Apparatus and method for operating a fuel reformer so as to purge soot therefrom
View Patent ↗A method of operating a fuel reformer includes advancing a first air/fuel mixture having a first air-to-fuel ratio into the fuel reformer. The method further includes determining if a soot purge is to be performed and generating a purge-soot signal in response thereto. Further, a second air/fuel mixture having a second air-to-fuel ratio is advanced into the fuel reformer in response to generation of the purge-soot signal. The second air-to-fuel ratio is greater than the first air-to-fuel ratio in order to burn soot present within the fuel reformer. A fuel reformer system is also disclosed.
1. A method of operating a plasma fuel reformer having a first electrode and second electrode spaced apart from the first electrode, the method comprising the steps of:
generating a plasma arc between the first and second electrodes,
advancing a first air/fuel mixture having a first air-to-fuel ratio into the plasma arc,
determining if a soot purge of the plasma fuel reformer is to be performed and generating a purge-soot signal in response thereto, and
advancing a second air/fuel mixture having a second air-to-fuel ratio into the plasma arc in response to generation of the purge-soot signal, wherein the second air-to-fuel ratio is greater than the first air-to-fuel ratio.
2. The method of 1 , wherein the determining step comprises a step of sensing the amount of soot within the plasma fuel reformer.
3. The method of claim 2 , wherein the sensing step includes the step of generating a soot accumulation control signal when the amount of soot within the plasma fuel reformer reaches a predetermined accumulation level, and wherein the step of advancing the second air/fuel mixture includes advancing the second air/fuel mixture in response to generation of the soot accumulation control signal.
4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the step of advancing the second air/fuel mixture includes advancing the second air/fuel mixture for a predetermined period of time to purge the plasma fuel reformer of soot.
5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the second air/fuel mixture is substantially devoid of fuel.
6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the second air/fuel mixture is devoid of fuel.
7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the determining step comprises determining if a predetermined period of time has elapsed since the plasma fuel reformer was last purged of soot and generating a time-lapsed control signal in response thereto, and the step of advancing the second air/fuel mixture comprises advancing the second air/fuel mixture in response to generation of the time-lapsed control signal.
8. The method of claim 1 , further comprising the step of advancing a third air/fuel mixture having the first air-to-fuel ratio into the plasma arc subsequent to the step of advancing the second air/fuel mixture.
9. The method of claim 1 , wherein the determining step comprises detecting a plasma fuel reformer shutdown request control signal, and the step of advancing the second air/fuel mixture comprises advancing the second air/fuel mixture in response to detection of the plasma fuel reformer shutdown request control signal.
10. The method of claim 1 , wherein the determining step comprises generating a high-load control signal when an engine associated with the plasma fuel reformer experiences a high load condition, and the step of advancing the second air/fuel mixture comprises advancing the second air/fuel mixture in response to generation of the high-load control signal.