Patent ID: 8100093

Claim:
A process for producing mechanical or electrical power from a fuel comprising alcohol, the process comprising: contacting a feed gas mixture comprising the alcohol fuel with a reforming catalyst in a reforming reaction zone to produce a product reformate gas mixture comprising hydrogen, wherein the reforming catalyst comprises a metal sponge supporting structure and a copper coating at least partially covering the surface of the metal sponge supporting structure; combining the product reformate gas mixture with an oxygen-containing gas to form an intake gas mixture; introducing the intake gas mixture comprising oxygen and the product reformate gas mixture into a combustion chamber of an internal combustion engine and combusting the intake gas mixture to produce an exhaust gas mixture, the intake gas mixture introduced into the combustion chamber of the internal combustion engine containing at least about 80% of the hydrogen and other components obtained in the product reformate gas mixture; discharging an exhaust gas effluent comprising the exhaust gas mixture from the combustion chamber; utilizing the energy of combustion for the generation of mechanical or electrical power; and bringing the exhaust gas effluent into thermal contact with the reforming reaction zone to heat the reforming catalyst therein.