STEAM REFORMING METHOD OF HEAT STORAGE SWITCHING-OVER TYPE FOR HEATING FURNACE FUEL

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To prevent the occurrence of explosion of oxygen-contained gas by a method wherein switching over to the feed of oxygen-contained gas and fuel to a heating furnace burner is effected, oxygen-contained gas is preheated by a preheater, and after fuel is reformed to steam by a reformer, steam, reformed fuel, and preheated oxygen-contained gas are mixed together for combustion by a combustion burner. SOLUTION: After a reforming catalyst 6 in a reformer 5 arranged in a fuel feed piping 4 is heated by an exhaust gas sensible heat, introduction of exhaust gas to an oxygen-contained gas feed piping 3 and a fuel feed piping 4 is disconnected. The inside gas of the fuel feed piping 4 and the reformer 5 is substituted by steam or inactive gas containing steam through steam opening closing valves 12 and 12'. Switching to the feed of oxygen-contained gas and fuel to a combustion burner 1 of a heating furnace is then effected, oxygen-contained gas is preheated by a reformer 13, and steam reforming of fuel is performed by the reformer 5. Further, steam- reformed fuel and preheated oxygen-contained gas are mixed together for combustion by a combustion burner 1. This constitution prevents explosion of explosion mixture gas present in a piping or a heat accumulation body.