Chemistry of inorganic compounds – Hydrogen or compound thereof – Elemental hydrogen
Reexamination Certificate
2005-08-02
2005-08-02
Silverman, Stanley S. (Department: 1754)
Chemistry of inorganic compounds
Hydrogen or compound thereof
Elemental hydrogen
C252S373000, C422S198000, C422S211000, C429S010000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06923948
ABSTRACT:
The invention provides a combined heat and power plant with an integrated gas production system. The combined heat and power plant contains a steam reformer heated with a gas burner which converts a mixture of hydrocarbons and water vapour into a reformate gas stream containing hydrogen and carbon monoxide. The plant further contains a reactor system with several stages for removing carbon monoxide from the reformate gas stream. The plant also contains a heat exchanger for removing heat energy from the reformate gas stream and a fuel cell unit for producing electrical energy by catalytic reaction of the hydrogen contained in the reformate gas with oxygen in the fuel cell, wherein the reformate gas stream is supplied to the anode in the fuel cell unit and the anode waste gas is taken to the gas burner of the steam reformer as fuel, via a gas pipe. The reactor system for removing carbon monoxide from the reformate gas stream contains, according to one embodiment of the invention, a low temperature shift reactor and a downstream methanisation reactor and the heat exchanger for cooling the reformate gas stream leaving the steam reformer to the inlet temperature of the low temperature shift reactor is located in the reformate gas stream between the steam reformer and the low temperature shift reactor. This combined heat and power plant is operated according to the invention in such a way that the reformate gas contains 5 to 10 vol. % of unreformed hydrocarbon which enables the flame in the gas burner to be monitored using an ionisation detector when burning the anode waste gas in the gas burner of the steam reformer.
REFERENCES:
patent: 3438759 (1969-04-01), Meek et al.
patent: 3488171 (1970-01-01), Baker et al.
patent: 3539395 (1970-11-01), Bartas et al.
patent: 3615164 (1971-10-01), Baker et al.
patent: 3615217 (1971-10-01), Brien et al.
patent: 3615850 (1971-10-01), Chludzinski et al.
patent: 5997594 (1999-12-01), Edlund et al.
patent: 6190623 (2001-02-01), Sanger et al.
patent: 40 05 468 (1991-08-01), None
patent: 0 959 512 (1999-11-01), None
patent: 1 033 769 (2002-09-01), None
European Search Report, OMG AG & Co. KG, Oct. 2, 2001.
Baumann Frank
Britz Peter
Heikrodt Klaus
Wieland Stefan
Kalow & Springut LLP
Medina Meribel
Silverman Stanley S.
Umicore AG & Co. KG
Viessmann Werke GmbH & Co. KG
LandOfFree
Combined heat and power plant and a process for the... does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this patent.
If you have personal experience with Combined heat and power plant and a process for the..., we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Combined heat and power plant and a process for the... will most certainly appreciate the feedback.
Profile ID: LFUS-PAI-O-3465127