KR20090102011A - Fuel reformer and reforming method - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE: A fuel reformer and a reforming method are provided to supply atomized fuel which is adjacent to a catalysis reaction part of a reforming part by using a spraying device. CONSTITUTION: A fuel reformer(1000) comprises a fuel storage unit(210), a fuel transfer line(220), an air transfer line(310), an air supply control unit(320), a reforming unit(100), and an atomizer(400). The fuel storage unit stores fuel. The fuel transfer line transfers fuel from a fuel storage unit. The fuel supply control unit controls the supply quantity of the fuel transferred to a fuel transfer line. The air transfer line transfers air. The air supply control unit controls the supply quantity of the air transferred to an air transfer line. The reforming unit reforms the fuel by forming a catalysis reaction unit. The atomizer is connected to the air transfer line and fuel transfer line.

Description

FUEL REFORMER AND REFORMING METHOD}

The present invention relates to a fuel reformer and a reforming method, and the present invention provides a fuel reformer capable of preventing carbon deposition and increasing hydrogen production efficiency by being provided with a spraying device for supplying atomized fuel adjacent to a catalytic reaction unit inside the reforming unit. And to a method of reforming.

Fuel cells are cells that directly convert chemical energy generated by oxidation into electrical energy, and are a new environmentally friendly future energy technology that generates electrical energy from substances rich in the earth such as hydrogen and oxygen.

The fuel cell is expected to replace the internal combustion engine due to its excellent energy efficiency without causing global warming and environmental pollution problems, and thus has been actively studied worldwide.

More specifically, the fuel cell is supplied with oxygen to the cathode and supplied with hydrogen as a fuel gas to the anode to perform an electrochemical reaction in the form of reverse electrolysis of water to generate electricity, heat, and water. Generates electrical energy with high efficiency without causing pollution.

At this time, the stable supply of hydrogen as a fuel gas is a very important factor, and as a method of supplying hydrogen to the fuel cell, a method of storing hydrogen itself was also initially proposed, but it is not easy to use for safety reasons. A fuel reforming method for producing hydrogen by reforming a fuel containing is mainly used.

Hydrogen production by fuel reforming is known as Autothermal Reforming (ATR), Partial Oxidation (POX) and Steam Reforming (SR). A device for producing fuel such as hydrogen in a catalyst layer is called a fuel reformer.

The conventional fuel reformer is shown in FIG. The hydrocarbon fuel gas flowing into the fuel inlet 14 from the fuel reformer 10 shown in FIG. 1 sequentially passes through the primary catalyst 11 and the secondary catalyst 12 and is converted into hydrogen gas through steam reforming. And exit through the hydrogen outlet 14 '.

The reaction heat for the reforming reaction proceeding in the primary catalyst 11 and the secondary catalyst 12 is supplied through the burner 13 provided under the casing 15, and more particularly, the reaction heat generated in the burner 13 is generated. The high temperature reactant gas passes through the secondary catalyst 12 and the primary catalyst 11 to the combustion gas outlet 13 'and supplies the reaction heat to the reformed gas passing through the catalyst.

However, even if the reactor reformers shown in FIG. In addition, carbon deposition may cause oxidation and corrosion of the metal inside the fuel reformer, which may cause problems in the durability of the fuel reformer and reduce hydrogen production efficiency.

Accordingly, there is a demand for a fuel reformer for atomizing and supplying fuel even under high temperature conditions required for catalytic reactions.

The present invention has been made to solve the problems described above, the object of the present invention is to improve the efficiency of fuel reforming by supplying the atomized fuel adjacent to the catalytic reaction portion of the reforming portion, the problem due to carbon deposition has not been addressed. It is to provide a fuel reformer and a reforming method that can be prevented.

In addition, an object of the present invention is to provide a fuel reformer and a reforming method that can be applied to a variety of reforming conditions by adjusting the injection height of the nozzle, to increase the durability.

The fuel reformer 1000 of the present invention includes a fuel storage unit 210 in which fuel is stored; A fuel transfer line 220 transferring fuel from the fuel storage unit 210; A fuel supply control unit 230 for controlling a supply amount of fuel transferred to the fuel transfer line 220; An air transfer line 310 through which air is transferred; An air supply control unit 320 for controlling a supply amount of air transferred to the air transfer line 310; Reforming unit 100 is formed by the catalytic reaction unit 110 to reform the fuel; And a spray device connected to the air transfer line 310 and the fuel transfer line 220, respectively, and having an end thereof adjacent to the catalytic reaction unit 110 in the reforming unit 100 to inject fuel and air ( 400); Characterized in that it comprises a.

In addition, the spraying device 400 has a double pipe form, the inside is connected to the fuel transfer line 220 and the fuel is in communication, the outside is connected to the air transfer line 310, the main body 410 is in communication with the air; And a fuel injection hole 421 connected to the fuel transfer line 220 at an end of the main body 410 to inject fuel and an air injection hole 422 connected to the air transfer line 310 to inject air. It is characterized by including the formed nozzle 420.

At this time, the spray device 400 is characterized in that the length of the main body 410 is adjustable, the main body 410 is composed of the upper body 411 and the lower body 412, the lower body 412 The fixed part 413 is formed to be rotatable and fixed, and the upper body 411 or the lower body 412 has a stepped portion 414 to determine the maximum or minimum length of the main body 410. ) Is formed.

In addition, the fuel reformer 1000 is characterized in that the air injection hole 422 is formed to be inclined at an angle in the direction of the fuel injection hole 421, the spray device 400 is characterized in that formed of SUS316L material It is done.

On the other hand, the fuel reforming method of the present invention, in the fuel reforming method, the step of adjusting the length of the sprayer 400, the main body 410 so that the nozzle 420 is located adjacent to the upper portion of the catalytic reaction unit 110; Controlling the amount of air supplied through the air supply control unit 320 and adjusting the amount of fuel supplied through the fuel supply control unit 230; Mixing fuel and air at the end of the nozzle 420 to atomize the fuel; And catalytically reforming the atomized fuel; Characterized in that it is included.

Accordingly, the fuel reformer and the reforming method of the present invention use a spray device resistant to high temperature to supply atomized fuel adjacent to the catalytic reaction part of the reforming unit, thereby reducing problems such as durability of the reformer due to carbon deposition and lowering of the catalytic reaction. There is an advantage to solve and increase the fuel reforming efficiency.

In addition, the fuel reformer and the reforming method of the present invention can be applied to various reforming conditions by easily adjusting the spraying height by adjusting the length of the spray device, and has the advantage of easily controlling the production efficiency of hydrogen gas.

1 is a schematic view showing a conventional fuel reformer.

2 is a schematic view showing a fuel reformer according to the present invention.

3 is a perspective view of the spray apparatus according to the present invention.

4 is a cross-sectional view of the spray apparatus shown in FIG.

Figure 5 is a graph showing the average particle diameter (SMD) of the droplets according to the air and fuel supply amount.

6 is a step diagram of a reforming method according to the present invention.

** Description of the symbols for the main parts of the drawings **

1000: fuel reformer according to the present invention

100: reforming unit 110: catalytic reaction unit

120: temperature control means

210: fuel storage unit 220: fuel transfer line

230: fuel supply control unit

310: air transfer line 320: air supply control unit

330: Regulator

400: spraying device 410: main body

411: upper body 412: lower body

413: fixing part 414: locking jaw

420: nozzle 421: fuel injection hole

422: air injection hole

S100 ~ S400: each step of the fuel reforming method of the present invention

Hereinafter, the fuel reformer 1000 and the reforming method of the present invention having the characteristics as described above will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

2 is a schematic view showing a fuel reformer 1000 according to the present invention, Figure 3 is a perspective view of a spray device 400 according to the present invention, Figure 4 is a cross-sectional view of the spray device 400 shown in FIG. 5 is a graph showing the average particle diameter (SMD) of the droplets according to the air and fuel supply amount.

The fuel reformer 1000 of the present invention includes a fuel storage unit 210 in which a reactive fuel is stored, a fuel transfer line 220 to which fuel stored in the fuel storage unit 210 is transferred, and the fuel transfer line 220. A fuel supply control unit 230 for controlling the supply amount of the fuel to be transported to the air, and an air transfer line 310 to atomize the fuel and to transfer the air required for the catalytic reaction is formed, the air transfer line 310 An air supply control unit 320 for measuring the supply amount of air and controlling the supply amount is formed.

The air transfer line 310 may be further provided with a regulator 330 for adjusting the supply pressure of the air, the fuel reformer 1000 of the present invention is a catalytic reaction unit 110 is formed to reform the fuel It is connected to the reforming unit 100 and the air transfer line 310 and the fuel transfer line 220, respectively, and its end is adjacent to the catalytic reaction unit 110 inside the reforming unit 100 to inject fuel and air. It characterized in that it comprises a spray device 400 to be.

2 illustrates an example in which the fuel supply control unit 230 and the air supply control unit 320 are formed in the fuel transfer line 220 and the air transfer line 310, respectively. The supply control unit 320 may be formed in another position and configured to interlock with the respective driving means.

As the driving means, the fuel transfer line 220 may be provided with a fuel pump, a valve may be further provided, and an air supply valve (not shown) may be further formed in the air transfer line 310.

Since the reforming reaction of the catalytic reaction unit 110 of the fuel reformer 1000 requires a high temperature, the reformer may further include a temperature control unit 120 for heating to an appropriate temperature. In FIG. Although the means 120 is formed to form an example surrounding the reforming part 100, it may be variously formed in one embodiment.

As such, the fuel reformer 1000 has a high temperature, but the spray device 400 formed in the conventional fuel reformer 1000 is easily damaged by a high temperature condition and is not formed adjacent to the catalytic reaction unit 110. As a result, in most cases, fuel and air are injected from the upper end of the reforming part 100.

In addition, the fuel reformer 1000 using an ultrasonic atomizer which atomizes fuel by generating ultrasonic vibration using the piezo effect of the piezoelectric element requires a separate energy source continuously, and the piezoelectric element is weak in heat and thus It is difficult to be provided adjacent to the catalytic reaction unit 110, there was a problem that a cooler for cooling the ultrasonic atomizer 400 must be provided separately.

In contrast, the fuel reformer 1000 of the present invention uses carbon atomizer 400 having a length-adjustable main body 410, and carbon deposition by using a mechanical atomizer 400 formed of a material resistant to high temperatures such as SUS316L. The fuel can be effectively atomized to prevent the phenomenon and has the advantage of increasing durability.

As an example of the spraying apparatus 400 of the present invention, the spraying apparatus 400 shown in FIGS. 3 and 4 is an example.

The spraying apparatus 400 shown in FIGS. 3 and 4 includes a main body 410 and a nozzle 420 formed in a large double tube shape, and more specifically, the main body 410 has a double pipe shape. Fuel is transported by being connected to the fuel transport line 220, and air is transported by being connected to the air transport line 310 to the outside.

The nozzle 420 is connected to the fuel transfer line 220 at an end of the main body 410 inside the reforming unit 100, and the fuel injection hole 421 and the air transfer line 310 are injected with fuel. The air injection hole 422 is connected to the air is injected.

3 and 4, the main body 410 is formed in a double tube shape in the longitudinal direction, the upper portion of the main body 410, the main body 410 A reinforcement region may exist to be connectable with the fuel transfer line 220 and the air transfer line 310 in a direction perpendicular to the longitudinal direction, wherein the reinforcement region is the fuel transfer line 220 and the air transfer line. Fixing means and the like may be further formed to be connected to the (310).

In addition, the nozzle 420 is formed to be coupled to the lower part of the main body as a separate member from the main body 410, the outer surface of the main body 410 and the upper threaded portion of the nozzle 420 corresponding to each other Is formed to show an example in which the nozzle 420 and the main body 410 are coupled.

As shown in FIG. 4, the nozzle 420 and the main body 410 may be separately provided and combined.

In addition, since the location and the most effective spray height of the catalytic reaction unit 110 is formed in the reforming unit 100 may vary, the fuel reformer 1000 of the present invention is formed so that the length of the body 410 is adjustable Can be.

In order to adjust the length of the main body 410, the main body 410 is composed of an upper body 411 and a lower body 412 to adjust the position where the lower body 412 is inserted into the upper body 411 By doing so, the length can be adjusted.

The upper body 411 and the lower body 412 should have a double pipe form so that the fuel and air flow, respectively, and may be formed in various ways so as not to mix the fuel and air.

The main body 410 illustrated in FIG. 4 has a shape in which the lower main body 412 is fitted into the upper main body 411. The inner main body of the upper main body 411 and the outer main body of the lower main body 412. An example in which the fixing part 413 is formed outside is illustrated.

As shown in FIG. 4, the fixing part 413 may be formed in a thread structure in which the upper main body 411 or the lower main body 412 may be rotated and coupled. The upper body 411 and the lower body 412 may be formed in various forms or means for fixing.

In addition, the upper body 411 or the lower body 412 is a step 414 is formed so that the maximum or minimum length of the body 410 can be determined.

The maximum or minimum length of the main body 410 may be interpreted as the maximum or minimum depth into which the lower main body 412 is inserted into the upper main body 411, and details of the stepped portion 414 shown in FIG. 4. When the configuration is described, an area where the fixing part 413 of the lower main body 412 is formed is recessed to a predetermined depth to form a stepped part 414, and the outer inner end of the upper main body 411 has a central axis direction. Protruding to, the fixing portion 413 is coupled to the fixing portion 413 of the lower body 412 is formed on the protruding surface.

That is, since the fixing part 413 of the lower body 412 is formed only in the stepped inner side, it can be fixed only in the region. Accordingly, the fuel reformer 1000 of the present invention inserts the lower body 412 too deeply. Or can be easily disassembled to avoid the risk of damaging the part.

In addition, when the main body 410 and the nozzle 420 of the spraying device 400 is a separate component, the nozzle 420 formed under the main body 410 is formed to have various lengths so that By replacing the nozzle 420 it may be possible to use a spray device 400 having an appropriate length.

FIG. 5 is a graph showing an average particle diameter (SMD) of droplets according to air and fuel supply amount, using a diesel fuel having a density of 821.2 kg / m3 at 25.8 ° C., using a Helos Vario device while changing the air supply amount and fuel supply amount. The average particle diameter was measured.

As shown in FIG. 5, it can be seen that the average particle diameter decreases as the air supply amount is increased, which indicates that the collision between fuel and air is stronger when the air supply amount is increased, thereby making atomization more smoothly. At this time, since the average particle diameter increases as the fuel supply amount increases, the fuel reformer and reforming method of the present invention has an advantage of setting an injection situation suitable for various reforming conditions by adjusting the air supply amount or fuel supply amount.

The nozzle 420 is configured to allow the fuel to be atomized by colliding the fuel and air transferred through the inside and the outside of the main body 410. The air injection hole 422 is directed toward the fuel injection hole 421. It is formed to be inclined.

The air injection hole 422 may be formed in a ring shape (when the nozzle 420 is viewed from the lower side) around the fuel injection hole 421, and a plurality of air pressures may be formed and injected as necessary. It can also be adjusted.

The air injection hole 422 shown in FIG. 4 is inclined at a predetermined angle in the direction of the fuel injection hole 421 with respect to the vertical direction (the longitudinal direction of the main body 410), and then again inclined at a larger angle at the end. An example is shown to be built.

In the fuel reformer 1000 of the present invention, the air injection hole 422 is formed to be inclined to more effectively form atomization (atomization) of the fuel, and can effectively prevent damage due to high temperature inside the reforming unit 100. There is an advantage.

The fuel reforming method of the present invention may use the fuel reformer 1000 having the characteristics as described above, and the fuel reforming method of the present invention may include adjusting the length of the main body 410 to suit the reforming conditions (S100); Air and fuel supply amount control step (S200); Atomization step (S300); And a reforming step (S400).

6 is a step diagram of the reforming method according to the present invention, and the method will be described in more detail. First, the main body 410 length adjusting step (S100) is a nozzle 420 adjacent to the upper portion of the catalytic reaction unit 110 Adjusting the length of the main body 410 of the sprayer 400 to be positioned (S100), and second, the air and fuel supply amount control step (S200) is the amount of air supplied through the air supply control unit 320 Controlling and adjusting the amount of fuel supplied through the fuel supply control unit 230 (S200).

That is, the fuel reforming method of the present invention before the atomization and reforming step (S300, 3400), by adjusting the length of the body 410 of the spraying device 400 to the point where the fuel and air is injected into the catalytic reaction unit 110 By forming adjacent to), it is possible to increase the efficiency of the reforming reaction, and to improve the reforming efficiency by controlling the amount of air and fuel supplied.

The present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments, and the scope of application is not limited, and various modifications can be made without departing from the gist of the present invention as claimed in the claims.

Claims (8)

A fuel storage unit 210 in which fuel is stored; A fuel transfer line 220 transferring fuel from the fuel storage unit 210; A fuel supply control unit 230 for controlling a supply amount of fuel transferred to the fuel transfer line 220; An air transfer line 310 through which air is transferred; An air supply control unit 320 for controlling a supply amount of air transferred to the air transfer line 310; Reforming unit 100 is formed by the catalytic reaction unit 110 to reform the fuel; And A sprayer 400 connected to the air transfer line 310 and the fuel transfer line 220, respectively, and having an end thereof adjacent to the catalytic reaction unit 110 inside the reforming unit 100 to inject fuel and air ); A fuel reformer comprising a. The method of claim 1, The spraying device 400 The main body 410 is connected to the fuel transfer line 220 in the form of a double pipe and the fuel is communicated, the outside is connected to the air transfer line 310 to communicate air; And A fuel injection hole 421 connected to the fuel transfer line 220 at the end of the main body 410 and an air injection hole 422 connected to the air transfer line 310 to inject air A fuel reformer, characterized in that formed by including a nozzle (420). The method of claim 2, The atomizer 400 is a fuel reformer, characterized in that the length of the body (410) is adjustable. The method of claim 3, The body 410 is Consists of an upper body (411) and a lower body (412), the lower body (412) is a fuel reformer, characterized in that the fixing portion (413) is formed to be fixed by rotation. The method of claim 4, wherein The upper body (411) or the lower body (412) is a fuel reformer, characterized in that the stepped portion (414) is formed to determine the maximum or minimum length of the body (410). The method of claim 2, The air injection hole (422) is a fuel reformer, characterized in that formed to be inclined at a predetermined angle toward the fuel injection hole (421). The method of claim 6, The spraying device 400 A fuel reformer, characterized in that formed of SUS316L material. In the fuel reforming method, Adjusting the length of the sprayer 400 main body 410 such that the nozzle 420 is positioned adjacent to the upper portion of the catalytic reaction unit 110 (S100); Controlling the amount of air supplied through the air supply control unit 320 and adjusting the amount of fuel supplied through the fuel supply control unit 230 (S200); Mixing fuel and air at an end of the nozzle 420 to atomize the fuel (S300); And Catalytic reforming the atomized fuel (S400); Fuel reforming method comprising the.