Patent ID: 8967089
Filing Date: 2015-03-03
Classification: C01B,C10L,F01N,F02D,F02M,Y02P,Y02T

Abstract:
1. A process for producing mechanical or electrical power from a fuel comprising ethanol, the process comprising: contacting a feed gas mixture comprising the ethanol fuel with a reforming catalyst comprising copper in a reforming reaction zone to produce a product reformate gas mixture comprising hydrogen, methane and a carbon oxide component selected from the group consisting of carbon monoxide, carbon dioxide and mixtures thereof; combusting a combustible gas mixture in a combustion chamber of an internal combustion engine to produce an exhaust gas mixture, the combustible gas mixture comprising air, hydrogen and methane obtained in the product reformate gas mixture and an exhaust gas effluent comprising from 5% to 40% of the exhaust gas mixture produced in previous combustion; utilizing the energy of combustion for the generation of mechanical or electrical power; discharging at least a portion of the exhaust gas mixture from the combustion chamber; and bringing at least a portion of the discharged exhaust gas mixture into thermal contact with the reforming reaction zone to thereby heat the reforming catalyst therein and cool the discharged exhaust gas mixture.