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:
Nov. 04, 2003
Filed:
May. 02, 2000
Lawrence G. Clawson, Dover, MA (US);
Matthew H. Dorson, Arlington, MA (US);
William L. Mitchell, Belmont, MA (US);
Brian J. Nowicki, Medford, MA (US);
Johannes Thijssen, Cambridge, MA (US);
Robert Davis, Waterbeach, GB;
Christopher Papile, Arlington, MA (US);
Jennifer W. Rumsey, Glenwood, IN (US);
Nathan Longo, Calais, VT (US);
James C. Cross, III, Ipswich, MA (US);
Vincent Rizzo, Stoughton, MA (US);
Gunther Kleeburg, Lexington, MA (US);
Michael Rindone, Reading, MA (US);
Stephen G. Block, Petersham, MA (US);
Maria Sun, Melrose, MA (US);
Brian D. Morriseau, Woburn, MA (US);
Mark R. Hagan, Somerville, MA (US);
Brian Bowers, Cambridge, MA (US);
Nuvera Fuel Cells, Inc., Cambridge, MA (US);
Abstract
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.