Patent ID: 8129059
Filing Date: 2012-03-06
Classification: B01B,C01B,H01M,Y02B,Y02E,Y02P

Abstract:
1. A fuel processor for producing hydrogen from a fuel, the fuel processor comprising: a reformer configured to receive reformer fuel and to output hydrogen; a burner having i) only a single burner chamber, ii) a burner chamber air inlet configured to receive air from a fan or blower or other low pressure air source, iii) a burner chamber fuel inlet configured to receive burner fuel, and iv) a catalyst in the burner chamber that is selected to facilitate combustion of the burner fuel, and v) a burner chamber outlet configured to output combustion exhaust from the burner chamber, wherein the fuel processor comprises a single and integrated monolithic structure that includes a single material that forms four walls of the reformer and four walls of the burner chamber wherein the burner chamber and reformer chamber only have the four walls and include only one shared wall between the burner chamber and the reformer so as to permit conductive heat transfer from the burner chamber to the reformer; and a fluid mixing and storage chamber for mixing the air and vaporized burner fuel before the air and fuel enter the burner chamber, the fluid mixing and storage chamber connected to the monolithic structure, wherein the burner is configured to permit air flow from the burner chamber air inlet to the burner chamber outlet and through the burner chamber with a pressure drop less than about 50 Pa, wherein the airflow through the burner chamber has no turns from the burner chamber air inlet to the burner chamber outlet.