Microwave Reforming Apparatus for Gas Reforming

• US 20180265356A1
• Filed: 11/22/2017
• Published: 09/20/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 03/17/2017
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Industry-Academic Cooperation Foundation, Chosun University (Chosun University)
• Original Assignee: Industry-Academic Cooperation Foundation, Chosun University (Chosun University)
• Inventors: Chun, Young-Nam
• Granted Patent: US 10,442,689 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: C01B 2203/0227 containing a catalytic reforming step
• CPC Class Codes: C01B 2203/0238 the reforming step being a carbon dioxide reforming step
• CPC Class Codes: C01B 2203/0277 containing a catalytic decomposition step
• CPC Class Codes: C01B 2203/0855 by electromagnetic heating
• CPC Class Codes: C01B 2203/1023 Catalysts in the form of a monolith or honeycomb
• CPC Class Codes: C01B 2203/1041 Composition of the catalyst
• CPC Class Codes: C01B 2203/1241 Natural gas or methane
• CPC Class Codes: C01B 2203/1247 Higher hydrocarbons
• CPC Class Codes: C01B 3/26 using catalysts
• CPC Class Codes: C01B 3/38 using catalysts
• CPC Class Codes: C10B 53/02 of cellulose-containing material production of pyroligneous acid C10C5/00
• CPC Class Codes: C10J 2300/0916 Biomass
• CPC Class Codes: C10J 2300/094 Char
• CPC Class Codes: C10J 2300/0946 Waste, e.g. MSW, tires, glass, tar sand, peat, paper, lignite, oil shale
• CPC Class Codes: C10J 3/84 with means for removing dust or tar from the gas
• CPC Class Codes: C10K 3/003 Reducing the tar content
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 50/10 Biofuels, e.g. bio-diesel

Abstract

The present disclosure relates to a microwave reforming apparatus for gas reforming, and provides a new technology of converting carbon dioxide which is a main greenhouse gas generated during combustion, pyrolysis/gasification, and operation of fossil fuels, methane, and dispersions thereof into high-quality fuels. A microwave reforming apparatus according to the present disclosure uses a carbon receptor and thus can solve the conventional problem of price of catalyst and also enables compactification of a device, rapid startup and response time in several seconds, and application of various kinds of product gases including polymer hydrocarbon. Also, the microwave reforming apparatus according to the present disclosure uses its own internal reaction heat at the time of reforming and thus can maintain the optimum operating conditions for a wide range of flow rate and gas properties. Therefore, it is possible to solve the conventional problem with the time required for normal operation and the efficiency of a reforming apparatus.

Claims

1. A microwave reforming apparatus for gas reforming, the microwave reforming apparatus comprising:

a microwave cavity chamber;

one or more magnetrons provided on an internal wall surface of the microwave cavity chamber;

a power supply unit connected to the magnetron;

one or more carbon receptor reactors positioned within the microwave cavity chamber;

an injecting gas supply unit communicating with an upper part of the carbon receptor reactor; and

a reforming gas discharge unit communicating with a lower part of the carbon receptor reactor.

2. The microwave reforming apparatus for gas reforming of claim 1, wherein the injecting gas includes one or more kinds of biogases selected from the group consisting of CH₄ and CO₂.

3. The microwave reforming apparatus for gas reforming of claim 1, wherein the reforming gas includes H₂ and CO gases.

4. The microwave reforming apparatus for gas reforming of claim 1, wherein the carbon receptor reactor has a cylindrical shape or a square pillar shape.

5. The microwave reforming apparatus for gas reforming of claim 4, wherein a carbon receptor is fixed at an intermediate position within the carbon receptor reactor.

6. The microwave reforming apparatus for gas reforming of claim 5, wherein the carbon receptor includes one or more kinds selected from the group consisting of dewatered sludge char, activated carbon, bio-char, graphite, and carbon black.

7. A method for reforming a gas, the method comprising:

supplying an injecting gas together with an inert gas to the microwave reforming apparatus of claim 1 (process

     1); and

obtaining a reforming gas by irradiating microwaves from the microwave reforming apparatus and reforming the supplied injecting gas (process

     2).

8. The method for reforming a gas of claim 7, wherein the injecting gas includes one or more kinds of biogases selected from the group consisting of CH₄ and CO₂.

9. The method for reforming a gas of claim 7, wherein the reforming gas includes H₂ and CO gases.

10. The method for reforming a gas of claim 8, wherein when one or more biogases selected from the group consisting of CH₄ and CO₂ are simultaneously reformed, carbon which is generated by thermal decomposition of methane (CH₄) and adsorbed on a carbon receptor and inhibits catalytic activity is cleaned by a carbon gasification reaction of carbon dioxide, and, thus, reforming is performed continuously.

11. A gas reforming system comprising:

a gas supply unit configured to supply a product gas or a biogas generated when a source material including biomass, organic waste, and fossil fuel is pyrolyzed or gasified; and

a gas reforming unit including the microwave reforming apparatus of claim 1 and configured to communicate with the gas supply unit.

12. The gas reforming system of claim 11, wherein the product gas is a tar-containing gas.

13. The gas reforming system of claim 12, wherein if the tar-containing gas is supplied, tar is reformed into one or more gases selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, carbon monoxide or a light hydrocarbon gas.

14. The gas reforming system of claim 11, wherein the biogas includes one or more kinds selected from the group consisting of CH₄ and CO₂.

15. The gas reforming system of claim 14, wherein if the biogas is supplied, the biogas is reformed into H₂ and CO.

16. A method for reforming tar in a tar-containing gas, the method comprising:

pyrolyzing or gasifying fossil fuel, biomass, or organic waste (process

     1);

supplying a tar-containing gas produced in the process 1 to the microwave reforming apparatus of claim 1 (process

     2); and

reforming tar in the supplied tar-containing gas into one or more gases selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, carbon monoxide or a light hydrocarbon gas by irradiating microwaves from the microwave reforming apparatus (process

     3).