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.

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 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.

Counter-flow heat exchanger is constructed with plenums at either end that separate the opposing fluids, the channels of which are arrayed in a checkerboard patterns, such that any given channel is surrounded by channels of opposing streams on four sides—laterally on both sides and vertically above and below.

A processing device and processing method that can perform processing of a starting material fluid while favorably controlling the processing temperature of same. The processing device includes: a processing member that leads in the starting material fluid and processes same therewithin; and a processing tank that houses the processing member and retains the processed processing products. The processing member includes: a minute duct provided therewithin and causes the flow-through of the starting material fluid; and a heat medium duct that causes the flow-through of a heat medium having a different temperature from that of the starting material fluid flowing through the minute duct. The minute duct and the heat medium duct are separated from each other so that heat exchange is possible between the starting material fluid and heat medium flowing through.

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.

The invention relates to a continuous flow reactor having a wall which delimits a channel, wherein at least one sub-area is arranged in the channel that has microstructuring which includes individual structures, the diameter of which on a base is between about 10 μm to about 100 μm. The invention further relates to methods for reacting a gaseous or liquid educt under the action of a catalyst.

A reactor includes first heat transfer bodies including reaction flow channels through which a reaction fluid flows, second heat transfer bodies stacked on the first heat transfer bodies and including heat medium flow channels through which a heat medium flows and product flow channels through which a product flows that is produced in the reaction flow channels by a heat exchange between the reaction fluid and the heat medium, and product communication parts including communication spaces through which the product flows from the reaction flow channels to the product flow channels.

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 reformer suitable for micro-scale design has horizontal catalyst tube(s) passing through a baffled radiant section for convective and radiant heat transfer to the tube(s). To reduce the footprint and/or to facilitate field assembly a combustion chamber and convection section can be oriented transversely with respect to the radiant section; the tube(s) can be horizontal and/or include structured catalyst; and/or the combustion chamber provides flameless combustion or produces a flame without impinging on the tubes. Also, a skid frame-mountable version of the reformer; and a process for transporting, assembling, and/or operating the steam methane reformer.