Method and apparatus for reforming fuel

Abstract

A gas mixture containing a fuel, water and air is supplied to one end of a reforming room, and a reformed gas containing hydrogen is discharged from the other end thereof. Two or more such reforming units are connected in series, and the upstream part of each reforming room is filled with a first catalyst which catalyzes a partial oxidation reaction in an oxygen-rich environment, and the downstream part is filled with a second catalyst which performs the reforming reaction. The gas mixture which has been heated in a heating unit passes through a distribution tube and is distributed evenly to the reforming units. The reforming room is composed of a reforming tube in which a reforming catalyst is charged, or two or more such reforming tubes, parallel to each other. After being reformed the high-temperature reformed gas is passed around the reforming tubes, and fed back to a manifold.

1 - 9 . (canceled) 
     
     
         10 . In the reforming apparatus that converts a gas mixture comprising a fuel gas, steam and air, into hydrogen,
 a reforming apparatus comprising a heating unit for evaporating and heating the gas mixture, a distribution tube that distributes the heated gas mixture evenly to a plurality of branch ports disposed at one end thereof, a reforming unit filled with a reforming catalyst for catalyzing the gas mixture, a manifold comprising the distribution tube on the inside thereof, a CO removal unit filled with a CO removal catalyst used to remove CO from the gas reformed in the reforming unit, and a casing for housing the reforming unit, the manifold and the CO removal unit, wherein   the reforming unit comprises a reforming room composed of a reforming tube of which one end is connected to the branch port and from the other end of which the reformed gas is discharged, or configured by disposing two or more of the reforming tubes parallel to each other, and a feedback mechanism for passing the reformed gas around the outer periphery of the reforming tubes and sending the gas to the manifold.   
     
     
         11 . The reforming apparatus specified in  claim 10 , wherein the CO removal unit is located opposite or parallel to the reforming unit and communicates with the manifold. 
     
     
         12 . The reforming apparatus specified in  claim 10 , wherein the feedback mechanism sends the reformed gas to the manifold through a reformed gas passage formed by the space between the reforming tubes located close to each other or between the reforming tubes and the casing, in the axial direction of the reforming tubes. 
     
     
         13 . The reforming apparatus specified in  claim 10 , wherein the reforming tubes can be freely removed and replaced. 
     
     
         14 . The reforming apparatus specified in  claim 10 , wherein a fuel trap unit is disposed between the manifold and the CO removal unit, to remove fuel gas from the reformed gas. 
     
     
         15 . The reforming apparatus specified in  claim 10 , wherein the manifold comprises a feed tube or feeding oxygen, air or steam to the reformed gas sent to the CO removal unit. 
     
     
         16 . The reforming apparatus specified in  claim 15 , wherein the CO removal unit comprises one section or two or more sections, and feed tubes are disposed on the upstream side of each section to supply oxygen, air or steam.