An apparatus for the production of hydrogen from a fuel source includes a combustor configured to receive a combustor fuel and convert the combustor fuel into a combustor heat; a reformer disposed annularly about the combustor, a removable structured catalyst support disposed within the gap and coated with a catalyst to induce combustor fuel combustion reactions that convert the combustor fuel to the combustor heat, and a combustor fuel injection aperture configured for mixing combustion fuel into the combustion catalyst. The combustor fuel injection aperture being disposed along a length of the combustion zone. The reformer and the combustor define a gap therebetween and the reformer is configured to receive the combustor heat.

A heat exchange structure includes: two flow channels stacked in a stacking direction (Y direction) and thermally coupled to each other; and a fin structure detachably installed in at least one flow channel of the two flow channels. The fin structure includes fins arranged in a longitudinal direction (Z direction) of the at least one flow channel in which the fin structure is installed, the fins configured to form openings alternately arranged along the at least one flow channel on one side and the other side of the at least one flow channel in the stacking direction.

Heat exchanger-reformer for use in a hydrogen production plant for producing syngas, for instance by means of a steam methane reforming method, wherein the reformer comprises vessel with a first inlet for supplying feed and a second inlet for supplying hot reformer effluent, preferably coming from a main steam methane reformer, wherein the heat exchanger-reformer further comprises a heat exchanging section that is arranged in fluid connection with the first and second inlets for exchanging heat between the feed and reformer effluent to effectuate steam reforming of hydrocarbon to produce syngas, wherein the heat exchanging section comprises a plate heat exchanger assembly for heat exchange between said feed and said reformer effluent.

A radiant, non-catalytic recuperative reformer has a flue gas flow path for conducting hot exhaust gas from a thermal process and a reforming mixture flow path for conducting a reforming mixture. At least a portion of the reforming mixture flow path is positioned adjacent to the flue gas flow path to permit heat transfer from the hot exhaust gas to the reforming mixture. The reforming mixture flow path contains substantially no material commonly used as a catalyst for reforming hydrocarbon fuel (e.g., nickel oxide, platinum group elements or rhenium), but instead the reforming mixture is reformed into a higher calorific fuel via reactions due to the heat transfer and residence time. In a preferred embodiment, a portion of the reforming mixture flow path is positioned outside of flue gas flow path for a relatively large residence time.

An expandable center arrangement for a reactor is disclosed. The arrangement comprises an expansion tube; a center support inside the expansion tube and three or more spring elements. The spring elements are fastened to the center support and arc out to the expansion tube. A reactor is also disclosed.

A highly compact heat integrated fuel processor, which can be used for the production of hydrogen from a fuel source, suitable to feed a fuel cell, is described. The fuel processor assembly comprises a catalytic reforming zone (29) and a catalytic combustion zone (28), separated by a wall (27). Catalyst able to induce the reforming reactions is placed in the reforming zone and catalyst able to induce the combustion reaction is placed in the combustion zone, both in the form of coating on a suitable structured substrate, in the form of a metal monolith. Fe—Cr—Al—Y steel foils, in corrugated form so as to enhance the available area for reaction, can be used as suitable substrates. The reforming and the combustion zones can be either in rectangular shape, forming a stack with alternating combustion/reforming zones or in cylindrical shape forming annular sections with alternating combustion/reforming zones, in close contact to each other. The close placement of the combustion and reforming catalyst facilitate efficient heat transfer through the wall which separates the reforming and combustion chambers.

A reactor includes: a reaction-side flow passage through which a fluid as a reaction object flows; and a catalyst structure provided in the reaction-side flow passage. The catalyst structure includes: a body part formed in a raised and depressed plate shape to partition the reaction-side flow passage into a plurality of flow passages disposed side by side in a direction perpendicular to a flow direction of the fluid; a catalyst carried on the body part to promote a reaction of the fluid; and one or more communication holes (grooves) to make the plurality of flow passages partitioned by the body part communicate with each other.

PFRs for running multiphasic processes are disclosed. The PFRs are single or multi-chamber devices having at least three types of regions (a liquid-contacting region, a gas-contacting region and a Ssquid-coSection region), and a porous substrate providing fluid communication at least between the liquid-contacting and gas-contacting regions. Removal of liquid from the porous substrate, such as by collecting the liquid as it flows off the bottom of the porous substrate in the Siquid-coSSection region or such as by evaporation of the liquid from the porous substrate in the evaporation region supports a continuous flow process. Methods of using the PFRs are also disclosed, for example methods of using the PFRs as photobioreactors for cultivating photosynthetic microorganisms, for producing fermentable sugars, for producing ethanol, for fermenting synthesis gas and producing single cell protein from natural gas.

A reactor includes a reaction-side flow passage through which a reaction fluid being a fluid constituting a reaction object flows; a temperature controller (heat-medium side flow passage) configured to heat or cool the reaction fluid from outside the reaction-side flow passage; and a catalyst configured to promote a reaction of the reaction fluid, the catalyst provided in the reaction-side flow passage so that a contact area with the reaction fluid is larger on a downstream side than on an upstream side in the reaction-side flow passage.

Reactors are provided that can include a first set of fluid channels and a second set of fluid channels oriented in thermal contact with the first set of fluid channels. The reactor assemblies can also provide where the channels of either one or both of the first of the set of fluid channels are non-linear. Other implementations provide for at least one of the first set of fluid channels being in thermal contact with a plurality of other channels of the second set of fluid channels. Reactor assemblies are also provided that can include a first set of fluid channels defining at least one non-linear channel having a positive function, and a second set of fluid channels defining at least another non-linear channel having a negative function in relation to the positive function of the one non-linear channel of the first set of fluid channels. Processes for distributing energy across a reactor are provided. The processes can include transporting reactants via a first set of fluid channels to a second set of fluid channels, and thermally engaging at least one of the first set of fluid channels with at least two of the second set of fluid channels.