Fuel supply system, scramjet engine and method for operating the same

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10190540-B2
Application number	US-201313914683-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 11, 2013
Priority date	Jan 30, 2013
Publication date	Jan 29, 2019
Grant date	Jan 29, 2019

Abstract

In order to stably use a catalyst for pyrolysis and supply a reformed fuel, the fuel supply system includes a fuel reforming section which pyrolyzes a hydrocarbon system fuel by the heat of the combustion chamber to generate the reformed fuel. The fuel reforming section includes a preheat vaporization section provided on the combustion chamber, and a decomposition reaction section that is provided on the preheat vaporization section and includes the catalyst for pyrolysis. The preheat vaporization section heats the fuel, the decomposition reaction section pyrolyzes the heated fuel to generate the reformed fuel, and the fuel reforming section supplies the reformed fuel to the combustion chamber. The reforming catalyst includes a zeolitic catalyst.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A fuel supply system, comprising:
a fuel reforming section configured to pyrolyze a hydrocarbon fuel by heat of a combustion chamber of a scramjet engine to generate a reformed fuel and cool the combustion chamber,
wherein the fuel reforming section comprises:
a preheat vaporization section including a first fuel channel which is provided along an upper surface of the combustion chamber and configured to heat the hydrocarbon fuel with heat from the combustion chamber; and
a decomposition reaction section, including a second fuel channel containing a reforming catalyst for pyrolysis, the second fuel channel being configured to pyrolyze the heated hydrocarbon fuel received from the first fuel channel of the preheat vaporization section with the reforming catalyst to generate the reformed fuel,
wherein the second fuel channel of the decomposition reaction section is in parallel to the first fuel channel of the preheat vaporization section,
wherein an upper surface of the first fuel channel of the preheat vaporization section contacts a lower surface of the second fuel channel of the decomposition reaction section,
wherein the fuel reforming section supplies the reformed fuel to the combustion chamber, and
wherein the reforming catalyst includes a zeolitic catalyst.

2. The fuel supply system according to claim 1 , wherein the zeolitic catalyst includes an H-ZSM-5 catalyst.

3. The fuel supply system according to claim 1 , wherein the zeolitic catalyst supports platinum group elements.

4. The fuel supply system according to claim 1 , wherein the reforming catalyst further includes an oxide catalyst that supports platinum group elements.

5. The fuel supply system according to claim 1 , wherein the fuel reforming section further includes an outside cooling section provided along an upper surface of the decomposition reaction section, and
wherein the fuel is supplied to the preheat vaporization section via the outside cooling section.

6. The fuel supply system according to claim 1 , wherein a temperature of the decomposition reaction section is equal to or more than 400° C. and less than 600° C.

7. A scramjet engine, comprising:
an air compression section configured to compress an air to generate a compressed air;
an injector configured to inject a reformed fuel in the compressed air;
a combustion chamber configured to combust the reformed fuel by using the compressed air; and
a fuel supply system provided on the combustion chamber to be heat-exchangeable with the combustion chamber,
wherein the fuel supply system comprises:
a fuel reforming section configured to pyrolyze a hydrocarbon fuel by heat of a combustion chamber of a scramjet engine to generate a reformed fuel and cool the combustion chamber,
wherein the fuel reforming section comprises:
a preheat vaporization section including a first fuel channel which is provided along an upper surface of the combustion chamber and configured to heat the hydrocarbon fuel with heat from the combustion chamber; and
a decomposition reaction section, including a second fuel channel containing a reforming catalyst for pyrolysis, the second fuel channel being configured to pyrolyze the heated hydrocarbon fuel received from the first fuel channel of the preheat vaporization section with the reforming catalyst to generate the reformed fuel,
wherein the second fuel channel of the decomposition reaction section is in parallel to the first fuel channel of the preheat vaporization section,
wherein an upper surface of the first fuel channel of the preheat vaporization section contacts a lower surface of the second fuel channel of the decomposition reaction section,
wherein the fuel reforming section supplies the reformed fuel to the combustion chamber, and
wherein the reforming catalyst includes a zeolitic catalyst.

8. A method of operating a scramjet engine, wherein the scramjet engine comprises an air compression section, an injector, a combustion chamber, and a fuel reforming section,
wherein the method comprises:
compressing an air to generate a compressed air by the air compression section;
injecting a reformed fuel in the compressed air by the injector;
combusting the reformed fuel with the compressed air in the combustion chamber; and
pyrolyzing a hydrocarbon fuel with heat of the combustion chamber by the fuel reforming section to generate the reformed fuel while cooling the combustion chamber,
wherein the pyrolyzing a hydrocarbon fuel comprises:
heating the hydrocarbon fuel by heat from the combustion chamber in a first fuel channel of a preheat vaporization section, the first fuel channel being provided along an upper surface of the combustion chamber; and
pyrolyzing the heated hydrocarbon fuel received from the first fuel channel of the preheat vaporization section by using a reforming catalyst provided in a second fuel channel of a decomposition reaction section to generate the reformed fuel, the second fuel channel being provided along an upper surface of the preheat vaporization section,
wherein the second fuel channel of the decomposition reaction section is in parallel to the first fuel channel of the preheat vaporization section, and
wherein an upper surface of the first fuel channel of the preheat vaporization section contacts a lower surface of the second fuel channel of the decomposition reaction section.

9. The fuel supply system according to claim 1 ,
wherein a cross-section of a flow channel of the preheat vaporization section is a rectangle whose lower side contacts the upper surface of the combustion chamber, and
wherein a cross-section of a flow channel of the decomposition reaction section is a rectangle whose lower surface contacts the upper surface of the preheat vaporization section.

10. The fuel supply system according to claim 1 , wherein the decomposition reaction section is configured so that the zeolitic catalyst of the second fuel channel of the decomposition reaction section derives heat from the combustion chamber through an endothermic reaction.

11. The scramjet engine according to claim 7 , wherein the decomposition reaction section is configured so that the zeolitic catalyst of the second fuel channel of the decomposition reaction section derives heat from the combustion chamber through an endothermic reaction.

12. The method of operating a scramjet engine according to claim 8 , wherein the decomposition reaction section is configured so that the zeolitic catalyst of the second fuel channel of the decomposition reaction section derives heat from the combustion chamber through an endothermic reaction.

Assignees

• Mitsubishi Heavy Ind Ltd

Inventors

• Suzuki Kenji
• Kuroyanagi Atsushi
• Yasutake Toshinobu

Classifications

• F05D2240/35

  Combustors or associated equipment · CPC title

• F05D2220/10

  in ram-jet engines or ram-jet driven vehicles · CPC title

• F02K7/14 Primary

  with external combustion, e.g. scram-jet engines · CPC title

• F02K9/68 Primary

  Decomposition chambers · CPC title

• F02C7/22

  Fuel supply systems · CPC title