Reactor (1) for partial oxidation of a fuel (2) with an oxidant (3) to a synthesis gas (4) comprising CO and H2, the reactor (1) includes: a vessel (5) enclosing a reaction chamber (6) for the partial oxidation of said fuel (2) in the presence of said oxidant (3); a burner (7) arranged to feed said fuel (2) and said oxidant (3) to said reaction chamber (6); said burner (7) comprises: a first passage (9) for said oxidant (3) and a second passage (2) for said fuel (2), said first (9) and said second passage (11) are coaxially arranged one around the other; an ignition mean (13) and a flame detection sensor (14), wherein said ignition mean (13) and said flame detection sensor (14) are movable within the burner between a start-up position (30) proximal to the reaction chamber (6) and a second retracted position (31) distanced from said reaction chamber (6).

The present invention relates to a process for heating an ATR or POX comprising the steps of heating a process stream by at least one heating means, admitting the heated process stream to an ATR or POX reactor through a main burner, and heating the ATR or POX reactor to or above autoignition temperature of the process stream via the heated process stream.

The invention discloses a start-up system for starting reforming hydrogen production device, the reforming hydrogen production device and the start-up system adopt methanol-water mixture as feedstock, comprising a feed riser pipe, a flame tray, an upper cover body and an igniter. The flame tray and the upper cover body are disposed on the feed riser pipe from the bottom up; the middle part of the upper cover body is provided with an aperture in communication with the feed riser pipe, the methanol-water mixture feedstock may flow from the feed riser pipe up to the aperture and be exuded from the aperture and spread around along the upper side surface of the upper cover body until flowing into the flame tray. The present invention has high ignition success rate, large methanol-water mixture burning areas and combustion flame, and can quickly restart the reforming hydrogen production device.

A solid oxide fuel cell system includes: an igniting portion configured to ignite a raw material when starting up the solid oxide fuel cell system; a raw material supply portion configured to supply the raw material; a reforming air supply portion configured to supply reforming air; and an electric power generation air supply portion configured to supply electric power generation air. When starting up the solid oxide fuel cell system, the raw material supply portion supplies the raw material, and the electric power generation air supply portion supplies the electric power generation air. The igniting portion ignites the raw material. After the ignition, the reforming air supply portion supplies the reforming air. With this, the safety can be increased in consideration of characteristics in respective phases from the start-up of the solid oxide fuel cell system until the electric power generation.

A method and system for converting a syngas stream to a shifted syngas stream in a shift reactor comprising a first mode of operation and a second mode of operation. The first mode of operation uses heat from the shifted syngas stream to superheat steam in a heat exchanger. The second mode of operation uses the same heat exchanger to heat a partially shifted syngas stream while the shift reactor is heating up to a normal operating temperature.

The invention relates to a method of starting-up a fuel cell arrangement (1) comprising a fuel processor (2) and a fuel cell (70), wherein the fuel processor (2) comprises the following components: a first evaporator (10), a reformer (20) arranged downstream of the first evaporator (10), a water-gas shift reactor (30), a PrOx reactor (40), a first heat exchanger (11), an afterburner (21) and a startup burner (50), wherein the method comprises the following steps: a) electrically heating a heating arrangement in the fuel processor (2) to heat a first gas (G1), b) heating the components of the fuel processor (2) to a fixed operating temperature by circulating the heated first gas (G1) through at least the first heat exchanger (11) and the afterburner (21), c) catalytically combusting an atomized or evaporated fuel (B) in the startup burner (50) and then afterburning hydrogen in the afterburner (21) for further heating of the first gas (G1) via at least one heat exchanger, d) introducing the fuel (B) into the preheated components of the fuel processor (2) and stopping the catalytic combustion in the startup burner (50), e) starting up at least one reaction in the components of the fuel processor (2), until an exit gas from a PrOx reactor (40) has a given CO content, and f) switching on the fuel cell (70).

The invention further relates to a fuel cell arrangement.

The invention relates to the production of synthesis gas by means of particularly a series arrangement of heat exchange reforming and autothermal reforming stages, in which the heat required for the reforming reactions in the heat exchange reforming stage is provided by hot effluent synthesis gas from the autothermal reforming stage. More particularly, the invention relates to optimisation of the operation and control of an arrangement of heat exchange reforming and autothermal reforming stages and introduction of an additional waste heat boiler.

A process for the synthesis of ammonia from a hydrocarbon feedstock, wherein the process includes reforming the hydrocarbon feedstock to produce a make-up gas and converting said make-up gas into ammonia, the process is performed in an ammonia synthesis plant requiring an electric power for operation and also requiring a start-up power (Ps) for start-up, wherein a first electric power (P1) is internally produced in the ammonia plant, and a second electric power (P2) is imported, wherein said second electric power is equal to or greater than said start-up power (Ps).

Provided are methods for preparing hydrogen and solid carbon. Illustrative methods comprise providing a feedstock comprising gaseous hydrocarbons to a microwave-inert reaction vessel and/or a radio wave-inert reaction vessel. The reaction vessel has solid carbon, about 0% water and about 0% molecular oxygen inside the reaction vessel and the carbon inside the reaction vessel is operable to heat the feedstock comprising gaseous hydrocarbons. The carbon is then exposed to microwaves and/or radio waves until the solid carbon is at a temperature of at least 1200 Kelvin, thereby forming hydrogen and solid carbon. Once formed, the hydrogen and solid carbon are separated.

The present invention relates to a method of reducing a catalyst utilized in a hydrogen plant. More specifically, the invention relates the reduction of a catalyst employed in the steam methane reformer.