Patent ID: 6409974
Filing Date: 2002-06-25
Classification: B01J,C01B,Y02P

Abstract:
An apparatus for a compact water gas shift reaction zone for removing carbon monoxide from a hydrogen stream in the production of electric power from a fuel cell, said apparatus comprising:a) a vertically aligned vessel having a top end, a bottom end opposite, and defining an interior space, said vertically aligned cylindrical vessel defining a shift inlet the top end, and a shift outlet at the bottom end; b) a first water spray nozzle in communication with a first water supply conduit and located within said interior space for contacting the hydrogen stream with a first water stream; c) a first dispersion material retained in said interior space disposed below said first water spray nozzle to define the bottom of a first water spray zone, said first dispersion material defining a first dispersion zone disposed directly on a high temperature shift reaction zone, which is the high temperature shift reaction zone closest to the top end of the vessel, said first dispersion zone being in fluid communication with said water spray zone to disperse the first water stream into the hydrogen stream toward the foist dispersion zone; d) a first fluid permeable portion defining a bottom of the high temperature shift reaction zone in the interior space disposed below the first dispersion zone and in fluid communication with the first dispersion zone, said high temperature shift zone containing a high temperature shift catalyst to produce a high temperature shift effluent stream; e) a second water spray zone in fluid communication with the high temperature shift reaction zone and defined by a portion of the interior space disposed below the high temperature shift reaction zone, the second water spray zone containing a second water spray nozzle in fluid communication with a second water supply conduit to contact the high temperature shift effluent stream with a second water stream; f) a second dispersion zone material retained in the interior space below said second water spray zone in fluid communication with the second water spray zone to define a second dispersion zone disposed directly on a low temperature shift zone for dispersing the second water spray stream into the high temperature shift effluent stream toward the second dispersion zone; and, g) the low temperature shift zone in fluid communication with the second dispersion zone defined by a portion of the interior space below the second dispersion zone and above said shift outlet, said low temperature shift zone containing a low temperature shift catalyst to produce a water saturated hydrogen product stream.