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A miniature vaporizer for effectively vaporizing a process fluid (e.g., a liquid media) in small energy system applications, such as systems employing chemical reformers and fuel cells. The vaporizer of the present invention can employ a heating medium, such as a hot exhaust generated by a power sys

A miniature vaporizer for effectively vaporizing a process fluid (e.g., a liquid media) in small energy system applications, such as systems employing chemical reformers and fuel cells. The vaporizer of the present invention can employ a heating medium, such as a hot exhaust generated by a power system, as the heating source for generating steam or for evaporating a fluid (e.g., liquid chemicals or fuels). The vaporizer of the invention can optionally be configured to vaporize water thereby functioning as a miniature steam generator, to evaporate a process fluid thereby functioning as a miniature evaporator or heat exchanger, or to evaporate a process fluid and mix the fluid with another medium. This evaporator/mixer configuration can be used in reformer plants where a liquid chemical or fuel (e.g., gasoline, diesel, methanol, etc.) needs to be first evaporated and mixed with steam prior to the introduction of the resultant mixture to a converter (e.g., reformor or fuel cell).

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The invention claimed is: 1. A vaporizer suitable for use with a chemical converter, comprising a housing forming a chamber, and a bundle element disposed within the chamber, wherein the bundle element includes a conduit in fluid communication with one or more heat exchanging surfaces defining a co

The invention claimed is: 1. A vaporizer suitable for use with a chemical converter, comprising a housing forming a chamber, and a bundle element disposed within the chamber, wherein the bundle element includes a conduit in fluid communication with one or more heat exchanging surfaces defining a confined volume that is free of a baffle, wherein the bundle element comprises a multi-sheet layer forming the heat exchanging surface, wherein the multi-sheet layer is wrapped about and disposed in fluid communication with the conduit. 2. The vaporizer of claim 1, wherein the housing extends along an axis and is configured to be oriented essentially in a vertical position during use, wherein a process fluid is introduced to the conduit through an inlet disposed at a bottom portion of the housing, and exits the conduit from an outlet located at a top portion of the housing. 3. The vaporizer of claim 1, wherein the multi-sheet layer is sealed along selected outer edges. 4. The vaporizer of claim 1, wherein the housing includes a medium inlet and a medium outlet in fluid communication with the chamber, the medium inlet being adapted to receive a heating medium, and the heating medium flows through a space formed between facing wraps of the multi-sheet layer when wrapped about the conduit. 5. The vaporizer of claim 4, wherein the heating medium comprises at least one of an exhaust from the chemical converter and steam. 6. The vaporizer of claim 4, wherein the heating medium vaporizes the process fluid when disposed in the bundle element. 7. The vaporizer of claim 1, wherein the conduit comprises a fluid inlet and a fluid outlet adapted for receiving a process fluid. 8. The vaporizer of claim 7, wherein the fluid inlet and the fluid outlet of the conduit are fluidly isolated from the chamber. 9. The vaporizer of claim 7, wherein the process fluid comprises at least one of water, liquid chemical, liquid fuel, gasoline, methanol, and diesel. 10. The vaporizer of claim 1, wherein one or more sheets of the multi-sheet layer include surface features. 11. The vaporizer of claim 10, wherein the surface features comprise generally parallel rows of dimples or corrugations. 12. The vaporizer of claim 1, further comprising a conduit system having a second conduit in fluid communication with said bundle element and disposed outside said chamber, wherein said second conduit is configured as a liquid gauge to allow a user to determine visually the amount of liquid within the bundle element. 13. The vaporizer of claim 1, wherein at least one of the bundle element or the housing is formed of a high temperature material including nickel alloys. 14. The vaporizer of claim 1, wherein the heat exchanging surfaces comprise a plurality of sheets, at least one of the sheets having surface features forming spacers for separating the sheets from each other to form flow passages. 15. The vaporizer of claim 14, wherein the flow passages are disposed in fluid communication with the conduit. 16. The vaporizer of claim 1, wherein the bundle element comprises a plurality of tubes disposed within the conduit, wherein a wall of at least one of the plurality of tubes and the conduit forms the heat exchanging surface. 17. The vaporizer of claim 16, wherein the plurality of tubes is disposed in fluid communication with the chamber. 18. A system comprising a plurality of the vaporizers of claim 1, wherein the housings of the vaporizers are fluidly coupled to be in common fluid communication with each other, and wherein the bundle elements are fluidly coupled to be in separate common fluid communication with each other. 19. An evaporator/mixer suitable for use with a chemical converter, comprising a housing forming a chamber, and a bundle element disposed within the chamber, wherein the bundle element includes a conduit in fluid communication with one or more heat exchanging surfaces defining a confined volume that is free of a baffle, wherein the bundle element further comprises a multi-sheet layer forming the heat exchanging surfaces, wherein the multi-sheet layer is wrapped about and disposed in fluid communication with the conduit. 20. The evaporator/mixer of claim 19, wherein the housing extends along an axis and is configured to be oriented essentially in a vertical position during use, wherein a process fluid is introduced to the conduit through an inlet disposed at a bottom portion of the housing, and exits the conduit from an outlet disposed at a top portion of the housing. 21. The evaporator/mixer of claim 19, wherein the multi-sheet layer is sealed along outer edges, and is unsealed along a top edge when the evaporator/mixer is disposed in a vertical position. 22. The evaporator/mixer of claim 21, wherein the chamber is configured for allowing a heating medium to pass therethrough, and wherein the bundle element is disposed in fluid communication with the chamber along the unsealed top edge so as to mix a process fluid exiting the bundle element with the heating medium in the chamber. 23. The evaporator/mixer of claim 19, wherein the housing includes a medium inlet and a medium outlet in fluid communication with the chamber, the medium inlet being adapted to receive a heating medium. 24. The evaporator/mixer of claim 23, wherein the heating medium comprises at least one of an exhaust from the chemical converter and steam. 25. The evaporator/mixer of claim 19, wherein the conduit comprises a fluid inlet and a fluid outlet adapted for receiving a process fluid, wherein said fluid outlet of the conduit is disposed in fluid communication with the chamber, wherein said chamber is adapted to receive a heating medium. 26. The evaporator/mixer of claim 25, wherein the process fluid comprises at least one of water, liquid chemical, liquid fuel, gasoline, methanol, and diesel. 27. The evaporator/mixer of claim 25, wherein the heating medium in said chamber evaporates the process fluid in the bundle element. 28. The evaporator/mixer of claim 19, wherein one or more of the sheets of the multi-sheet layer includes surface features. 29. The evaporator/mixer of claim 28, wherein the surface features comprise generally parallel rows of dimples or corrugations. 30. The evaporator/mixer of claim 19, wherein at least one of the bundle element or the housing is formed of a high temperature material including nickel alloys. 31. The evaporator/mixer of claim 19, wherein the heat exchanging surfaces comprise a plurality of sheets, at least one of the sheets having surface features forming spacers for separating the sheets from each other to form flow passages. 32. The evaporator/mixer of claim 19, wherein the bundle element comprises a plurality of tubes disposed within the conduit, wherein the wall of at least one of the plurality of tubes and the conduit forms the heat exchanging surfaces. 33. The evaporator/mixer of claim 32, wherein the plurality of tubes is disposed in fluid communication with the chamber. 34. A system comprising a plurality of the evaporator/mixers of claim 19, wherein the housings of the evaporator/mixers are fluidly coupled to be in common fluid communication with each other, and wherein the bundle elements are fluidly coupled to be in separate common fluid communication with each other. 35. A system comprising a vaporizer suitable for use with a chemical converter, comprising a housing forming a chamber, and a bundle element disposed within the chamber, wherein the bundle element includes a conduit in fluid communication with one or more heat exchanging surfaces defining a confined flow volume that is free of a baffle, wherein the bundle element is fluidly coupled with the housing of the evaporator/mixer of claim 19. 36. The vaporizer of claim 1 or the evaporator/mixer of claim 19, wherein the housing has a diameter of about 12 inches or less. 37. The vaporizer of claim 1 or the evaporator/mixer of claim 19, wherein the housing is in fluid communication with a treatment stage having a cylindrical configuration with a diameter of about 12 inches or less. 38. The vaporizer or the evaporator/mixer of claim 37, wherein the treatment stage comprises at least one of a water deionizer, a fuel desulfurizer, a CO to H2 shift reactor, and a H2 purification absorber. 39. A system for vaporizing a fluid, comprising a first vaporizer having a housing forming a chamber, and a first bundle element disposed within the chamber, said first bundle element having a first conduit, and a second vaporizer having a housing forming a chamber, and a second bundle element disposed within the chamber, said second bundle element having a second conduit, wherein the first and second conduits are coupled to a common inlet and a common outlet, wherein at least one of the first and second bundle elements further comprise a multi-sheet layer forming the heat exchanging surface, wherein the multi-sheet layer is disposed in fluid communication with the respective conduit. 40. The system of claim 39, wherein at least one of the first and second bundle elements comprises one or more heat exchanging surfaces in fluid communication with the respective conduit defining a confined flow volume that is free of a baffle. 41. The system of claim 39, wherein the housings of the first and second vaporizers are configured to be oriented essentially in a vertical position during use, wherein a process fluid is introduced to the first and second conduits through the common inlet disposed at a bottom portion of the housings, and exits the first and second conduits through the common outlet located at a top portion of the housing. 42. The system of claim 39, wherein at least one of the first and second bundle elements comprise a plurality of tubes disposed within the respective conduit, wherein a wall of at least one of the plurality of tubes or the conduit forms the heat exchanging surface. 43. A system for vaporizing a fluid, comprising a first vaporizer having a housing forming a chamber, and a first bundle element disposed within the chamber, said first bundle element having a first conduit, and a second vaporizer having a housing forming a chamber, and a second bundle element disposed within the chamber, said second bundle element having a second conduit, wherein the first and second conduits are coupled to a common outlet, wherein at least one of the first and second bundle elements further comprise a multi-sheet layer forming the heat exchanging surface, wherein the multi-sheet layer is disposed in fluid communication with the respective conduit. 44. The system of claim 43, wherein at least one of the first and second bundle elements comprises one or more heat exchanging surfaces in fluid communication with the respective conduit defining a confined flow volume that is free of a baffle. 45. The system of claim 43, wherein the housings of the first and second vaporizers are configured to be oriented essentially in a vertical position during use, wherein a first process fluid is introduced to the first conduit through an inlet and a second process fluid is introduced to the second conduit through an inlet, and the two process fluids are mixed and then exit the first and second conduits through the common outlet. 46. The system of claim 45, wherein a liquid fuel is introduced to the first conduit and a reforming agent is introduced to the second conduit. 47. The system of claim 43, wherein at least one of the first and second bundle elements comprise a plurality of tubes disposed within the respective conduit, wherein a wall of at least one of the plurality of tubes or the conduit forms the heat exchanging surface. 48. A system for vaporizing a fluid, comprising a first vaporizer having a first housing forming a chamber, and a first bundle element disposed within the chamber, said first bundle element having a first conduit, and a second vaporizer having a second housing forming a chamber, and a second bundle element disposed within the chamber, said second bundle element having a second conduit, wherein an outlet of the first conduit is fluidly coupled to an inlet of the second housing. 49. The system of claim 48, wherein at least one of the first and second bundle elements comprises one or more heat exchanging surfaces in fluid communication with the respective conduit defining a confined flow volume that is free of a baffle. 50. The system of claim 48, wherein the housings of the first and second vaporizers are configured to be oriented essentially in a vertical position during use, wherein a process fluid is introduced to an inlet of the first conduit, and exits the first conduit at an outlet thereof as a process exhaust, and wherein the process exhaust is introduced to the inlet of the second housing. 51. The system of claim 48, wherein at least one of the first and second bundle elements further comprise a multi-sheet layer forming the heat exchanging surface, wherein the multi-sheet layer is disposed in fluid communication with the respective conduit. 52. The system of claim 48, wherein at least one of the first and second bundle elements comprise a plurality of tubes disposed within the respective conduit, wherein a wall of at least one of the plurality of tubes or the conduit forms the heat exchanging surface.