Patent ID: 6280864
Filing Date: 2001-08-28
Classification: B01J,C01B,H01M,Y02E,Y02P

Abstract:
A process for starting up a system for generating hydrogen from a hydrocarbon feedstock for a fuel cell, said process comprising:a) passing a hydrocarbon feedstock and a steam stream to a pre-reforming zone and withdrawing a pre-reforming effluent stream;b) passing the pre-reforming effluent stream and a first air stream at a first air rate to a partial oxidation zone containing a partial oxidation catalyst;c) igniting the hydrocarbon feedstock having a feedstock temperature to raise the feedstock temperature to effective partial oxidation conditions and to convert the hydrocarbon feedstock to a partial oxidation effluent stream;d) passing the partial oxidation effluent stream to a reforming zone to produce a reforming effluent stream at a reforming exit temperature of between about 500 and about 700.degree. C.;e) passing the reforming effluent and a first water stream to a water gas shift zone containing at least one water gas shift catalyst zone, said water gas shift zone being in intimate thermal contact with a water gas shift heat exchange zone to establish a steady-state temperature profile to produce a crude hydrogen product stream and simultaneously passing a second water stream to the water gas shift exchange zone to cool the water gas shift zone and provide a steam stream;f) passing the crude hydrogen product stream to a hydrogen processing module to provide a processed hydrogen stream;g) passing the processed hydrogen stream to an anode side of the fuel cell and contacting a cathode side of the fuel cell with an oxygen-containing stream to produce electric power and withdrawing an anode waste gas from the anode side;h) burning the anode waste gas admixed with a second air stream in a burner zone to produce a flue gas stream at a flue gas temperature of about 500 to about 700.degree. C.;i) passing the flue gas stream to a pre-reforming heat exchange zone to establish a steady-state temperature profile to heat the pre-reforming zone to an effective pre-reforming temperature to convert at least a portion of the hydrocarbon feedstock and a portion of the steam stream to provide a pre-reforming effluent at a pre-reforming exit temperature; andj) passing the pre-reforming effluent to the partial oxidation zone and continuing said igniting step until effective partial oxidation conditions are achieved.