Fuel Processor Partial Oxidation Turbine Integration
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing fuel processors for fuel cells and gas turbine engines face inefficiencies in generating hydrogen-rich mixtures at lower temperatures without the use of costly and voluminous heat exchangers, and they do not effectively utilize the chemical energy of hydrocarbon fuels to produce mechanical work for ancillary equipment.
Innovation Solution
A fuel processor design that includes a compressor, partial oxidation reactor, and turbine to process hydrocarbon fuels with oxygen, producing a hydrogen and carbon dioxide mixture, where the turbine drives the compressor and can power ancillary equipment, and optionally drives an electrical generator to supply oxygen to fuel cells or gas turbine engines.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If conventional fuel processors use heat exchangers to generate hydrogen-rich mixtures, then the hydrogen production efficiency is improved, but the device volume and cost increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts and eliminates the heat exchanger component from the conventional fuel processor system. By using partial oxidation reaction that inherently produces hydrogen-rich mixtures at lower temperatures, the system removes the need for separate heat exchange equipment, thereby reducing device volume while maintaining hydrogen production efficiency
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the operating parameters by implementing partial oxidation instead of complete combustion, operating at lower temperatures (below 1000°C) to directly produce hydrogen-rich mixtures. This parameter change eliminates the need for high-temperature heat exchangers and enables compact system design
2Loss of energy
If the chemical energy of hydrocarbon fuels is not utilized to produce mechanical work, then the fuel processing simplicity is maintained, but the energy efficiency decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The turbine serves multiple functions: it drives the compressor to supply oxygen to the partial oxidation reactor, drives the air compressor for the fuel cell, and can drive an electrical generator. This multi-functionality extracts mechanical work from the chemical energy of hydrocarbon fuels while managing to integrate these functions into a cohesive system
Solution Approach 2:
The patent merges the power generation function with the fuel processing function. The turbine-compressor system is integrated into the fuel processor, allowing the chemical energy from hydrocarbon oxidation to be converted into mechanical work that powers both the fuel processing itself and ancillary equipment
3Use of energy by moving object
If the turbine drives multiple equipment including compressor and generator, then the energy utilization is improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The turbine is designed as a multi-functional power source that can drive the fuel compressor, air compressor for fuel cell, and electrical generator simultaneously or independently. This universal power source approach maximizes energy utilization by capturing mechanical work from the partial oxidation process to power multiple system components
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This design achieves hydrogen-rich mixtures at lower temperatures without heat exchangers, enabling more compact reforming for low-temperature fuel cell stacks and extracting chemical energy as mechanical work to power equipment, while providing pressurization for fuel cells or gas turbines.
Implementation Method 1
the partial oxidation reactor being arranged to partially react the hydrocarbon fuel and the oxygen to form a mixture comprising hydrogen and carbon dioxide
Implementation Method 2
the turbine being arranged to expand and cool the mixture of hydrogen and carbon dioxide
Implementation Method 3
the supply of oxygen may comprise a supply of air to a first surface of a membrane, the membrane is selectively conducting to oxygen such that oxygen is collected on a second surface of the membrane
Data Source
AI summary
A fuel processor (10) comprises a supply of natural gas (12) and a compressor (14), which compresses the natural gas and supplies the natural gas to a partial oxidation reactor (16). A supply of oxygen (20) supplies the oxygen to the partial oxidation reactor (16). The partial oxidation reactor (16) partially reacts the natural gas and the oxygen to form a mixture comprising hydrogen and carbon dioxide. The partial oxidation reactor (16) supplies the mixture of hydrogen and carbon dioxide to a turbine (20). The turbine (20) is arranged to drive the compressor (14). The turbine (20) expands and cools the mixture of hydrogen and carbon dioxide and supplies the mixture of hydrogen and carbon dioxide to a fuel cell stack (22) requiring hydrogen and/or carbon dioxide.