Reformer mixing chamber and method for operating same

In a reformer for producing distillates:

• a mixing chamber extending an axis and forming an upstream evaporator zone formed as a cyclone and a downstream oxidizing zone and formed between the zones with an annular gap;
• means for introducing atomized liquid fuel axially in a downstream direction into the evaporator zone;
• means for injecting steam tangentially into the evaporator zone and mixing it with the atomized liquid fuel therein to evaporate the atomized liquid fuel and move the resultant fuel-steam mixture downstream as a cyclone;
• means including a nozzle for introducing an oxidizing agent into the oxidizing zone for mixing with the evaporated fuel;
• and
• means for injecting an oxidizing agent into the downstream zone and uniformly mixing the oxidizing agent with the mixture therein.

A method of operating a mixing chamber for a reformer in which a fuel is evaporated and mixed with an oxidizing agent, the method comprising the following steps:

• introducing atomized liquid fuel in an axial downstream direction into a first upstream zone of the mixing chamber via a nozzle,
• contacting the atomized fuel in the upstream zone with steam that is introduced into the first zone of the mixing chamber to cause the fuel to evaporate and to move cyclonically downstream in the first zone with unevaporated particles moving outward,
• supplying an oxidizing agent downstream of the first zone in a second zone of the mixing chamber to the evaporated fuel and uniformly mixing the oxidizing agent with the evaporated fuel, and
• trapping and discharging unevaporated fuel particles in an annular gap between the first and second zones.