Patent ID: 8016900

Claim:
An apparatus, comprising: a reactor comprising an inlet and an outlet, wherein the inlet is configured to receive hydrocarbon, and wherein the outlet is configured to discharge a mixture comprising hydrogen gas, carbon dioxide and carbon monoxide; a carbon monoxide remover in fluid communication with the reactor, wherein the carbon monoxide remover comprises a heater and a shift reaction unit, wherein the heater is in fluid communication with the outlet of the reactor through a first pipe, wherein the first pipe comprises a valve, and wherein the shift reaction unit is in fluid communication with the outlet through a second pipe; a controller electrically connected to the valve and configured to control operation of the valve, wherein the controller is also electrically connected to a timer or a concentration sensor; a manifold connecting the outlet of the reactor to both the shift reaction unit and the heater, wherein the manifold comprises at least one valve configured to selectively direct the mixture from the outlet either to the shift reaction unit through the second pipe or to the heater through the first pipe, wherein the heater is a cylindrical heater and wherein the shift reaction unit is formed surrounding the cylindrical heater in coaxial alignment within the carbon monoxide remover; and air holes penetrating the shift reaction unit such that the heater is in fluid communication with ambient air.