Solid oxide fuel cell systems having temperature swing reforming
AssigneeExxonMobil Research and Engineering Company
InventorsFrank Hershkowitz, Paul J. Berlowitz
Life of this patent
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Abstract
The present invention provides an improvement in the process of producing energy from fuel cells. A cyclic reforming process, referred to as temperature swing reforming, provides an efficient means for producing a hydrogen containing synthesis gas for use in solid oxide fuel cell applications. In one embodiment, at least some synthesis gas which is first produced in the temperature swing reforming process is combusted with air to provide the heat for the regeneration step of the temperature swing reforming process. The syngas produced in TSR is particularly well suited for use in solid oxide fuel cell applications.
Claims23
A method for producing electrical energy 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 C1GHSV of at least 500 under reforming conditions, wherein calculation of C1GHSV includes bed volume of all catalysts and heat transfer solids in reforming and regeneration zones;
- 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 syngas 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, and
- (b) supplying said reform product from step iii to an anode of a solid oxide fuel cell to produce electricity.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.