Patent ID: 7517373

Claim:
A reformer configured to obtain a reformed gas from a raw material gas, comprising: a vessel; a fixed tube plate disposed inside of the vessel, the fixed tube plate partitioning the vessel to form a channel in an end portion of the vessel; a floating head disposed inside of the vessel on the other end portion thereof; a reaction tube containing a reforming catalyst, one end of the reaction tube being connected to the fixed tube plate in communication with the channel and the other end being in communication with an interior of the floating head via a first flexible tube joint; a raw material gas inlet in communication with the interior of the floating head via a second flexible tube joint; a reformed gas outlet in communication with the channel; a heating gas inlet and a heating gas outlet disposed between the fixed tube plate and the floating head, the heating gas inlet being located at a position closer to the fixed tube plate and the heating gas outlet being located at a position closer to the floating head; and means for cooling the fixed tube plate; wherein the floating head is supported by a spring hanger fixed to the vessel.