US 2009/0263684 A1Published application

Reforming system and reforming method

OwnerTakatoshi Masuiinventor

Life of this patent

Estimating the term…

Loading patent…

Abstract

A reforming system including: a mixing section that mixes a reforming fuel and a reforming raw material other than the reforming fuel to produce a mixed gas; a reforming section that generates hydrogen from the mixed gas; a reforming fuel supply flow path; a reforming raw material supply flow path; a first supply device disposed in one flow path of the reforming fuel supply flow path and the reforming raw material flow path, that causes periodic fluctuation in a supply quantity of fluid flowing in the one flow path; a second supply device disposed in the other flow path of the reforming fuel supply flow path and the reforming raw material flow path; and a controller that controls the second supply device so that the second supply device supplies the fluid flowing in the other flow path in synchronization with the periodic fluctuation.

Claims13

Dependent claims

A reforming system comprising:

a fuel storage section that stores a reforming fuel;
a mixing section that mixes the reforming fuel and a reforming raw material other than the reforming fuel to produce a mixed gas;
a reforming section that generates hydrogen from the mixed gas;
a reforming fuel supply flow path through which the reforming fuel stored in the fuel storage section is supplied to the mixing section;
a reforming raw material flow path through which the reforming raw material is supplied to the mixing section;
a first supply device disposed in one of the reforming fuel supply flow path and the reforming raw material flow path, that causes fluctuation in a supply quantity of fluid flowing in the one of the reforming fuel supply flow path and the reforming raw material flow path;
a second supply device disposed in the other of the reforming fuel supply flow path and the reforming raw material flow path, that supplies fluid flowing in the other of the reforming fuel supply flow path and the reforming raw material flow path to the mixing section;
and
a controller that controls the second supply device so that the second supply device supplies the fluid flowing in the other of the reforming fuel supply flow path and the reforming raw material flow path in synchronization with the fluctuation.

6 more elements

A fuel cell system, comprising:

a fuel cell;
a fuel storage section that stores a reforming fuel;
a mixing section that mixes the reforming fuel and a reforming raw material other than the reforming fuel to produce a mixed gas;
a reforming section that generates hydrogen from the mixed gas;
a fuel gas supply flow path through which the hydrogen generated in the reforming section to the fuel cell as a fuel gas;
a reforming fuel supply flow path through which the reforming fuel stored in the fuel storage section is supplied to the mixing section;
a fuel supply shut off valve disposed in the reforming fuel supply flow path, that shuts off the supply of the reforming fuel to the mixing section;
a pump that supplies oxidation gas containing oxygen;
an oxidation gas supply flow path that directs the oxidation gas supplied from the pump to the fuel cell;
an oxidation waste gas supply flow path that directs oxidation waste gas, which is generated as a result of an electrochemical reaction of the oxidation gas in the fuel cell and contains oxygen and water vapor, to the mixing section as the reforming raw material;
a fluctuation detecting section that detects periodic fluctuation in a supply quantity of the oxidation waste gas to be supplied to the mixing section, wherein the periodic fluctuation is caused by pulsation of the pump;
and
a valve control section that opens and closes the fuel supply shut off valve in synchronization with the periodic fluctuation detected by the fluctuation detecting section.

10 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 12/375,226Filed 26 Jul 2007
Priority: JP 2006-20602428 Jul 2006
Published: 22 Oct 2009
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification24 codes

C01B 3/382
Using catalysts: processes with two or more reaction steps, of which at least one is catalytic, e.g. steam reforming and partial oxidation
C01B 3/384
Using catalysts: with external heating of the catalyst
H01M 8/0267
Collectors; Separators, e.g. bipolar separators; Interconnectors: having heating or cooling means, e.g. heaters or coolant flow channels
H01M 8/04089
Arrangements for control of reactant parameters, e.g. pressure or concentration: of gaseous reactants