Diesel fuel processor

G. Saracco, V. Specchia, Diesel fuel processor for PEM fuel cells two possible alternatives (ATR versus STR),/. Power Sources 2006, 154, 379-385. 

Yoon, S, Bae, J. A diesel fuel processor for stable operation of solid oxide fuel cell system I. Introduction to post-reforming for the diesel fuel processor. Catal. Today 2010 156 49-57. 

Figure 5.52 Schematic of the process of a diesel fuel processor based on autothermal reforming, as designed by Cutillo et al. [443],...

Figure 5.53 shows the flow scheme of a 10-kWei diesel fuel processor/fuel cell system based on steam reforming, as designed by Cutillo et al. (443). The energy required to run the endothermic reaction was generated in a directly coupled catalytic afterburner, which could be realised as a plate heat-exchanger, as described in Section 5.1. The S/C ratio fed to the steam reformer was substantially higher compared with the system discussed above in order to prevent coke formation. 

Figure 5.54 Configuration of a diesel fuel processor based upon...

There are various applications for diesel fuel processors. Apart from the energy supply for diesel fuelled passenger cars and military applications, the most prominent is... 

Piewetz et al. [623] described a 32-kWei diesel fuel processor prototype designed for a molten carbonate fuel cell. It consisted of a hydrotreater unit operated at 45 bar and 380 °C for conversion of the 0.2 wt.% sulfur components present in the feed. A zinc oxide bed was positioned downstream, which adsorbed the hydrogen sulfide generated in the hydrotreater. The sulfur free feed then entered the reformer, which was operated at 25 bar and 480 °C. 

Since 2004 Volkswagen has been developing a diesel fuel processor/fuel cell system with IdaTech LLC, US. The system works with a palladium membrane for reformate purification. 

Rosa et al. [251] set up a complete 5-kW diesel fuel processor based on autothermal reforming and catalytic carbon monoxide clean-up, which was dedicated to a low temperature PEM fuel cell. The breadboard system was composed of the autothermal reformer operated between 800 and 850 °C with a ruthenium/perovskite catalyst (see Section 4.2.8), a single water-gas shift reactor containing platinum/titania/ceria catalyst operated between 270 and 300 °C (see Section 4.5.1), and a preferential oxidation reactor containing platinum/alumina catalyst operated between 165 and 180 °C. Figure 9.54 shows the gas composition and reactor temperatures achieved. The hydrogen content of the reformate was in the range from 40 to 44 vol.% on a dry basis. The carbon monoxide content of the reformate was 7.4 vol.% and could be reduced to values of between 0.3 and 1 vol.% after the water-gas shift reactor and to below 100 ppm after the preferential oxidation reactor. 

Another application for diesel fuel processors is the propulsion of naval systems. Krummrich et al. [626] reported from a conceptual study of a 2.5-MW fuel processor/fuel cell system, which was dedicated to submarine applications for the German ship manufacturer HDW. The system consisted of a desulfurisation step, an adiabatic pre-reformer operated between 400 and 550 °C, steam reforming at 800 °C and catalytic carbon monoxide clean-up. The critical step turned out to be the desulfurisation of F76 diesel fuel, which in Europe contains as much as 0.2 wt.% sulfur, world-wide as much as 1 wt.%. These workers then set up and operated a 25-kW demonstration model of the fuel processor, which achieved an efficiency of 82%. 

Maximini M, Engelhardt P, Brenner M et al (2014) Fast start-up of a diesel fuel processor for PEM fuel cells, hit J Hydrog Energy 39(31) 18154-18163... 

Methanol has been considered as a fuel for fuel-cell vehicles with on-board fuel processors for some time. Dimethyl ether (DME) has been suggested as a fuel alternative for diesel engines in Japan and Sweden. The synthesis of DME is based on methanol synthesis followed by DME formation ... 

Major issues that influence the development of a fuel processor are a) choice of commercially available fuels suitable for specific applications, b) fuel flexibility, c) fuel cell gas reformate requirements, and d) fuel cell unit size. Vaporization of heavier hydrocarbons is another issue. Heavy hydrocarbons, such as diesel, require vaporization temperatures much in excess of 350-400°C where components of these heavier fuels begin to pyrolyze and decompose. 

McDermott Technology, Inc. (MTI), the research and development branch of McDermott International, Inc. has been developing fuel processors for the past six years. Reformers for liquid fuels such as gasoline and diesel fuel, and for natural gas have been developed. 

Autothermal reformers and CPO are being developed by a number of groups, mostly for fuel processors of gasoline, diesel, and JP-8 fuels and for natural gas-fueled proton exchange membrane fuel cell (PEMFC) cogeneration systems. A few examples are the following ... 

UTC Fuel Cells has partnered with Shell Hydrogen to develop a variety of fuel processors for natural gas, gasoline, and diesel feed for PEMFC, phosphoric acid fuel cell (PAFC), and distributed H2 production applications.8... 

Systems Analysis Figure 1 shows a concept identified by NETL for a integrated fuel processor/ fuel cell system targeted for diesel APUs. There are several favorable attributes of this system. For example, startup occurs by firing an internal combustor in the dual reactor reformer. This provides heat to the ATR reformer (via conduction) as well as supplying heat to the fuel cell cathode via direct exhaust from the combustor or preheated air from the heat exchanger (optional). If necessary, the ATR is fired in a partial oxidation mode to aid in heatup and to provide heat to the anode side of the... 

Fuel processor for 5 kW PEM fuel cell unit Combined-cycle power generation Production of low-sulfur diesel fuel Waste-fuel upgrading to acetone and isopropanol Conversion of cheese whey (solid waste) to lactic acid Ethanol for gasoline from com symp... 

When hydrocarbon distillate fuels such as gasoline, diesel or jet fuels are used, it is also necessary to include a desulfurization unit in the fuel processor system. Hence Shaaban and Campbell [26] patented a system with an effective sulfur removal process that was able to operate with various hydrocarbons. It consisted of a reformer with membrane purifier and water recovery, a catalytic combustor for fuel to provide the energy for the reforming process and the desulfurization unit. 

Irving et al. developed a fuel processor system that could provide hydrogen without further purification for 1-5 kW power output of the PEM fuel cell [37]. The Innova-Gen fuel processor could reform fuels of multiple types including natural gas, gasoline and diesel (see Figure 23.8). 

Nehter, P., B0gild-Hansen, )., and Larsen, P.K. (2010) A techno-economic comparison of fuel processors utilizing diesel for SOFC APUs, in Proceedings of the 9th European Solid Oxide Fuel Cell Forum, Lucerne, Switzerland, 29 June-2 October, 2010 (ed. P. Connor), European Fuel Cell Forum, Oberrohrdorf 4.1-4.17. 

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