Startup burner
View Patent ↗A startup burner for rapidly heating a catalyst in a reformer, as well as related methods and modules, is disclosed.
1. A method, comprising:
mixing a first oxygenated flow and a fuel to create a rich fuel/air mixture;
igniting the rich fuel/air mixture to produce a partially oxidized mixture;
reacting the partially oxidized mixture with a second oxygenated flow to produce a final gas; and
heating a reforming catalyst by flowing the final gas through the catalyst.
2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the heating step includes heating the catalyst to at most about 400° C.
3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the heating step includes heating the catalyst to at most about 350° C.
4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the heating step includes heating the catalyst to at most about 300° C.
5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first oxygenated flow comprises air.
6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the second oxygenated flow comprises air.
7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first oxygenated flow and the second oxygenated flow are from the same source.
8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the heating step includes heating the catalyst to a desired temperature in at most about three minutes.
9. The method of claim 1 , wherein the heating step includes heating the catalyst to a desired temperature in at most about two minutes.
10. The method of claim 1 , wherein the heating step includes heating the catalyst to a desired temperature in at most about one minute.
11. The method of claim 1 , further comprising mixing water either as a liquid or as a gas with the fuel to create a humidified fluid after heating the catalyst to a desired temperature.
12. The method of claim 1 , further comprising terminating the supply of the first oxygenated flow after heating the catalyst to a desired temperature.
13. The method of claim 12 , further comprising mixing water either as a liquid or as a gas with the fuel to create a humidified fluid after terminating the supply of the first oxygenated flow.
14. The method of claim 13 , further comprising mixing the humidified fluid with the second oxygenated flow to form a reactant mixture for use in a reforming action.