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US 2006/0179718 A1Published application
Rapid start fuel reforming systems and techniques
AssigneeBattelle Memorial Institute
InventorsGreg Whyatt, Christopher Fischer, James Davis
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An on-board fuel processor includes a microchannel steam reforming reactor (30) and a water vaporizer (40) heated in series with a combustion gas. The reformer (30) and the vaporizer (40) are both of a cross-flow panel configuration that allows for low combustion side pressure drop. Fuel is directly injected into the steam, and during a rapid cold start, both the combustion gas flow rate and the steam to carbon ratio are substantially increased relative to their steady state operating values. A rapid cold start can be achieved in under 30 seconds with a manageable amount of electric power consumption, removing impediments to use in automotive fuel cell applications.
Claims53
A method comprising:
- providing a fuel cell system including a fuel reforming reactor and at least one blower for selectively conveying combustion gas through a heating side of the reforming reactor at different mass flow rates;
- starting-up the reforming reactor by heating a reforming side of the reactor with a combustion gas flowing through the heating side of the reactor;
- and then
- operating the reactor to produce a reformate stream by driving an endothermic reforming reaction on the reforming side with heat from a combustion gas flowing though the heating side;
- wherein a mass flow rate of combustion gas through the heating side during the starting-up is at least about five times a mass flow rate of combustion gas through the heating side during the operating.
2 more elements
A method comprising:
- starting up a fuel reformer by heating the endothermic reaction channels of the fuel reformer with hot gas flowing through heating channels at a mass flow rate sufficient to raise the internal temperature of the channels from a starting temperature to an elevated operating temperature in less than about 30 seconds;
- wherein the starting temperature is less than about 50° C. and the elevated operating temperature is above about 600° C.
A system comprising:
- a fuel cell;
- a steam reformer operable to produce hydrogen for use by the fuel cell from steam and hydrocarbons;
- and
- a vaporizer for supplying the steam to the steam reformer;
- wherein the steam reformer is a panel defining a first face and a second face wherein the length and width of each face is substantially greater than the distance between the faces.
2 more elements
A system comprising:
- a fuel cell;
- a steam reformer for converting a gaseous inlet steam to a reformate outlet stream for use by the fuel cell;
- a vaporizer for providing superheated steam and having a heating side downstream from a heating side of the steam reformer, and
- a fuel injector between the vaporizer and the reformer for injecting a liquid fuel into the superheated steam to produce the gaseous inlet stream to the reformer.
1 more element
A system comprising:
- a steam reformer having a reforming side and a heating side;
- a water vaporizer having a vaporizing side upstream from the reformer side of the reformer and a heating side downstream from the heating side of the reformer;
- and
- a fuel injector fluidly between the vaporizing side and the reforming side;
- wherein the fuel injector is configured to atomize a liquid fuel into the superheated stream to produce a gaseous inlet stream to the reforming side during a fuel reforming operation;
- and
- wherein at least one of the vaporizer and the steam reformer define an inlet face defining inlets to heating side flow paths and an outlet face defining outlets to the heating side flow paths wherein each of the faces have a length and width substantially greater than the distance between the faces.
4 more elements
An on-demand fuel reforming system comprising:
- a steam reformer having a heating side;
- a water vaporizer for producing steam for the steam reformer and having a heating side downstream from the heating side of the steam reformer;
- and
- a combustion zone for supplying a hot gas to the heating side of the steam reformer;
- wherein the heating sides of the steam reformer and of the vaporizer each include a multiplicity of flow paths between a pair of faces wherein the length and width of each of the faces is substantially greater than the distance between the faces.
2 more elements
A fluid processing device comprising:
- a stack of thin sheets integrally bonded, the stack including alternating recessed sheets having aligned header openings at opposing ends, wherein the recesses in the sheets define a plurality of first microchannel flow paths between the header openings and a plurality of second flow paths distinct from the first flow paths;
- wherein the aligned header openings are high aspect ratio in shape and the cumulative cross sectional area of the flow in an entrance region to one of the first microchannel flow paths is within about 20% of the cross sectional area of the flow in the first flow path a substantial distance removed from the entrance region.
A fluid processing device comprising:
- a stack of thin sheets integrally bonded, the stack including alternating recessed sheets having aligned header openings at opposing ends, wherein the recesses in the sheets define a plurality of first microchannel flow paths between first ones of the header openings and a plurality of second microchannel flow paths between other ones of the header openings;
- wherein the aligned header openings are high aspect ratio in shape and the cumulative cross sectional area of the flow in an entrance region to one of the first microchannel flow paths is within about 50% of the cross sectional area of the flow in the first flow path a substantial distance removed from the entrance region.
A device for mixing a first fluid stream with a second fluid stream comprising:
- a stack of thin sheets integrally bonded, the stack including alternating recessed sheets wherein the recesses in the sheets define at least a portion of a multiplicity of first flow paths for conveying the first fluid to an outlet face of the stack and a multiplicity of second flow paths for conveying the second fluid to the outlet face of the stack, the sheets further including at least one set of aligned header holes for distributing the first fluid to the first flow paths;
- wherein the first and second flow paths are in thermal contact while in the stack;
- wherein outlets of the first flow paths are interleaved with outlets of the second flow paths such that the first and second fluids mix upon exiting their respective flow paths.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.