Apparatus and method for operating a fuel reformer to provide reformate gas to both a fuel cell and an emission abatement device

• US 20030143445A1
• Filed: 09/18/2002
• Published: 07/31/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 01/25/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Arvin Technologies, Inc. (Meritor, Inc. (Nevada))
• Original Assignee: Arvin Technologies, Inc. (Meritor, Inc. (Nevada))
• Inventors: Smaling, Rudolf M., Daniel, Michael J., Bauer, Shawn D., Tyler, Kurt S.
• Granted Patent: US 6,976,353 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 429/19
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 53/9431 Processes characterised by a specific device
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 53/9495 Controlling the catalytic process
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 19/088 giving rise to electric discharges for heating purposes H05B7/00; for the production of ozone C01B13/11, H01T19/00
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 2219/00063 of the reactants
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 2219/0883 Gas-gas
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 2219/0884 Gas-liquid
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 2219/0892 involving catalytically active material
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 2219/0894 Processes carried out in the presence of a plasma
• CPC Class Codes: C01B 2203/0205 containing a reforming step
• CPC Class Codes: C01B 2203/0861 by plasma
• CPC Class Codes: C01B 3/342 with the aid of electrical means, electromagnetic or mechanical vibrations, or particle radiations
• CPC Class Codes: F01N 13/009 having two or more separate purifying devices arranged in series
• CPC Class Codes: F01N 13/0097 the purifying devices are arranged in a single housing
• CPC Class Codes: F01N 13/011 having two or more purifying devices arranged in parallel
• CPC Class Codes: F01N 2240/28 a plasma reactor
• CPC Class Codes: F01N 2240/30 a fuel reformer
• CPC Class Codes: F01N 2610/03 the substance being hydrocarbons, e.g. engine fuel
• CPC Class Codes: F01N 3/0253 adding fuel to exhaust gases
• CPC Class Codes: F01N 3/032 during filter regeneration only
• CPC Class Codes: F01N 3/035 with catalytic reactors , e.g. catalysed diesel particulate filters
• CPC Class Codes: F01N 3/0821 : combined with particulate filters catalysed diesel particulate filters F01N3/035
• CPC Class Codes: F01N 3/0842 : Nitrogen oxides
• CPC Class Codes: F01N 3/0871 : Regulation of absorbents or adsorbents, e.g. purging by electrically controlling the supply of combustible mixture or its constituents only F02D41/0235
• CPC Class Codes: F01N 3/0878 : Bypassing absorbents or adsorbents
• CPC Class Codes: F01N 3/0892 : Electric or magnetic treatment, e.g. dissociation of noxious components electric filters F01N3/01; regeneration of exhaust filters F01N3/023; heating catalytic converters F01N3/2006
• CPC Class Codes: F01N 3/2066 : Selective catalytic reduction [SCR]
• CPC Class Codes: F02B 43/10 : Engines or plants characterised by use of other specific gases, e.g. acetylene, oxyhydrogen
• CPC Class Codes: F02M 21/0206 : Non-hydrocarbon fuels, e.g. hydrogen, ammonia or carbon monoxide
• CPC Class Codes: F02M 21/0227 : Means to treat or clean gaseous fuels or fuel systems, e.g. removal of tar, cracking, reforming or enriching
• CPC Class Codes: F02M 21/06 : Apparatus for de-liquefying, e.g. by heating
• CPC Class Codes: F02M 25/12 : the apparatus having means for generating such gases using rays and simultaneously generating ozone F02M27/06
• CPC Class Codes: F02M 27/02 : by catalysts
• CPC Class Codes: F02M 27/042 : by plasma
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 2250/20 : Fuel cells in motive systems, e.g. vehicle, ship, plane
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 8/04014 : Heat exchange using gaseous fluids; Heat exchange by combustion of reactants
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 8/0618 : Reforming processes, e.g. autothermal, partial oxidation or steam reforming
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 8/0668 : Removal of carbon monoxide or carbon dioxide
• CPC Class Codes: Y02A 50/20 : Air quality improvement or preservation, e.g. vehicle emission control or emission reduction by using catalytic converters
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/50 : Fuel cells
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/12 : Improving ICE efficiencies
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/30 : Use of alternative fuels, e.g. biofuels
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 90/40 : Application of hydrogen technology to transportation, e.g. using fuel cells

Abstract

A power system has a fuel reformer, an emission abatement device, and a fuel cell. The fuel reformer reforms hydrocarbon fuels so as to produce a reformate gas which is supplied to both the emission abatement device and the fuel cell. A method of operating a fuel reformer so as to generate and supply a reformate gas to both an emission abatement device and a fuel cell is also disclosed.

Claims

1. A vehicle system for an on-highway truck, comprising:

a fuel cell for producing electrical power,

an emission abatement device for treating exhaust gases from an internal combustion engine, and

a fuel reformer fluidly coupled to both the fuel cell and the emission abatement device.

2. The vehicle system of claim 1, further comprising an electronic control unit electrically coupled to the fuel reformer, the electronic control unit having (i) a processor, and (ii) a memory device, the memory device having stored therein a plurality of instructions which, when executed by the processor, causes the processor to:

operate the fuel reformer so as to supply the reformate gas to the emission abatement device during operation of the internal combustion engine, and

operate the fuel reformer so as to supply the reformate gas to the fuel cell during inoperation of the internal combustion engine.

3. The vehicle system of claim 1, wherein the fuel reformer comprises a plasma fuel reformer.

4. The vehicle system of claim 1, wherein the emission abatement device comprises a NO_X trap for treating NO_X in the exhaust gases of the internal combustion engine.

5. The vehicle system of claim 1, wherein the emission abatement device comprises a particulate soot filter for treating particulate soot in the exhaust gases of the internal combustion engine.

6. The vehicle system of claim 1, further comprising a cab heating and cooling system electrically coupled to the fuel cell.

7. The vehicle system of claim 6, wherein the fuel cell is operable to supply electric power to the cab heating a cooling system during inoperation of the internal combustion engine.

8. A method of operating a vehicle system of an on-highway truck, comprising the steps of:

operating a fuel reformer so as to produce a reformate gas,

advancing the reformate gas from the fuel reformer to an emission abatement device during operation of an internal combustion engine, and

advancing the reformate gas from the fuel reformer to a fuel cell during inoperation of the internal combustion engine.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein:

the fuel reformer comprises a plasma fuel reformer, and

the operating step comprises operating the plasma fuel reformer so as to produce the reformate gas.

10. The method of claim 8, wherein:

the emission abatement device comprises a NO_X trap, and

the step of advancing the reformate gas from the fuel reformer to the emission abatement device comprises advancing the reformate gas to the NO_X trap so as to facilitate regeneration of the NO_X trap during operation of the internal combustion engine.

11. The method of claim 8, wherein:

the emission abatement device comprises a soot particulate filter, and

the step of advancing the reformate gas from the fuel reformer to the emission abatement device comprises advancing the reformate gas to the soot particulate filter so as to facilitate regeneration of the soot particulate filter during operation of the internal combustion engine.

12. The method of claim 8, wherein:

the vehicle system comprises an electrically-powered heating and cooling system for heating and cooling a cab of the on-highway truck, and

the step of advancing the reformate gas from the fuel reformer to the fuel cell comprises operating the fuel cell so as to provide electrical power to the heating and cooling system during inoperation of the internal combustion engine.

13. A method of operating an engine system, comprising the steps of:

operating a fuel reformer so as to reform a hydrocarbon fuel into a reformate gas,

advancing the reformate gas to an emission abatement device during a first period of time, and

advancing the reformate gas to a fuel cell during a second period of time.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein:

the engine system comprises an internal combustion engine,

the step of advancing the reformate gas to the emission abatement device comprises advancing the reformate gas to the emission abatement device during operation of the internal combustion engine, and

the step of advancing the reformate gas to the fuel cell comprises advancing the reformate gas to the fuel cell during inoperation of the internal combustion engine.

15. The method of claim 13, wherein:

the engine system comprises an internal combustion engine, and

both the step of advancing the reformate gas to the emission abatement device and the step of advancing the reformate gas to the fuel cell are performed during operation of the internal combustion engine.

16. The method of claim 13, wherein:

the emission abatement device comprises a NO_X trap, and

the step of advancing the reformate gas to the emission abatement device comprises advancing the reformate gas to the NO_X trap so as to facilitate regeneration of the NO_X trap.

17. The method of claim 13, wherein:

the emission abatement device comprises a soot particulate filter, and

the step of advancing the reformate gas to the emission abatement device comprises advancing the reformate gas to the soot particulate filter so as to facilitate regeneration of the soot particulate filter.

18. The method of claim 13, wherein:

the fuel cell is electrically coupled to a vehicle heating and cooling system, and

the step of advancing the reformate gas to the fuel cell comprises operating the fuel cell so as to generate electrical power for powering the vehicle heating and cooling system.

19. An on-highway truck, comprising:

a diesel engine,

an emission abatement device for treating exhaust gases from the diesel engine,

an electrically-powered cab heating and cooling system,

a fuel cell electrically coupled to the cab heating and cooling system, and

a plasma fuel reformer fluidly coupled to both a reformate gas inlet of the emission abatement device and a reformate gas inlet of the fuel cell.

20. The on-highway truck of claim 19, wherein the emission abatement device comprises a NO_X trap for treating NO_X in the exhaust gases of the diesel engine.

21. The on-highway truck of claim 19, wherein the emission abatement device comprises a soot particulate filter for treating particulate soot in the exhaust gases of the diesel engine.