Reformer
AssigneeNGK Insulators, Ltd.
InventorsFumio Abe, Naomi Noda, Junichi Suzuki
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A reformer is disposed in the flow path of a reactant fluid. The reformer includes an electrically heatable heater unit of honeycomb structure, in the upstream of the flow path of a reactant fluid, and a catalyst unit of honeycomb structure capable of generating hydrogen from a reactant fluid containing an organic compound or carbon monoxide, by catalysis, in the downstream of the above heater unit. The heater unit and catalyst unit satisfy the following relationship: Cell density of the heater unit≦Cell density of the catalyst unit. The reformer improve efficiency for production of hydrogen and reduce CO as the by-product.
Claims28
A reformer disposed in a flow path of a reactant fluid wherein the reactant fluid flows in a flow path from an upstream position to a downstream position, said reformer consisting of:
- a reformer inlet for said reactant fluid to be reformed;
- an electrically heatable heater unit of honeycomb structure, in the upstream of the flow path of said reactant fluid after it enters said inlet;
- at least one catalyst unit of honeycomb structure for generating hydrogen from said reactant fluid containing an organic compound or carbon monoxide by catalysis, in the downstream of the above heater unit;
- an outlet for a reformed gas containing hydrogen;
- a fuel cell section which uses said reformed gas;
- and
- means to transfer said reformed gas from said outlet to said fuel cell section, wherein, the heater unit and said at least one catalyst unit satisfy the following relationship:
- Cell density of the heater unit≦Cell density of the at least one catalyst unit.
A reformer disposed in a flow path of a reactant fluid wherein the reactant fluid flows in a flow path from an upstream position to a downstream position, said reformer consisting of:
- a reformer inlet for said reactant fluid to be reformed;
- two or more electrically heatable heater units of honeycomb structure;
- at least one catalyst unit of honeycomb structure for generating hydrogen from said reactant fluid containing an organic compound or carbon monoxide, by catalysis, being positioned between the two or more heater units;
- an outlet for a reformed gas containing hydrogen;
- a fuel cell section which uses said reformed gas;
- and
- means to transfer said reformed gas from said outlet to said fuel cell section, wherein, at least one of the heater units upstream of the positioned catalyst unit (upstream-side heater unit) and at least one of the heater units downstream of the positioned catalyst unit (downstream-side heater unit) satisfy the following relationship:
- Cell density of the upstream-side heater unit≧Cell density of the downstream-side heater unit.
A reformer disposed in a flow path of a reactant fluid wherein the reactant fluid flows in a flow path from an upstream position to a downstream position, said reformer consisting of:
- a reformer inlet for said reactant fluid to be reformed;
- two or more electrically heatable heater units of honeycomb structure, adjacent to each other, installed in the direction of fluid flow where one is the upstream-side heater unit and the other is the downstream-side heater unit;
- at least one catalyst unit of honeycomb structure for generating hydrogen from said reactant fluid containing an organic compound or carbon monoxide, by catalysis;
- an outlet for a reformed gas containing hydrogen;
- a fuel cell section which uses said reformed gas;
- and
- means to transfer said reformed gas from said outlet to said fuel cell section, wherein at least two adjacent heater units satisfy the following relationship:
- Cell density of the upstream-side heater unit≦Cell density of the downstream-side heater unit.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.