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AssigneeDelphi Technologies, Inc.
InventorsKevin R. Keegan, Amanda M. Weiss, Charles R. DeJohn
Estimating the term…
A method for determining an optimal combustion interval during start-up of a hydrocarbon catalytic reformer under various conditions of temperature, fuel type, and combustion fuel flow rate. An initial catalyst temperature is measured and an algorithm is used to calculate a rate of heating of the catalyst by combustion based upon heat content of the fuel, selected fuel flow rate, and heat capacity and mass of the catalyst and reformer passages. From the initial temperature and the heating gradient, an optimal combustion interval is inferred through the algorithm and used to terminate combustion, initiate a combustion quench interval, and change over the fuel flow rate and mixture from combustion to reforming.
A method for pre-heating a hydrocarbon catalytic reformer from a starting temperature to a minimum reforming temperature utilizing an electronic control module, comprising the steps of:
A catalytic hydrocarbon reformer for making reformate, comprising:
A computing system having a processor, a memory and an operating environment operable to execute a method for determining a fuel combustion time interval for pre-heating a hydrocarbon catalytic reformer from a starting temperature to a minimum reforming temperature, the method comprising:
A computer readable medium having computer executable instructions of a wired media type for performing a method for determining a fuel combustion time interval for pre-heating a hydrocarbon catalytic reformer from a starting temperature to a minimum reforming temperature, comprising the steps of:
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.