PLATE TYPE REFORMER ASSEMBLY

Abstract: A reformer assembly includes fuel introduction plates (11), combustion chamber plates (12) and reforming chamber plates (13). The fuel introduction plate (11) includes a first plate member (14c) and a first masking frame (15c) on the periphery of the first plate member (14c) . The combustion chamber plate (12) includes a second plate member (14b) and a second masking frame (15b) on the periphery of the second plate member (14b) , and combustion catalyst (46) is placed in the combustion chamber plate (12). The reforming chamber plate (13) includes a third plate member (14a) and a third masking frame (15a) on the periphery of the third plate member (14a), and reforming catalyst (47) is placed in the reforming chamber plate (13). The first masking frame (15c) has a fuel feeding port (16). The second plate member (12) has a number of dispersion holes (19) and the second masking frame (15b) has air feeding and exhaust gas discharging ports (17, 18). The third masking frame (15a) has raw material gas feeding and reformed gas discharging ports (20, 21). These plates (11, 12, 13) are stacked to define a multi-layer unit (10). The peripheries of the adjacent plates (11, 12, 13) are welded to each other. Manifolds (37, 38, 39, 40, 41) for the aligned gas feeding and discharging ports (16, 17, 18, 20, 21) are mounted on lateral faces of the unit (10). Sealing is unnecessary between the plates (11, 12, 13) due to the welding. In addition, the feeding and discharging of the various gases become easy since the manifolds (37, 38, 39, 40, 41) are mounted on the multi-layer unit (10).

Description: The present invention relates to a reformer assembly for reforming hydrocarbon such as methane under a presence of steam and particularly relates to a reformer assembly including a plurality of stacked plate-type reformers. A lot of fuel cell systems have been developed until today. The fuel cell system is a power generation system and generally hydrogen is fed to an anode of the fuel cell and oxygen is fed to a cathode of the fuel cell to produce electricity. As the hydrogen is fed to the fuel cell, the hydrocarbon gas such as methane is reformed to a raw material gas for the anode under a presence of steam with a reforming catalyst. The reforming reactions which take place at the just mentioned reformation are: CH₄ + H₂O --> CO + 3H₂ CO + H₂O --> CO₂ + H₂ These reactions are endothermic reactions and in order to maintain reforming temperature it is necessary to heat reforming reaction parts. A conventional plate-type reformer assembly includes reforming plates and combustion plates. The reforming plates and the combustion plates are stacked one after another, thereby defining multiple layers. Generally, the reforming plate is filled with the reforming catalyst and the combustion plate is filled with combustion catalyst. Fuel and air are simultaneously fed to the combustion plates and combusted therein to heat the adjacent upper and lower reforming plates (the combustion plate is sandwiched by the reforming plates). The combustion plate has an entrance and an exit. The reforming temperature of the raw material gas passing through the reforming plates is maintained at a proper level by the combustion in the combustion plates. However, in a case where the fuel and the air are simultaneously fed to the combustion plates, the combustion entirely or mostly takes place near the entrance of the combustion plate and reaches flame temperature. Therefore, a large temperature difference appears between the entrance and the exit of the combustion plate. Japanese Utility Model Registration Application No. 62-145404 eliminates the above-mentioned drawback. According to an arrangement of this application, a combustion section includes a combustion plate and a dispersion plate. Air is fed to the combustion plate and fuel is fed to the dispersion plate. The fuel fed to the dispersion plate is homogeneously fed into the entire combustion plate. As a result, a homogeneous combustion takes place in the combustion plate and a flat temperature distribution is obtained. However, in the plate type reformer assembly of Japanese Utility Model Registration Application No. 62-145404, passages for feeding and discharging various gases penetrate the plate type reformers. Consequently, it is necessary to provide adequate sealing between the plates (of reformers) which are stacked one after another. An object of the present invention is to provide a plate type reformer assembly which only requires simple sealing between the plates. Another object of the present invention is to provide a plate type reformer assembly whose gas-feeding and discharging ports are simple and require only simple sealing. According to one aspect of the present invention, there is provided a reformer assembly characterized in that masking frames are integrally mounted on peripheries of plate members to define a fuel introduction plate (fuel feeding plate), a combustion chamber plate filled with combustion catalyst and a reforming chamber plate filled with reforming catalyst respectively, that fuel feed ports are formed in the masking frame of the fuel introduction plate, that a number of dispersion openings (holes) are formed in the plate member of the combustion chamber plate, that an air feeding port and an exhaust gas discharging port are formed in the masking frame of the combustion chamber plate, that a raw material gas feed port and a reformed gas discharge port are formed in the masking frame of the reforming chamber plate, that these plates are stacked in turn and the peripheries of the plates are welded to each other thereby defining a multi-layer unit and that manifolds for the gas-feeding and discharging ports are aligned and mounted on lateral faces of the multi-layer unit. According to this arrangement, each masking frame is integrally provided on the periphery of each plate member, and the gas feeding and discharging passages are formed in the masking plates. Also, the plates are welded to each other. Therefore, the sealing between the plates becomes adequate. In addition, the feeding and the discharging of the various gases become easy since the manifolds are mounted on the lateral faces of the multi-layer unit. Figure 1 is a perspective partial sectional view of a plate type reformer assembly according to the present invention; Figure 2 is a set of view llustrating detail of three plates of the reformer assembly of Figure 1; Figure 3 is a perspective view when manifolds are mounted on a multi-layer unit; Figure 4 is a rear view of a plate type reformer assembly according to the present invention; Figure 5 is a top view of the plate type reformer assembly; Figure 6 is a front view of a plate type reformer assembly; and Figure 7 is a lateral view of the plate type reformer assembly. A preferred embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings. Referring first to Figure 1, a plate type reformer assembly includes a multi-layer unit 10. The multi-layer unit 10 includes fuel introduction plates 11, combustion chamber plates 12 and reforming chamber plates 13. These plates are stacked in turn to define the multi-layter unit 10. The plates 11, 12 and 13 are illustrated in detail in Figures 2(a), 2(b) and 2(c) respectively. The plates 11, 12 and 13 respectively include plate members 14a, 14b and 14c and masking frames 15a, 15b and 15c. The masking frame 15a is integrally welded on a periphery of the plate member 14a. Such is the case with the masking frame 15b and the plate member 14b and with the masking frame 15c and the plate member 14c. The plate members 14a, 14b and 14c are equal to each other in size. As illustrated in Figure 2(c), a fuel feeding port 16 is formed in the masking frame 15c of the fuel introduction plate 11. An air feeding port 17 and an exhaust gas discharging port 18 are formed in the masking frame 15b of the combustion chamber plate 12, and a number of dispersion holes 19 are formed in the plate member 14b of the combustion chamber plate 12, as shown in Figure 2(b). A raw material gas feeding port 20 and a reformed gas discharging port 21 are formed in the masking frame 15a of the reforming chamber plate 13, as shown in Figure 2(a). Partition members 22 and 23 stand on the plate members 14a to 14c. The partition plate 22 (or 23) has a concave-convex portion at the top and bottom thereof. The partition plates 22 and 23 define therebetween a reforming chamber 24 on the reforming chamber plate 13. Reforming catalyst is placed in the reforming chamber 24. Likewise, the partition members 22 and 23 extend through the combustion chamber plate 12 to define a combustion chamber 25 on the combustion chamber plate 12 between the partition members 22 and 23. Combustion catalyst is placed in the combustion chamber 25. The partition members 22 and 23 further extend through the fuel introduction plate 11 to define a fuel introduction chamber 31 on the fuel introduction plate 11 between the partition members 22 and 23. Outside the partition plates 22 and 23 on the plates 11, 12 and 13 respectively, there are formed entrance rooms 26 and exit rooms 27. The feeding and discharging ports 16, 17, 18, 20 and 21 for various gases communicate with the entrance rooms 26 and the exit rooms 27. Predetermined number of small cylindrical elements, which serve as spacers, 28 are provided on the plate members 14a, 14b and 14c respectively. The spacers 28 and the masking frame 15a (or 15b or 15c) respectively reach a substantailly same height in a direction the plates 11, 12 and 13 are stacked (The masking frames 15a, 15b and 15c have different heights and the spacers 28 have three heights for the respective frames). The raw material gas feeding port 20 of the reforming chamber plate 13 is formed in the masking frame 15a in a manner such that the port 20 communicates with the entrance room 26. The masking frame 15a has an opening 29 which is next to the raw material gas feeding port 20. The reforming catalyst is inserted (or loaded) into the reforming chamber 24 through the catalyst insertion and removal (or loading and unloading) opening 29. Likewise, the masking frame 15b of the combustion chamber plate 12 has an opening 30 which is next to the air feeding port 17. The combustion catalyst is placed into the combustion chamber 25 through the second catalyst insertion and removal opening 30. The dispersion holes 19 are bored between the partition elements 22 and 23, but a predetermined margin (d) is left on the exit room 27 side, as shown in Figure 2(b). The combustion chamber plate 12 is placed on the fuel introduction plate 11 associated with the masking frame 15 and the partition members 22 and 23 (The plates 12 and 13 are also associated with the masking frame 15 and the partition members 22 and 23) and then the reforming chamber plate 13 is placed on the combustion chamber plate 12. After that, another fuel introduction plate 11 is placed on the reforming chamber plate 13. Then, the plates 11, 12 and 13 are stacked in turn while a welding such as TIG or MIG is applied to the adjacent plates, thereby forming the multi-layer unit 10 of Figure 3. On the reforming chamber plate 13 of the top layer of the layer unit 10, there is provided a separation or isolation plate 32 which covers the reforming chamber 24, the entrance room 26 and the exit room 27, as shown in Figure 1. Also as shown in Figure 1, a supporting frame/plate 33 is provided on the separation plate 32 and an upper plate 34 is provided on the supporting frame/plate 33. Under the fuel introduction plate 11 of the bottom layer of the multi-layer unit 10, there is provided a lower support frame/plate 35. A lower plate 36 is provided under the lower support frame/plate 35. After the multi-layer unit 10 is assembled in a manner described just above, the feeding and discharging ports 16, 17, 18, 20 and 21 are aligned in a height direction of the unit 10 and on the lateral face of the unit 10. Manifolds 37, 38, 39 and 40 are provided for the feeding and discharging ports 16, 17, 18, 20 and 21 respectively by means of welding. Specifically, the fuel feeding manifold 37 is provided for the fuel feeding port 16 of the fuel introduction palte 11, the air feeding manifold 38 is provided for the air feeding port 17 of the combustion chamber plate 12, the exhaust gas manifold 39 is provided for the exhaust gas port 18 of the plate 12, the raw material gas feeding manifold 40 is provided for the raw material gas feeding port 20 of the reforming chamber plate 13 and the reformed gas discharging manifold 41 is provided for the discharge port 21 of the reforming plate 13. The manifolds 37, 38, 39, 40 and 41 include connecting cylinders 37a, 38a, 39a, 40a and 41a and flanges 37b, 38b, 39b, 40b and 41b, respectively. The cylindrical members 37a to 41a cover the aligned feeding and discharging ports 16, 17, 18, 20 and 21 at the lateral face of the multi-layer unit 10. In this case, the cylindrical members 38a and 40a of the air feeding mainfold 38 and the raw material gas feeding manifold 40 also cover the combustion catalyst filling port 30 and the reforming catalyst filling port 29, respectively. Plates 42 and 43 are provided at the catalyst filling ports 30 and 29. The plates 42 and 43 have slit-like openings 30a and 29a which respectively correspond to the catalyst filling openings 30 and 29, as shown in Figures 4 to 6. The plates 42 and 43 are welded on the mulit-layer unit 10. The cylindrical members 38a and 40a of the air feeding manifold 38 and the raw material gas feeding manifold 40 also cover the plate 42 and 43. Sealing plates 44 and 45 are removably mounted on the plates 42 and 43 by means of, for example, screws to close the slit-like openings 30a and 29a. With the reformer assembly being constructed in the above manner, the combustion catalyst (spheres) 46 (for example, palladium-containing catalyst) and the reforming catalyst (spheres) 47 (for example, nickel-containing catalyst) are filled into the combustion chamber 25 and the reforming chamber 24 from the slit-like openings 30a and 29a of the plates 42 and 43 of the air feeding manifold 38 and the raw material gas feeding manifold 40, as depicted in Figure 1. Then, the sealing plates 44 and 45 are mounted on the plates 42 and 43 by screws to close the openings 30a and 29a. During the reforming operation, the fuel gas (for example, offgas discharged from the anode of the fuel cell) is fed into the fuel feeding manifold 37 and the air is fed from the air feeding manifold 38. On the other hand, the raw material gas containing methane and steam is fed from the raw material gas feeding manifold 40. These gases are introduced from the manifolds 37, 38 and 40 to the entrance rooms 26 of the plates 11, 12 and 13 via the feeding ports 16, 17 and 20 formed in the plates 11, 12 and 13 respectively and then flow into the chambers inside the plates 11, 12 and 13 via the concave portions of the partition elements 22. As the fuel gas enters the introduction chamber 31 of the fuel introduction plate 11 via the inlet port 16 and the entrance room 26, the fuel gas flows homogeneously into the entire combustion chamber 25 from the introduction chamber 31 via the dispersion holes 19 of the upper combustion chamber plate 12. On the other hand, the air is fed into the combustion chamber 25 via the air feeding port 17 of the combustion chamber plate 12, the entrance room 26 and the concave portion of the partition member 22. Then, the air mixes with the fuel gas entering the combustion chamber 25 through the dispersion holes 19 to cause the combustion with help of the combustion catalyst. The exhaust gas of this combustion flows into the exit room 27 via the exit side partition member 23 and is discharged from the discharge port 18 via the exhaust manifold 39. The heat generated upon the combustion in the combustion chamber 25 is transferred to the reforming chamber 24 via the reforming chamber plate 13. Methane and steam are fed to the reforming chamber 24 via the feeding port 20 and the entrance room 26 and reformed to H₂ and CO gas with help of reforming catalyst due to the above-mentioned reforming reactions. The gases after the reformation are introduced, for example, to the anode of the fuel cell from the exit room 27 through the discharge port 21 and the reforming gas discharging manifold 41. As the quality of the combustion catalyst 46 and the reforming catalyst 47 are lowered due to the long period of usage, the sealing plates 44 and 45 are removed and the old catalysts 46 and 47 will be replaced by new ones through the openings 30a and 29a of the plates 42 and 43. Since each plate 11, 12 or 13 has the welding around the periphery thereof, the feeding and discharging ports 16, 17, 18, 20 and 21 are opened in the lateral face of the multi-layer unit 10, and the manifolds 37, 38, 39, 40 and 41 for the ports 16, 17, 18, 20 and 21 are mounted by the welding, the sealing between the plates 11, 12 and 13 becomes unnecessary. Therefore, the characteristics related to the gas leakage is considerably improved. In addition, since the major manufacturing steps are only the plate-stacking and the manifold-welding, the manufacturing is simplified. In the foregoing embodiment, the plate 11 has the entrance room 26 and the exit room 27 at the same location as the plates 12 and 13 have. However, the entrance room 26 and the exit room 27 of the plate 12, for instance, may be formed at another location. In addition, the destinations of the air and the fuel may be exchanged to each other. Furthermore, in order to accomodate the thermal expansion of the plate 11 (or/and 12 or/and 13), the plate member 14a (or/and 14b or/and 14c) may have a wave-like portion between and near the partition members 22 and 23. In the above embodiment, the combustion catalyst mainly includes the spherical catalyst in order to make the catalyst exchange easier. However, it is of course that the catalyst may have a form other than the sphere.

Claims: A plate type reformer assembly comprising: a fuel introduction plate (11) having a first plate member (14c) and a first masking frame (15c), the first masking frame (15c) having a height, the first masking frame (14c) being integrally mounted on the periphery of the first plate member, a fuel feeding port being formed in the first masking frame (15c); a combustion chamber plate (12) having a second plate member (14b) and a second masking frame (15b), the second masking frame (15b) having a height, the second masking frame (15b) being integrally mounted on the periphery of the second plate member (14b), a plurality of dispersion holes (19) being formed in the second plate member (14b), an air feeding port (17) and an exhaust gas discharging port (18) being respectively formed in the second masking frame (15b), combustion catalyst (46) being placed in the second masking frame (15b); a reforming chamber plate (13) having a third plate member (14a) and a third masking frame (15a), the third masking plate (15a) having a height, the third masking frame (15a) being integrally mounted on the periphery of the third plate member (14a), a raw material gas feeding port (20) and a reformed gas discharging port (21) being respectively formed in the third masking frame (15a), reforming catalyst (47) being placed in the third masking frame (15a); a multi-layer unit (10) including the fuel introduction plates (11), the combustion chamber plates (12), the reforming chamber plates (13) and a separation plate (32), the fuel introduction plates (11), the combustion chamber plates (12) and the reforming chamber plates (13) being stacked in turn to define multiple layers (a top layer being referred to as "an uppermost layer"), the multi-layer unit (10)having a height direction and a lateral face, with the feeding and discharging ports (16, 17, 18, 20, 21) of the plates (11, 12, 13) being aligned with each other in the height direction of the multi-layer unit (10), the separation plate (32) being provided on the reforming chamber plate (13) of the uppermost layer of the unit (10), the fuel introduction plate (11), the combustion chamber plate (12), the reforming chamber plate (13) and the separation plate (32) being welded to each other at the peripheries thereof; and manifolds (37, 38, 39, 40, 41) welded on the lateral face of the multi-layer unit (10) to cover the feeding and discharging ports (16, 17, 18, 20, 21). The assembly of claim 1, characterized in that each plate (11; 12; 13) has a pair of partition members (22, 23) on the plate member (14c; 14b; 14a) thereof to define the fuel introduction chamber (31), the combustion chamber (25) or the reforming chamber (24) between the partition members (22, 23) and to define an entrance room (26) and an exit room (27) outside the partition members (22, 23) (the partition member (22) defining the entrance room (26) being called "entrance room side partition member" and the partition member (23) defining the exit room (27) being called "exit room side partition member"). The assembly of claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the partition member (22; 23) has a convex-concave portion to allow gases to pass through the partition member (22; 23) via the concave portion. The assembly of claim 1, 2 or 3, characterized in that each plate (11; 12; 13) has a plurality of spacer members (28) on the plate member (14c; 14b; 14a) thereof, the spacer member (28) reaching the height of the masking frame (15c; 15b; 15a). The assembly of claim 1, 2, 3 or 4, characterized in that the dispersion holes (19) of the combustion chamber plate (12) are formed in the plate member (14b) between the partition members (22, 23). The assembly of claim 1, 2, 3, 4 or 5, characterized in that the dispersion holes (19) are not formed in a predetermined area near the partition member (23) on the exit room (27) side. The assembly of any one of foregoing claims, characterized in that a first opening (30) is formed in the second masking frame (15b) for insertion and removal of catalyst (46) into and from the combustion chamber (25) of the combustion chamber plate (12) . The assembly of any one of foregoing claims, characterized in that the first catalyst insertion and removal opening (30) is formed near the partition member (22) on the entrance room (26) side and is aligned with the air feeding port (17) formed near the partition member (22) on the entrance room (26) side. The assembly of any one of foregoing claims, characterized in that a second opening (29) is formed in the third masking frame (15a) for insertion and removal of catalyst (47) into and from the reforming chamber 824) of the reforming chamber plate (13). The assembly of any one of foregoing claims, characterized in that the second catalyst insertion and removal opening (29) is formed near the partition member (22) on the entrance room (26) side and is aligned with the raw material gas feeding port (20) formed near the partition member (22) on the entrance room (26) side. The assembly of any one of foregoing claims, characterized in that the multi-layer unit (10) is formed in a manner such that the entrance rooms (26) and the exit rooms (27) of the fuel introduction plates (11), the combustion chamber plates (12) and the reforming chamber plates (13) are aligned with each other in the height direction of the multi-layer unit (10). The assembly of any one of foregoing claims, characterized in that the multi-layer unit (10) has four lateral faces, each two faces facing each other, and the air feeding port (17) and the first catalyst insertion and removal opening (30) of the combustion chamber plate 812) are formed in a lateral face facing an opposite face in which the raw material gas feeding port (20) and the second catalyst insertion and removal opening (29) of the reforming chamber plate (13) are formed. The assembly of any one of foregoing claims, characterized in that the plates (11, 12, 13, 32) are welded by TIG or MIG welding. The assembly of any one of foregoing claims, characterized in that the manifold (37, 38, 39, 40, 41) includes a connecting cylinder (37a, 38a, 39a, 40a, 41a) welded on the lateral face of the multi-layer unit (10) and covering the feeding and discharging ports (16, 17, 18, 20, 21) and a flange (37b, 38b, 39b, 40b, 41b) connected to the connecting cylinder (37a, 38a, 39a, 40a, 41a). The assembly of any one of foregoing claims, characterized in that the raw material gas feeding manifold (40) and the air feeding manifold (38) respectively have configuration to cover the feeding ports (20, 17) and the catalyst insertion and removal ports (29, 30), and the catalyst insertion and removal ports (29, 30) are provided with sealing means to seal thereselves. The assembly of any one of foregoing claims, characterized in that the sealing means includes a plate (42, 33) having a slit-like opening (29a, 30a) corresponding to the catalyst insertion and removal port (29, 30) and welded on the lateral face of the multi-layer unit (10) and a sealing plate (44, 45) mounted on the plate (42, 43) by means of screws. The assembly of any one of foregoing claims, characterized in that a pair of upper and lower supporting plates (33, 35) are mounted on the top and the bottom of the multi-layer unit (10), and another pair of upper and lower plates are mounted on the supporting plates (33, 35). The assembly of any one of foregoing claims, characterized in that the plates (11, 12, 13) are welded by welding of the periphery of the adjacent plates (11, 12, 13).

Inventors: CHIDIIWA, SAKAE, MORISHIMA, SATOSHI
Applicants: ISHIKAWAJIMA-HARIMA HEAVY INDUSTRIES CO., LTD.
Application year: 1990
Main classification: H01M8
IPC codes: B01J19, C01B3, H01M8, B01J8