Patent ID: 8003269

Claim:
A fuel reforming apparatus comprising: an oxidation reaction unit including an oxidation catalyst; a reforming reaction unit having an inlet for the flow of fuel and air into the reforming reaction unit and an outlet for the flow of reformate gas out of the reforming reaction unit, the reforming reaction unit including a reforming catalyst between the inlet and the outlet; and an ignition unit to ignite a hydrocarbon-containing fuel and an oxidant and to preheat the oxidation catalyst; wherein the oxidation reaction unit includes a first section and a second section respectively arranged opposite to each other with the oxidation catalyst interposed therebetween and facilitates a stream of the fuel and the oxidant flowing to the second section through the oxidation catalyst from the first section, wherein the reforming reaction unit is surrounded by the oxidation reaction unit, and wherein the ignition unit is arranged in the second section such that a flame generated as a result of igniting the fuel and oxidant in the second section is diffused in a direction which is opposite to the direction of flow of fuel and oxidant from the first to the second section, the reforming reaction unit being arranged such that fuel and air injected through the inlet flows through the reforming catalyst in the reforming reaction unit to the outlet in the same direction as the fuel and oxidant that enters the first section and flows to the second section over the oxidation catalyst.