e-REFORMER for sustainable hydrogen production: enhancing efficiency in the steam methane reforming process

Electrifying heat supply in chemical processes offers a strategic pathway to reduce CO2 emissions associated with fossil fuel combustion. This study investigates the retrofit of an existing terrace-wall Steam Methane Reformer (SMR) in an ammonia plant by replacing fuel-fired burners with electric resistance heaters in the radiant section. The proposed e-REFORMER concept is applied to a real-world case producing hydrogen-rich syngas at 29,000 Nm3/h, with simulation and energy analysis performed using Aspen HYSYS®. The results show that electric heating reduces total thermal input by 3.78 %, lowers direct flue gas CO2 emissions by 91.56 %, and improves furnace thermal efficiency from 85.6 % to 88.9 % (+3.3 %). The existing furnace design and convection heat recovery system are largely preserved, maintaining process integration and plant operability. While the case study reflects a medium-scale plant, the methodology applies to larger facilities and supports integration with decarbonised power grids and Carbon Capture, Utilisation, and Storage (CCUS) technologies. This work advances current literature by addressing full-system integration of electrification within hydrogen and ammonia production chains, offering a viable pathway to improve energy efficiency and reduce industrial emissions.