Fuel steam reformer system and reformer startup process

Abstract

A hydrogen generation system is disclosed that has a vaporization section receiving and vaporizing fuel along with water and passing the vapor to a reformer catalyst section heated by a combustor section which generates reformate gas and is fueled by off-gas from a Hpurification unit along with a combustion air source. The off-gas outlet feeds the combustor section in the reformer assembly to heat the catalyst section and the vaporization section. An Hstorage unit connected to the Hpurification unit pure Houtlet receives the pure H. The storage unit has an outlet selectively connectable to the reformer assembly process inlet during startup without the need for a spark igniter. The startup process includes generating heat in the combustor section of the reformer assembly by passing Hfrom the Hstorage unit through the vaporization section, the reformer catalyst section, the Hpurification unit and through the off-gas connection to the combustor section, then introducing water and fuel through the vaporization section and reformer catalyst section to generate reformate gas when the system is warmed, passing the reformate gas through the Hpurification unit to the off-gas connection to the combustor section, and establishing a back pressure on the reformer catalyst section and vaporizer section to decrease the hydrogen flow from the Hstorage unit until the system is fully sustainable without addition of Hfrom the Hstorage unit.