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:
Jul. 27, 2004
Filed:
May. 25, 2001
Hiroyuki Ichikawa, Kanagawa-ken, JP;
Fuminori Yamanashi, Tokyo, JP;
Masakazu Hanawa, Ibaraki-ken, JP;
Nissan Motor Co., Ltd., Yokohama, JP;
Abstract
A fuel reforming apparatus quickly heats the temperature of a catalyst to an activation temperature to shorten a startup time. The apparatus supplies a hydrocarbon fuel and an oxidizer upstream from a second catalyst ( ), and steam upstream from a first catalyst ( ). The second catalyst starts a rapid oxidation reaction to generate a high-temperature gas which heats the first catalyst. When the apparatus changes a startup operation or an accelerating operation to a steady operation after a predetermined period, the apparatus supplies the hydrocarbon fuel and steam upstream from the second catalyst, and the oxidizer upstream from the first catalyst. As a result, the second catalyst starts a steam reforming reaction to absorb heat from the second catalyst. And the second catalyst rapidly cools to stop reactions and pass the hydrocarbon fuel and steam with out reactions. Then, a hydrogen-rich reformed gas is generated from the passed hydrocarbon fuel and steam.