JP2015010013A - Fuel treatment device - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a fuel treatment device which can reduce pressure loss of gas by connecting passages of the gas without using pipes.SOLUTION: A plurality of dish-shaped plates are joined to one side of a flat plate so as to sequentially cover the one side, whereby a reforming part, a desulfurization part, and a carbon monoxide removal part are formed in regions between the dish-shaped plate and the flat plate. A plurality of bypass passages for connecting gas passages are formed by joining dish-shaped plates to the other side of the flat plate, whereby the gas passages are connected without using pipes to suppress pressure loss.

Description

  The present invention relates to a fuel processing apparatus that generates hydrogen and supplies it to a fuel cell system.

  The fuel cell system includes a fuel processing device that generates hydrogen from a hydrocarbon-based source gas, and a fuel cell that generates power using the hydrogen generated by the fuel processing device.

  The fuel processing apparatus supplies a steam to the reforming unit, a desulfurization unit that removes sulfur compounds from the raw material gas, a reforming unit that generates a reformed gas containing hydrogen, a combustion unit that heats the reforming unit, It has a steam generation part and a carbon monoxide removal part that removes carbon monoxide from the reformed gas.

  The reformed gas contains hydrogen, carbon monoxide, and water vapor as main components and is generated from water vapor and raw materials. Since carbon monoxide generated in the reforming part has the property of deteriorating the fuel cell, it must be sufficiently removed. Moreover, since the sulfur compound contained in source gas deteriorates the performance of a modification part, it is necessary to fully remove.

  The desulfurization part, the reforming part, and the carbon monoxide removal part are composed of a metal container such as stainless steel, and a catalyst is sealed therein. The catalyst promotes the chemical reaction of the gas, thereby efficiently removing sulfur compounds, generating reformed gas, and removing carbon monoxide.

  In addition, regarding the configuration of containers such as a desulfurization section, a reforming section, and a carbon monoxide removal section, there are known contents in which a plate-shaped plate or a planar plate is joined to form a pair of containers and a plurality of them are arranged side by side (For example, refer to Patent Document 1).

JP 2000-178003 A

  The fluid processing apparatus of Patent Document 1 is configured by arranging a plurality of containers and pressing the whole. With such a configuration, the containers are allowed to move relative to each other in a direction perpendicular to the alignment direction, so that stress generated between the containers may be relaxed and durability may be improved. Since many pipes for connecting the flow paths are required, there arises a problem that the pressure loss increases.

  The present invention solves the above-described conventional problems, and an object of the present invention is to provide a fuel processing apparatus capable of reducing gas pressure loss by connecting gas flow paths without using pipes. And

  That is, this invention relates to the fuel processing apparatus shown below.

  [1] It has a flat plate in which a plurality of through holes are formed and a plurality of mounting plates having bent portions, and the plurality of mounting plates sequentially cover other mounting plates on one surface of the flat plate. Arranged on the flat plate, and the end of each mounting plate is joined to the flat plate, and on the other surface of the flat plate, a plurality of auxiliary plates having bent portions are joined, and the auxiliary plate adjoins each other. A fuel processing device that forms a bypass flow path between a first through hole surrounded by a fitting plate and a second through hole different from the first through hole.

[2] In the above [1], a reforming unit that generates a hydrogen-containing gas from a raw material gas and water vapor, and a desulfurization unit that removes a sulfur compound from the raw material gas, using the flat plate and the plurality of mounting plates,
A carbon monoxide removing unit that removes carbon monoxide from the reformed gas, a raw material gas preheating unit that preheats the raw material gas, and a space for forming the reforming unit, desulfurization unit, carbon monoxide removing unit, and raw material. Composed from the inside in the order of the gas preheating section, a combustion section is formed on the opposite side of the reforming section via the flat plate, and the raw gas preheating section and the desulfurization section are bypassed by the first auxiliary plate. And the fuel processor which bypassed the reforming part and the carbon monoxide removal part by the 2nd auxiliary plate.

  [3] The fuel processing apparatus according to [2], wherein one of the plurality of auxiliary plates forms a water vapor generation unit and connects the desulfurization unit and the reforming unit while generating water vapor.

  [4] In the above [2] or [3], a water supply part is provided on the same side as the reforming part of the flat plate, and the water supply part and the reforming part are provided by one of the plurality of auxiliary plates. And the desulfurization unit and the water supply unit are connected by another auxiliary plate.

  By arranging a plurality of mounting plates on one side of the flat plate so as to cover each other and providing a bypass channel on the opposite side of the flat plate as in this configuration, these pipes can be used without using pipes. The flow path of the component can be connected.

  As described above, according to the fuel processing apparatus of the present invention, since the number of pipes used for connecting the flow paths can be reduced, pressure loss generated in the fuel processing apparatus can be suppressed.

The figure which shows the structural requirement and gas flow of the fuel processing apparatus in this invention The figure which shows a part of structural member of the fuel processing apparatus in this invention. The figure which shows the shape (perspective view) of the plate-shaped board which concerns on this invention The figure which shows the shape (cross section) of the plate-shaped board which concerns on this invention Enlarged view of part B in FIG. The figure seen from A in FIG. The figure which shows the structure of Embodiment 1 of this invention. The figure which shows the structure of Embodiment 2 of this invention.

  Embodiments of the present invention will be described below.

(Overall configuration requirements and gas flow)
For example, in a fuel cell system for household use, the fuel processing apparatus of the present invention generates hydrogen to be supplied to a fuel cell by subjecting a raw material gas containing a hydrocarbon fuel and steam to a steam reforming reaction.

  The structural requirements of the fuel processing apparatus 1 of the present invention and the gas flow in the entire fuel cell system will be described with reference to FIG. In FIG. 1, a thin arrow represents a gas flow, and a thick arrow represents a heat movement. Moreover, in the same figure, the area | region enclosed with the broken line represents the fuel processing apparatus 1. FIG.

  The fuel processing apparatus 1 includes a raw material gas preheating unit 2 that preheats a raw material gas, a desulfurization unit 3 that removes sulfur compounds from the raw material gas, a reforming unit 5 that generates a reformed gas 13 containing hydrogen, It has a combustion section 8 that heats the mass section 5, a steam generation section 4 that supplies steam to the reforming section 5, and carbon monoxide removal sections 6 a and 6 b that remove carbon monoxide from the reformed gas 13. These are mainly composed of components using a metal material such as stainless steel and a catalyst for promoting a chemical reaction.

  In the fuel processing apparatus 1 described above, first, the raw material gas 11 flows into the raw material gas preheating unit 2, is heated by heat transfer from the carbon monoxide removal unit 6 a, and then flows into the desulfurization unit 3. In the desulfurization part 3, the sulfur compound contained in the raw material gas 11 is decomposed by a catalyst containing a metal such as copper, and the decomposed sulfur compound is adsorbed on the catalyst. Through such a process, the sulfur compound contained in the source gas 11 is removed. Since the sulfur compound has a property of deteriorating the performance of the reforming section 5, it is necessary to reduce its concentration to at least 1 ppm or less.

  Thereafter, the raw material gas 11 is supplied to the water vapor generating unit 4. Water 12 is supplied to the steam generation unit 4 together with the raw material gas 11. The water vapor generation unit 4 is a mechanism for evaporating the water 12 to generate water vapor and mixing the raw material gas 11 and the water vapor. The steam generation unit 4 exchanges heat with the combustion unit 8, the reforming unit 5, and the carbon monoxide removal units 6a and 6b, and evaporates the water 12 to generate water vapor. The generated water vapor is mixed with the raw material gas 11 in the water vapor generating unit 4.

  Then, the source gas 11 and the water vapor flow into the reforming unit 5. The reforming unit 5 includes a ruthenium-based or nickel-based catalyst and is a mechanism for generating the reformed gas 13 from the raw material gas 11 and the steam supplied from the steam generating unit 4 by a steam reforming reaction. In the reforming unit 5, a reformed gas 13 containing hydrogen and carbon monoxide is generated from the raw material gas 11 and the steam by the following steam reforming reaction.

CH4 + H2O → CO + 3H2
The reformed gas 13 generated in the reforming unit 5 flows into the carbon monoxide removing unit. The carbon monoxide removing unit is composed of a plurality of parts, and one or a plurality of carbon monoxide removing units 6a existing upstream thereof are converted from the reformed gas generated in the reforming unit 5 by the following shift reaction. A reformed gas containing a low concentration of carbon monoxide is produced.

CO + H2O → CO2 + H2
In the carbon monoxide removing unit 6a, a copper-based metal catalyst is used. Further, oxygen is supplied together with the raw material gas 11 to one or a plurality of carbon monoxide removal units 6b existing on the downstream side, and the concentration of carbon monoxide is reduced by the following oxidation reaction.

2CO + O2 → 2CO2
In the carbon monoxide removing unit 6b, a ruthenium-based metal catalyst is used. Since carbon monoxide has the property of deteriorating the catalyst of the fuel cell 7, it is reduced to a concentration of 100 ppm or less through the process of the carbon monoxide removal units 6a and 6b.

  The reformed gas generated in this way flows out from the carbon monoxide removal unit 6 b and is supplied to the negative electrode of the fuel cell 7. The fuel cell 7 generates power using hydrogen contained in the reformed gas 13 and an oxidizing gas containing oxygen such as air 15 supplied from the atmosphere.

  The gas (off-gas 17) that consumed hydrogen in the fuel cell is transported to the fuel processor 1 again. Here, the off-gas 17 is mixed with the air 18 supplied from the atmosphere, and burns in the combustion unit 8 to heat the reforming unit 5. The combustion part 8 will not be specifically limited if a flame can be formed, for example, is a burner. The combustion exhaust gas 19 discharged from the combustion unit 8 heats the water vapor generation unit 4 and is then released to the atmosphere.

  The above is the overall gas flow in the fuel processing apparatus of the present invention.

  As shown in FIG. 1, the raw material gas 11 and the reformed gas 13 cause a chemical reaction while passing through a series of components, and are taken out from the fuel processing apparatus 1. The source gas 11 is flowed by a driving device such as a fan. Here, when the pressure loss generated in the entire flow path becomes large, the drive device needs to have a higher output, leading to an increase in size and cost of the drive device.

  Further, when the raw material gas is caused to flow with a strong output, the raw material gas 11 and the reformed gas 13 flow into a flow path (flow path for supplying water 12 or flow path for supplying air 14) that should not flow, and the fuel cell. The entire system can malfunction. Therefore, it is desirable that the pressure loss of the fuel processor is smaller.

(Pressure loss generated in the pipe)
The pressure loss occurs in the flow path having a small cross-sectional area. Specifically, a large pressure loss occurs in the pipe connecting the flow paths.

  Fuel processing apparatuses in household fuel cell systems are becoming mainstream in the length, width, and depth lengths of 80 cm or less due to the recent demand for miniaturization in the market. Due to the size of the constituent members, pipes having an inner diameter of about 3 to 6 mm are used, and the cross-sectional integral of the pipe internal flow path is about 7 to 29 square millimeters. The pressure loss generated in a pipe of such a size is large, for example, a gas of about 0.54 kg / hour (a value equivalent to the reformed gas flow rate at 700 W power generation in a household fuel cell system) in one pipe having a diameter of 4 mm. Since a pressure loss exceeding 200 Pa occurs, the more the number of pipes, the more difficult the gas flows, and a drive device with higher output is required. Therefore, it is desirable to use as few pipes as possible.

<About features in the present invention>
The fuel processing apparatus of the present invention is characterized in that pressure loss is reduced by reducing connection of flow paths by pipes.

  Below, the structure for implement | achieving reduction of a pressure loss is demonstrated. FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view showing a part of the constituent members of the fuel processing apparatus according to the present invention.

  It arrange | positions so that the plate-shaped board 22 may cover one side of the one plane plate 21 one after another (that is, it covers so that the other attachment board may be covered in order on one surface of the one plane board 21). This means that the plate-like plate 22 is joined to the flat plate 21 at each end thereof. As the joining method, for example, welding is used. Some of the layers formed between the flat plate 21 and the plate-like plate 22 are filled with a catalyst, and a desulfurization unit, a reforming unit, and a carbon monoxide removal unit are disposed. The dish-shaped plate 22 means a plate having a bent portion, and hereinafter, the dish-shaped plate 22 may be expressed as an “attachment plate”.

  On the opposite side of the flat plate 21, a plate-like plate 23 is joined to the flat plate 21, and a plurality of bypass flow passages 9 for connecting gas flow passages are formed. The dish-shaped plate 23 means a plate having a bent portion, and hereinafter, the dish-shaped plate 23 may be expressed as an “auxiliary plate”.

  FIG. 3 is a bird's-eye view showing the shapes of the plate-like plates 22 and 23. The plate-like plates 22 and 23 may have a rounded fillet shape as shown in FIG. 4 for the purpose of reducing the stress generated at the corners. FIG. 5 is an enlarged view of part B of FIG. As shown in FIG. 5, the gas flows from a certain layer into the bypass channel 9 through the through hole 24 formed in the flat plate 21 and then flows into another layer.

  FIG. 6 is viewed from A of FIG. As shown in FIG. 6, the through hole 24 can take a long hole shape in accordance with the shape of the layer, and the area of the through hole 24 is set to such an extent that the pressure loss generated when passing through the through hole 24 does not increase. Can be adjusted. If the width X of the layer in FIG. 6 is about 4 mm, the area of the through hole 24 can be about 40 square millimeters, which is compared with the flow passage cross-sectional area of 12.6 square millimeters when using a pipe with an inner diameter of 4 mm. Therefore, it is considered that the pressure loss is reduced because a large area can be secured.

  Further, since the bypass channel 9 is formed by the flat plate 21 and the dish-like plate 23, the gas channel can have a larger cross-sectional area than the pipe, and a channel with less pressure loss can be formed. Is possible.

  By forming the bypass flow path 9 above, regardless of the order in which the reforming section, the desulfurization section, and the carbon monoxide removal section are arranged from the inside, the position of the through hole 24 is appropriately provided. The flow paths can be connected freely.

(Embodiment 1)
A specific embodiment including the arrangement of the reforming section, the desulfurization section, the carbon monoxide removal section, and other elements will be described with reference to FIG. To do.

  FIG. 7 is a diagram showing the overall configuration of the fuel processing apparatus in the first embodiment.

  On one side of one flat plate 21, a reforming section 5, a reforming gas reciprocating flow path 31, a desulfurization section 3, a temperature control layer 32, carbon monoxide removal sections 6a and 6b, and a raw material gas preheating section 2 are formed from the inside. Has been. Further, on the opposite side of the flat plate 21, a bypass channel 9 a that connects the raw material gas preheating unit 2 and the desulfurization unit 3, a bypass channel 9 b that connects the desulfurization unit 3 and the reforming unit 5, and a reformed gas reciprocating channel A bypass passage 9c that connects 31 and the carbon monoxide removal portion 6a, and a combustion portion 8 are formed.

  Since the water 12 is supplied to the bypass flow path 9b and the water 12 is heated by the combustion exhaust gas 19 and the carbon monoxide removal sections 6a and 6b to generate water vapor, the bypass flow path 9b functions as a water vapor generation section. It has. That is, the bypass channel 9 b is an engine that supplies water vapor to the reforming unit 5 while connecting the desulfurization unit 3 and the reforming unit 5.

  The combustion unit 8 is disposed on the back side of the reforming unit 5 via the flat plate 21 so that the reforming unit 5 can be efficiently heated. A reformed gas reciprocating flow path 31 is provided behind the reforming section, and the gas flowing therethrough functions to keep the temperature of the reforming section 5 and the temperature of the desulfurization section 3 appropriately. A temperature control layer 32 is provided outside the desulfurization section. The source gas 11 and the reformed gas 13 do not flow in the temperature control layer 32, and for example, air or nitrogen gas is enclosed. The temperature control layer 32 has a function of optimizing the heat exchange performed between the desulfurization unit 3 and the carbon monoxide removal unit 6a and maintaining the temperature of each catalyst appropriately.

  In the fuel processing apparatus according to the present embodiment, the flame generated in the combustion unit 8 heats the reforming unit 5, and the heat of the reforming unit 5 is directed toward the outside in the reformed gas reciprocating flow path 31, the desulfurization unit 3, By being transmitted to the temperature control layer 32, the carbon monoxide removal unit 6a, and the raw material gas preheating unit 2, the temperature of the catalyst is appropriately maintained, and a chemical reaction is efficiently performed.

  Further, in the arrangement configuration as described above, since the gas flow path is connected without using a pipe, pressure loss can be suppressed. In addition, by sharing the bypass flow path 9b and the water vapor generation unit, the number of parts can be reduced, and a fuel processor can be manufactured at low cost.

(Embodiment 2)
The configuration in the second embodiment is shown in FIG.

  As in the first embodiment, on one side of one flat plate 21, from the inside, the reforming section 5, the gas reciprocating flow path 31, the desulfurization section 3, the temperature control layer 32, the carbon oxide removal section (6a, 6b), the raw material A gas preheating section 2 is formed, and on the opposite side of the flat plate 21, a bypass flow path 9a connecting the source gas preheating section and the desulfurization section, and a bypass flow path 9c connecting the gas reciprocating flow path 31 and the carbon monoxide removal section. The combustion part 8 is formed.

  The difference between the present embodiment and the first embodiment is that the flat plate 21 has the water supply unit 10 formed of a plate-like plate on the same side as the reforming unit 5 and on the opposite side. In other words, a bypass flow path 9d that connects the desulfurization unit 3 and the water supply unit 10 and a bypass flow channel 9e that generates water vapor while connecting the water supply unit 10 and the reforming unit 5 are provided. The bypass channel 9e has a function as a water vapor generation unit.

  In the bypass channel 9e, the raw material gas 11 and the water vapor are mixed over a long channel, so that the well-mixed gas is supplied to the reforming unit 5 and the reforming reaction in the reforming unit 5 is performed more satisfactorily. In order to secure a long mixing channel, it is important to merge the raw material gas 11 and the water 12 upstream of the bypass channel 9e. In this embodiment, the water supply unit 10 is provided upstream of the bypass channel 9e. The source gas 11 and the water 12 are merged.

  Further, by providing the bypass flow path 9d, the raw material gas 11 and the water 12 can be merged upstream of the bypass flow path 9e.

  As described above, in order to sufficiently mix the raw material gas 11 and the water 12, a flow path from the desulfurization unit 3 to the water supply unit 10 or a flow channel from the water supply unit 10 to the reforming unit 5 is used. It is necessary to provide a long and complicated flow path. However, since these are formed by the bypass flow paths 9d and 9e, the flow paths can be connected without using pipes, so that pressure loss can be suppressed.

  By utilizing the fuel processing apparatus of the present invention, a fuel cell system with a small pressure loss can be configured. Therefore, the fuel processing apparatus of the present invention is useful for a fuel cell system such as a home cogeneration system or a power source system of a mobile communication base station.

1 Fuel treatment device 9, 9a, 9b, 9c, 9d, 9e Bypass channel 22, 23 Dish-shaped plate

Claims (4)

It is composed of a flat plate in which a plurality of through holes are formed, and a plurality of mounting plates having bent portions,
The plurality of mounting plates are arranged on the flat plate so as to sequentially cover the other mounting plates on one surface of the flat plate, and ends of the respective mounting plates are joined to the flat plate. And
On the other surface of the flat plate, a plurality of auxiliary plates having bent portions are joined, and the first through hole surrounded by the adjacent mounting plate by the auxiliary plate is different from the first through hole. Forming a bypass channel with the second through hole;
A fuel processor characterized by the above. With the flat plate and the plurality of mounting plates,
A reforming section for generating a hydrogen-containing gas from the raw material gas and water vapor;
A desulfurization section for removing sulfur compounds from the raw material gas;
A carbon monoxide removal section for removing carbon monoxide from the reformed gas;
A raw material gas preheating part for preheating the raw material gas, each space is formed, and the reforming part, the desulfurization part, the carbon monoxide removal part, and the raw material gas preheating part are configured from the inside in this order.
A combustion part is formed on the opposite side of the reforming part via the flat plate, and the raw gas preheating part and the desulfurization part are bypassed by the first auxiliary plate, and the second auxiliary plate is used. The fuel processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the reforming unit and the carbon monoxide removing unit are bypassed. One of the plurality of auxiliary plates forms a water vapor generation unit and connects the desulfurization unit and the reforming unit while generating water vapor.
The fuel processor according to claim 2. A water supply part is provided on the same side as the reforming part of the flat plate,
The water supply unit and the reforming unit are connected by one of the plurality of auxiliary plates, and the desulfurization unit and the water supply unit are connected by another auxiliary plate.
The fuel processor according to claim 2 or 3.

Images