Process for utilization of a cold-flame vaporizer in auto-thermal reforming of liquid fuel

A method of reforming a hydrocarbon liquid to form a reformate stream, comprising the steps of:

• providing a cold-flame vaporizer;
• supplying the hydrocarbon liquid, saturated steam and an oxidant comprising oxygen into said cold-flame vaporizer;
• oxidizing a portion of the hydrocarbon liquid within the cold-flame vaporizer to transfer heat to said saturated steam and to a remaining portion of the hydrocarbon liquid causing vaporization thereof, thereby producing an outlet stream comprising vaporized hydrocarbon and superheated steam;
• and
• controlling a steam to carbon molar ratio within said cold-flame vaporizer within a range sufficient to cause superheating of said saturated steam and said remaining portion of the hydrocarbon liquid without causing auto-ignition thereof and to maintain said outlet stream within a first temperature range;
• and
• reforming said outlet stream in an autothermal reformer to produce the reformate stream.

A method of operating a fuel cell system to satisfy transient loads wherein said system comprises a reformer producing a hydrogen-containing reformate stream which is consumed in a fuel cell stack to satisfy the transient load, said method comprising the steps of:

• providing a cold-flame vaporizer;
• supplying to said cold-flame vaporizer a hydrocarbon liquid inlet stream at a first mass flow rate and an oxidant inlet stream at a second flow mass rate, said oxidant comprising oxygen;
• at least partially oxidizing a portion of the hydrocarbon liquid within the cold-flame vaporizer to transfer heat to a remaining portion of the hydrocarbon liquid causing vaporization thereof, thereby producing an outlet stream comprising vaporized fuel;
• varying said first and second flow rates while controlling an oxygen to carbon molar ratio within said cold-flame vaporizer within a range sufficient to cause said vaporization of said remaining portion of hydrocarbon liquid without causing auto-ignition thereof, and to maintain said outlet stream within a first temperature range;
• and
• reforming said outlet stream in a reformer to produce the reformate steam for consumption in said stack to satisfy the transient load.