Integrated fuel reformer and heat exchanger
DRIVE
September 29, 2004
An integrated exothermic hydrocarbon fuel reformer (12) and heat exchanger (14) is a compact, modular structure in which reaction air pre heating for the ambient air and simultaneous cooling for the hydrogen rich reformate is provided by a nested series of alternating reformate passages (42) and air passages (44) created by a corrugated fin (38) brazed between inner and outer concentric walls (32 and 34). The reformer outer wall (22) and air pre heating exchanger outer wall (34) may be a common structure. In addition, a secondary heat exchanger (16) of similar structure may be abutted to the primary heat exchanger (14) for further reformate cooling and further waste heat recovery.
Discussion in the ATmosphere