Reformation reactor and operating method

US6428758B1 · kind B1 · utility

Assignee

• XCELLSiS GmbH · DE

Inventors

• Martin Schuessler · Bad Birnbach, DE
• Detlef Megede · Bubesheim, DE

Key dates

• Filing date: May 15, 1998
• Grant date: Aug 6, 2002
• Expiry date: May 15, 2018

Classification

• Technology area (CPC Y): Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
• CPC primary: Y02P20/52
• WIPO field: Chemical engineering
• WIPO sector: Chemistry

Abstract

A reformation reactor, especially suitable for the reformation of methanol, includes a reaction zone in which a reformation catalyst is located and to which a gas mixture to be reformed can be supplied. The reactor includes an evaporator body that adjoins the reaction zone in a flush manner. The evaporator body has a porous, heat-conducting structure for providing the gas mixture to be reformed by mixing and evaporating the gas mixture components supplied to it and for two-dimensionally distributed supply of the gas mixture thus prepared and into the reaction zone. A starting phase can be provided for the operation of the reactor, in which the evaporator body is wetted by a fuel liquid film and, following the addition of oxygen, a flammable mixture results in the reaction zone that is catalytically oxidized. The evaporator body can be heated to operating temperature by the resultant combustion heat, after which a switch can be made to continuous operation of the reformation reactor.