Pre-processing assembly for pre-processing fuel feedstocks for use in a fuel cell system
First Claim
1. A pre-processing assembly for processing fuel feedstock for a fuel cell, the fuel feedstock including oxygen and hydrocarbons having higher and lower hydrocarbon content, said pre-processing assembly comprising:
- a deoxidizing unit for reducing the oxygen in said fuel feedstock; and
a pre-reforming unit for reducing the higher hydrocarbon content in said fuel feedstock;
and a common vessel;
wherein said deoxidizing unit and said pre-reforming unit are disposed within said common vessel such that said fuel feedstock passes through said deoxidizing unit first and thereafter through said pre-reforming unit.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A pre-processing assembly and method for processing fuel feedstock containing oxygen and hydrocarbons having higher and lower hydrocarbon content for a fuel cell, wherein the pre-processing assembly has a deoxidizing bed for reducing oxygen in the fuel feedstock and a pre-reforming bed for reducing higher hydrocarbon content in the fuel feedstock and wherein the deoxidizing bed and the pre-reforming bed are disposed within a common reaction vessel such that the fuel feedstock first passes through the deoxidizing bed and thereafter through the pre-reforming bed. The pre-reforming assembly may further include a propane processor bed for processing propane and propylene in the fuel feedstock, where the propane processor bed is disposed within the common reaction vessel with the deoxidizing bed and the pre-reforming bed.
19 Citations
68 Claims
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1. A pre-processing assembly for processing fuel feedstock for a fuel cell, the fuel feedstock including oxygen and hydrocarbons having higher and lower hydrocarbon content, said pre-processing assembly comprising:
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a deoxidizing unit for reducing the oxygen in said fuel feedstock; and
a pre-reforming unit for reducing the higher hydrocarbon content in said fuel feedstock;
and a common vessel;
wherein said deoxidizing unit and said pre-reforming unit are disposed within said common vessel such that said fuel feedstock passes through said deoxidizing unit first and thereafter through said pre-reforming unit. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 67)
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20. A pre-processing assembly for processing fuel feedstock for a fuel cell, the fuel feedstock including oxygen and hydrocarbons having higher and lower hydrocarbon content, said pre-processing assembly comprising:
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a deoxidizing unit for reducing the oxygen in said fuel feedstock;
a propane processor unit for reducing the propylene in said fuel feedstock; and
a pre-reforming unit for reducing the higher hydrocarbon content in said fuel feedstock. - View Dependent Claims (21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 45, 46, 47, 68)
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38. A fuel processing method for processing fuel feedstock for a fuel cell, the fuel feedstock including oxygen and hydrocarbons having higher and lower hydrocarbon content, the fuel processing method comprising the steps of:
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providing said fuel feedstock;
reducing oxygen in said fuel feedstock using a deoxidizing unit;
reducing said higher hydrocarbon content in said fuel feedstock using a pre-reforming unit;
wherein said deoxidizing unit and said pre-reforming unit are disposed within a common vessel such that said fuel feedstock first flows through said deoxidizing unit and thereafter through said pre-reforming unit. - View Dependent Claims (39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 48, 49, 50, 51)
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52. A fuel cell system for use with a fuel feedstock, said fuel feedstock including oxygen and hydrocarbons having higher and lower hydrocarbon content, said fuel cell system comprising:
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pre-processing assembly for processing said fuel feedstock comprising;
a deoxidizing unit for reducing the oxygen in said fuel feedstock;
a pre-reforming unit for reducing the higher hydrocarbon content in said fuel feedstock; and
a common vessel;
wherein said deoxidizing unit and said pre-reforming unit are disposed within said common vessel such that said fuel feedstock passes through said deoxidizing unit first and thereafter through said pre-reforming unit; and
a fuel cell for receiving said fuel feedstock after passage through said pre-processing assembly. - View Dependent Claims (53, 54, 55, 56, 57, 58, 59, 60, 61, 62, 63, 64, 65, 66)
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Specification