Fuel processor module for hydrogen production for a fuel cell engine using pressure swing adsorption
US7276095B2 · kind B2 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Mar 14, 2003 |
| Grant date | Oct 2, 2007 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | May 18, 2024 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC Y)Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
- CPC primaryY02P20/151
- WIPO fieldChemical engineering
- WIPO sectorChemistry
Abstract
A stand-alone fuel processor (10) for producing hydrogen from a hydrocarbon fuel for a fuel cell engine in a vehicle. The fuel processor (10) includes a primary reactor (14) that dissociates hydrogen and other by-products from the hydrocarbon fuel as a reformate gas. The reformate gas is applied to a WGS reactor (48) to convert carbon monoxide and water to hydrogen and carbon dioxide. The WGS reactor (14) may include an adsorbent for adsorbing carbon monoxide. The reformate gas from the WGS reactor (48) is then sent to a rapid-cycle PSA device (12) for adsorbing the undesirable by-products in the gas and generates a stream of pure hydrogen. A liquid water separator (70) separates water from the reformate gas before it is applied to the PSA device (12). The PSA device (12) uses a portion of the separated hydrogen as a desorbing gas to purify the adsorbent in the PSA device (12). The by-products of the reformate gas can be used as a fuel in a combustor (30) that generates heat for the primary reactor (14).
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.