Patent · US Active

Hydrogen generating apparatus using steam reforming reaction

US8926866B2 · kind B2 · utility

14Cited by
1References
8Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateOct 29, 2008
Grant dateJan 6, 2015
Priority date
Expiry dateMay 5, 2032

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC C)Chemistry; Metallurgy
  • CPC primaryC01B2203/1614
  • WIPO fieldMaterials, metallurgy
  • WIPO sectorChemistry

Abstract

The present invention provides a hydrogen generator for generating hydrogen through a steam-reforming process using hydrocarbons as a raw material and a method of operating the same, and, more particularly, provides a hydrogen generator for generating hydrogen through a steam reforming process, which can be stably operated because water is introduced into the hydrogen generator in the form of single phase vapor, and which can achieve high thermal efficiency using a proper heat exchanging method, and to a method of operating the same. According to the present invention, there is provided a heat exchanger network, in which heat necessary for a reforming reaction are obtained by the heat exchange of high-temperature exhaust gas or reformed gas, and in which, in a water gas converting reaction and a PSA reaction conducted at low temperatures compared to the reforming reaction, heat exchange is performed by low-temperature air or water, and the heat-exchanged air and the residual gas in the PSA reaction are used as a heat supply source for the reforming reactor together with fuel hydrocarbons, thereby minimizing the thermal loss of the hydrogen generator.

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