Gaseous fuel CPOX reformers and methods of CPOX reforming
원문보기
IPC분류정보
국가/구분
United States(US) Patent
등록
국제특허분류(IPC7판)
B01J-007/00
C01B-003/36
H01M-008/0612
B01J-019/24
B01J-012/00
B01J-004/00
C01B-003/32
C01B-003/38
출원번호
US-0534345
(2014-11-06)
등록번호
US-9627699
(2017-04-18)
발명자
/ 주소
Finnerty, Caine M.
DeWald, Paul
출원인 / 주소
Watt Fuel Cell Corp.
대리인 / 주소
Dilworth & Barrese, LLP.
인용정보
피인용 횟수 :
0인용 특허 :
117
초록▼
A gaseous fuel catalytic partial oxidation (CPOX) reformer can include a plurality or an array of spaced-apart CPOX reactor units, each reactor unit including an elongate tube having a wall with internal and external surfaces, the wall enclosing an open gaseous flow passageway with at least a portio
A gaseous fuel catalytic partial oxidation (CPOX) reformer can include a plurality or an array of spaced-apart CPOX reactor units, each reactor unit including an elongate tube having a wall with internal and external surfaces, the wall enclosing an open gaseous flow passageway with at least a portion of the wall having CPOX catalyst disposed therein and/or comprising its structure. The catalyst-containing wall structure and open gaseous flow passageway enclosed thereby define a gaseous phase CPOX reaction zone, the catalyst-containing wall section being gas-permeable to allow gaseous CPOX reaction mixture to diffuse therein and hydrogen-rich product reformate to diffuse therefrom. At least the exterior surface of a CPOX reaction zone of a CPOX reactor unit can include a hydrogen barrier. The gaseous fuel CPOX reformer also can include one or more igniters, and a source of gaseous reformable fuel.
대표청구항▼
1. A gaseous fuel CPOX reformer comprising: an array of spaced-apart CPOX reactor units, each CPOX reactor unit comprising an elongate tube having a gas-permeable wall with an internal surface and an external surface, the gas-permeable wall enclosing an open gaseous flow passageway and defining an i
1. A gaseous fuel CPOX reformer comprising: an array of spaced-apart CPOX reactor units, each CPOX reactor unit comprising an elongate tube having a gas-permeable wall with an internal surface and an external surface, the gas-permeable wall enclosing an open gaseous flow passageway and defining an inlet and an outlet of the CPOX reactor unit, the open gaseous flow passageway being a hollow bore extending from the inlet to the outlet of the CPOX reactor unit,wherein a CPOX reactor unit is in thermal communication with at least the adjacent CPOX reactor unit(s) in the array, anda CPOX catalyst disposed within and/or comprising the structure of at least a section of the gas-permeable wall comprises a CPOX catalyst; andan igniter in thermal communication with the CPOX catalyst at least a section of the gas permeable wall comprising a CPOX catalyst of at least one CPOX reactor unit. 2. The gaseous fuel CPOX reformer of claim 1, wherein a hydrogen barrier is associated with the external surface of at least the CPOX catalyst-containing wall section of a CPOX reactor unit. 3. The gaseous fuel CPOX reformer of claim 2, wherein the hydrogen barrier comprises pressurized air. 4. The liquid CPOX reformer of claim 2 wherein the hydrogen barrier is attached or adhered to an outer layer or external surface of the gas-permeable wall for at least that portion of the length of a CPOX reactor unit corresponding to its CPOX reaction zone. 5. The liquid fuel CPOX reformer of claim 4 wherein the material of the hydrogen barrier is selected from the group consisting of aluminum, nickel, molybdenum, tin, chromium, alumina, recrystallized alumina, aluminides, alumino-silicates, titania, titanium carbide, titanium nitride, boron nitride, magnesium oxide, chromium oxide, zirconium phosphate, ceria, zirconia, mulite, admixtures thereof and layered combinations thereof. 6. The gaseous fuel CPOX reformer of claim 1, wherein the maximum distance between adjacent CPOX reactor units is that distance beyond which the heat from an operating CPOX reactor unit operating at a predetermined minimum temperature fails to initiate a CPOX reaction in an adjacent CPOX reactor unit and/or during a steady-state mode of operation, the temperature of the array of spaced-apart CPOX reactor units falls below a predetermined minimum array temperature; and the minimum distance between adjacent CPOX reactor units is that distance below which the temperature at an outlet of a CPOX reactor unit is greater than a predetermined maximum temperature. 7. The gaseous fuel CPOX reformer of claim 6, wherein the predetermined maximum temperature is a temperature that is tolerable by an inlet of a fuel cell stack in thermal and fluid communication with an outlet of a CPOX reactor unit. 8. The gaseous fuel CPOX reformer of claim 6, wherein the predetermined maximum temperature is about 900° C. 9. The gaseous fuel CPOX reformer of claim 6, wherein the predetermined minimum array temperature is about 600° C. 10. The gaseous fuel CPOX reformer of claim 1, comprising a source of gaseous reformable fuel in fluid communication with an inlet of at least one CPOX reactor unit. 11. The gaseous fuel CPOX reformer of claim 1, comprising more than one igniter, wherein each igniter is positioned in thermal communication with a CPOX catalyst of at least one CPOX reactor unit. 12. The gaseous fuel CPOX reformer of claim 1, wherein the CPOX catalyst-containing wall section comprises a ceramic. 13. A method of CPOX reforming a gaseous reformable fuel to a hydrogen-rich reformate, the method comprising: introducing a gaseous CPOX reaction mixture comprising a gaseous reformable fuel into inlets of CPOX reactor units, wherein the CPOX reactor units form an array of spaced-apart CPOX reactor units, each CPOX reactor unit comprising an elongate tube having a wall with an internal surface and an external surface, the wall enclosing an open gaseous flow passageway and defining an inlet and an outlet of the CPOX reactor unit, the open gaseous flow passageway being a hollow bore extending from the inlet to the outlet of the CPOX reactor unit, wherein a CPOX reactor unit is in thermal communication with at least the adjacent CPOX reactor unit(s) in the array,a CPOX catalyst disposed within and/or comprising the structure of at least a section of the wall comprises a CPOX catalyst, andthe CPOX catalyst-containing wall section is gas-permeable to allow gaseous CPOX reaction mixture to diffuse therein and product hydrogen-rich reformate to diffuse therefrom;initiating catalytic partial oxidation of the gaseous CPOX reaction mixture by an igniter in thermal communication with the CPOX catalyst to begin production of a hydrogen-rich reformate in at least one CPOX reactor unit; andmaintaining catalytic partial oxidation of the gaseous CPOX reaction mixture in the at least one CPOX reactor unit. 14. The method of claim 13, wherein a hydrogen barrier is associated with the external surface of at least the CPOX catalyst-containing wall section of a CPOX reactor unit. 15. The method of claim 13, wherein the maximum distance between adjacent CPOX reactor units is that distance beyond which the heat from an operating CPOX reactor unit operating at a predetermined minimum temperature fails to initiate a CPOX reaction in an adjacent CPOX reactor unit and/or during a steady-state mode of operation, the temperature of a CPOX reactor unit falls below a predetermined minimum array temperature; and the minimum distance between adjacent CPOX reactor units is that distance below which the temperature at an outlet of a CPOX reactor unit is greater than a predetermined maximum temperature. 16. The method of claim 13, wherein initiating catalytic partial oxidation comprises: initiating a CPOX reaction in one CPOX reactor unit;transferring the heat from the CPOX reaction to an adjacent CPOX reactor unit to initiate a CPOX reaction therein; andrepeating transferring the heat to initiate a CPOX reaction in each of the CPOX reactors of the array. 17. The method of claim 13, wherein initiating catalytic partial oxidation comprises initiating more than a single igniter to initiate catalytic partial oxidation of the gaseous CPOX reaction mixture in each of the CPOX reactor units. 18. The method of claim 13, wherein maintaining catalytic partial oxidation of the gaseous CPOX reaction mixture comprises transferring heat among the CPOX reactor units to maintain a predetermined minimum array temperature. 19. The method of claim 18, wherein the predetermined minimum array temperature is substantially uniform across the array of CPOX reactor units. 20. The method of claim 13, comprising varying the oxygen (O) to carbon (C) ratio of the gaseous CPOX reaction mixture during operation of the gaseous fuel CPOX reformer. 21. The method of claim 13, where the gaseous CPOX reaction mixture consists essentially of a gaseous reformable fuel and an oxygen-containing gas. 22. The method of claim 13, wherein the gaseous CPOX reaction mixture consists of a gaseous reformable fuel and an oxygen-containing gas. 23. The method of claim 13, wherein the gaseous CPOX reaction mixture does not comprise a vaporized liquid reformable fuel. 24. A method of CPOX reforming of gaseous reformable fuel to produce hydrogen-rich reformate, the method comprising: a) in a start-up mode: (i) introducing gaseous CPOX reaction mixture comprising oxygen-containing gas and gaseous reformable fuel into the inlet of each of a plurality of spaced-apart CPOX reactor units, each reactor unit comprising an elongate tube having an inlet for gaseous CPOX reaction mixture, an outlet for hydrogen-rich reformate, a wall with internal and external surfaces, the wall enclosing an open gaseous flow passageway, the open gaseous flow passageway being a hollow bore extending from the inlet to the outlet of the CPOX reactor unit, with at least a section of the wall having CPOX catalyst disposed therein and/or comprising its structure, such catalyst-containing wall section and open gaseous flow passageway enclosed thereby defining a gaseous phase CPOX reaction zone, the catalyst-containing wall section being gas-permeable to allow gaseous CPOX reaction mixture to diffuse therein and product hydrogen-rich reformate to diffuse therefrom while remaining stable under CPOX reaction conditions, and(ii) initiating CPOX of the gaseous CPOX reaction mixture by an igniter in thermal communication with the CPOX catalyst within the CPOX reaction zones of the CPOX reactor units thereby commencing the production of gaseous hydrogen-rich reformate; and,b) in a steady-state mode: (iii) introducing gaseous CPOX reaction mixture into the inlets of the CPOX reactor, and(iv) discontinuing CPOX initiating step (ii) prior to, during or following step (iii) while maintaining the CPOX reaction within the CPOX reaction zones of the CPOX reactor units thereby continuing the production of gaseous hydrogen-rich reformate. 25. A method of CPOX reforming of gaseous reformable fuel to produce hydrogen-rich reformate, the method comprising: a) in a start-up mode: (i) introducing oxygen-containing gas into a conduit for routing gas toward the inlet of each of a plurality of CPOX reactor units, the conduit comprising an inlet for oxygen-containing as, an inlet for gaseous reformable fuel and an outlet for gaseous CPOX reaction mixture in gaseous flow communication with the inlets of the CPOX reactor units, each CPOX reactor unit comprising an elongate tube having an inlet for gaseous CPOX reaction mixture, an outlet for hydrogen-rich reformate, a wall with internal and external surfaces, the wall enclosing an open gaseous flow passageway, the open gaseous flow passageway being a hollow bore extending from the inlet to the outlet of the CPOX reactor unit, with at least a section of the wall having CPOX catalyst disposed therein and/or comprising its structure, such catalyst-containing wall section and open gaseous flow passageway enclosed thereby defining a gaseous phase CPOX reaction zone, the catalyst-containing wall section being gas-permeable to allow gaseous CPOX reaction mixture to diffuse therein and product hydrogen-rich reformate to diffuse therefrom while remaining structurally stable under CPOX reaction conditions,(ii) introducing gaseous reformable fuel into the conduit, the gaseous reformable fuel combining with oxygen-containing gas from step (i) to provide gaseous CPOX reaction mixture,(iii) introducing gaseous CPOX reaction mixture from step (ii) into the inlets of the CPOX reactor units, and(iv) initiating CPOX of the gaseous CPOX reaction mixture by an igniter in thermal communication with the CPOX catalyst within the CPOX reaction zones of the CPOX reactor units thereby commencing the production of hydrogen-rich reformate; and,b) in a steady-state mode: (v) introducing oxygen-containing gas into the conduit,(vi) introducing gaseous reformable fuel into the conduit, the gaseous reformable fuel combining with oxygen-containing gas from step (v) to provide gaseous CPOX reaction mixture,(vii) introducing gaseous CPOX reaction mixture from step (vi) into the inlets of the CPOX reactor units, and(viii) discontinuing CPOX initiating step (iv) prior to, during or following step (vii) while maintaining the CPOX reaction within the CPOX reaction zones of the CPOX reactor units thereby continuing the production of hydrogen-rich reformate.
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