A FUEL PROCESSOR FOR A FUEL CELL ARRANGEMENT AND A METHOD OF OPERATING A FUEL PROCESSOR FOR A FUEL CELL ARRANGEMENT

摘要

The fuel processor (10) comprises a desulphurization reactor (12), a catalytic partial oxidation reactor (14), a combustor (16) and a pre-reformer (18), means (20) to supply a hydrocarbon fuel to the desulphurization reactor (12), means (24) to supply air to the catalytic partial oxidation reactor (14) and means (24) to supply air to the combustor (16). The desulphurization reactor (12) is arranged to supply desulphurised hydrocarbon fuel to the catalytic partial oxidation reactor (14) in first, second and third modes of operation, to the combustor (16) in a first mode of operation to the pre-reformer (18) in a third mode of operation. The combustor (16) is arranged to supply oxygen depleted air and steam to the pre-reformer (18) in the first mode of operation. The catalytic partial oxidation reactor (14) is arranged to supply hydrogen to the desulphurization reactor (12) in all three modes of operation. The catalytic partial oxidation reactor (14) is arranged to supply the pre-reformer (18) in all three modes of operation and the pre-reformer (18) is arranged to supply product gases to the fuel cell arrangement.