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 CO 2 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 Nm 3 /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 CO 2 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. • Electric reformers significantly reduce CO 2 emissions in ammonia production plants. • The existing reformer design is kept, with electric heating in radiant sections. • The total thermal energy input required by the first reformer is reduced by 3.78%. • CO 2 emissions are cut by 91.56% per kg H 2 versus conventional fuel-based reformers. • The thermal efficiency of the reformer furnace increases from 85.6% up to 88.9%.