Integrated autothermal reformer recuperator
OwnerMichael Reinke, Jeroen Valensa +2inventors
InventorsMichael Reinke, Jeroen Valensa, Mark Voss, Dennis Granetzke
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Abstract
An integrated autothermal reformer/recuperator unit (10) is provided for reforming a feed gas flow to produce a reformate flow. The unit (10) includes a cylindrical housing (18) having a feed gas inlet (26) and a reformate flow outlet (32) located adjacent a first end (20) of the cylindrical housing (18). An autothermal reformer catalyst structure (12) is located in the housing and spaced from the first end, and a recuperator heat exchanger (16) is located in the housing (18) between the first end (20) and the catalyst structure (12).
Claims25
An integrated autothermal reformer/recuperator unit for use in reforming a feed gas flow to produce a reformate flow, the unit comprising:
- a housing including a feed gas inlet and a reformate flow outlet;
- a cylindrical wall located in said housing, the cylindrical wall having an inlet end to receive the feed gas flow into an interior volume surrounded by the cylindrical wall, the cylindrical wall positioned relative to the feed gas inlet and outlet to direct the feed gas flow from the feed gas inlet to the inlet end and to direct the reformate flow from the interior volume to the reformate flow outlet;
- an autothermal reformer catalyst structure contained in said interior volume to receive the feed gas flow and deliver a reformate flow to the interior volume;
- and
- a recuperator heat exchanger comprising a feed gas flow path in heat exchange relation with a reformate flow path;
- the feed gas flow path defined between the housing and the cylindrical wall at a location upstream from the inlet end with respect to the feed gas flow, and the reformate flow path located within the interior volume downstream from the catalyst structure with respect to the reformate flow.
An integrated autothermal reformer/recuperator unit for use in reforming a feed gas flow to produce a reformate flow, the unit comprising:
- a cylindrical housing including a feed gas inlet and a reformate flow outlet located adjacent a first end of the cylindrical housing;
- an autothermal reformer catalyst structure located in the housing and spaced from the first end;
- a recuperator heat exchanger located in the housing between the first end and the catalyst structure;
- a feed gas flow path in said housing extending from the feed gas inlet, through the recuperator heat exchanger, and to the catalyst structure;
- and
- a reformate flow path in said housing extending from the catalyst structure, through the recuperator heat exchanger, and to the reformate outlet, the reformate flow path in heat exchange relation with the feed gas flow path in the recuperator heat exchanger.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.