KR20060106436A - Reformer system of compact plasmatron - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention relates to hydrogen production by a plasmatron reformer which is a high temperature plasma torch and its application system.

The present invention relates to an apparatus for generating a high concentration of hydrogen by reforming various types of fossil fuels and biogas with a reforming system that can be widely applied to a fuel cell, a home-generation cogeneration system, a mobile vehicle, and the like. The plasma is reformed using a partial oxidation method in the plasmatron, and the generated synthesis gas is reacted in a catalytic reactor to increase the concentration of hydrogen. In addition, in order to minimize power consumption, the heat energy generated is converted into a heat exchanger and used to supply water vapor, or in the case of a solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC) operated at a high temperature, a hot gas is directly injected to provide a preheating energy required for the fuel cell. Can be reduced.

Description

Reformer system of compact plasmatron

1 is a cross-sectional view of the reformer of the present invention.

2 is a cross-sectional view of the plasmatron of the present invention.

Figure 3 is a cross-sectional view of the gas injection ring inside the plasmatron of the present invention.

4 is a cross-sectional view of a heat exchanger of the present invention.

Figure 5 is a schematic diagram of the reformer system configuration and application of the present invention.

Description of the main parts of the drawing

1: Plasma Tron

2: first catalytic reactor

3: primary heat exchanger

4: secondary catalytic reactor

5: secondary heat exchanger

42: cooling jacket

101: mixer

116: gas injection ring

118: hafnium

The present invention relates to a compact plasmatron reformer system, and more particularly, to a plasmatron reformer that partially oxidizes various types of fossil fuel or biogas using high temperature plasma technology and an application technique thereof.

 Although the number of energy per person is increasing rapidly due to the development of industry and the development of scientific and technological civilization, the problem of energy depletion due to the limitation of fossil fuel, environmental pollution such as global warming gas emission and nuclear waste generated during nuclear power generation Therefore, the development of low pollution alternative energy is urgent.

 Hydrogen energy is regarded as the future source of pollution-free energy and is regarded as the ultimate fuel for humankind. Currently, hydrogen is mostly used as a raw material for the chemical industry such as petroleum desulfurization and ammonia production due to economic problems.

 Conventional hydrogen production reforming methods include steam reforming, partial oxidation, automatic pyrolysis, and plasma reforming. Among them, steam reforming, which is a method of reforming by injecting superheated steam into a reactor, is currently being most used due to advantages such as gas throughput and high hydrogen production yield. However, this method is complicated by the reactor preheating system, high pressure steam injector, and the system connected with the catalyst device, which makes the device large and requires preheating time of 1 hour or more to preheat the reactor to 800 ℃. There is a problem of delay in response time and high maintenance cost for maintaining high pressure. Therefore, the reformer must have high concentration of hydrogen productivity, as well as fast start-up and operation start characteristics and miniaturization of the device.

In addition, when the reformer is applied to a fuel cell, it must have a carbon monoxide concentration of 10 ppm or less and high purity hydrogen concentration, which are satisfying inlet conditions of the fuel cell stack. On the other hand, the solid oxide fuel cell does not need a high purity hydrogen concentration, but because it operates at 700 ~ 1000 ℃ there is a problem that requires external energy for maintaining the high temperature gas.

In particular, when it is applied to home power supply, cogeneration, or mobile vehicle, which has been attracting much attention due to the recent expansion of hydrogen energy, various fuels can be applied, driving characteristics are fast, and the device is simple. A partial oxidation high efficiency high temperature plasma reactor should be proposed.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made in an effort to provide a plasmatron reformer and its application system capable of efficiently producing high concentrations of hydrogen by solving the above problems.

The present invention is divided into a reforming system composed of plasma tron (1), catalytic reactors (2), (4), heat exchanger (3), (5) and the like to achieve the above technical problem (see Fig. 4). ].

Plasma Tron (1) is a nozzle of the cathode (111) and anode (112) to reduce the electrode consumption due to high temperature corrosion and the mixer 101 to smoothly mix the fuel and air to form a stable plasma continuously The part consists of the water cooling part by which water cooling is performed by forced circulation. And it provides a catalytic reactor (2), (4) for increasing the hydrogen purity of the generated reformed gas and heat exchangers (3), (5) for recovering the generated heat as energy.

Plasma Tron (1) of the present invention can obtain a fast reaction rate from the partial oxidation reaction, it is characterized by obtaining the energy required for reforming from the high temperature of 2,000 ℃ or more generated from the plasma. A plasma arc is generated between the two electrodes to form a plasma in the form of a flame by the flow of plasma gas. In this case, general air is used as the plasma gas, and a partial oxidation method is maintained at a theoretical air ratio of 1 or less.

The reforming reaction is explained with methane, which is a main component of hydrocarbon fuel such as natural gas. Equation 1 represents a strong exothermic reaction in which methane is reformed by partial oxidation, and Equation 2 is a forward reaction by water shifting in which carbon monoxide generated after the reaction reacts with water vapor and is converted into carbon dioxide. Indicates a reverse reaction.

In the present invention, a primary catalytic reactor (2) containing a nickel catalyst (21) has been proposed to promote the partial oxidation reforming reaction of [Equation 1] and increases the reaction rate of hydrogen production during the partial oxidation reaction of hydrocarbon fuel. When carbon monoxide generated by Equation 1 flows into the stack of a fuel cell, it is known to diffuse to the anode (hydrogen electrode and anode) and to poison the catalyst of the anode. This carbon monoxide is removed by the forward reaction of [Equation 2]. In order to increase the reactivity, a secondary catalytic reactor (4) containing an iron catalyst (41) has been proposed.

Hereinafter, the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

1 is a simplified diagram of a reformer comprising a plasmatron 1, a catalytic reactor 2, 4 and a heat exchanger 3, 5 according to the invention. The primary catalytic reactor (2) is located at the bottom of the plasmatron mixer 101, and contains a spherical catalyst (21) of about 0.5 cm in diameter coated with alumina as a support (supporter), and the inside of the reactor is castable. Insulation 22 reduces heat loss. The primary heat exchanger (3) located at the bottom of the nickel catalyst reactor (2) injects water into the coolant inlet (31) and discharges it to the coolant outlet (32) as opposed to the flow direction of the gas and discharges it from the primary catalytic reactor (2). Heat is recovered from the high temperature reformed gas and the water and air to be injected into the plasma tron 1 are heated to generate steam and hot air. The secondary catalyst reactor 4 contains a spherical catalyst 41 having a diameter of about 0.5 cm coated with iron on alumina and has a cooling jacket 42 for controlling the temperature of the secondary catalyst reactor 4. The flow direction of the cooling water is discharged from the cooling jacket inlet 43 to the cooling jacket outlet 44 as opposed to the flow direction of the gas, and the appropriate reaction temperature of the secondary catalytic reactor 4 is about 400 ° C. 42) to maintain a constant temperature. Secondary heat exchanger (5) is the same as the primary heat exchanger (3) the direction of the cooling water and gas is discharged from the secondary heat exchanger cooling water inlet 51 to the secondary heat exchanger cooling water outlet (52). The secondary heat exchanger 5 is used in most fuel cells where the field of application requires high concentrations of hydrogen in low temperature areas such as polymer electrolyte fuel cells (PEMFC). However, when operating at a high temperature such as a solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC), the high temperature gas discharged from the secondary catalytic reactor 4 is supplied to the fuel cell stack without using the secondary heat exchanger 5. In order to prevent heat loss to the outside and to increase energy efficiency, the ceramic reactor external heat insulating material 20 is insulated from both the catalytic reactors 2 and 4 and the heat exchanger 3 and 5.

2 is a cross-sectional view of a portion of the plasmatron 1 and the connected primary catalytic reactor 2 according to the present invention, showing the structure of the plasmatron 1 and the flow of coolant therein and the supply of power. Plasma Tron 1 has a rod-shaped cathode 111, a ring-shaped anode 112, the gas injection ring 116 for generating the insulation of the two electrodes and the swirl flow of air is a basic configuration. In addition, the coolant split pipe consisting of an electrode tip 118 having a hafnium tip inserted therein, a cathode coolant inlet 122, a cathode coolant outlet 121, and a pipe flowing smoothly and outlet as the outlet to facilitate the release of hot electrons. 117, the anode cooling water inlet 124, the anode cooling water outlet 125, and the anode support 115 connecting the anode body 113 where the plasma discharge is generated and the gas injection ring 116 and having an air inlet 123. , A fixed ring 119 for fixing the anode support 115 and the gas injection ring 116 and an electrode adjusting screw 120 for adjusting the gap between the cathode and the anode. When the coolant flowing into the cathode coolant inlet 122 cools the cathode 111 and the electrode tip 114, and comes out through the coolant split pipe 117 to the cathode coolant outlet 121, it enters the anode coolant inlet 124 again and enters the anode. And the anode body is cooled and discharged to the anode cooling water outlet 125. The nozzles at each coolant inlet and outlet were threaded to connect the coolant supply lines.

As a constituent material of the reformer, the electrode tip 114 is composed of a nickel coated coin electrode and hafnium 118, and the anode body 113 is made of oxygen-free copper and the other part is made of brass. This is good in workability and thermal conductivity and is relatively excellent in mechanical strength and corrosion resistance, thereby meeting the object of the present invention. The gas injection ring 116 was made of Teflon, a material having excellent water resistance and processability, and insulated between the cathode and the anode, and fixed the cathode by an internal thread.

3 is a view showing the shape of the gas injection ring 116 configured inside the plasmatron 1 of FIG. 2 according to the present invention, the air injected from the gas injection ring 116 is introduced along the groove 161. The shape of the groove 161 is inclined in the shape of a screw thread to generate a swirl flow to rotate the arc point of the plasma. Therefore, the contraction of the electrode is delayed by thermal contraction, thereby extending the life of the electrode.

4 is a cross-sectional view of the heat exchangers 3 and 5 of FIG. 1 according to the present invention, in which the primary heat exchanger 3 and the secondary heat exchanger 5 have the same shape. The coolant is injected into the heat exchanger coolant inlets 32 and 51 and discharged to the heat exchanger coolant outlets 31 and 52 opposite to the flow direction of the gas.

5 is a schematic diagram in which the overall configuration of the plasmatron reforming system 16 according to the present invention and the application field 17 are connected.

Water vapor and fuel from the steam generator 9 are mixed and injected into the fuel inlet 103 of the plasmatron 1. The air injector 6 and the power supply 7 are used to form plasma in the plasmatron 1 and to coolant supplied from the coolant supply 8 to prevent erosion of the cathode 111 and anode 112 therein. By cooling the electrode. The gas reformed by the plasma increases the conversion concentration of hydrogen through the primary catalytic reactor (2) and uses the heat generated in the primary heat exchanger (3) to reduce the energy required for steam production. High concentration of hydrogen is produced by recovering heat and adjusting the temperature again in the cooling jacket 42 and the secondary heat exchanger 5 via the secondary catalytic reactor 4 for removing carbon monoxide. The high temperature hydrogen generated through the secondary catalytic reactor 4 is applied to the solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC) 13 or thereafter, the fuel cell 14 reacts in the low temperature region through the secondary heat exchanger 5, namely , Molten carbonate fuel cell (MCFC), phosphate fuel cell (PAFC), polymer electrolyte fuel cell (PEMFC), alkaline fuel cell (AFC). In addition, it can be applied to a home cogeneration system and a mobile vehicle.

As described above, the present invention can realize the rapid reactivity required for the existing reformer, miniaturization of the device and high concentration of hydrogen productivity, and can achieve the following effects.

1) Since the reaction temperature is reached by using the heat generated from the high temperature plasma, no external heat source is required, and the preheating time required for the existing reformer can be reduced, thereby increasing the efficiency.

2) Since the plasma tron 1 of the present invention uses high energy of plasma, hydrogen can be produced from various kinds of hydrocarbon-based fuels, and high purity hydrogen can be produced by connecting a catalytic reactor to the reformer 15.

2) Since the compact reforming system 16 according to the present invention is smaller in size than a conventional reformer, it has excellent applicability as a small pollution-free energy source such as cogeneration for homes, and a cooling jacket 42 and a reformer 15 in the reformer 15. By connecting the heat exchangers (3) and (5), it is applicable to various fuel cells having operating characteristics at high or low temperatures.

3) Since the reforming system 16 according to the present invention reaches a temperature required for the reaction in a much less time than the existing reformer, it can be effectively applied to a small fuel cell, a mobile vehicle, and the like that require fast start-up and reactivity.

Claims (5)

Plasma Tron (1) composed of a plasma torch (110) and a mixer (101) for generating high temperature plasma, and a spherical nickel catalyst and a castable internal insulation (22) for promoting the generation of hydrogen such as [Equation 1]. Promote the reduction of carbon monoxide such as the primary catalyst reactor (2) configured, the primary heat exchanger (3), wherein the heat recovered by heat exchange is supplied to the fuel inlet (103), and used for generating steam. Secondary heat exchanger to maintain the proper temperature as possible in the application of spherical iron catalyst and secondary catalytic reactor (4), fuel cell (4), which is cooled with a jacket (42) to maintain the reaction temperature of 400 ℃ A reformer 15 composed of air 5 and an air injector 6 for injecting air supplied to the plasma tron 1, a fuel reservoir 10 for fuel injection, a steam generator 9 for steam injection, Power supply (7) and heat exchanger (3), (5) for power supply Consisting of a cooling water supply (8) for cooling water injection reforming system 16. The ring-shaped anode 112 made of brass and copper and the anode body 113 made of oxygen-free copper, the rod-shaped cathode 111, and the coolant inlet and outlet 121 for cooling the two electrodes; 122), 124, 125, an anode support 115 with an air inlet 124, a plasma torch 110 and fuel including a gas injection ring 116 for forming insulation and swirling flow between the two electrodes. Plasma Tron (1) consisting of an inlet (103) and a mixing chamber (102) having a tapered shape for mixing and promoting reaction with plasma and comprising a mixer (101) coupled with an anode (112) by a screw thread. According to claim 1, which is located at the bottom of the plasmatron mixer 101, and contains a spherical catalyst 21 of about 0.5cm in diameter coated with alumina as a support, and the inside of the reactor is a castable internal insulation (22) A primary catalyst reactor (2) with reduced heat loss and a spherical catalyst (41) having a diameter of about 0.5 cm coated with iron on alumina are included, and the optimum reaction temperature of the reactor (4) is about 400 ° C. Secondary catalytic reactor (4) having a cooling jacket (42) through which the coolant circulates with the flow direction opposite to the gas. According to claim 1 located at the bottom of the primary catalytic reactor (2) injecting water into the cooling water inlet 31 in the opposite of the flow direction of the gas is discharged to the cooling water outlet 32 is discharged from the primary catalytic reactor (2) Low temperature, such as a primary heat exchanger (3) and a polyelectrolyte fuel cell (PEMFC), which recovers heat from the hot reformed gas and heats water and air to be injected into the plasmatron 1 to produce steam and hot air. Secondary heat exchanger (5) in the same bundle as the primary heat exchanger (3) which will be applied in most fuel cell cases where high concentrations of hydrogen are required in the region. A method of applying a comprehensive concept having four application fields (17), such as a reforming system (16) having excellent starting and operating characteristics and a home cogeneration, a fuel cell, etc. due to the application of the high temperature plasma torch of claim 1.

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