US 2002/0152681 A1 · Compact steam reformer

Abstract

Disclosed is a compact steam reformer which integrally comprises a housing; a reforming reactor having an upper mixing compartment for mixing natural gas and steam and a lower compartment for accommodating a catalyst bed; a natural gas feeding coiled pipe through which natural gas is introduced while being heated; a steam generating coiled pipe in which pure water is converted to steam by the exhaust; a metal fiber burner for heating the reforming reactor; a high-temperature converter for primarily removing carbon monoxide from a synthetic gas; a low-temperature converter for secondarily reducing the carbon monoxide level of the synthetic gas; and a heat exchanger, provided between the high-temperature converter and the low-temperature converter, for cooling the gas effluent from the high-temperature converter. The steam reformer enjoys the advantage of being easy to install in situ and being fabricated at low cost. Also, the cylindrical metal fiber burner can provide heat uniformly over the reforming reactor without a temperature gradient, thereby maximizing the reforming efficiency. The reformer has such a structure as to utilize the heat of the burner exhaust in generating steam, bringing about an effect of reducing the cost of the reformer because no additional steam generators are required.

Claims8

Dependent claims

A compact steam reformer for converting natural gas into hydrogen and carbon dioxide, comprising:

a housing;
a reforming reactor, established in the housing, having two sectioned compartments for mixing natural gas and steam and for accommodating a catalyst bed;
and
a metal fiber burner, being so structured as to surround the reforming reactor at a distance and to uniformly heat the reforming reactor in an inward manner,
in which the steam is generated through the phase transition of influent external water by the heat of the exhaust of the metal fiber burner and is introduced into the reforming reactor.

2 more elements

A compact steam reformer, comprising:

a housing provided with an exhaust outlet on the top and with a hydrogen outlet at a side portion;
a reforming reactor, established in the housing, having an upper mixing compartment for mixing natural gas and steam and a lower compartment for accommodating a catalyst bed;
a natural gas feeding coiled pipe, established above the reforming reactor, having an inlet at its one end through which natural gas is introduced therein and an outlet at the other end, said natural gas being heated by the exhaust during residence therein, said outlet being connected to the mixing compartment of the reforming reactor;
a steam generating coiled pipe, established in the housing, having an inlet at its one end through which pure water is introduced therein and an outlet at the other end, said pure water being converted to steam by the exhaust during residence therein, said outlet being connected to the mixing compartment of the reforming reactor;
a metal fiber burner, being so established as to surround the reforming reactor at a distance, for heating the reforming reactor;
a high-temperature converter, provided out of the metal fiber burner with connection to the reforming reactor, for primarily removing carbon monoxide from a synthetic gas generated from the reforming reactor;
a low-temperature converter, provided outside of the metal fiber burner with connection to the high-temperature converter, for secondarily reducing the carbon monoxide level of the synthetic gas by converting unreacted carbon monoxide into hydrogen and carbon dioxide;
and
a heat exchanger, provided between the high-temperature converter and the low-temperature converter, for cooling the gas effluent from the high-temperature converter to a temperature suitable to conduct the conversion of unreacted carbon monoxide into hydrogen and carbon dioxide in the low-temperature converter.

6 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Compact steam reformer

Life of this patent

Compact steam reformer

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims8