Patent ID: 12012558

Abstract:
The present disclosure is directed to systems and methods for reforming a hydrocarbon fuel to increase the cetane value of the hydrocarbon fuel. The system includes a microstatic mixer and a microchannel reactor downstream of the microstatic mixer. The microchannel reactor includes a microchannel with an NHPI catalyst coated onto the walls of the microchannel. A hydrocarbon fuel and an oxygen-containing gas are combined and mixed in the microstatic mixer to produce a combined stream and the combined stream is passed through the microchannel. The microchannel reactor includes a heat transfer system. The hydrocarbon fuel and oxygen-containing gas are contacted in the microchannel in the presence of the catalyst at a reaction temperature sufficient to produce a reformed hydrocarbon fuel having a cetane value greater than a cetane value of the starting hydrocarbon fuel.