Reformed alcohol power systems
First Claim
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1. A process for producing mechanical or electrical power from a fuel comprising alcohol, the process comprising:
- contacting a feed gas mixture comprising the alcohol fuel with a reforming catalyst in a reforming reaction zone to produce a product reformate gas mixture comprising hydrogen, wherein the reforming catalyst comprises a metal sponge supporting structure and a copper coating at least partially covering the surface of the metal sponge supporting structure;
combining the product reformate gas mixture with an oxygen-containing gas to form an intake gas mixture;
introducing the intake gas mixture comprising oxygen and the product reformate gas mixture into a combustion chamber of an internal combustion engine and combusting the intake gas mixture to produce an exhaust gas mixture, the intake gas mixture introduced into the combustion chamber of the internal combustion engine containing at least about 80% of the hydrogen and other components obtained in the product reformate gas mixture;
discharging an exhaust gas effluent comprising the exhaust gas mixture from the combustion chamber;
utilizing the energy of combustion for the generation of mechanical or electrical power; and
bringing the exhaust gas effluent into thermal contact with the reforming reaction zone to heat the reforming catalyst therein.
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Abstract
Improved alcohol reforming processes and reformed alcohol power systems utilizing those processes are disclosed. In preferred embodiments, the alcohol reforming processes utilize a thermally conductive reforming catalyst that allows efficient, low-temperature reforming of an alcohol fuel to produce a reformate gas mixture comprising hydrogen. The present invention makes possible the efficient utilization of alcohol fuels in an internal combustion engine to generate electrical or mechanical power such as in vehicular applications.
95 Citations
26 Claims
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1. A process for producing mechanical or electrical power from a fuel comprising alcohol, the process comprising:
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contacting a feed gas mixture comprising the alcohol fuel with a reforming catalyst in a reforming reaction zone to produce a product reformate gas mixture comprising hydrogen, wherein the reforming catalyst comprises a metal sponge supporting structure and a copper coating at least partially covering the surface of the metal sponge supporting structure; combining the product reformate gas mixture with an oxygen-containing gas to form an intake gas mixture; introducing the intake gas mixture comprising oxygen and the product reformate gas mixture into a combustion chamber of an internal combustion engine and combusting the intake gas mixture to produce an exhaust gas mixture, the intake gas mixture introduced into the combustion chamber of the internal combustion engine containing at least about 80% of the hydrogen and other components obtained in the product reformate gas mixture; discharging an exhaust gas effluent comprising the exhaust gas mixture from the combustion chamber; utilizing the energy of combustion for the generation of mechanical or electrical power; and bringing the exhaust gas effluent into thermal contact with the reforming reaction zone to heat the reforming catalyst therein. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3)
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4. A process for producing mechanical or electrical power from a fuel comprising ethanol, the process comprising:
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contacting a feed gas mixture comprising the ethanol fuel with a reforming catalyst in a reforming reaction zone to produce a product reformate gas mixture comprising hydrogen and methane, wherein the reforming catalyst comprises copper at the surface of a metal supporting structure; combining the product reformate gas mixture with an oxygen-containing gas to form an intake gas mixture; introducing the intake gas mixture comprising oxygen and the product reformate gas mixture into a combustion chamber of an internal combustion engine and combusting the intake gas mixture to produce an exhaust gas mixture, the intake gas mixture introduced into the combustion chamber of the internal combustion engine containing at least about 80% of the hydrogen and methane obtained in the product reformate gas mixture; discharging an exhaust gas effluent comprising the exhaust gas mixture from the combustion chamber; utilizing the energy of combustion for the generation of mechanical or electrical power; and bringing the exhaust gas effluent into thermal contact with the reforming reaction zone to heat the reforming catalyst therein.
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5. A process for producing mechanical or electrical power from a fuel comprising ethanol, the process comprising:
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contacting a feed gas mixture comprising the ethanol fuel with a reforming catalyst comprising copper in a reforming reaction zone to produce a product reformate gas mixture comprising hydrogen, methane and a carbon oxide component selected from the group consisting of carbon monoxide, carbon dioxide and mixtures thereof, wherein the molar ratio of methane to the carbon oxide component in the product reformate gas mixture is from about 0.9 to about 1.25 and the rate at which methane is produced in the reformate gas mixture is at least about 50% of the rate of ethanol introduced into the reforming reaction zone on a molar basis; combining the product reformate gas mixture with an oxygen-containing gas to form an intake gas mixture; and introducing the intake gas mixture comprising oxygen and the product reformate gas mixture into a combustion chamber of an internal combustion engine and combusting the intake gas mixture to produce an exhaust gas mixture, the intake gas mixture introduced into the combustion chamber of the internal combustion engine containing at least about 80% of the hydrogen, methane and carbon oxide component obtained in the product reformate gas mixture; and utilizing the energy of combustion for the generation of mechanical or electrical power. - View Dependent Claims (6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26)
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Specification