MICRO COMPONENT HYDROCARBON STEAM REFORMER SYSTEM AND CYCLE FOR PRODUCING HYDROGEN GAS

摘要

A micro component steam reformer system for producing hydrogen-enriched gas to power a fuel cell 68 adapted for scalable power requirements. The steam reformer system uses a cycle in which, in laminar flow modules, a vaporized hydrocarbon is mixed with fuel cell off-gas having a hydrogen component and combusted to heat vaporizers 14, 18 and 22 and a steam reformer 34. Vaporized hydrocarbons and water vapour are introduced as a feedstock into the steam reformer 34 to produce a syn-gas, which is cooled in heat exchangers 38, 46 and 54 and purified a shift reactors 42 and 50 and in preferential oxidation reactor 60. The resulting hydrogen gas may be introduced into a hydrogen fuel cell 68. Off-gas from the fuel cell 68 is recycled to provide hydrogen and water for use in the system cycle.