Pressure swing reforming for fuel cell systems
AssigneeExxonMobil Research and Engineering Company
InventorsFrank Hershkowitz, Paul J. Berlowitz, Randall D. Partridge
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Abstract
The present invention provides an improvement in the process of producing hydrogen from hydrocarbon-containing streams. A cyclic reforming process, referred to as pressure swing reforming, provides an efficient means for producing a hydrogen containing synthesis gas for fuel cell applications. Pressure swing reforming may be integrated with shift reactions, preferential oxidation, and membrane separation, achieving thermal and material efficiencies relative to conventional hydrogen production. In one embodiment, at least some synthesis gas which is first produced in the pressure swing reforming process is combusted with air to provide the heat for the regeneration step of the pressure swing reforming process.
Claims33
A process for producing a fuel for a fuel cell comprising:
- (A) reforming a hydrocarbon containing feed with steam in a cyclic reforming and regeneration process comprising:
- i. introducing the feed and steam through a first zone of a reactor containing bed packing material and a reforming catalyst at a space velocity of at least 500 under reforming conditions;
- ii. passing at least a portion of the product of step i through a second zone of the reactor containing bed packing material and transferring heat from the product to the packing material;
- iii. removing substantially all the product from the second zone said product comprising a reform product enriched in hydrogen,
- iv. introducing an oxygen containing gas into the second zone and combusting the gas and a fuel in a region proximate to an interface between the first and second zone to produce heat and a combustion product and transferring heat of the combusting to the bed packing material of the first zone,
- v. removing substantially all of the combustion product from the first zone;
- (B) Supplying said reform product from step iii to a fuel cell.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.