Reformer and method for operation thereof

Abstract

A reformer disposed in the flow path of a reactant fluid includes: a catalyst unit capable of generating hydrogen from a reactant fluid containing an organic compound or carbon monoxide, by catalysis, and an electrically heatable heater unit. An electrically heatable catalyst unit includes: any of a sintered material, a metallic material, a composite material thereof, at least a portion of each of these materials having an electrically heatable property, and a composite material of (1) a heat-resistant material having no electrically heatable property and (2) the sintered material and/or the metallic material, and a catalyst capable of generating hydrogen from a reactant fluid containing an organic compound or carbon monoxide, by catalysis, which catalyst unit has porosity, thereby enables diffusion of a reactant fluid therethrough, and is electrically heatable. The above reformer can generate high-purity hydrogen for use in fuel cell of industrial or automotive application, in a short time.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.