A Personal Reformer(PR) for your Fuel cell system

연료전지를 위한 개인용 개질기

  • Published : 2004.06.01

Abstract

The present paper relates to an apparatus in which all carbonaceous material such as coal, oil, plastics and any substance having carbon atoms as part of its constituents are reformed(gasified) into syngas at temperature above $1,200^{\circ}C$(KR patent No.0391121, and PCT/KR2001/01717 and PCT/KR2004/001020). It comprises a single-stage reforming reactor without catalyst and a syngas burner as shown in Fig.2. syngas is combusted with $O_2$ gas in the syngas bunter to produce $M_2O$ and $CO_2$ gas with exothermic heat. Reaction products are introduced into the reforming reactor, reaction heat from syngas burner elevate the temperature of reactor above $1,200^{\circ}C$, and reaction products reduce carbonaceous material down to CO and $H_2$ gases. Reactants and heat necessary for the reaction are provided through the syngas burner only, Neither $O_2$ gas nor steam are injected into the reforming reactor. Reformer is made of ceramic inner lining and sst outer casing. Multiple syngas burners may be connected to the reforming reactor in order to increase the syngas output, and a portion of the product syngas is recycled into syngas burner. The present reformer as shown in Fig.2 is suitable to gasify carbonaceous wastes without secondary pollutants formed from oxidation. Further, it can be miniaturized to accompany a fuel cell system as shown in Fig.3 The output syngas may be used to drive a fuel cell and a portion of electrical power generated in a fuel cell is used to heat a compact reformer up to $1,200^{\circ}C$ so that gas/liquid fossil fuel can efficiently reformed into syngas. The fuel cell serves as syngas burner in Fig.2. The reformation reaction is sustained through recycling a portion of product syngas into a fuel cell and using a portion of electric power generated to heat the reformer for continuous operation. Such reforming reactor may be miniaturized into a size of PC, then you have a Personal Reformer(PR).

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