Gas generator
AssigneeBallard Power Systems Inc.
InventorBerthold Keppeler
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A gas generator for generating a hydrogen-rich carbon-monoxide-lean gas from a water-fuel mixture by catalytic steam reforming and/or from an oxygen-fuel mixture by partial oxidation includes at least one fuel reservoir vessel; a reforming reactor; a CO shift reactor; a gas purifying unit; and a line to feed water from a water reservoir vessel into the reformate gas stream fed to the CO shift reactor. The water reservoir vessel contains a water-methanol mixture having a mixing ratio effective to ensure adequate frost protection.
Claims5
A gas generator for generating a hydrogen-rich and carbon-monoxide-lean gas from at least one of a water-fuel mixture by catalytic steam reforming or an oxygen-fuel mixture by partial oxidation, said gas generator comprising:
- a reforming reactor;
- at least one fuel reservoir vessel for providing fuel to the reforming reactor;
- a CO shift reactor;
- a gas purifying unit;
- a line leading from a water reservoir vessel into a reformate gas stream between the reforming reactor and the CO shift reactor,
- wherein the water reservoir vessel contains a water-methanol mixture having a mixing ratio effective to ensure adequate frost protection.
A method for producing a hydrogen-rich and carbon-monoxide-lean gas, said method comprising:
- feeding fuel from at least one fuel reservoir vessel to a reforming reactor;
- feeding at least one of oxygen or water from a water reservoir vessel to the reforming reactor;
- performing at least one of partial oxidation of a fuel/oxygen mixture or water vapor reforming of a fuel/water mixture in the reforming reactor, thereby forming a reformate gas;
- feeding the reformate gas to a CO shift reactor;
- feeding water from the water reservoir vessel into the reformate gas before the CO shift reactor;
- reacting carbon monoxide in the reformate gas with water in the CO shift reactor, thereby increasing a hydrogen content of the reformate gas;
- and
- feeding the reformate gas to a gas purifying unit;
- wherein the water reservoir vessel contains a water-methanol mixture having a mixing ratio effective to ensure adequate frost protection.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.