Abstract:
A reforming device and a fuel cell system applied with the reforming device which can prevent the deterioration of an water-gas shift catalyst due to the oxidation even when the reforming device is emergently stopped under the unexpected condition such as a power failure. A fuel cell system includes the reforming device and a fuel cell. The reforming device includes a reformer and a water gas shift reactor. The reforming device removes the oxygen included in the atmosphere invading into the water gas shift reactor using hydrogen remained in the reforming device. The fuel cell generates the electric power using a reformate gas reformed by the reframing device as a fuel gas.
Abstract:
A shift converter, or reactor, (16HT, 16LT) in a fuel processing subsystem (14, 16HT, 16LT, 18), as for a fuel cell (12), uses an improved catalyst bed (34, 50) and the addition of oxygen (40, 40A, 40B, 40C, 40D, 41A, 41B, 41C, 41D) to reduce the amount of carbon monoxide in a process gas stream. The catalyst of bed (34, 50) is a metal, preferably a noble metal, having a promoted support of metal oxide, preferably ceria and/or zirconia. A water gas shift reaction converts carbon monoxide to carbon dioxide. The oxygen may be introduced as air, and causes an improvement in carbon monoxide removal. Use of the added oxygen enables the shift reactor (16HT, 16LT) and its catalyst bed (34, 50) to be relatively more compact for performing a given level of carbon monoxide conversion. The catalyst bed (34, 50) obviates the requirement for prior reducing of catalysts, and minimizes the need to protect the catalyst from oxygen during operation and/or shutdown.
Abstract:
A reactor system, plant and a process for the production of methanol from synthesis gas is described in which the reactor system comprises: (a) a first reactor adapted to be maintained under methanol synthesis conditions having inlet means for supply of synthesis gas and outlet means for recovery of a first methanol-containing stream, said first reactor being charged with a first volume of a methanol synthesis catalyst through which the synthesis gas flows and on which in use, partial conversion of the synthesis gas to a product gas mixture comprising methanol and un-reacted synthesis gas will occur adiabatically; and (b) a second reactor adapted to be maintained under methanol synthesis conditions having inlet means for supply of the gaseous first methanol-containing stream, outlet means for recovery of a second methanol-containing stream and cooling means, said second reactor being charged with a second volume of a methanol synthesis catalyst through which the gaseous first methanol-containing stream flows and on which, in use, further conversion of the synthesis gas to a product gas mixture comprising methanol will occur.
Abstract:
An apparatus and method is disclosed for rapidly heating fuel processor components during startup of a fuel cell powered vehicle. Rapid heating is achieved by placing a water adsorbent downstream of the fuel processor's primary reactor, which converts a hydrocarbon-based fuel to a hydrogen-rich fuel. In addition to hydrogen, the reformed fuel (reformate) includes carbon dioxide, carbon monoxide and water. The water adsorbent, which has a high heat of adsorption, produces heat as it adsorbs water in the reformate. Heat generated by water adsorption enhances the rate at which fuel processor components, such as a water-gas-shift reactor, reach their operating temperatures. In addition, water adsorption reduces water condensation on the water-gas-shift reactor catalyst. Once the fuel processor components attain their operating temperatures, water desorbs from the adsorbent and is available for converting carbon monoxide to carbon dioxide and hydrogen in the water-gas-shift reactor.
Abstract:
nullProcesses of reductive decontamination using an agent containing at least two kinds of components, and then decomposing the agent using an apparatus for decomposing at least two kinds of chemical substances in the agent, are employed in chemical decontamination. Anull In a chemical decontamination apparatus, a catalyst decomposition column in an upstream side of an ion exchange resin column and a hydrogen peroxide injection apparatus in a further upstream side, reduce the amount of waste products caused by a chemical decontaminating agent where a mixed decontaminating agent for a composition trapped in a cation resin column and for a composition trapped in an anion exchange resin are used for the chemical decontaminating agent, selectively decompose the composition trapped in the cation resin column in an inlet side of a cleaning apparatus when radioactive nuclides in the decontaminating agent are cleansed using the cation resin column during decontamination, and decompose both compositions after completion of the decontamination. The chemical decontamination thus selectively decomposes the chemical decontaminating agent, which is a component of the load to the cation resin column. nullThe chemical decontamination moderates corrosion of material by using a chemical decontaminating agent decomposing apparatus capable of decomposing the components trapped by the cation exchange resin and components trapped by an anion exchange resin at the same time.null
Abstract:
The converting of an existing methanol plant to make hydrogen and optionally methanol is disclosed. The converted plant utilizes the steam reformer (10) to which (a) a hydrocarbon, e.g., natural gas, or a lower alkanol, e.g., methanol, and (b) steam (water) are fed. Syngas is formed in the reformer (10). All or part of the syngas is processed in a CO converter (21) and/or a separation unit (22 & 28) to separate out carbon dioxide (24), carbon monoxide (30) and hydrogen (32). In the first mode, the CO converter (21) is isolated and the separated carbon dioxide (24) is fed either to the existing methanol synthesis loop (12) for methanol synthesis, or back into the feed to the reformer (10) to enhance carbon monoxide formation in the syngas (18). In the second mode, a lower alkanol is fed to the reformer (10), and the methanol synthesis loop (12) is shutdown and isolated from the rest of the plant. Any remaining syngas (38) not fed to the carbon dioxide separator (22) can be converted to methanol in the existing methanol synthesis loop (12) along with carbon dioxide (24) from the separator (22) and/or imported carbon dioxide (25), and hydrogen (35) from the separator (28). In the second mode, the separated carbon monoxide (30) is preferably recycled to the reformer (10) and/or to the CO converter (21) to enhance hydrogen production.
Abstract:
An apparatus for carrying out a multi-step process of converting hydrocarbon fuel to a substantially pure hydrogen gas feed includes a plurality of modules stacked end-to-end along a common axis. Each module includes a shell having an interior space defining a passageway for the flow of gas from a first end of the shell to a second end of the shell opposite the first end, and a processing core being contained within the interior space for effecting a chemical, thermal, or physical change to a gas stream passing axially through the module. the multi-step process includes: providing a fuel processor having a plurality of modules stacked end-to-end along a common axis; and feeding the hydrocarbon fuel successively through each of the modules in an axial direction through the tubular reactor to produce the hydrogen rich gas.
Abstract:
A catalytic reactor and process wherein the reactor contains a fixed catalyst bed comprised of at least one layer of a mesh having catalyst particles and/or catalyst fibers retained in the interstices of the mesh, wherein the catalyst particles have an average particle size of no greater than 200 microns and the fibers have a diameter of no greater than 500 microns and wherein the wire mesh layer has a void volume of at least 45%.
Abstract:
An apparatus and method by which solid supports may be retained in place in an array within an reaction vessel but which allows easy lateral manipulation of the solid supports in a defined manner to new arrays for subsequent steps in the synthesis of combinatorial chemistry libraries of compounds.
Abstract:
A reformer 34 includes three reforming reaction units 80, 82, and 84. These reforming reaction units 80, 82, and 84 respectively include catalyst layers 81, 83, and 85. A supply of crude fuel gas fed to the reformer 34 successively passes through the catalyst layers 81, 83, and 85 in this sequence to be subjected to reforming reactions and converted to a hydrogen-rich gaseous fuel. An air supply unit 90 feeds a supply of the air to each catalyst layer. Oxidation reactions proceed in addition to the reforming reactions in the catalyst layer which receives the supply of the air. Heat produced by the oxidation reactions is utilized for the reforming reactions. Temperature sensors 86, 87, and 88 respectively measure the internal temperatures of the catalyst layers 81, 83, and 85. The amount of the air fed to each catalyst layer is regulated, based on the results of the measurement.