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US 2006/0039839 A1Published application
Device for cooling and humidifying reformate
AssigneeNuvera Fuel Cells, LLC
InventorsJian Zhao, William Northrop
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Devices for cooling and humidifying a reformate, as well as related methods, modules, and systems, are disclosed.
Claims37
A device, comprising:
- a heat exchanger having an inlet, an outlet, and a conduit between the inlet and the outlet, the heat exchanger being adapted to allow a flow of a first fluid inside the conduit and to establish a heat exchange relationship between the first fluid and a second fluid flowing outside the conduit;
- and
- a sprayer coupled to the outlet of the heat exchanger for spraying the first fluid exiting the heat exchanger into the second fluid.
A module, comprising:
- a heat exchanger having an inlet, an outlet, and a conduit between the inlet and the outlet, the heat exchanger being adapted to allow a flow of a first fluid inside the conduit and to establish a heat exchange relationship between the first fluid and a second fluid flowing outside the conduit;
- a sprayer coupled to the outlet of the heat exchanger for spraying the first fluid exiting the heat exchanger into the second fluid;
- a cylindrical wall enclosing the heat exchanger and the sprayer, at least a part of the wall defining a first mixing zone downstream of the heat exchanger.
A reforming system, comprising:
- a reforming reactor for producing a reformate stream having a first temperature;
- a shift reactor receiving the reformate stream;
- a heat exchanger disposed between the reforming reactor and the shift reactor, the heat exchanger having an inlet, an outlet, and a conduit between the inlet and the outlet, and being adapted to allow a flow of water to pass inside the conduit and a flow of the reformate stream to pass outside the conduit, the water having a heat exchange relationship with the reformate stream and having a second temperature before the heat exchange lower than the first temperature;
- and
- a sprayer coupled to the outlet of the heat exchanger for spraying the water exiting the heat exchanger into the reformate stream.
2 more elements
A method, comprising:
- passing a flow of water having a first temperature inside a heat exchanger, the water having a heat exchange relationship with a reformate stream flowing outside the heat exchanger, the reformate stream having a second temperature before the heat exchange higher than the first temperature;
- and
- mixing the water exiting the heat exchanger with the reformate stream, thereby humidifying the reformate stream and cooling the reformate stream to a desired temperature.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.