Patent · US Expired

Compact precooler and cooling process

US6866951B2 · kind B2 · utility

14Cited by
3References
10Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateFeb 5, 2003
Grant dateMar 15, 2005
Priority date
Expiry dateFeb 5, 2023

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC Y)Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
  • CPC primaryY02E60/50
  • WIPO fieldElectrical machinery, apparatus, energy
  • WIPO sectorElectrical engineering

Abstract

In a hydrocarbon fueled reformed gas fuel cell system having a rated power, a process for cooling reformed gas from a fuel processor prior to feeding the reformed gas to a shift converter includes the steps of providing a cooling zone having a hot gas inlet, a cooled gas outlet and a water inlet, feeding the reformed gas at a temperature of between 600 to 900° F. to the hot gas inlet, redirecting the reformed gas in the cooling zone so as to provide a swirling recirculating flow of the reformed gas in the cooling zone, atomizing water into droplets and contacting the droplets with the redirected reformed gas so as to cool the reformed gas and vaporize the water, and removing a stream of cooled reformed gas from the cooling zone wherein the reformed gas is at a temperature between 400 to 500° F. and the stream is substantially free of water droplets.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.