Patent ID: 6866951
Filing Date: 2005-03-15
Classification: H01M,Y02E

Abstract:
1. In a hydrocarbon fueled reformed gas fuel cell system having a rated power, a process for cooling reformed gas from a fuel processor prior to feeding the reformed gas to a shift converter comprising the steps of: providing a cooling zone having a hot gas inlet, a cooled gas outlet and a water inlet; feeding the reformed gas at a temperature of between 600 to 900° F. to the hot gas inlet; redirecting the reformed gas in the cooling zone so as to provide a swirling recirculating flow of the reformed gas in the cooling zone; atomizing water into droplets and contacting the droplets with the redirected reformed gas so as to cool the reformed gas and vaporize the water; and removing a stream of cooled reformed gas from the cooling zone wherein the reformed gas is at a temperature between 400 to 500° F. and the stream is substantially free of water droplets.