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US 7,115,148 B2Granted
Compact methanol steam reformer with integrated hydrogen separation
AssigneeHer Majesty the Queen in right of Canada, as respresented by the Minister of Defence of Her Majesty's Canadian Government
InventorsIan R. Wheeldon, Brant A. Peppley, Helmut Wieland
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Hydrogen is produced in a compact methanol-steam reformer, which integrates an inner cylindrical heating chamber; and a reactant vaporizer and heating zone, and an outer Cu/ZnO/Al2O3 catalyst bed in concentric annuli around the heating chamber. Tubular, palladium-silver alloy membranes in the catalyst bed separate hydrogen from retentate gas, which is separately discharged from the apparatus through a manifold.
Claims12
A methanol-steam reforming apparatus for producing hydrogen comprising:
- (a) a housing having first and second end walls;
- (b) a first vessel extending into said housing from the first end wall defining a heating chamber;
- (c) at least one heater in said heating chamber;
- (d) a second vessel in said housing surrounding and spaced apart from the first vessel and having a closed end and a free end spaced apart from said first end wall defining a gap through which fluid can flow, the area between the first and second vessels defining a heating zone, and the area between the second vessel and the housing defining a reaction chamber extending around a major portion of the second vessel;
- (e) an inlet duct extending through said first end wall and said first vessel into said heating zone for introducing reactants into said heating zone;
- (f) a heat conducting mesh in said heating zone for heating reactants and conducting heat from said first vessel to said second vessel;
- (g) a catalyst bed filling said reaction chamber for causing methanol and steam to react to produce hydrogen;
- (h) a plurality of tubular hydrogen permeable membranes in said catalyst bed extending through said second end wall;
- (i) a hydrogen outlet passage in said second end wall for receiving hydrogen from said membranes and discharging the hydrogen from the apparatus;
- (j) a retentate manifold in said reaction chamber connected to said second vessel at said closed end thereof, said manifold having a sieve for admitting retentate gases into the manifold;
- and
- (k) a retentate outlet connected to said manifold for discharging retentate gases from said housing.
9 more elements
A methanol-steam reforming apparatus for producing hydrogen comprising:
- (a) a housing including:
- (i) a cylindrical upper portion having a circular top wall, and
- (ii) a cylindrical base;
- (b) a cylindrical first vessel extending downwardly from said top wall of the housing defining a heating chamber;
- (c) at least one heater in said heating chamber;
- (d) a second vessel in said housing including:
- a cylindrical side wall having a closed bottom end and a free top end spaced apart from said top wall of the housing upper portion defining a gap through which fluid can flow, the area between the cylindrical upper portion of the housing and the second vessel defining a heating zone, and the area between the side wall of the second vessel and the upper portion of the housing defining a reaction chamber extending around a major portion of the second vessel;
- (e) an inlet duct extending axially through said top wall of the housing and said first vessel into said heating zone for introducing reactants into said heating zone;
- (f) a heat conducting mesh in said heating zone for heating reactants and conducting heat from said first vessel to said second vessel;
- (g) a particulate catalyst bed filling said reaction chamber for causing methanol and steam to react to product hydrogen;
- (h) a plurality of tubular hydrogen permeable membranes extending upwardly from said base into said catalyst bed for receiving hydrogen from the catalyst bed, said membranes having closed top ends and open bottom ends;
- (i) a hydrogen outlet passage in said base connected to said open bottom ends of said membranes for receiving hydrogen from said membranes and discharging the hydrogen from the apparatus;
- (j) a retentate manifold beneath and connected to the closed bottom end of said second vessel, said manifold having a sieve for admitting retentate gases into the manifold;
- and
- (k) a retentate outlet extending radially outwardly from said manifold through a bottom end of the catalyst bed and said base for discharging retentate gases from the housing.
12 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.