APPARATUS AND METHODS FOR MIXING REFORMABLE FUELS AND AN OXYGEN-CONTAINING GAS AND/OR STEAM
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
The present teachings provide apparatus and methods for mixing a reformable fuel and/or steam with an oxygen-containing gas and/or steam to provide a gaseous reforming reaction mixture suitable for reforming with a reformer and/or a fuel cell stack of a fuel cell unit and/or fuel cell system.
17 Citations
33 Claims
-
1-13. -13. (canceled)
-
14. A method of mixing reformable fuel and an oxygen-containing gas and/or steam for delivery to a reformer and/or fuel cell stack of a fuel cell unit, the method comprising:
-
delivering an oxygen-containing gas and/or steam through a tube comprising a throat such that the oxygen-containing gas and/or steam experiences an increase in velocity and decrease in pressure through the throat and a rifling or twisting motion downstream of the throat along with an increase in pressure and decrease in velocity; introducing a reformable fuel and/or steam through a fuel source inlet into a fuel injection chamber and through one or more fuel inlets into the stream of oxygen-containing gas and/or steam downstream of the throat, whereby the reformable fuel and/or steam mixes with the stream of the oxygen-containing gas and/or steam to provide a gaseous reforming reaction mixture, wherein the fuel injection chamber is created by a collar present around the tube and is in fluid communication with the fuel source inlet and the interior of the tube through the one or more fuel inlets; and delivering the gaseous reforming reaction mixture to a reformer and/or a fuel cell stack of a fuel cell unit. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 19, 20, 21)
-
-
15. (canceled)
-
18. (canceled)
-
22. A method of mixing reformable fuel and an oxygen-containing gas and/or steam for delivery to a reformer and/or fuel cell stack of a fuel cell unit, the method comprising:
-
delivering an oxygen-containing gas and/or steam through a tube comprising a throat such that the oxygen-containing gas and/or steam experiences an increase in velocity and decrease in pressure through the throat and an increase in pressure and decrease in velocity downstream of the throat; introducing a reformable fuel and/or steam through a fuel source inlet into a fuel injection chamber and through fuel inlets into the stream of oxygen-containing gas and/or steam downstream of the throat, whereby the reformable fuel and/or steam mixes with the stream of the oxygen-containing gas and/or steam to provide a gaseous reforming reaction mixture, wherein the fuel injection chamber is created by a collar present around the tube and is in fluid communication with the fuel source inlet and the interior of the tube through the fuel inlets; and delivering through an outlet the gaseous reforming reaction mixture to a reformer and/or a fuel cell stack of a fuel cell unit. - View Dependent Claims (23, 24)
-
-
25. A method of mixing reformable fuel and an oxygen-containing gas and/or steam for delivery to a reformer and/or fuel cell stack of a fuel cell unit, the method comprising:
-
delivering an oxygen-containing gas and/or steam through a fluid mixing device, wherein the fluid mixing device comprises; a tube having an inlet, an outlet, and a throat located between the inlet and the outlet, wherein the throat comprises a smaller internal diameter than the internal diameter of the outlet, the longitudinal axis through the tube from the inlet to the outlet defines a downstream direction, and the tube comprises one or more fuel inlets downstream from the throat; and a collar encompassing the one or more fuel inlets on the exterior surface of the tube, wherein the collar comprises a fuel source inlet in fluid communication with the one or more fuel inlets and isolates the one or more fuel inlets from the ambient environment exterior to the tube; introducing a reformable fuel and/or steam through the one or more fuel inlets into the stream of oxygen-containing gas and/or steam downstream of the throat, whereby the reformable fuel and/or steam mixes with the stream of the oxygen-containing gas and/or steam to provide a gaseous reforming reaction mixture; and delivering the gaseous reforming reaction mixture to a reformer and/or a fuel cell stack of a fuel cell unit. - View Dependent Claims (26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33)
-
Specification