Patent ID: 8603205

Claim:
A method, comprising: providing a fuel processor having: a first reservoir configured to store a first fluid; a first planar ejector array structure disposed in communication with the first reservoir to generate droplets of the first fluid; a first droplet ejection zone for receiving droplets ejected from the first planar ejector array structure; a catalyst layer disposed on an opposite side of the first droplet ejection zone as the first planar ejector array structure, wherein the droplets of the first fluid interact with the catalyst layer to form products; and a product removal zone, wherein the catalyst layer is disposed between the droplet ejection zone and the product removal zone, wherein the droplets of the first fluid interact with the catalyst layer to form products that pass through the catalyst layer into the product removal zone, wherein the first planar ejector array structure comprises an array of ejector nozzles, wherein the first planar ejector array structure and the catalyst layer are in parallel planes and face one another, wherein the catalyst layer includes alternating areas of a catalyst area and a non-catalyst area, wherein each catalyst area is a catalyst channel, wherein each catalyst channel corresponds to and is disposed in-line with one of the ejector nozzles so the droplets from each ejector nozzle contact the corresponding catalyst channel, wherein the non-catalyst area is disposed between the catalyst channels so that the droplets ejected from each of the ejector nozzle interacts with a separate catalyst channel; ejecting the first fluid through the first planar ejector array to form droplets of the first fluid; reacting the first fluid in the product removal zone to form a first set of reaction products, wherein the reaction products include H 2 ; separating H 2 from the reaction products; and dynamically changing and matching a rate of the droplet ejection from the first planar ejector array to a time scale of one or more of the transport, reaction, and separation processes.