Gaseous fuel cpox reformers and methods of cpox reforming

A gaseous fuel CPOX reformer comprising:

• an array of spaced-apart CPOX reactor units, each CPOX reactor unit comprising an elongate tube having a gas-permeable wall with an internal surface and an external surface, the gas-permeable wall enclosing an open gaseous flow passageway and defining an inlet and an outlet of the CPOX reactor unit,
• wherein a CPOX reactor unit is in thermal communication with at least the adjacent CPOX reactor unit(s) in the array, and
• at least a section of the gas-permeable wall comprises a CPOX catalyst;
• and
• an igniter in thermal communication with at least a section of the gas permeable wall comprising a CPOX catalyst of at least one CPOX reactor unit.

A method of CPOX reforming a gaseous reformable fuel to a hydrogen-rich reformate, the method comprising:

• introducing a gaseous CPOX reaction mixture comprising a gaseous reformable fuel into inlets of CPOX reactor units, wherein the CPOX reactor units form an array of spaced-apart CPOX reactor units, each CPOX reactor unit comprising an elongate tube having a wall with an internal surface and an external surface, the wall enclosing an open gaseous flow passageway and defining an inlet and an outlet of the CPOX reactor unit,
• wherein a CPOX reactor unit is in thermal communication with at least the adjacent CPOX reactor unit(s) in the array,
• at least a section of the wall comprises a CPOX catalyst, and
• the CPOX catalyst-containing wall section is gas-permeable to allow gaseous CPOX reaction mixture to diffuse therein and product hydrogen-rich reformate to diffuse therefrom;
• initiating catalytic partial oxidation of the gaseous CPOX reaction mixture to begin production of a hydrogen-rich reformate in at least one CPOX reactor unit;
• and
• maintaining catalytic partial oxidation of the gaseous CPOX reaction mixture in the at least one CPOX reactor unit.

A method of CPOX reforming of gaseous reformable fuel to produce hydrogen-rich reformate, the method comprising:

• a) in a start-up mode:
• (i) introducing gaseous CPOX reaction mixture comprising oxygen-containing gas and gaseous reformable fuel into the inlet of each of a plurality of spaced-apart CPOX reactor units, each reactor unit comprising an elongate tube having an inlet for gaseous CPOX reaction mixture, an outlet for hydrogen-rich reformate, a wall with internal and external surfaces, the wall enclosing an open gaseous flow passageway with at least a section of the wall having CPOX catalyst disposed therein and/or comprising its structure, such catalyst-containing wall section and open gaseous flow passageway enclosed thereby defining a gaseous phase CPOX reaction zone, the catalyst-containing wall section being gas-permeable to allow gaseous CPOX reaction mixture to diffuse therein and product hydrogen-rich reformate to diffuse therefrom while remaining stable under CPOX reaction conditions,
• (ii) initiating CPOX of the gaseous CPOX reaction mixture within the CPOX reaction zones of the CPOX reactor units thereby commencing the production of gaseous hydrogen-rich reformate;
• and,
• b) in a steady-state mode:
• (iii) introducing gaseous CPOX reaction mixture into the inlets of the CPOX reactor,
• (iv) discontinuing CPOX initiating step (ii) prior to, during or following step (iii) while maintaining the CPOX reaction within the CPOX reaction zones of the CPOX reactor units thereby continuing the production of gaseous hydrogen-rich reformate.

A method of CPOX reforming of gaseous reformable fuel to produce hydrogen-rich reformate, the method comprising:

• a) in a start-up mode:
• (i) introducing oxygen-containing gas into a conduit for routing gas toward the inlet of each of a plurality of CPOX reactor units, the conduit comprising an inlet for oxygen-containing as, an inlet for gaseous reformable fuel and an outlet for gaseous CPOX reaction mixture in gaseous flow communication with the inlets of the CPOX reactor units, each CPOX reactor unit comprising an elongate tube having an inlet for gaseous CPOX reaction mixture, an outlet for hydrogen-rich reformate, a wall with internal and external surfaces, the wall enclosing an open gaseous flow passageway with at least a section of the wall having CPOX catalyst disposed therein and/or comprising its structure, such catalyst-containing wall section and open gaseous flow passageway enclosed thereby defining a gaseous phase CPOX reaction zone, the catalyst-containing wall section being gas-permeable to allow gaseous CPOX reaction mixture to diffuse therein and product hydrogen-rich reformate to diffuse therefrom while remaining structurally stable under CPOX reaction conditions,
• (ii) introducing gaseous reformable fuel into the conduit, the gaseous reformable fuel combining with oxygen-containing gas from step (i) to provide gaseous CPOX reaction mixture,
• (iii) introducing gaseous CPOX reaction mixture from step (ii) into the inlets of the CPOX reactor units, and
• (iv) initiating CPOX of the gaseous CPOX reaction mixture within the CPOX reaction zones of the CPOX reactor units thereby commencing the production of hydrogen-rich reformate;
• and,
• b) in a steady-state mode:
• (v) introducing oxygen-containing gas into the conduit,
• (vi) introducing gaseous reformable fuel into the conduit, the gaseous reformable fuel combining with oxygen-containing gas from step (v) to provide gaseous CPOX reaction mixture,
• (vii) introducing gaseous CPOX reaction mixture from step (vi) into the inlets of the CPOX reactor units, and
• (viii) discontinuing CPOX initiating step (iv) prior to, during or following step (vii) while maintaining the CPOX reaction within the CPOX reaction zones of the CPOX reactor units thereby continuing the production of hydrogen-rich reformate.