Reactor for catalytic conversion of a fuel

Abstract

A reactor is provided for the catalytic conversion of a mixture of a reactants, such as fuel, into at least one reaction product, the reactor having a reaction chamber containing at least one catalytically active substance for the conversion. The reactor chamber further has a reaction area that at start-up is not yet reactive at ambient temperature, and an ignition area that is already capable of ignition at ambient temperature. Ignition area is in only partial contact with reaction area, and the ignition area is porous and contains one or more noble metals. The thermal contact between the two different areas is such that the heat output dissipated from the ignition area at ambient temperature is less than the heat output generated in this area.

1 . A reactor for the catalytic conversion of a mixture of reactants into at least one reaction product, the reactor having a reactor chamber with at least one inlet opening for the reactants and at least one outlet opening for the one or more reaction products, and at least one catalytically active substance for the conversion of the mixture of reactants into the at least one reaction product, the reactor chamber comprising a reaction area that at start-up is not yet reactive at ambient temperature and an ignition area which is already capable of ignition at ambient temperature, wherein the ignition area is only in partial contact with the reaction area and the ignition area is porous and contains one or more noble metals, wherein the thermal contact between the reaction area and the ignition area is such that the heat output dissipated from the ignition area at ambient temperature is less than the heat output generated in the ignition area.  
     
     
         2 . The reactor of  claim 1  wherein the ignition area is ignitable at temperatures down to −20° C.  
     
     
         3 . The reactor of  claim 1  wherein the ignition area has a high concentration of catalytically active substance in relation to its macroscopic external surface.  
     
     
         4 . The reactor of  claim 1  wherein the ignition area is arranged essentially downstream of the reaction area.  
     
     
         5 . The reactor of  claim 1  wherein the catalytically active substance of the ignition area has a particle size or particle size distribution ranging from 10 and 1000 μm.  
     
     
         6 . The reactor of  claim 1  wherein the ignition area is applied in a layer thickness of 10-1000 μm.  
     
     
         7 . The reactor of  claim 1  wherein the ignition area is electrically heatable or ignitable.  
     
     
         8 . A method for the catalytic conversion of a mixture of reactants into at least one reaction product, comprising introducing the mixture of reactants into the at least one inlet opening input of the reactor of  claim 1 .  
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 8  wherein the conversion comprises partial oxidation of the mixture of reactants.  
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 8  wherein the conversion comprises autothermal reformation of the mixture of reactants.  
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 8  wherein the conversion comprises selective CO oxidation.  
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 8  wherein reactor is a catalytic burner.  
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 8  wherein the reactor is a catalytically heated heat exchanger.  
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 8  wherein the reactor is used in conjunction with a fuel cell.