Arthur D. Little, Inc.

Nuvera Fuel Cells, Inc.

Other

William L Mitchell

Lawrence G Clawson

Jeffrey M Bentley

James C Cross, Iii

Matthew Dorson

Johannes H Thijssen

Johannes H J Thijssen

Jennifer W Rumsey

Brian J Nowicki

Robert Davis

Mark R Hagan

Christopher J Papile

Brian J Bowers

Vincent Rizzo

Nathan Longo

Johannes Thijssen

John W Yee

Brian D Morriseau

Maria Sun

Stephen G Block

Michael Rindone

Gunther Kleeburg

A hydrocarbon fuel reformer for producing diatomic hydrogen gas is disclosed. The reformer includes a first reaction vessel, a shift reactor vessel annularly disposed about the first reaction vessel, including a first shift reactor zone, and a first helical tube disposed within the first shift reactor zone having an inlet end communicating with a water supply source. The water supply source is preferably adapted to supply liquid-phase water to the first helical tube at flow conditions sufficient to ensure discharge of liquid-phase and steam-phase water from an outlet end of the first helical tube. The reformer may further include a first catalyst bed disposed in the first shift reactor zone, having a low-temperature shift catalyst in contact with the first helical tube. The catalyst bed includes a plurality of coil sections disposed in coaxial relation to other coil sections and to the central longitudinal axis of the reformer, each coil section extending between the first and second ends, and each coil section being in direct fluid communication with at least one other coil section.

Integrated reformer and shift reactor

An auxiliary reactor for use with a reformer reactor having at least one reaction zone, and including a burner for burning fuel and creating a heated auxiliary reactor gas stream, and heat exchanger for transferring heat from auxiliary reactor gas stream and heat transfer medium, preferably two-phase water, to reformer reaction zone. Auxiliary reactor may include first cylindrical wall defining a chamber for burning fuel and creating a heated auxiliary reactor gas stream, the chamber having an inlet end, an outlet end, a second cylindrical wall surrounding first wall and a second annular chamber there between. The reactor being configured so heated auxiliary reactor gas flows out the outlet end and into and through second annular chamber and conduit which is disposed in second annular chamber, the conduit adapted to carry heat transfer medium and being connectable to reformer reaction zone for additional heat exchange.

Auxiliary reactor for a hydrocarbon reforming system

A reformer for producing a hydrogen-rich gas includes a first zone, a second zone, a third zone, a fourth zone and a product gas collection space. The zones are sequentially adjacent. A flow path is provided for directing flow of a reaction stream in diverging directions from the first zone into the second zone, and continuing in the same general diverging directions through the second zone, third zone, and fourth zone. Directing the flow in diverging directions permits flow into and through a zone over more that just a single cross-sectional geometry of the zone or a single cross-section of the flow path transverse to the direction of flows. This configuration can be used to require a lower pressure for flowing the reaction stream so as to reduce the parasitic requirements of the reactor, and can also be used to increase throughput of the reactor.

Reactor for producing hydrogen from hydrocarbon fuels

A hydrocarbon reformer system including a first reactor configured to generate hydrogen-rich reformate by carrying out at least one of a non-catalytic thermal partial oxidation, a catalytic partial oxidation, a steam reforming, and any combinations thereof, a second reactor in fluid communication with the first reactor to receive the hydrogen-rich reformate, and having a catalyst for promoting a water gas shift reaction in the hydrogen-rich reformate, and a heat exchanger having a first mass of two-phase water therein and configured to exchange heat between the two-phase water and the hydrogen-rich reformate in the second reactor, the heat exchanger being in fluid communication with the first reactor so as to supply steam to the first reactor as a reactant is disclosed. The disclosed reformer includes an auxiliary reactor configured to generate heated water/steam and being in fluid communication with the heat exchanger of the second reactor to supply the heated water/steam to the heat exchanger.

Integrated hydrocarbon reforming system and controls

Hydrocarbon fuel reformer suitable for producing synthesis hydrogen gas from reactions with hydrocarbons fuels, oxygen, and steam. A first tube has a first tube inlet and a first tube outlet . The first tube inlet is adapted for receiving a first mixture including an oxygen-containing gas and a first fuel. A partially oxidized first reaction reformate is directed out of the first tube into a mixing zone . A second tube is annularly disposed about the first tube and has a second tube inlet and a second tube outlet . The second tube inlet is adapted for receiving a second mixture including steam and a second fuel. A steam reformed second reaction reformate is directed out of the second tube and into the mixing zone . From the mixing zone , the first and second reaction reformates may be directed into a catalytic reforming zone containing a reforming catalyst

Apparatus for converting hydrocarbon fuel into hydrogen gas and carbon dioxide

A hydrocarbon fuel reformer (,) is disclosed suitable for producing synthesis hydrogen gas from reactions with hydrocarbons fuels, oxygen, and steam. The reformer (,) comprises first and second tubes (,). The first tube (,) includes a first catalyst (,) and receives a first mixture of steam and a first fuel. The second tube (,) is annularly disposed about the first tube (,) and receives a second mixture of an oxygen-containing gas and a second fuel. In one embodiment, a third tube (,) is annularly disposed about the second tube (,) and receives a first reaction reformate from the first tube (,) and a second reaction reformate from the second tube (,). A catalyst reforming zone (,) annularly disposed about the third tube (,) may be provided to subject reformate constituents to a shift reaction. In another embodiment, a fractionator is provided to distill first and second fuels from a fuel supply source.

A reformer reactor,for producing a hydrogen-rich gas includes a first zone,a second zone,a third zone,a fourth zone,and a product gas collection space,The zones are sequentially adjacent. A flow path P,is provided for directing flow of a reaction stream in diverging directions from the first zone,into the second zone,the flow of the reaction stream continuing in the same general diverging directions through the second zone,and into and through the third and fourth zones,Directing the flow in diverging directions permits flow into and through a zone over more than just a single cross-sectional geometry of the zone or a single cross-section of the flow path transverse to the direction of flows. This configuration can be used to require a lower pressure for flowing the reaction stream so as to reduce the parasitic requirements of the reactor. This configuration can also be used to increase throughput of the reactor.

A hydrocarbon fuel reforming method is disclosed suitable for producing synthesis hydrogen gas from reactions with hydrocarbons fuels, oxygen, and steam. A first mixture of an oxygen-containing gas and a first fuel is directed into a first tube,to produce a first reaction reformate. A second mixture of steam and a second fuel is directed into a second tube,annularly disposed about the first tube,to produce a second reaction reformate. The first and second reaction reformates are then directed into a reforming zone,and subject to a catalytic reforming reaction. In another aspect of the method, a first fuel is combusted with an oxygen-containing gas in a first zone,to produce a reformate stream, while a second fuel under steam reforming in a second zone,. Heat energy from the first zone,is transferred to the second zone

Method for converting hydrocarbon fuel into hydrogen gas and carbon dioxide

An apparatus and a method are disclosed for converting hydrocarbon fuel or an alcohol into hydrogen gas and carbon dioxide. The apparatus includes a first vessel having a partial oxidation reaction zone and a separate steam reforming reaction zone that is distinct from the partial oxidation reaction zone. The first vessel has a first vessel inlet at the partial oxidation reaction zone and a first vessel outlet at the steam reforming zone. The reformer also includes a helical tube extending about the first vessel. The helical tube has a first end connected to an oxygen-containing source and a second end connected to the first vessel at the partial oxidation reaction zone. Oxygen gas from an oxygen-containing source can be directed through the helical tube to the first vessel. A second vessel having a second vessel inlet and second vessel outlet is annularly disposed about the first vessel. The helical tube is disposed between the first vessel and the second vessel and gases from the first vessel can be directed through second vessel.

Method and apparatus for converting hydrocarbon fuel into hydrogen gas

A method is disclosed for synthesizing hydrogen gas from hydrocarbon fuel. A first mixture of steam and a first fuel is directed into a first tube 208 to subject the first mixture to a first steam reforming reaction in the presence of a first catalyst 214. A stream of oxygen-containing gas is pre-heated by transferring heat energy from product gases. A second mixture of the pre-heated oxygen-containing gas and a second fuel is directed into a second tube 218 disposed about the first tube 208 to subject the second mixture to a partial oxidation reaction and to provide heat energy for transfer to the first tube 208. A first reaction reformate from the first tube 208 and a second reaction reformate from the second tube 218 are directed into a third tube 224 disposed about the second tube 218 to subject the first and second reaction reformates to a second steam reforming reaction, wherein heat energy is transferred to the third tube 224 from the second tube 218.

Method for converting hydrocarbon fuel into hydrogen gas and carbon

A method for converting hydrocarbon fuel into hydrogen gas and carbon dioxide within a reformer 10 is disclosed. According to the method, a stream including an oxygen-containing gas is directed adjacent to a first vessel 18 and the oxygen-containing gas is heated. A stream including unburned fuel is introduced into the oxygen-containing gas stream to form a mixture including oxygen-containing gas and fuel. The mixture of oxygen-containing gas and unburned fuel is directed tangentially into a partial oxidation reaction zone 24 within the first vessel 18. The mixture of oxygen-containing gas and fuel is further directed through the partial oxidation reaction zone 24 to produce a heated reformate stream including hydrogen gas and carbon monoxide. Steam may also be mixed with the oxygen-containing gas and fuel, and the reformate stream from the partial oxidation reaction zone 24 directed into a steam reforming zone 26. High- and low-temperature shift reaction zones 64,76 may be employed for further fuel processing.

A head helmet including a head protective shell having a crown and a brim defining the top of an open facial area with a frontal area of the shell extending downwardly from the crown to the brim extremity. A mirror optical system is supported in a tunnel disposed forwardly of the frontal area of the shell and includes a scanning mirror positioned adjacent the crown for receiving rearward images and reflecting the images downwardly to a reflecting mirror positioned adjacent the brim extremity and facing generally upwardly toward the scanning mirror for reflecting the rearward images from the scanning mirror generally upwardly and forwardly to a viewing mirror positioned above and forwardly of the reflecting mirror and the brim extremity and generally facing rearwardly and downwardly for reflecting the rearward images from the reflecting mirror into the open facial area to the wearer's eyes whereby the image line between the wearer's eyes and the viewing mirror crosses the image line between the reflecting mirror and the scanning mirror.

Growing community of inventors

Belmont, MA, United States of America

William L Mitchell