Gas Turbine Fuel Reformer Thermal Integration
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Solution Overview
Problem
Gas turbine engines face challenges in achieving high efficiency and low emissions due to the use of hydrocarbon fuels with contaminants, which require complex and costly reforming processes that often result in thermal efficiency losses and material damage from high reaction temperatures.
Innovation Solution
A catalytic partial oxidation process-based fuel reformer that integrates heat generated during reforming to vaporize and crack heavier hydrocarbon components, producing a hydrogen-rich fuel stream that can be used as a supplemental feed to the combustor, while using auxiliary fuel streams for thermal integration and cooling.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If catalytic reforming is used to convert heavy hydrocarbon fuels, then fuel flexibility and combustion efficiency are improved, but high reaction temperatures cause material damage and require expensive high-temperature piping materials
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies the 'Blessing in disguise' principle by using the hot reformate stream (which would normally be considered harmful due to its high temperature causing material damage) as a useful heating medium to vaporize liquid fuels and preheat reforming feeds. This converts the harmful thermal energy into a beneficial resource, eliminating the need for expensive high-temperature piping materials while maintaining fuel flexibility and combustion efficiency.
2Reliability
If catalytic reforming is used to produce hydrogen-rich fuel, then combustion stability and emission reduction are improved, but the system complexity and cost increase due to required cooling systems
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies the 'Self-service' principle by using the reformate stream to cool the reformer itself and to vaporize liquid fuels without requiring external cooling systems. The hot reformate stream serves the dual purpose of cooling the reformer components and providing thermal energy for fuel vaporization, thereby reducing system complexity while maintaining combustion stability and emission reduction benefits.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent merges multiple functions into the reformate stream: it serves as the cooling medium for the reformer, the heating medium for fuel vaporization, and the source of thermal energy for preheating reforming feeds. This consolidation eliminates separate cooling systems and reduces overall device complexity while preserving combustion stability and emission control.
3Quantity of substance
If high temperature reforming is used to crack hydrocarbons, then hydrogen production is improved, but thermal efficiency is reduced due to heat losses
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies the 'Continuity of useful action' principle by continuously using the hot reformate stream to vaporize liquid fuels and preheat reforming feeds throughout the process. This continuous thermal integration ensures that the thermal energy from hydrogen production is continuously utilized rather than lost, maintaining high hydrogen production levels while improving overall thermal efficiency through uninterrupted heat recovery.
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 approach improves combustion stability, reduces unwanted emissions, and increases turndown while lowering material costs by utilizing exothermic heat for thermal integration and cooling, resulting in a more efficient and environmentally friendly gas turbine operation.
Implementation Method 1
A catalytic partial oxidation process-based fuel reformer
Implementation Method 2
heat generated during the reforming process
Implementation Method 3
vaporize and crack heavier hydrocarbon components
Implementation Method 4
integrates heat generated during reforming
Implementation Method 5
vaporize and crack heavier hydrocarbon components
Data Source
AI summary
A reformer for use in a gas turbine engine specially configured to treat a supplemental fuel feed to the combustor that includes a reformer core containing a catalyst composition and an inlet flow channel for transporting the reformer fuel mixture, air and steam (either saturated or superheated) into a reformer core. An outlet flow channel transports the resulting reformate stream containing reformed and thermally cracked hydrocarbons and substantial amounts of hydrogen out of the reformer core for later combination with the main combustor feed. Because the catalytic partial oxidation reaction in the reformer is highly exothermic, the additional heat is transferred (and thermally integrated) using one or more heat exchange units for a first and/or second auxiliary gas turbine fuel stream that undergo thermal cracking and vaporization before combining with the reformate. The combined, hydrogen-enriched feed significantly improves combustor performance.