Reformer, cell stack apparatus, fuel cell module, and fuel cell apparatus

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11456473-B2
Application number	US-201716309503-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 13, 2017
Priority date	Jun 16, 2016
Publication date	Sep 27, 2022
Grant date	Sep 27, 2022

Abstract

A reformer of the present disclosure includes a reformer body having a cylindrical shape that carries out a reforming reaction by a raw fuel gas and water supplied thereto, the reformer body including therein a vaporization portion which generates steam and a reforming portion which reacts the steam generated in the vaporization portion with the raw fuel gas to generate a reformed gas, at least one of a convex portion and a rough portion having a higher degree of surface roughness than that of other portions, being disposed on at least one of an inner circumferential surface and an outer circumferential surface of the reformer body.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A reformer, comprising:
a reformer body having a cylindrical shape that is configured to carry out a reforming reaction by a raw fuel gas and water configured to be supplied thereto,
the reformer body comprising:
an inner circumferential surface,
an outer circumferential surface,
a vaporization portion configured to generate steam,
a reforming portion configured to react the steam generated in the vaporization portion with the raw fuel gas to generate a reformed gas, and
a convex portion disposed on the inner circumferential surface or the outer circumferential surface and/or a rough portion disposed on the inner circumferential surface or the outer circumferential surface;

wherein the rough portion has a higher degree of surface roughness than that of other portions of the reformer body, and
when viewed from a direction of a central axis line of the reformer body, any convex portion and/or rough portion of the reformer body are disposed only on an upper side of the central axis line of the reformer body.

2. The reformer according to claim 1 , wherein
a surface of the convex portion constitutes the rough portion.

3. The reformer according to claim 1 , wherein
the convex portion and/or the rough portion is disposed in the vaporization portion.

4. The reformer according to claim 1 , wherein
the convex portion and/or the rough portion extend in a direction of the central axis line of the reformer body.

5. The reformer according to claim 1 , wherein
the reformer body comprising the convex portion and the rough portion,
the convex portion is disposed on the inner circumferential surface,
the rough portion is disposed on the outer circumferential surface, and
the convex portion and the rough portion are disposed on opposite circumferential surfaces at a same circumferential position of the reformer body.

6. The reformer according to claim 5 , wherein
the reforming portion is configured to be filled with a reforming catalyst, and
the reformer body further comprises at least one partition wall extending in a direction perpendicular to the central axis line of the reformer body.

7. The reformer according to claim 1 , further comprising:
at least one partition wall extending in a direction perpendicular to the central axis line of the reformer body,
wherein the at least one partition wall is provided with an opening through which the raw fuel gas, the steam, and the reformed gas are configured to flow, and
at least one of the at least one partition wall has an opening area on a lower side of the central axis line which is larger than an opening area on the upper side of the central axis line, and
further wherein a supply port to which the raw fuel gas and water are configured to be supplied is provided at one end of the reformer body, and a reformed gas delivery port configured for delivering a reformed gas is provided at an other end of the reformer body.

8. The reformer according to claim 7 , wherein
the at least one partition wall comprises a plurality of partition walls having different shapes of openings.

9. The reformer according to claim 8 , wherein when viewed from the direction of the central axis line of the reformer body, the plurality of partition walls include a partition wall having an opening area on a lower side of the central axis line which is smaller than an opening area on the upper side of the central axis line, or a partition wall having an opening area on the lower side of the central axis line equal to an opening area on the upper side of the central axis line.

10. The reformer according to claim 7 , wherein
the vaporization portion is located on the one end of the reformer body;
the reforming portion is located on the other end of the reformer body, wherein a reforming catalyst is housed in the reforming portion; and
the reformer further comprises an outflow preventing member configured to prevent the reforming catalyst from flowing out from the reformed gas delivery port.

11. The reformer according to claim 10 , wherein
the outflow preventing member comprises:
a plurality of belt-shaped portions which are disposed at predetermined spaces from the reformed gas delivery port, and
fixing portions for fixing both ends of the plurality of belt-shaped portions to an inner surface of the reformer body.

12. The reformer according to claim 11 , wherein
when viewed from the direction of the central axis line of the reformer body, an average particle diameter of the reforming catalyst located on a lower side of the central axis line of the reforming body is smaller than an average particle diameter of the reforming catalyst located on the upper side of the central axis line of the reforming body.

13. The reformer according to claim 10 , wherein
when viewed from the direction of the central axis line of the reformer body, the supply port is provided at the one end of the reformer body on the upper side of the central axis line.

14. The reformer according to claim 10 , wherein
when viewed from the direction of the central axis line of the reformer body, the reformed gas delivery port is disposed at the other end on a left side or a right side of the central axis line.

15. A cell stack apparatus, comprising:
a cell stack in which a plurality of fuel cells each having a columnar shape and being provided with a gas passage are electrically connected to each other and arranged in an upright state;
the reformer according to claim 1 , the reformer being disposed above the cell stack;
a manifold which fixes lower ends of the plurality of fuel cells and is configured to supply the reformed gas to the plurality of fuel cells; and
a reformed gas supply pipe having one end connected to an end of the manifold and an other end connected to the reformer.

16. A fuel cell module, comprising:
the cell stack apparatus according to claim 15 ; and
a housing which houses the cell stack apparatus.

17. The fuel cell module according to claim 16 , further comprising:
a passage wall which is disposed above the cell stack apparatus in the housing, wherein
a passage through which the gas supplied to the cell stack flows is defined by the passage wall and an inner surface of the housing, and
where D 1 denotes a distance between the cell stack and the reformer body, and D 2 denotes a distance between the reformer body and the passage wall, and D 1 >D 2 is satisfied.

18. The fuel cell module according to claim 16 ,
wherein
the vaporization portion and the reforming portion are disposed along a central axis line of the reformer body, and
where D 1 A denotes a distance between the cell stack and an end of the reformer body on a side where the reforming portion is disposed, and D 1 B denotes a distance between the cell stack and an end of the reformer body on a side where the vaporization portion is disposed, and D 1 A>D 1 B is satisfied.

19. A fuel cell apparatus, comprising:
the fuel cell module according to claim 16 ;
an auxiliary machine configured to operate the fuel cell module; and
an exterior case which houses the fuel cell module and the auxiliary machine.

Assignees

• Kyocera Corp
• Dainichi Co Ltd

Inventors

• Shintani Shunsuke
• Takahashi Naruto
• Shibasaki Norihisa
• Yokoo Naoki

Classifications

• H01M8/2483

  characterised by internal manifolds · CPC title

• C01B2203/066

  with fuel cells · CPC title

• H01M8/12

  operating at high temperature, e.g. with stabilised ZrO2 electrolyte · CPC title

• Y02P70/50

  Manufacturing or production processes characterised by the final manufactured product · CPC title

• C01B3/384 Primary

  with external heating of the catalyst · CPC title