초록 ▼

A fuel reformer suited for mounting on a vehicle is provided. A raw material gas containing methanol and water is vaporized at a vaporization section 30. The vaporized gas flows horizontally to a reforming section 60 with monolithic catalyst 70. The reforming section is divided into two sides, a fro

A fuel reformer suited for mounting on a vehicle is provided. A raw material gas containing methanol and water is vaporized at a vaporization section 30. The vaporized gas flows horizontally to a reforming section 60 with monolithic catalyst 70. The reforming section is divided into two sides, a front side 62 and a rear side 64, with an interconnecting pipe 66 bent at 180 degrees, for connecting the front and rear sides. By making the material gas flow horizontally, even when the reformer is mounted to a vehicle which has a larger space in its horizontal direction than in its vertical direction, especially a small passenger car, the contact time period between gas and catalyst can be extended. By bending the reforming section by 180 degrees, the size of the reformer can be reduced so that the reformer is suited for mounting on a vehicle having limited space. Because the vaporization section 30 and the CO reducing section 80 can be placed adjacent to each other, by using heat generated at the CO reducing section, the heat loss during pre-heating of the methanol and water can be reduced.

대표청구항 ▼

1. A fuel reformer for mounting on a vehicle, comprisinga vaporization section for vaporizing reforming raw material including water and hydrocarbon fuel, a reforming section for reforming raw material gas including said vaporized reforming raw material to a reformed gas rich in hydrogen by a reform

1. A fuel reformer for mounting on a vehicle, comprisinga vaporization section for vaporizing reforming raw material including water and hydrocarbon fuel, a reforming section for reforming raw material gas including said vaporized reforming raw material to a reformed gas rich in hydrogen by a reforming reaction, and a carbon monoxide reducing section for reducing carbon monoxide concentration in said reformed gas to obtain fuel gas, wherein said reforming section performs said reforming reaction by making said material gas flow in a direction parallel to the floor surface of the vehicle.