Integrated fuel injection and mixing systems for fuel reformers and methods of using the same

A method of providing a homogenous fuel vapor mixture to a catalytic reactor, the method comprising the steps of:

• aspirating and generating fine fuel droplets of a liquid fluid in a fluid injector having an injector tip;
• introducing the fine fuel droplets into a mixing chamber in communication with an outlet at the injector tip, the mixing chamber having a diverging upper portion, a central portion, a converging lower portion, and a mixer/swirler comprising a plurality of vanes positioned in the central portion between the diverging upper portion and converging lower portion;
• introducing one or more other fluids into the mixing chamber to enhance atomization of the fine fuel droplets;
• mixing the one or more other fluids with the fine fuel droplets to provide the homogenous fuel vapor mixture;
• and
• stabilizing the homogenous fuel vapor mixture through the mixing chamber.

An integrated fuel injection and mixing system for providing a homogenous vapor mixture prior to introduction of the vapor into a catalytic reformer, the system comprising:

• a fluid injector, having an injector tip, for generating fine droplets of the liquid fluid;
• a mixing chamber that is in communication with an outlet at the injector tip of the fluid injector for mixing the fine droplets of liquid fluid from said fluid injector with other fluids to provide a fuel mixture, wherein the mixing chamber has a diverging upper portion and a converging lower portion;
• and
• a mixer/swirler disposed in a central portion of the mixing chamber and comprising a plurality of vanes positioned in the central portion between the diverging upper portion and the converging lower portion of the mixing chamber, wherein the mixer/swirler is structured and arranged in the mixing chamber for stabilizing the homogenous vapor mixture prior to introduction of the homogenous vapor mixture into the catalytic reformer.

An integrated fuel injection and mixing system for atomizing and mixing a liquid fluid for introduction into a fuel reformer, the system comprising:

• a injection means, having an injector tip, for generating fine droplets of the liquid fluid;
• a mixing means that is in communication with an outlet at the injector tip of the injection means for atomizing and mixing the fine droplets of liquid fluid from said injection means with a second fluid to provide a fuel vapor mixture, wherein the mixing means includes a diverging upper portion and a converging lower portion;
• and
• a swirling means disposed in a central portion of the mixing means and comprising a plurality of vanes positioned in the central portion between the diverging upper portion and the converging lower portion of the mixing chamber, wherein the swirling means is structured and arranged in the mixing means for stabilizing the fuel vapor mixture prior to introduction of the fuel vapor mixture through an entrance to the fuel reformer.

A fuel reformer for reforming a liquid fuel into a hydrogen-rich fluid, the reformer comprising:

• an integrated fuel injection and mixing system for atomizing and mixing a liquid fluid for introduction into the fuel reformer, the system including:
• a fluid injector, having an injector tip, for generating fine droplets of the liquid fluid under pressure;
• a mixing chamber that is in communication with an outlet at the injector tip of the fluid injector for atomizing and mixing the fine droplets of liquid fluid from said fluid injector with a second fluid to provide a fuel vapor mixture wherein the mixing chamber has a diverging upper portion and a converging lower portion;
• and
• a mixer/swirler disposed in a central portion of the mixing chamber and comprising a plurality of vanes positioned in the central portion between the diverging upper portion and the converging lower portion of the mixing chamber, wherein the mixer/swirler is structured and arranged in the mixing chamber for stabilizing the fuel vapor mixture prior to introduction of the fuel vapor mixture through an entrance to the fuel reformer, and
• a catalytic reactor for reforming the fuel vapor mixture into the hydrogen-rich fluid.

An improvement to a fuel cell, the improvement comprising a fuel reformer that reforms a liquid fuel into a hydrogen-rich fluid, the fuel reformer comprising:

• an integrated fuel injection and mixing system for atomizing and mixing a liquid fluid for introduction into the fuel reformer, the system including:
• a fluid injector, having an injector tip, for generating fine droplets of the liquid fluid under pressure;
• a mixing chamber that is in communication with an outlet at the injector tip of the fluid injector for atomizing and mixing the fine droplets of liquid fluid from said fluid injector with a second fluid to provide a fuel vapor mixture, wherein the mixing chamber has a diverging upper portion and a converging lower portion;
• and
• a mixer/swirler disposed in a central portion of the mixing chamber and comprising a plurality of vanes positioned in the central portion between the diverging upper portion and the converging lower portion of the mixing chamber, wherein the mixer/swirler is structured and arranged in the mixing chamber for stabilizing the fuel vapor mixture prior to introduction of the fuel vapor mixture through an entrance to the fuel reformer, and
• a catalytic reactor for reforming the fuel vapor mixture into the hydrogen-rich fluid.