Patent ID: 7488359

Claim:
A compact, hydrogen generator comprising: a shell having an inlet port, an outlet port and a conduit between the inlet port and the outlet port having a diameter; a reformer in the conduit adapted to convert a fuel into a reformate comprising hydrogen and carbon oxides; a shift reactor in the conduit downstream of the reformer spaced by a distance less than about three times the diameter having at least one catalyst stage adapted to convert carbon monoxide in the reformate to carbon dioxide and hydrogen; a heat exchanger/distributor in the conduit adapted to cool and inject steam into the reformate comprising: (a) an indirect heat exchanger comprising a coiled tube in the conduit adapted to receive liquid water, to vaporize the liquid water to steam, and to cool the reformate in the conduit, (b) a separator comprising a riser entirely within the conduit attached to the coiled tube adapted to receive steam from the coiled tube and to remove substantially all liquid water therefrom, (c) a steam distributor attached to the riser having an opening in fluid communication with the riser adapted to pass steam into the conduit, and (d) a plurality of steam distributors comprising arms attached to the riser.