Rapid starting methanol reactor system

Patent · Sun Jan 01 00:00:00 EST 1984

OSTI ID:865168

Chludzinski, Paul J ^[1]; Dantowitz, Philip ^[2]; McElroy, James F ^[3]

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1. 38 Berkshire St., Swampscott, MA 01907
2. 39 Nancy Ave., Peabody, MA 01960
3. 12 Old Cart Rd., Hamilton, MA 01936

The invention relates to a methanol-to-hydrogen cracking reactor for use with a fuel cell vehicular power plant. The system is particularly designed for rapid start-up of the catalytic methanol cracking reactor after an extended shut-down period, i.e., after the vehicular fuel cell power plant has been inoperative overnight. Rapid system start-up is accomplished by a combination of direct and indirect heating of the cracking catalyst. Initially, liquid methanol is burned with a stoichiometric or slightly lean air mixture in the combustion chamber of the reactor assembly. The hot combustion gas travels down a flue gas chamber in heat exchange relationship with the catalytic cracking chamber transferring heat across the catalyst chamber wall to heat the catalyst indirectly. The combustion gas is then diverted back through the catalyst bed to heat the catalyst pellets directly. When the cracking reactor temperature reaches operating temperature, methanol combustion is stopped and a hot gas valve is switched to route the flue gas overboard, with methanol being fed directly to the catalytic cracking reactor. Thereafter, the burner operates on excess hydrogen from the fuel cells.

• Research Organization: Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL), Los Alamos, NM (United States)
• DOE Contract Number: W-7405-ENG-36
• Assignee: Chludzinski, Paul J. (38 Berkshire St., Swampscott, MA 01907);Dantowitz, Philip (39 Nancy Ave., Peabody, MA 01960);McElroy, James F. (12 Old Cart Rd., Hamilton, MA 01936)
• Patent Number(s): US 4473622
• OSTI ID: 865168
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

rapid
starting
methanol
reactor
relates
methanol-to-hydrogen
cracking
fuel
cell
vehicular
power
plant
particularly
designed
start-up
catalytic
extended
shut-down
period
inoperative
overnight
accomplished
combination
direct
indirect
heating
catalyst
initially
liquid
burned
stoichiometric
slightly
lean
air
mixture
combustion
chamber
assembly
hot
gas
travels
flue
heat
exchange
relationship
transferring
wall
indirectly
diverted
bed
pellets
directly
temperature
reaches
operating
stopped
valve
switched
route
overboard
fed
thereafter
burner
operates
excess
hydrogen
cells
catalytic cracking
fuel cell
transferring heat
hot combustion
cell power
combustion chamber
fuel cells
heat exchange
power plant
operating temperature
hot gas
flue gas
exchange relationship
combustion gas
chamber wall
catalyst bed
air mixture
exchange relation
gas chamber
reactor assembly
methanol reactor
cracking reactor
cracking catalyst
indirect heating
gas valve
catalyst chamber
excess hydrogen
fed directly
vehicular power
indirect heat
cell vehicular
direct heat
/429/48/201/422/