Patent · US Expired

Method of starting and stopping methanol reforming apparatus and apparatus for supplying fuel to said apparatus

US7101513B2 · kind B2 · utility

3Cited by
9References
12Claims
0Family size

Assignees

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateJul 26, 2001
Grant dateSep 5, 2006
Priority date
Expiry dateDec 19, 2022

Classification

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

Abstract

A fuel supplying apparatus for maintaining a stable supply of a mixed water-methanol solution while preventing water from freezing in a cold climate, and for immediately supplying a mixed water-methanol gas that has a composition which is outside of the high-rate reaction region during the starting/stopping operation of the reformer when the control tends to be unstable. The methanol reforming apparatus that generates a hydrogen-rich gas by reacting a mixed gas of water, methanol and air on a catalyst is supplied with the fuel from a fuel supplying apparatus comprising a mixed water-methanol solution tank wherein the molar ratio of water and methanol used for reforming is controlled to a predetermined value, a mixed water-methanol solution tank wherein the molar ratio of water and methanol is controlled to 4.6 or higher, and a switching means that switches the mixed water-methanol solution tank used as a fuel source according to the conditions of operation of the methanol reforming apparatus.

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