Liquid fuel CPOX reformer and fuel cell systems, and methods of producing electricity

摘要

Integrated liquid fuel catalytic partial oxidation (CPOX) reformer and fuel cell systems can include a plurality or an array of spaced-apart CPOX reactor units, each reactor unit including an elongate tube having a gas-permeable wall with internal and external surfaces, the wall enclosing an open gaseous flow passageway with at least a portion of the wall having CPOX catalyst disposed therein and/or comprising its structure. The catalyst-containing wall structure and open gaseous flow passageway enclosed thereby define a gaseous phase CPOX reaction zone, the catalyst-containing wall section being gas-permeable to allow gaseous CPOX reaction mixture to diffuse therein and hydrogen rich product reformate to diffuse therefrom. The liquid fuel CPOX reformer also can include a vaporizer, one or more igniters, and a source of liquid reformable fuel. The hydrogen-rich reformate can be converted to electricity within a fuel cell unit integrated with the liquid fuel CPOX reactor unit.

主权项

1. An integrated liquid fuel CPOX reformer and fuel cell system, the integrated system comprising:
an array of spaced-apart CPOX reactor units, each CPOX reactor unit comprising an elongate tube having a gas-permeable wall with an internal surface and an external surface, the gas-permeable wall enclosing an open gaseous flow passageway and defining an inlet and an outlet of the CPOX reactor unit, the open gaseous flow passageway being a hollow bore extending from the inlet to the outlet of the CPOX reactor unit, wherein a CPOX reactor unit is in thermal communication with at least the adjacent CPOX reactor unit(s) in the array, and a CPOX catalyst disposed within and/or comprising the structure of at least a section of the gas-permeable wall; a vaporizer in fluid communication with inlets of the CPOX reactor units; an igniter in thermal communication with the CPOX catalyst of at least one CPOX reactor unit; a fuel cell unit comprising an anode, a cathode, and an electrolyte disposed therebetween, wherein the anode is in fluid communication with the outlet of the CPOX reactor unit and the cathode is in fluid communication with an oxygen-containing gas; and a current collector electrically coupled to the anode and the cathode of the fuel cell unit.