The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Dec. 19, 2000
Filed:
Dec. 11, 1998
James W Priegnitz, Elgin, IL (US);
Anil R Oroskar, Oak Brook, IL (US);
Kenneth J Stippich, Jr, Palatine, IL (US);
Gavin P Towler, Barrington, IL (US);
Kurt Vanden Bussche, Lake in the Hills, IL (US);
UOP LLC, Des Plaines, IL (US);
Abstract
A process and apparatus are disclosed for the operation of a fuel cell to generate electric power from a feed stream comprising a hydrocarbon or an alcohol. The fuel cell comprises a proton exchange membrane which produces electric power from a hydrogen product stream which comprises essentially no carbon monoxide. The hydrogen product stream is produced from the feed stream in a novel steam reforming zone containing a steam reforming catalyst disposed in a bell-shaped catalyst zone. The bell-shaped catalyst zone is disposed over a combustion zone such that the exhaust gas from the combustion flows around the bell-shaped catalyst zone to heat the catalyst from the inside and the outside of the catalyst zone. Furthermore, the bell-shaped catalyst zone maintains a high inlet and a high outlet temperature to avoid methane slippage in the steam reforming zone. Heat for the steam reforming zone is provided by a fuel stream and at least a portion of the anode waste gas stream from the fuel cell.