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Heating, venting, and air conditioning system for providing supplemental heat in a vehicle

  • US 6,732,942 B1
  • Filed: 11/19/2002
  • Issued: 05/11/2004
  • Est. Priority Date: 11/19/2002
  • Status: Expired due to Fees
First Claim
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1. A reformer assembly for providing supplemental heat in a vehicle having an engine with an intake manifold, a catalytic converter, and an HVAC system, wherein said reformer assembly is in fluid communication with the intake manifold and the catalytic converter and comprises:

  • a reformer inlet for receiving a fuel and an oxidant;

    a first chamber in fluid communication with said reformer inlet for mixing and vaporizing the fuel and the oxidant;

    a second chamber in fluid communication with said first chamber, said second chamber comprising a reformer catalyst to convert the vaporized fuel and oxidant mixture received from said first chamber into a hydrogen-containing reformate to be distributed to the intake manifold, wherein heat is generated in said second chamber during the conversion;

    a gas-to-liquid heat exchanger in fluid communication with said second chamber for receiving the reformate and for cooling the reformate prior to distribution of the reformate to the intake manifold;

    a reformer outlet in fluid communication with said gas-to-liquid heat exchanger and with the intake manifold for distributing the reformate to the intake manifold; and

    a fluid circuit for distributing a fluid throughout the HVAC system of the vehicle, said fluid circuit being thermodynamically coupled with said gas-to-liquid heat exchanger such that the heat generated in said second chamber during the conversion is transferred to the fluid to provide the supplemental heat to the vehicle.

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