JP2793026B2 - Reformer - Google Patents

Description

Description: TECHNICAL FIELD The present invention relates to a reformer, and more particularly to a methanol reformer used for a phosphoric acid fuel cell.

2. Description of the Related Art As shown in FIGS. 6 (a) and 6 (b), the above-mentioned methanol reformer is provided with evaporators 22 for evaporating combustion gas from a combustor 21 in a case 20, This evaporator 22
A structure in which a cylindrical catalyst layer 23 for reforming steam fuel is provided around 22;

However, in the reformer having the above-described structure, the reforming reaction in the catalyst layer 23 is an endothermic reaction, so that the temperature of the steam fuel supplied to the catalyst layer 23 becomes lower toward the upper part of the catalyst layer 23. For this reason, in the vicinity of the upper end portion 23a, the temperature is out of the temperature range suitable for the catalytic chemical reaction, and the reforming reaction is not performed. As a result, there is a problem that the reforming efficiency is reduced.

Therefore, a structure that supplies high-temperature steam fuel to the catalyst layer 23 to maintain the temperature of the steam fuel at a temperature suitable for the catalytic chemical reaction up to the vicinity 23a of the upper end of the catalyst layer 23 is considered.

However, with the above structure, the lower portion 23 of the catalyst layer 23
In b, steam fuel that exceeds the heat resistant temperature of the catalyst layer 23 is supplied. For this reason, the activity of the catalyst is lost,
In addition to causing no catalytic chemical reaction at all, there was a problem that the life of the catalyst in the lower portion 23b was shortened.

The present invention has been made in view of such a situation, and an object of the present invention is to provide a reformer capable of dramatically improving the reforming efficiency while extending the life of the catalyst.

Means for Solving the Problems In order to achieve the above object, the present invention provides a steamer for evaporating a combustion gas into steam fuel, and a pipe for transporting the steam fuel, one end of which is connected to the evaporator. And a rod-shaped or cylindrical catalyst layer connected to the other end of the pipe line and reforming the steam fuel, wherein the catalyst layer is divided into a plurality of portions in a direction perpendicular to the axis. The pipes are branched by at least the number of the catalyst layers, and at least one branch pipe is connected to each of the catalyst layers.

Action As in the above configuration, if the rod-shaped or cylindrical catalyst layer is divided into a plurality of parts in the direction perpendicular to the axis and the branch pipes are connected to each catalyst layer, the height of each catalyst layer is reduced, and The vapor fuel is reliably transported to each catalyst layer individually.
Therefore, the temperature gradient between the junction of the branch pipe and the outlet of the reformed gas in each catalyst layer is reduced, so that the catalyst reforming reaction is uniformly performed in the apparatus and the high-temperature steam fuel is transferred to the catalyst layer. Therefore, it is possible to supply the steam fuel at the temperature most suitable for the catalytic chemical reaction to the catalyst layer.

Embodiment An embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to FIGS. FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a reformer showing an example of the present invention, FIG. 2 is a sectional view taken along line II-II of FIG. 1, and FIG. 3 is a sectional view taken along line III-III of FIG. FIG. 4 is a sectional view taken along the line IV-IV in FIG.
5 is an enlarged plan view of the partition plate.

As shown in FIG. 1, the reformer of the present invention
Is closed by a lid 2, and on the upper surface of the lid 2, there are provided a combustion unit 3 for converting fuel into combustion gas, and a fan 4 for feeding the combustion gas into the case 1. I have.

On the other hand, as shown in FIG. 2 and FIG. 3, evaporators 5.5 are provided in the case 1 to evaporate the combustion gas to produce methanol vapor fuel.
5 is provided with a cylindrical catalyst layer 6. The catalyst layer 6 is for reforming the methanol vapor fuel, and is divided into a first catalyst layer 6a, a second catalyst layer 6b, a third catalyst layer 6c, and a fourth catalyst layer 6d in order from the bottom. ing. Each of the catalyst layers 6a to 6d is partitioned by two partition plates 7. As shown in FIG. 5, a large number of holes 7a are formed in these partition plates 7 to supply reformed gas or steam fuel not reformed by the lower catalyst layer to the upper catalyst layers 6b to 6d.
... are formed. A main pipe 8 is connected to a lower end of the evaporator 5, and the other end of the main pipe 8 is connected to a connector 9. As shown in FIG. 4, four branch conduits 10a to 10d are connected to the side surface of the coupler 9. Among these branch pipes 10a to 10d, the first branch pipe 10a
Is opened near the partition plate 7 provided at the lower end of the first catalyst layer 6a, the second branch pipe 10b is opened near the partition plate 7 provided at the lower end of the second catalyst layer 6b, The third branch pipe 10c is provided with a partition plate 7 provided at the lower end of the third catalyst layer 6c.
And the fourth branch pipe 10d is connected to the fourth catalyst layer 6
It is open near the partition plate 7 provided at the lower end of d.

Here, in the reformer having the above structure. Since the catalyst layer 6 is divided into four, the height of each of the catalyst layers 6a to 6d is reduced, and the branch pipes 10a to 10d are individually connected to the catalyst layers 6a to 6d. The layers 6a to 6d will be supplied individually with steam fuel. Therefore, each catalyst layer 6a ~
Since the temperature gradient between the steam fuel supply section and the reformed fuel discharge section in 6d is reduced, the catalytic reforming reaction is uniformly performed in the apparatus, and there is no need to supply high-temperature steam fuel to the catalyst layer 6. .

If a large number of holes 7a are formed in the partition plate 7 as described above, the steam fuel not reformed by the lower catalyst layer will be reformed by the upper catalyst layer. For example, the first
The steam fuel not reformed in the catalyst layer 6a is supplied to the second catalyst layer 6b
Thus, the steam fuel not reformed by the second catalyst layer 6b is reformed by the third catalyst layer 6c. Therefore, also from this point, the reforming efficiency can be improved (about 100%).

The upper end of the fourth catalyst layer 6d is provided with a reformed gas extraction pipe 12 through which the lid 2 is inserted to take out the reformed fuel outside the reformer.
An exhaust pipe 13 for exhausting the combustion gas from the combustion section 3 is provided at the upper side of the case 1.

Further, in the above embodiment, the catalyst layer 6 is cylindrical, but the present invention is applicable to a case where the evaporator 5 is provided outside the case 1 and the catalyst layer 6 is columnar. Is possible.

Further, in the above embodiment, the structure is such that the steam fuel is sent from below the catalyst layer 6 and the reformed gas is taken out from above the catalyst layer 6, but the steam fuel is sent from above the catalyst layer 6 and reformed. The present invention can be applied to a structure in which gas is extracted from the lower side of the catalyst layer 6.

In addition, in the above embodiment, one branch pipe 10a to 10d is connected to each catalyst layer 6a to 6d, but two or more branch pipes are connected to each catalyst layer 6a to 6d. Such a structure may be used.

Effect of the Invention As described above, according to the present invention, the catalytic reforming reaction is carried out uniformly, and the steam fuel at the temperature most suitable for the catalytic chemical reaction can be supplied to the catalyst layer. This has the effect of dramatically improving the reforming efficiency while extending the life.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a reformer showing an example of the present invention, FIG. 2 is a sectional view taken along the line II-II of FIG. 1, and FIG. 3 is III of FIG.
FIG. 4 is a sectional view taken along the line IV-IV of FIG. 1, FIG. 5 is an enlarged plan view of the partition plate, FIG. 6 (a).
(B) is a diagram showing a conventional reformer, FIG. (A) is an explanatory diagram showing an internal configuration, and FIG.
FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view taken along line b. 5 evaporator, 6 catalyst layer, 6a first catalyst layer, 6b
... 2nd catalyst layer, 6c ... 3rd catalyst layer, 6d ... 4th catalyst layer,
10a: 1st branch line, 10b ... 2nd branch line, 10c ...
Third branch pipe, 10d... Fourth branch pipe.

──────────────────────────────────────────────────続 き Continued on front page (58) Field surveyed (Int.Cl. ⁶ , DB name) C01B 3/32-3/48 B01J 8/04

Claims (1)

(57) [Claims] An evaporator for evaporating a combustion gas into vapor fuel, a pipe connected at one end to the evaporator for transporting the vapor fuel, and a vapor pipe connected to the other end of the pipe. In a reformer including a rod-shaped or cylindrical catalyst layer for reforming fuel, the catalyst layer is divided into a plurality of portions in a direction perpendicular to an axis,
The reformer, wherein the pipes are branched by at least the number of the catalyst layers, and at least one branch pipe is connected to each of the catalyst layers.