Rapid starting methanol reactor system

Patent · 31 December 1983

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
• 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

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/429/48/201/422/
accomplished
air
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assembly
bed
burned
burner
catalyst
catalyst bed
catalyst chamber
catalytic
catalytic cracking
cell
cell power
cell vehicular
cells
chamber
chamber wall
combination
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combustion gas
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designed
direct
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extended
fed
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flue
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gas
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gas valve
heat
heat exchange
heating
hot
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hot gas
hydrogen
indirect
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indirectly
initially
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lean
liquid
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methanol-to-hydrogen
mixture
operates
operating
operating temperature
overboard
overnight
particularly
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rapid
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reactor
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relates
relationship
route
shut-down
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stoichiometric
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travels
valve
vehicular
vehicular power
wall