This heat exchanger (100) includes a core portion (1), a header portion (2), and an intermediate member (3), and the curvature radius of a corner (31a to 31d) of the intermediate member is configured to be smaller than the curvature radius at a header portion side.

A tubular reactor includes a bed of catalytic powder confined within an annular space, a hollow insert having a distribution chamber and a collection chamber, and a second wall comprising at least one distributing opening and at least one collecting opening. The reactor has at least one filtering element positioned at the at least one collecting opening and at the at least one distributing opening, preventing the passage of catalytic powder from the annular space to the at least one collection chamber and distribution chamber, and bearing against the outer surface of the second wall and covering the at least one collecting opening and distributing opening and/or being housed inside the at least one collecting opening and distributing opening.

A fuel cell system comprising a fuel cell stack, an evaporator for evaporating a mixture of methanol and water to be forwarded through a catalytic reformer for producing portions of free hydrogen. The fuel cell stack being composed of a number of proton exchange membrane fuel cells each featuring electrodes in form of an anode and a cathode for delivering an electric current. The system provides an enhanced catalytic reformer for a fuel cell system, which enables a compact design of the reformer for integration into a flat, rack mountable system.

Horizontal reactor (1) for catalytic reactions, comprising an outer cylindrical shell (2), a catalytic bed (5) and heat exchange plates (6) immersed in said catalytic bed, parallel to each other and supplied with a heat exchange fluid; said reactor comprises a container (7) for said catalytic bed (5) and said plates (6), said container is extractable slidably from said shell, by means of at least one linear guide (31, 32, 45) extended longitudinally with respect to said shell (2).

A catalytic reactor is provided comprising a plurality of first flow channels including a catalyst for a first reaction; a plurality of second flow channels arranged alternately with the first flow channels; adjacent first and second flow channels being separated by a divider plate (13a, 13b), and a distributed temperature sensor such as an optical fibre cable (19). The distributed temperature sensor may be located within the divider plate, or within one or 10 more of the flow channels.

This heat exchanger (100) includes a core portion (1), a header portion (2), and an intermediate member (3), and the curvature radius of a corner (31a to 31d) of the intermediate member is configured to be smaller than the curvature radius at a header portion side.

Certain configurations described herein comprise a reformer that is operative to liberate hydrogen gas from a hydrogen-rich feedstock in a catalytic reforming reaction, where a hydrogen purifier is effective to remove and purify hydrogen gas, in a thermally integrated assembly combining the reformer and purifier. Methods of using the combined reformer/purifier are also described.

Disclosed is an apparatus for reducing floating radioactive material in a containment building capable of reducing radioactive material in the event of a major accident in a containment building such as a nuclear power plant. A radioactive material reduction unit configured to reduce radioactive material in the air is provided upstream of a flow induction unit configured to induce an air flow through catalytic reaction with hydrogen in the air in the event of a major accident. The flow induction unit may have a replaceable modular form. The radioactive material reduction unit may include an adsorber module configured to remove gaseous radioactive material, such as iodine or an iodine compound. The adsorber module may have a replaceable modular form. In addition, the radioactive material reduction unit may further include an aerosol filter fixed to an inlet to remove particulate radioactive material.