초록 ▼

A process for producing hydrogen for direct use as a fuel or for input to a fuel cell from dissociating H2O in a plasma reformer with hydrocarbon fuel acting as an initiator. The molar ratio of water to hydrocarbon fuel in the input mixture for reactions, and therefore the production of hydrogen fro

A process for producing hydrogen for direct use as a fuel or for input to a fuel cell from dissociating H2O in a plasma reformer with hydrocarbon fuel acting as an initiator. The molar ratio of water to hydrocarbon fuel in the input mixture for reactions, and therefore the production of hydrogen from water, increases with the carbon number of the hydrocarbon fuel. Steps in the process include: mixing and vaporizing an H2O and hydrocarbon fuel mixture in an atomization/evaporation chamber, further heating the mixture in a rotating-flow buffer chamber, dissociating H2O and hydrocarbon fuel in a plasma reformer, converting carbon monoxide and H2O to hydrogen and carbon dioxide in a water shift reactor and optionally conditioning the reformate stream by removing carbon dioxide and by purifying hydrogen.

대표청구항 ▼

I claim: 1. A process for producing hydrogen from dissociating H2O and hydrocarbon fuels comprising: mixing, atomizing, and vaporizing H2O and hydrocarbon fuel; heating the vaporized H2O and hydrocarbon fuel mixture in a heat exchanger; passing the vaporized H2O and hydrocarbon fuel mixture to a pl

I claim: 1. A process for producing hydrogen from dissociating H2O and hydrocarbon fuels comprising: mixing, atomizing, and vaporizing H2O and hydrocarbon fuel; heating the vaporized H2O and hydrocarbon fuel mixture in a heat exchanger; passing the vaporized H2O and hydrocarbon fuel mixture to a plasma reformer, dissociating H2O and hydrocarbon fuel, and forming a reformate stream containing hydrogen, carbon monoxide, carbon dioxide, and trace hydrocarbons in a reaction chamber of the plasma reformer in an intense electron field between emitting electrodes and collecting electrodes at a temperature in the chamber of between 400�� C. and 1900�� C.; converting carbon monoxide in the reformate stream and added H2O to hydrogen and carbon dioxide in a water shift reactor; and cooling the reformate stream from the water shift reactor in the heat exchanger and heating the vaporized H2O and hydrocarbon fuel mixture entering the heat exchanger. 2. The process for producing hydrogen as set forth in claim 1 wherein dissociating the vaporized H2O and forming a reformate stream occurs in the reaction chamber of the plasma reformer at a temperature between 700�� C. and 1000�� C. 3. The process for producing hydrogen as set forth in claim 1 further comprising separating the cooled reformate stream from the heat exchanger into a pure hydrogen stream and a stream containing other constituents of the reformate stream. 4. The process for producing hydrogen as set forth in claim 2 further comprising separating the cooled reformate stream from the heat exchanger into a pure hydrogen stream and a stream containing other constituents of the reformate stream. 5. The process for producing hydrogen as set forth in claim 3 further comprising removing carbon dioxide from the cooled reformate stream from the heat exchanger prior to separating into the hydrogen stream and the stream containing other constituents of the reformate stream. 6. The process for producing hydrogen as set forth in claim 4 further comprising removing carbon dioxide from the cooled reformate stream from the heat exchanger prior to separating into the hydrogen stream and the stream containing other constituents of the reformate stream. 7. The process for producing hydrogen as set forth in claim 2 wherein mixing, atomizing, and vaporizing H2O and hydrocarbon fuel is accomplished by radiant heating in an injection-atomization chamber and in a buffer chamber with rotating mixture flow and convective heat transfer. 8. The process for producing hydrogen as set forth in claim 4 wherein mixing, atomizing, and vaporizing H2O and hydrocarbon fuel is accomplished by radiant heating in an injection-atomization chamber and in a rotating blade buffer chamber with rotating mixture flow and convective heat transfer. 9. The process for producing hydrogen as set forth in claim 5 wherein mixing, atomizing, and vaporizing H2O and hydrocarbon fuel is accomplished by radiant heating in an injection-atomization chamber and in a non-rotating blade buffer chamber with rotating mixture flow and convective and radiant heat transfer. 10. A process for producing hydrogen from dissociating H2O and hydrocarbon fuels comprising: mixing, atomizing, and vaporizing H2O and hydrocarbon fuel mixture by radiant heating in an injection-atomization chamber and in a buffer chamber with rotating mixture flow and convective and radiant heat transfer; heating the vaporized H2O and hydrocarbon fuel mixture in a heat exchanger; passing the vaporized H2O and hydrocarbon fuel mixture to a plasma reformer, dissociating H2O and hydrocarbon fuel, and forming a reformate stream containing hydrogen, carbon monoxide, carbon dioxide, and trace hydrocarbons in a reaction chamber of the plasma reformer in an intense electron field between emitting electrodes and collecting electrodes at a temperature in the chamber of between 400�� C. and 1900�� C.; cooling the reformate stream from the reformer in the heat exchanger and heating the vaporized H2O and hydrocarbon fuel mixture entering the heat exchanger; converting carbon monoxide in the cooled reformate stream from the heat exchanger and added H2O to hydrogen and carbon dioxide in a water shift reactor; and separating the cooled reformate stream from the water shift reactor into a pure hydrogen stream and a stream containing other constituents of the reformate stream. 11. The process for producing hydrogen as set forth in claim 10 wherein dissociating the vaporized H2O and forming a reformate stream occurs in the reaction chamber of the plasma reformer at a temperature between 700�� C. and 1000�� C. 12. The process for producing hydrogen as set forth in claim 11 further comprising removing carbon dioxide from the cooled reformate stream from the water shift reactor prior to separating into the hydrogen stream and the stream containing other constituents of the reformate stream.