JPH0791041B2 - Fuel cell reformer - Google Patents

Description

Description: TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to a fuel reformer in a fuel cell.

[Prior art]

A fuel cell mainly comprises a reformer that converts fuel into hydrogen, and a fuel cell body that reacts hydrogen generated in the reformer with air (oxygen) to convert it into water and electric energy. The reformer is configured to vaporize liquid fuel by an evaporator and pass the vaporized fuel gas through a catalyst layer of a reactor into a reformed gas mainly containing hydrogen gas.

When the above-mentioned fuel cell is a portable type that can be loaded in a vehicle, etc., the catalyst particles filled in the reactor of the reformer move due to vibration or tilting during transportation, and the filling state of the catalyst layer There may be a bias in the. If the filled state of the catalyst layer is offset, a uniform reforming reaction will not be carried out and the reforming efficiency will be lowered. In particular, this tilting appears remarkably when the shape of the catalyst layer is an annular structure in which the catalyst filling amount is large.

[Object of the Invention]

An object of the present invention is to provide a fuel cell in which even if a catalyst layer having an annular structure is used, there is no deviation in the packed state of the catalyst due to vibration or tilting, and thereby the reforming efficiency is not reduced. It is to provide a reformer for automobiles.

[Structure of Invention]

The present invention that achieves the above object, in a fuel cell reforming apparatus for converting fuel vaporized in an evaporator into a reformed gas in a catalyst layer filled with catalyst particles of a reactor arranged in a heating space, wherein the catalyst layer is Is formed into a ring shape in a heating space whose upper part is closed, and the ring-shaped catalyst layer is divided into a plurality of layers by a plurality of partitions extending in the radial direction, and the partitions are divided into a heating space inside the catalyst layer and a catalyst layer. Of the plurality of heating gas passages communicating with the heating gas passage formed on the outer side of the wall, and a wire mesh disposed in the catalyst layer divided into a plurality of layers by the wall surfaces. .

〔Example〕

In the embodiment shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, reference numeral 1 is an evaporator for vaporizing a liquid fuel (for example, a mixed liquid of methanol and water), and a combustor 2 for heating is arranged below the evaporator. . The evaporator 1 is formed in an annular shape, and an annular distribution pipe 4 connected to the liquid fuel supply pipe 3 is provided on the outer periphery of the upper surface thereof, and a plurality of fuel discharge pipes 5, ..., 5 connected to the distribution pipe 4 are provided.
Are respectively inserted in the evaporator 1.

The evaporator 1 is housed in a case 6 serving as an outer shell, a heating space 7 is formed in the information, and a partition chamber 10 is provided above the heating space 7 to collect the reformed gas after the reaction 11
Is provided. Heating space 7 with the top closed by a partition 10
A reactor 8 formed in a ring shape is provided in the inside, and a catalyst layer 9 is formed by filling the inside thereof with a catalyst composed of catalyst particles. The lower end of this reactor 8 is connected to the evaporator 1 via a connecting portion 12, and the upper end thereof is directly connected to the collecting chamber 11.

The reactor 8 has a heating space 7 inside the catalyst layer 9 and a heating gas passage 14 to be described later formed outside the catalyst layer 9 at a plurality of locations along the circumferential direction of the ring-shaped catalyst layer 9. , 16 are provided so as to communicate with each other in the direction, and the catalyst layer 9 is divided into a plurality of layers with its wall surface as a partition. By thus dividing the catalyst layer 9 by the partition, the movement of the catalyst particles is restricted. Further, the catalyst layer 9 divided into a plurality of layers by the wall surface of the heating gas passage 16 is further partitioned by the wire nets 21 arranged in the radial direction thereof.

The outer peripheral wall of the reactor 8 and the case 6 are partitioned by a partition wall 13, and annular heating gas passages 14 and 15 are provided inside and outside, respectively.
Is formed. Both heating gas passages 14 and 15 are separated by the partition wall 13.
, 17 are communicated with each other through a plurality of communication ports 17, ..., 17, and the outer heating gas passage 15 is communicated with the outside through an exhaust port 18 provided at the bottom of the case 6.

In the reformer described above, the fuel gas vaporized in the evaporator 1 is changed into hydrogen-based reformed gas in the catalyst layer 9 of the reactor 8 and then collected in the upper collecting chamber 11 and then the fuel cell main body (not shown). Sent to. On the other hand, the heating gas generated in the combustor 2 enters the heating space 7 from the central passage 20 after heating the evaporator 1, and the heating gas passage 14 side through the slit-shaped heating gas passage 16 while heating the reactor 8. Through
Further, it enters the heating gas passage 15 through the communication port 17 at the upper end, and is then discharged to the outside through the exhaust port 18 at the lower part.

According to the above-described fuel reformer, the catalyst layer 9 formed in an annular shape is divided into a plurality of layers with the wall surfaces of the plurality of heating gas passages 16 and the metal net 21 as partitions, so that the catalyst particles are bound and conveyed. Even if it is subjected to vibration or tilting due to factors such as the above, there is no deviation in the catalyst filling state. Therefore, a uniform reforming reaction can be always performed, and the reforming efficiency is not lowered regardless of vibration or tilting.

Further, while the annular catalyst layer 9 is provided with a plurality of heating gas passages 16 extending in the radial direction thereof, the annular catalyst layer 9 is partitioned into a plurality of layers by the wire mesh 21 together with the wall surfaces of the heating gas passages 16. Even if it is a small-sized reforming apparatus for a fuel cell, the volume of the catalyst layer 9 filled with the catalyst particles is suppressed to the minimum while effectively ensuring the passage of the gas for heating the catalyst layer 9, It is possible to secure a sufficient amount of reformed gas, and it is also possible to move the gas between the layers divided by the wire mesh 21, so that the heating gas passage 16 is more uniform than the configuration in which only the wall surface is divided. A reforming reaction can be performed. Moreover, the wire mesh 12 extending in the radial direction of the annular catalyst layer 9
By disposing, the heat can be effectively transferred to the inside of the catalyst layer 9 filled with the catalyst particles, whereby the reforming reaction can be promoted.

〔The invention's effect〕

As described above, in the fuel cell reforming apparatus of the present invention, since the catalyst layer formed in an annular shape is divided into a plurality of layers by the partition extending in the radial direction, the catalyst particles are bound,
There is no deviation in the packed state of the catalyst due to vibration or tilting caused by transportation or the like. Therefore, a uniform reforming reaction can be always performed, and the reforming efficiency is not reduced.

Further, while providing a plurality of heating gas passages in the radial direction in the annular catalyst layer, the wall of the heating gas passage is divided into a plurality of layers by a wire mesh to divide the annular catalyst layer into a plurality of layers. It is possible to secure a sufficient amount of reformed gas even in a small-sized reforming device for a fuel cell by suppressing the decrease in the filling volume of the catalyst layer to the minimum while effectively securing the above. In addition, it is possible to move the gas between the layers divided by the wire mesh, and to perform a more uniform reforming reaction.

Moreover, since the wire mesh is provided in the radial direction of the annular catalyst layer,
It is possible to effectively transfer heat to the inside of the catalyst layer filled with the catalyst particles to promote the reforming reaction and improve the reforming efficiency.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a vertical sectional view of a fuel cell reforming apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 2 is a view taken along the line II-II in FIG. 1 ... Evaporator, 2 ... Combustor, 7 ... Heating space, 8 ...
Reactor, 9 ... Catalyst layer, 14, 15 ... Heating gas passage, 16 ...
… Slit-shaped heating gas passage (partition), 21 …… wire mesh (partition).

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A fuel cell reforming apparatus for converting a fuel vaporized in an evaporator into a reforming gas in a catalyst layer filled with catalyst particles of a reactor disposed in a heating space, wherein the catalyst layer is closed at its upper part. In addition to forming an annular shape in the heating space, the annular catalyst layer is divided into a plurality of layers by a plurality of partitions extending in the radial direction, and the partitions are formed outside the heating space inside the catalyst layer and outside the catalyst layer. A reforming device for a fuel cell, comprising: wall surfaces of a plurality of heating gas passages communicating with the formed heating gas passages; and wire meshes disposed in a catalyst layer divided into a plurality of layers by the wall surfaces.