Fuel reformer chamber with tubular mesh insert supporting a catalyst

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10156362-B2
Application number	US-201514813682-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 30, 2015
Priority date	Oct 15, 2014
Publication date	Dec 18, 2018
Grant date	Dec 18, 2018

Abstract

A fuel supply system includes a fuel reformer in contact with at least one of a combustion chamber or a wall of the combustion chamber. The fuel reformer includes a reformer chamber wall enclosing a fuel reformer chamber, and a reforming catalyst support sheet in the fuel reformer chamber.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A fuel supply system comprising
a fuel reformer extending along a longitudinal direction of a combustion chamber so as to contact at least one of the combustion chamber or a wall of the combustion chamber, and having a reforming catalyst for reforming fuel;
a first pipe configured to supply liquid fuel before reformation to the fuel reformer; and
a second pipe configured to supply reformed fuel reformed by the fuel reformer to the combustion chamber,
wherein the fuel reformer comprises a plurality of fuel reformer chambers in parallel;
wherein each of the plurality of fuel reformer chambers comprises: a fuel inlet connected to the first pipe;
a fuel outlet connected to the second pipe;
a reformer chamber wall enclosing one of the plurality of fuel reformer chambers; and
a helical flow generating mechanism positioned in the one of the plurality of fuel reformer chambers;
wherein the helical flow generating mechanism comprises:
a reforming catalyst support sheet rolled so as to define a tube, wherein the reforming catalyst support sheet is a mesh-shaped sheet composed of a plurality of linear members, and the reforming catalyst is supported on the plurality of linear members, the mesh-shaped sheet having a thin-walled portion and a thick-walled portion; and
a plurality of supporting members at respective ends of the tube for separating the tube from the reformer chamber wall; and
wherein the thin-walled portion defines a helical shape on an inner circumference of the tube.

2. The fuel supply system according to claim 1 , wherein a height of each of the plurality of fuel reformer chambers ranges from 2 Min to 20 mm.

3. The fuel supply system according to claim 1 , wherein each of the plurality of fuel reformer chambers is an elongated chamber extending along the longitudinal direction of the combustion chamber from the fuel inlet to the fuel outlet, and
wherein a cross-sectional shape of each of the plurality of fuel reformer chambers perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the combustion chamber is a rectangular shape.

4. The fuel supply system according to claim 1 , wherein the thin-walled portion is in a central portion of the tube.

5. A jet engine comprising the fuel supply system according to claim 1 .

6. A fuel supply system comprising:
a fuel injector configured to inject a reformed fuel in a combustion chamber;
a fuel reformer extending along a longitudinal direction of the combustion chamber so as to contact at least one of the combustion chamber or a wall of the combustion chamber, and having a reforming catalyst for reforming fuel;
a first pipe configured to supply liquid fuel before reformation to the fuel reformer; and
a second pipe configured to supply the reformed fuel reformed by the fuel reformer to the fuel injector, wherein the fuel reformer comprises a plurality of fuel reformer chambers in parallel;
wherein each of the plurality of fuel reformer chambers comprises:
a fuel inlet connected to the first pipe;
a fuel outlet connected to the second pipe;
a reformer chamber wall enclosing one of the plurality of fuel reformer chambers; and
a helical flow generating mechanism positioned in the one of the plurality of fuel reformer chambers;
wherein the helical flow, generating mechanism comprises:
a reforming catalyst support sheet rolled so as to define a tube, wherein the reforming catalyst support sheet is a mesh-shaped sheet composed of a plurality of linear members, and the reforming catalyst is supported on the plurality of linear members, the mesh-shaped sheet having a thin-walled portion and a thick-wailed portion; and
a plurality of supporting members at respective ends of the tube for separating the tube from the reformer chamber wall; and
wherein the thin-walled portion defines a helical shape on an inner circumference of the tube.

7. The fuel supply system according to claim 6 , wherein the thin-walled portion is in a central portion of the tube.

Assignees

• Mitsubishi Heavy Ind Ltd

Inventors

• Suzuki Kenji

Classifications

• F23R3/40 Primary

  characterised by the use of catalytic means · CPC title

• C01B3/384

  with external heating of the catalyst · CPC title

• F23K5/08

  Preparation of fuel · CPC title

• F23R2900/00017

  Assembling combustion chamber liners or subparts · CPC title

• F23R3/28

  characterised by the fuel supply (burners F23D) · CPC title