Patent ID: 7235217

Claim:
Apparatus for rapid heating of reactants for use in a fuel reformer, the apparatus comprising: a combustion section having an outer wall enclosing a combustion chamber and a catalyst disposed within the combustion chamber, said catalyst providing a non-diffused flow path through the combustion chamber for the passage of combustion gases and heat; optionally, a mixer upstream of said combustion chamber for mixing two or more combustion reactants; optionally, heating means upstream of said combustion chamber for preheating the combustion reactants before contacting the catalyst; and a heat recovery section in fluid communication with the combustion chamber, the heat recovery section having an outer wall defining a heat recovery chamber, at least one heat exchanging element disposed within said heat recovery chamber, said heat exchanging element having an inlet for receiving a reformer reactant and an outlet for directing a heated reformer reactant out of the heat recovery section to a fuel reformer; wherein the combustion section is elevated relative to the heat recovery section.