초록 ▼

The invention relates to a methanol-to-hydrogen cracking reactor for use with a fuel cell vehicular power plant. The system is particularly designed for rapid start-up of the catalytic methanol cracking reactor after an extended shut-down period, i.e., after the vehicular fuel cell power plant has b

The invention relates to a methanol-to-hydrogen cracking reactor for use with a fuel cell vehicular power plant. The system is particularly designed for rapid start-up of the catalytic methanol cracking reactor after an extended shut-down period, i.e., after the vehicular fuel cell power plant has been inoperative overnight. Rapid system start-up is accomplished by a combination of direct and indirect heating of the cracking catalyst. Initially, liquid methanol is burned with a stoichiometric or slightly lean air mixture in the combustion chamber of the reactor assembly. The hot combustion gas travels down a flue gas chamber in heat exchange relationship with the catalytic cracking chamber transferring heat across the catalyst chamber wall to heat the catalyst indirectly. The combustion gas is then diverted back through the catalyst bed to heat the catalyst pellets directly. When the cracking reactor temperature reaches operating temperature, methanol combustion is stopped and a hot gas valve is switched to route the flue gas overboard, with methanol being fed directly to the catalytic cracking reactor. Thereafter, the burner operates on excess hydrogen from the fuel cells.

대표청구항 ▼

A fuel cell power system comprising: a. a fuel cell stack, b. means for providing fuel gas to said stack including means for catalytically cracking a hydrocarbon to produce hydrogen as the fuel gas, c. means for rapidly bringing said catalytic cracking means to cracking temperature including: (1) co

A fuel cell power system comprising: a. a fuel cell stack, b. means for providing fuel gas to said stack including means for catalytically cracking a hydrocarbon to produce hydrogen as the fuel gas, c. means for rapidly bringing said catalytic cracking means to cracking temperature including: (1) combustion means for burning the hydrocarbon and air to produce a combustion gas stream, including means for introducing hydrocarbon and air to said combustion means and not to said cracking means during said start-up, (2) means for bringing said combustion gas stream into heat exchange relationship the exterior of said catalytic cracking means for indirectly heating the catalytic means, and (3) means for introducing the heated combustion gas stream into the catalytic cracking means for directly heating the catalyst d. means responsive to the cracking means reaching cracking temperature for terminating passage of said hydrocarbon to said combustion means and for terminating introduction of the heated combustion stream to said cracking means, e. means for switching said hydrocarbon to said cracking means after cracking temperature is reached to reform said hydrocarbon and produce gaseous hydrogen, and f. means to introduce excess hydrogen from said fuel stack to said combustion means after cracking temperature is reached.