Plasma-catalyzed, thermally-integrated reformer for fuel cell systems
View Patent ↗A reformer is disclosed in one embodiment of the invention as including a channel to convey a preheated plurality of reactants containing both a feedstock fuel and an oxidant. A plasma generator is provided to apply an electrical potential to the reactants sufficient to ionize one or more of the reactants. These ionized reactants are then conveyed to a reaction zone where they are chemically transformed into synthesis gas containing a mixture of hydrogen and carbon monoxide. A heat transfer mechanism is used to transfer heat from an external heat source to the reformer to provide the heat of reformation.
1. A thermally integrated system for producing electricity using a feedstock fuel as an input, the system comprising:
a plasma reformer configured to convert a mixture containing a feedstock fuel and an oxidant to a synthesis gas containing a mixture of hydrogen and carbon monoxide gas, the conversion of the mixture comprising an endothermic reaction;
a fuel cell to chemically convert the synthesis gas to electricity and heat; and
a heat transfer mechanism to transfer heat from the fuel cell to the plasma reformer to provide the heat for the endothermic reaction.
2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the feedstock fuel comprises at least one of a hydrocarbon and carbon.
3. The system of claim 1 , wherein the mixture containing the feedstock fuel and the oxidant is preheated to create a vapor.
4. The system of claim 1 , wherein the oxidant comprises at least one oxidant chosen from steam, oxygen, oxygen-containing compounds, and oxygen-containing mixtures.
5. The system of claim 1 , wherein the feedstock fuel comprises at least one fuel chosen from a gas, a liquid and a solid.
6. The system of claim 1 , wherein the conversion of the mixture containing feedstock fuel and an oxidant to a synthesis gas occurs in the range of between about 350° C. and about 1100° C.
7. The system of claim 1 , wherein the conversion of the mixture containing feedstock fuel and an oxidant to a synthesis gas occurs in the range of between about 800° C. and about 950° C.
8. The system of claim 1 , wherein the oxidant is provided in sub-stoichiometric amounts to partially oxidize the feedstock fuel.
9. The system of claim 1 , wherein the fuel cell comprises at least one fuel cell chosen from a solid-oxide fuel cell, a molten-carbonate fuel cell, and a phosphoric acid fuel cell.
10. The system of claim 1 , wherein the plasma reformer and the fuel cell are disposed within an insulated enclosure.
11. The system of claim 10 , wherein the fuel cell transfers heat to the plasma reformer by way of radiation.
12. The system of claim 10 , wherein the fuel cell transfers heat to the plasma reformer by way of convection.