piping (convection to radiant)
 Steam and mixed feed gas
 Inlet manifolds
 Inlet and outlet pigtails
 Main and auxiliary burners piping complete
 Instrument, drain and vent connection
4.8. Reformer gas main
4.9. Flue gas stack
4.10. Equipment:
 Steam superheater no. 1
 Mixed feed heater
 Steam superheater no. 2
 Mixed feed heater no.2
 Combustion air preheater
 Flue gas stack
 Flue gas fan with steam turbine
 Combustion air fan with steam turbine
5. Mechanical design and material selection:
5.1. Reformer tube assembly
Because of the severity of the operating conditions, reformer tubes assembly
are fabricated from centrifugal cast materials. This material provides high
potential to withstand the operating conditions that it has superior stress-to-
rupture strength at high temperature. The latest trend is to utilize micro-alloys,
which have a higher creep resistance. The most successful alloy is the micro-
alloys, which is obviously the stronger alloy. The reformer tubes were fabricated
from CA 4852-Micro centrifugal cast austenitic stainless steel tubes. This tube
material is based on the standard heat resistant HP-type casting alloy containing
0.35-0.75 weight percent (wt%) C, 2 % (max) Si, 25% Cr, 35% Ni, and 2% (max) Mn.
These materials have high stability of carbide, increased creep strength, higher
durability and oxidation resistance compared to the conventional materials.

Fig. 1: Key principle conducted in reforming Fig.2: Tube assembly

The advantages of using these micro-alloys are:

 Possibility of operation of the reformer at higher temperature & pressure
 Reduced reformer wall thickness
 Increased quantity of catalyst packing in the same space – this aspect has
been utilized advantageously, for increasing the capacity and reducing the
energy consumption of existing Reformers.
 These materials provide high resistant to metal dusting that corrosion
mechanisms like oxidation and carburization govern metal dusting. Uniform
oxidation of the alloys definitely inhibits carburization and metal dusting
temporarily through formation of protective scales. Scale formation is
supported by high chromium contents, medium silicon contents, and small
grain sizes and induced surface deformation. All these factors make
chromium and other stable oxide formers (Mn, Si, AI) diffuse faster to the
surface and therefore increase the re-healing capacity of the dense
 protective chromia layer. Controlling these most favored oxidation
mechanisms therefore bears the potential to control metal dusting.
 The HP-40 modified Nb tube showed a severely aged structure within its short
service period. Chromium carbides (M23C6) and niobium carbides,
precipitated at elevated temperatures, did not adversely affect the
mechanical strength of the tube. Creep voids observed between the cracks
did not contribute the tube failure. The tube failed as a result of thermal shock
caused by the temperature gradient difference during the furnace
operation.

5.2. Outlet manifold assembly

Outlet components such as manifold tube, Cone sections and T-pieces are
made from centrifugal casting. Fig.3 shows the assembly of the outlet manifold.
The outlet assemblies were fabricated from G4859 (20%Cr–32%Ni-Nb). These
components need to cope with the expansion stresses; therefore, ductility is of
primary importance. Creep strength is of secondary importance.

Fig 3: outlet manifold assembly

5.3. Outlet Pigtail (Hairpin)

The outlet pigtail is fabricated from pipe 1-1/2 in under the rules of ASME B31.3.
Fig. 4 shows the arrangement of the outlet pigtails. The Outlet pigtails are made
from ASTM B 407 alloy 800H (30%Ni, 20%Cr). Alloys 800H and 800HT are the
standard materials for intermediate temperatures (620 to 925 °C) 1. These alloys
combine corrosion resistance with strength and metallurgical stability (Fig. 5).

Fig.4: Outlet pigtail arrangement

Fig.5: High-temperature stre
ess rupture data
d for variious nickel-bbase and sttainless alloy
ys. Test
duration was up to 10,000
1 hr. 1

5.4. Inlet Pigta

ail (Hairpin)
The inlet pigtail
p is fab
bricated frrom pipe 1-1/4
1 in undder the rules of ASME B31.3.
The inlet pigtails are madem from ASTM A312 Grade TP304H a austenitic stainless
s
stee
el. The inleet pigtails operate
o a relatively
at y lower te
emperature e than the e outlet
pigttails. The design
d tem
mperature is 440o C ata the inle and 770oC at the
et pigtail a
outlet pigtail. Fig.6 show ws the arran
ngement ofo the inlet pigtails.

Fig.6: Inlet pigtail arrangemen

nt
6. Damage mechanisms:
6.1. Reformer tubes
6.1.1 Description of damage
The main damage mechanism for reformer tubes is the combination of thermal
stresses across the tube wall and internal pressure stresses. This combination
causes that creep damage typically develops at the inner diameter or just below
the ID surface. Also, the creep damage occurs over the complete circumference
(or at least a large part of the circumference) and over a longer (axial) part of
the tube. The damage process results in diameter increase and creep damage
(cavitation) at the inner diameter. Final rupture occurs in a longitudinal direction.
The tube materials HP40 micro shows relatively high creep resistance. Fig.7
compares the average100,000 hours creep resistance of several reformer alloys.

Fig.7: Comparison of creep resistance of several reformer alloys3

Another main damage mechanism can be overheating by catalyst

degeneration or by operating upsets. Typically, catalyst degeneration results in
creep damage over a small part of the circumference and over a short (axial)
part of the tube. This means bulging and the final rupture occur also in axial
direction.

Fig.7: Creep growth in reformer tube

Fig.6: Tube creep rupture

6.1.2 Prevention /Mitigation
There is a little to be done to prevent this damage, the best way to avoid creep
and stress rupture is the selection of the proper material, which is applied in our
reformer as described above.

The catalyst tubes were inspected and base line readings of the diameter and
thickness were recorded using the advanced tool of Quest Reliability at shop. This
will help in the future monitoring and inspection of any minor changes takes
place in the tubes and detection of deformation before damage.

6.2. Outlet manifold assemblies

6.2.1 Description of damage

The damage mechanisms of outlet components (manifolds, cones, T-pieces) are

generally much simpler than that of the reformer tubes, because the outlet
components are not subject to firing conditions. Thermal gradients across the
tube wall are not significant and do not cause thermal stresses.

The main damage mechanism for outlet component is hindered thermal

expansion. The outlet system cannot expand or shrink freely during shutdown and
start up. Very often, there is an interaction with creep, because of the long hold-
times involved. The damage starts at the outer diameter and concentrates near
the welds. The final rupture occurs in circumferential direction.

Another damage mechanism is creep under internal pressure resulting is creep

under internal pressure resulting in diameter increase and creep damage at the
outer diameter. Final rupture occurs in longitudinal direction.

6.2.2 Prevention and mitigation

One of the important parameter to prevent/mitigate the damage –in addition to
the proper material selection which is applied- is to control the heating and
cooling rates during startup and shutdown.

6.3. Outlet pigtail (hairpin)

6.3.1 Description of damage
The commonly reported failure mechanism in the outlet pigtails is intergranular
oxidation cracking, due to the combination of creep, oxidation. This mechanism
involves interaction of mechanical fatigue, high temperature creep, diffusion of
carbon and chromium, and high temperature oxidation. Figure 8 shows a
recorded failure location and the orientation of the crack in a outlet pigtail pipe.
 Mechanical fatigue is due to the repeated expansion and contraction of both
tubes and headers that occur during both on-stream and transient periods.
During operation these pigtails see process temperatures at about (750°C) where
creep can occur and can accelerate formation of creep fissures.

Fig.8: crack on pigtail in a longitudinal direction

6.3.2 Prevention and mitigation

Since fatigue is one of the major factors causing damage, so damage can be
efficiently mitigated/prevented by controlling the rates of heating and cooling
during startup and shutdown.

7. References:
1. ASM handbook Volume 13 "Corrosion".
2. API 571 “ Damage mechanisms affecting fixed equipment in the refinery
industry
3. Kirchieiner. R. and Woelopert, P. Niobium in certified cast tubes for
petrochemical applications.
4. NACE paper no. 01374; correlation of oxidation, carburization and metal
dusting; "controlling corrosion by corrosion".
5. NACE paper no. 03657; Failure mechanism of alloy 800H in steam reformer
furnace pigtails.
6. Paper of the 6th Schmidt + Clemens Group Symposium; "Life assessment and
inspection techniques in reformer furnace".
7. Paper of Johnson Matthey Catalysts about Re-tubing your primary reformer
The Katalcojm performance concept.
8. Three-dimensional analysis of creep voids formation in steam-methane
reformer tubes; Azmi Abdul Wahab; university of Canterbury.