Method and device for starting a reacator in a gas-generating system

• US 20020110711A1
• Filed: 11/05/2001
• Published: 08/15/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 11/04/2000
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: NuCellSys GmbH (Mercedes-Benz Group AG)
• Original Assignee: NuCellSys GmbH (Mercedes-Benz Group AG)
• Inventors: Doling, Fabian, Griesmeier, Uwe, Boneberg, Stefan
• Application Number:
  US09/985,647
• Publication Number:
  US 20020110711A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 429/17
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 2208/00061 of the reactants
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 2208/00407 outside the reactor bed
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 2208/00504 by means of a burner
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 2208/0053 Controlling multiple zones along the direction of flow, e.g. pre-heating and after-cooling
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 2208/00548 Flow
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 2208/00716 Means for reactor start-up
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 2208/00849 outside the bed, e.g. baffles
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 2219/00006 Large-scale industrial plants
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 2219/182 horizontal
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 8/0221 in a cylindrical shaped bed B01J8/0214 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 8/0278 Feeding reactive fluids for solid material B01J8/0015
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 8/0285 Heating or cooling the reactor for tubular reactors in furnaces B01J8/062
• CPC Class Codes: C01B 2203/1604 Starting up the process
• CPC Class Codes: C01B 3/323 Catalytic reaction of gaseous or liquid organic compounds other than hydrocarbons with gasifying agents
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 8/0612 from carbon-containing material
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/50 Fuel cells

Abstract

A method serves for starting a reactor, particularly a reformer, in a gas-generating system of a fuel cell installation at a temperature, which is far below the operating temperature of the gas generating system. A hydrocarbon is reacted for generating thermal energy for heating the reactor. At least a portion of the waste gases of the reacted hydrocarbon flows into the reactor. As the reactor temperature increases, an increasing flow of at least one educt, which is to be reacted in the reactor, is introduced and evaporated at least partly in the at least one portion of the waste gases, which flows into the reactor.

Claims

1. A method for starting a reactor, particularly a reformer, in a gas-generating system of a fuel cell installation at a temperature, which is far below the operating temperature of the gas generating system, a hydrocarbon being reacted for generating thermal energy for heating the reactor and at least a portion of the waste gases of the reacted hydrocarbon flowing into the reactor, wherein, as the reactor temperature increases, an increasing flow of at least one educt (CH₃OH), which is to be reacted in the reactor (3), is introduced and evaporated at least partly in the at least one portion of the waste gases, which flows into the reactor (3).

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the portion of waste gases and the at least one educt (CH₃OH) are brought into an autothermal reformer as at least one part of the reactor (3).

3. The method of claims 1 or 2, wherein the portion of the waste gases and the at least one educt are introduced in a partial oxidation step as at least one part of the reactor (3).

4. The method of claims 1, 2 or 3, wherein the hydrocarbon (CH₃OH) is combusted at least partly in a flame burner (5).

5. The method of one of the claims 1 to 4, wherein the hydrocarbon (CH₃OH) is reacted at least partly in a catalytic reaction.

6. The method of one of the claims 1 to 5, wherein at least a portion of the at least one educt (CH₃OH) is the same hydrocarbon (CH₃OH), which is used during the reaction.

7. The method of one of the claims 1 to 6, wherein water (H₂O) is used as at least one portion of the at least one educt.

8. The method of one of the claims 1 to 7, wherein, after the operating temperature of the reactor (3) is reached, the combustion is carried out with a lambda value of the burner (5), which is larger than 1.

9. The method of one of the claims 1 to 8, wherein, if the reactor (3), is sensitive to oxygen, the reaction is carried out with a lambda value of the burner (5), which is smaller than 1.

10. An apparatus for starting a reactor, particularly a reformer, in a gas-generating system of a fuel cell installation at a temperature, which is far below the operating temperature of the gas-generating system, with at least one burner, which is disposed in front of the reactor in the direction of flow of its waste gases, a mixing region for an oxygen-containing gas and a fuel being disposed ahead of the burner in the flow direction, wherein, after the burner (5) and before the reactor (3) in the flow direction, at least one through the mixing region (6) for the waste gases of the burner (5) and at least one educt (CH₃OH) is disposed, the burner (5) and the further mixing region (6) being integrated in a feed pipe (7) for the reactor (3).

11. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein at least one of the mixing regions (4, 6) has a static mixer (10).

12. The apparatus of claims 10 or 11, wherein the burner (5) is constructed as a flame burner.

13. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the burner (5) has an ignition device (11).

14. The apparatus of claims 10 or 11, wherein the burner (5) is constructed as a catalytic burner.