Apparatus for providing a pure hydrogen stream for use with fuel cells

• US 6,190,623 B1
• Filed: 06/18/1999
• Issued: 02/20/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 06/18/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: HyRadix, Inc. (Eden Innovations Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: UOP Llc (Honeywell International Inc.)
• Inventors: Doshi, Kishore J., Senetar, John J., Towler, Gavin P., Vanden Bussche, Kurt M., Sanger, Robert J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Tran, Hien
• Assistant Examiner(s): RIDLEY, BASIA ANNA
• Application Number:
  US09/336,106
• Time in Patent Office: 613 Days
• Field of Search: 481/279, 481/983, 481/987, 481/982, 481/99.R, 481/99.FM, 481/17, 48/62.R, 48/76, 422/188, 422/192-3, 422/198, 431/7, 431/170, 431/268, 122/4.D
• US Class Current: 48/61
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 2208/00309 with two or more reactions in heat exchange with each other, such as an endothermic reaction in heat exchange with an exothermic reaction
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 2208/00504 by means of a burner
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 2208/00513 using inert heat absorbing solids in the bed
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 2208/0053 Controlling multiple zones along the direction of flow, e.g. pre-heating and after-cooling
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 2219/00006 Large-scale industrial plants
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 8/04 the fluid passing successively through two or more beds
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 8/048 the beds being superimposed one above the other
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 8/0496 Heating or cooling the reactor
• CPC Class Codes: C01B 2203/0233 the reforming step being a steam reforming step
• CPC Class Codes: C01B 2203/0244 the reforming step being an autothermal reforming step, e.g. secondary reforming processes
• CPC Class Codes: C01B 2203/0283 containing a CO-shift step, i.e. a water gas shift step
• CPC Class Codes: C01B 2203/0288 containing two CO-shift steps
• CPC Class Codes: C01B 2203/0405 Purification by membrane separation
• CPC Class Codes: C01B 2203/043 Regenerative adsorption process in two or more beds, one for adsorption, the other for regeneration
• CPC Class Codes: C01B 2203/044 Selective oxidation of carbon monoxide
• CPC Class Codes: C01B 2203/0445 Selective methanation
• CPC Class Codes: C01B 2203/046 Purification by cryogenic separation
• CPC Class Codes: C01B 2203/047 the impurity being carbon monoxide
• CPC Class Codes: C01B 2203/066 with fuel cells
• CPC Class Codes: C01B 2203/0811 by combustion of fuel
• CPC Class Codes: C01B 2203/0822 : the fuel containing hydrogen
• CPC Class Codes: C01B 2203/0827 : at least part of the fuel being a recycle stream
• CPC Class Codes: C01B 2203/0844 : the non-combustive exothermic reaction being another reforming reaction as defined in groups C01B2203/02 - C01B2203/0294
• CPC Class Codes: C01B 2203/0855 : by electromagnetic heating
• CPC Class Codes: C01B 2203/0866 : by combination of different heating methods
• CPC Class Codes: C01B 2203/0877 : by direct injection of fluid
• CPC Class Codes: C01B 2203/0883 : by indirect heat exchange
• CPC Class Codes: C01B 2203/0894 : Generation of steam
• CPC Class Codes: C01B 2203/1011 : Packed bed of catalytic structures, e.g. particles, packing elements
• CPC Class Codes: C01B 2203/1041 : Composition of the catalyst
• CPC Class Codes: C01B 2203/1047 : Group VIII metal catalysts
• CPC Class Codes: C01B 2203/1052 : Nickel or cobalt catalysts
• CPC Class Codes: C01B 2203/1064 : Platinum group metal catalysts
• CPC Class Codes: C01B 2203/107 : Platinum catalysts
• CPC Class Codes: C01B 2203/1076 : Copper or zinc-based catalysts
• CPC Class Codes: C01B 2203/1082 : Composition of support materials
• CPC Class Codes: C01B 2203/1217 : Alcohols
• CPC Class Codes: C01B 2203/1241 : Natural gas or methane
• CPC Class Codes: C01B 2203/1247 : Higher hydrocarbons
• CPC Class Codes: C01B 2203/1258 : Pre-treatment of the feed
• CPC Class Codes: C01B 2203/127 : Catalytic desulfurisation
• CPC Class Codes: C01B 2203/1294 : Evaporation by heat exchange with hot process stream
• CPC Class Codes: C01B 2203/143 : Three or more reforming, decomposition or partial oxidation steps in series
• CPC Class Codes: C01B 2203/145 : At least two purification steps in parallel
• CPC Class Codes: C01B 2203/148 : involving a recycle stream to the feed of the process for making hydrogen or synthesis gas
• CPC Class Codes: C01B 2203/1604 : Starting up the process
• CPC Class Codes: C01B 2203/1619 : Measuring the temperature
• CPC Class Codes: C01B 2203/169 : Controlling the feed
• CPC Class Codes: C01B 2203/82 : Several process steps of C01B2203/02 - C01B2203/08 integrated into a single apparatus
• CPC Class Codes: C01B 3/323 : Catalytic reaction of gaseous or liquid organic compounds other than hydrocarbons with gasifying agents
• CPC Class Codes: C01B 3/382 : Multi-step processes
• CPC Class Codes: C01B 3/48 : followed by reaction of water vapour with carbon monoxide
• CPC Class Codes: C01B 3/583 : the reaction being the selective oxidation of carbon monoxide
• CPC Class Codes: C01B 3/586 : the reaction being a methanation reaction
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 8/04022 : Heating by combustion
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 8/0612 : from carbon-containing material
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 8/0618 : Reforming processes, e.g. autothermal, partial oxidation or steam reforming
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 8/0625 : in a modular combined reactor/fuel cell structure
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 8/0631 : Reactor construction specially adapted for combination reactor/fuel cell hydrogen C01B3/00; reactors for physicochemical processes B01J19/00
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 8/0662 : Treatment of gaseous reactants or gaseous residues, e.g. cleaning
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 8/0668 : Removal of carbon monoxide or carbon dioxide
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/50 : Fuel cells
• CPC Class Codes: Y02P 20/10 : Process efficiency

Abstract

An apparatus is provided which comprises two burner zones using a single igniter separated by a heat transfer zone for use in low-cost hydrogen generation units. When used in conjunction with a control system which limits the effluent temperature to less than about 700° C., the apparatus can be constructed of materials such as carbon steel and stainless steel rather than more exotic materials. This simplified structure and the use of less exotic materials provides an efficient, low-cost combined partial oxidation reactor for small-scale hydrogen production systems, especially for hydrogen production systems associated with fuel cell operation for the production of electricity.

Claims

1. A combined partial oxidation burner reactor comprising:

a vertically aligned reactor shell having a top head and a bottom head, and side-wall defining an interior reactor zone, said interior reactor zone having an upper shell zone, a center shell zone, and a lower shell zone;

a hollow center sleeve sealingly disposed on the top head and extending downwardly into the lower shell zone, said center sleeve having a hollow interior defining an upper core zone, a center core zone, and a lower core zone;

an intermediate partition having a downwardly converging diameter along its length sealingly disposed on the side-wall in said center shell zone encircling a portion of said hollow center sleeve, said lower core zone being in fluid communication with a portion of the center shell zone located within said partition;

a burner zone defined within the interior reactor zone between the bottom head and said intermediate partition;

a feed inlet nozzle disposed on said top head in fluid communication with the upper core zone;

a product outlet nozzle disposed on said reactor shell in fluid communication with said upper shell zone;

a burner feed nozzle disposed on said reactor shell in fluid communication with the burner zone;

an exhaust nozzle disposed on said reactor shell in fluid communication with the burner zone; and

an igniter extending through the top head and downwardly into the center core zone;

wherein a first oxidation catalyst is disposed in said center core zone and a reforming catalyst is disposed on the intermediate partition in the center shell zone and in the lower core zone.

2. The combined partial oxidation burner reactor of claim 1 further comprising a first layer of inerts disposed above said first oxidation catalyst.

3. The combined partial oxidation burner reactor of claim 1 further comprising a second layer of inerts disposed on said reforming catalyst in the upper shell zone.

4. The combined partial oxidation burner reactor of claim 1 further comprising:

a top annular screen disposed in the burner zone and rigidly disposed between the side-wall and the intermediate partition in the burner zone; and

a bottom annular screen disposed in the burner zone, said bottom annular screen rigidly supported by an outer and an inner support ring, said outer support ring being rigidly disposed on the side-wall and the inner support ring being rigidly disposed on said intermediate partition within the burner zone;

wherein a second oxidation catalyst is disposed between the top and bottom annular screens.

5. The combined partial oxidation burner reactor of claim 3 further comprising a third layer of inerts disposed above said second oxidation catalyst.

6. The combined partial oxidation burner reactor of claim 1 wherein said side-wall, top head, bottom head, center sleeve, and intermediate partition comprise stainless steel.

7. The combined partial oxidation burner reactor of claim 1 wherein said partition is welded to the side-wall.

8. The combined partial oxidation burner reactor of claim 1 wherein said igniter comprises two rods each having a proximal end and a distal end extended into the center core zone wherein said rods are bridged by at least two cross bars at the distal end.

9. The combined partial oxidation burner reactor of claim 1 wherein said igniter is removably disposed through said top head.

10. The combined partial oxidation burner reactor of claim 1 further comprising a porous particle retainer rigidly disposed in the upper core zone within the center sleeve.