Integrated reactor
AssigneeHyradix, Inc.
InventorsRichard Woods, Kundaswamy Duraiswamy, Shawn Barge
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An integrated reactor for producing fuel gas for a fuel cell, the integrated reactor comprises an waste gas oxidizer (WGO) assembly having an associated WGO chamber, an inlet, an outlet and a flow path for exothermic gases produced in the WGO chamber. The integrated reactor has an autothermal reactor (ATR) assembly located within the WGO chamber. The ATR assembly has an inlet means and an outlet means for process gases flowing therethrough and a catalyst bed which is intermediate the inlet and outlet means. At least a part of the inlet means of the ATR assembly is located in the flow path of the WGO chamber to facilitate the transfer of thermal energy.
Claims31
An integrated reactor for producing fuel gas for a fuel cell, the integrated reactor comprising:
- an waste gas oxidizer (WGO) assembly having an associated WGO chamber, an inlet, an outlet and a flow path for exothermic gases produced in the WGO chamber;
- and
- an autothermal reactor (ATR) assembly located at least partially in the WGO chamber, the ATR assembly having an inlet means and an outlet means for process gases flowing therethrough and a catalyst bed intermediate the inlet and outlet means, at least part of the inlet means of the ATR assembly being located in the flow path of the WGO chamber.
A method of providing thermal energy to process gases in an autothermal reactor (ATR) assembly, the method comprising:
- positioning an ATR assembly at least partially within a chamber of an waste gas oxidizer (WGO) assembly, the ATR assembly having an inlet means and an outlet means for process gases flowing therethrough;
- combusting waste gas within the WGO chamber to produce heat;
- and
- locating the inlet means of the ATR assembly within the chamber of the WGO assembly to facilitate heat transfer therebetween.
A method of controlling an integrated reactor having an autothermal reactor portion and a waste gas oxidizer portion, the method comprising:
- independently controlling the air or oxidant to the ATR portion with regards to the fuel flow to the ATR;
- independently controlling the water/steam to the ATR portion with regards to the fuel flow to the ATR;
- increasing the air or oxidant flow rate to enhance the rapid transient characteristics of the ATR process or decreasing the air or oxidant flow rate to enhance the higher efficiency characteristics of the SMR process.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.