Abstract: The invention relates to a process for operating a system for the water vapor reforming of a hydrocarbon. The system includes a reactor which is suitable for POX operation as well as for a reforming operation, an evaporator, a hydrogen separating stage, and a catalytic burner device. A first part of the catalytic burner device is in thermal contact with the reforming reactor, and a second part of the burner device is in thermal contact with the evaporator. An air/hydrocarbon intermediate feeding pipe for the reactor and a pressure maintaining valve are provided for changing the reactor between the POX operation and the reforming operation. According to the process, during cold start of the system, a heating operation is carried out during which the reactor is first used in the POX operation at a lower pressure and subsequently is used for the reforming operation and simultaneously the pressure is increased to the normal operating pressure.

Abstract: A method for the treatment of a methanol reforming catalyst includes pre-aging the catalyst by baking it out in a dry atmosphere in order thereby to complete its inherent initial loss of volume before the start of the methanol reforming reaction. The method may be used for methanol reforming reactors in fuel-cell-operated motor vehicles.

Abstract: The invention relates to a process for operating a system for the water vapor reforming of a hydrocarbon, having an evaporator, a reforming reactor, a membrane module connected behind, and a catalytic burner device. According to the invention, a first part of the catalytic burner device is in thermal contact with the reforming reactor, and a second part of the burner device is in thermal contact with the evaporator. According to the process, a heating operation is carried out during the cold start of the system, in which, in a first operating phase, at least the evaporator and the reforming reactor are heated by the catalytic burner device, and in a second operating phase, a hydrocarbon/water vapor mixture is prepared in the evaporator at a water/hydrocarbon ratio which is higher than in the normal operation and is fed to the reactor, the substance mixture emerging from the reactor being fed by way of the membrane module to the catalytic burner device.

Abstract: A reforming reactor, particularly for the water vapor reforming of methanol, with three serially arranged reactor steps, each of which is charged with a catalyst pellet fill. According to the invention, the center reactor step is maintained at a temperature which is suitable for the reforming reaction, while the two other reactor steps remain unheated. The present invention may be used as a reforming reactor for the water vapor reforming of methanol for the purpose of producing hydrogen in a fuel-cell operated motor vehicle.

Abstract: A system for generating a high-hydrogen gas comprises a reformer for the catalytic water vapor reforming of a water vapor/fuel mixture while supplying thermal energy; a gas purification stage for removing carbon monoxide from the high-hydrogen gas while releasing heat; and devices for transmitting thermal energy from the gas purification stage into the reformer. The reaction rates in the reformer and in the gas purification stage are designed such that a defined temperature level is set automatically by the coupling of the two reactions.

Abstract: A membrane for separating hydrogen from a gas mixture is provided on at least one side with a catalyst layer for a specific catalytic combustion process. A methanol reformation system so equipped can be brought rapidly to operating temperature, with the hydrogen-separating membrane being heated directly by performing the catalytic combustion process.

Abstract: A methanol reforming reactor includes a reforming reaction space into which a methanol reforming catalyst is charged. The methanol reforming catalyst is present at the start of the reforming reaction operation in a pre-aged state in the reforming reaction space. A process for pre-aging the methanol reforming catalyst comprises heating at a temperature of between approximately 240° C. and approximately 350° C. and at a load of between approximately 0.5 m3H2/h and approximately 50 m3H2/h per liter of catalyst material in a methanol/water atmosphere. The reactor may be used in fuel-cell-operated motor vehicles for generating hydrogen for the fuel cells by means of the water vapor reforming of methanol.

Abstract: A system for steam reformation of a hydrocarbon includes a combined oxidizer/burner unit connected downstream of a reformer and in thermal contact therewith. The combined unit functions during reformation reaction operation of the reformer as a CO oxidizer and simultaneously as a catalytic burner. During reformation reaction operation, a gas containing oxygen is added to the combined oxidizer/burner unit that has an oxygen component that is greater than the oxygen component required for CO oxidation alone. The system may be used, for example, in fuel-cell-operated motor vehicles to obtain hydrogen from methanol carried in liquid form that is required for the fuel cells.

Abstract: A reforming reactor system, suitable in particular for water vapor reforming of methanol, has a reforming reactor in which a reforming catalyst material is situated. A drop catching element is assigned to the inlet side of the reforming reactor, in order to catch drops which may be contained in the gas/vapor mixture, and thus prevent their damaging contact with the catalyst material.

Abstract: A system for the water vapor reforming of a hydrocarbon includes an evaporator, a prereforming unit, a main reformer, a CO removal unit and at least one catalytic burner unit. A first burner unit is in a thermal contact with the evaporator and a second burner unit is in a thermal contact with the main reformer, and the prereforming unit is in a thermal contact with the CO removal unit by way of one heat conducting separating medium. In addition, the outlet of the CO removal unit is connected with the inlet of the at least one burner unit. During a cold start, a heating-up operation is carried out during which first the two burner units are activated with an external feeding of hydrogen or hydrocarbon, and the reforming operation is started with a hydrocarbon fraction that is lower than in the normal operation. The resulting reformate gas, instead of the externally fed hydrogen or hydrocarbon, is introduced as fuel into the burner units.

Abstract: A method for the treatment of a methanol reforming catalyst includes pre-aging the catalyst by baking it out in a dry atmosphere in order thereby to complete its inherent initial loss of volume before the start of the methanol reforming reaction. The method may be used for methanol reforming reactors in fuel-cell-operated motor vehicles.

Abstract: A method for the operation of a methanol reforming apparatus wherein, during the operation of the reforming reaction, methanol is reformed in a methanol reforming reactor using a methanol reforming catalyst. The reforming reaction is interrupted at given times for catalyst reactivation phases, during which the reactor containing the methanol reforming catalyst is flushed with hydrogen gas for the activity-regenerating treatment of the methanol reforming catalyst which loses its catalytic activity. The process may be used for the operation of methanol reforming apparatus in fuel-cell-operated motor vehicles for the production of hydrogen from liquid methanol.

Abstract: Process and apparatus for methanol reforming in producing hydrogen gas for electric vehicle fuel cells in which the gas mixture to be reformed is passed through a catalyst-containing reaction compartment. The active length and/or the active inlet cross-section of an intake-side reaction compartment section which is temperature-controlled for high methanol conversion can be set as a function of the throughput of gas mixture to be reformed. Thereby, an essentially constant residence period of the gas mixture to be reformed results in the reaction compartment section which is temperature-controlled for high methanol conversion. The methanol reforming may thus be carried out even in the case of markedly fluctuating throughputs of gas mixture to be reformed with a constant level of methanol conversion rate and constantly low formation of undesirable carbon monoxide.

Abstract: The invention provides a process for operating a system for water vapor reforming of methanol in which, in a mixture preparation step, a water vapor/methanol mixture is prepared from water and methanol and is introduced into a reforming reactor. According to the invention, the mixing ratio of the water vapor/methanol mixture is adjusted as a function of the load condition and/or load changes of the system so that a CO-concentration is obtained in the reformate which remains constant over the whole load range.

Abstract: In a reforming reactor suitable particularly for the water vapor reforming of methanol in mobile applications such as vehicles, a reaction space is filled with a catalyst pellet fill and has a movable reaction space wall which exerts a position-fixing pressure onto the catalyst pellet fill. According to the invention, a filling device is provided through which catalyst material can be filled from the outside into the reaction space through a passage opening formed in one of the reaction space walls.

Abstract: A reforming reactor has three serially arranged reactors stages, each of which is charged with a catalyst material. A heating device is assigned only to the center reactor stage, and the inlet-side reactor stage has a heat exchange connection with the outlet-side reactor stage.

Abstract: A reforming reactor system for water vapor reforming of methanol in fuel-cell operated motor vehicles has a reactor unit with a catalyst-filled reaction space and a particle filter which is arranged in a reformate gas pipe downstream of the reactor unit. The catalyst material is carried in the reaction space by a sieve below which a metallic nonwoven for catching sieved-out fragments and dust particles of the catalyst fill is situated. The particle filter contains a spun steel wool netting and/or several filter steps serially connected behind one another. The particle filter may be arranged to be exchangeable without interrupting the operation of the system. Specifically, a particle filter which has a filter body which can be changed in a gas-tight manner transversely to the gas flow and/or a cyclone filter can be used which has a closing device for the purpose of an emptying of a particle collecting pot which does not interrupt the operation.

Abstract: Process and apparatus for methanol reforming in producing hydrogen gas for electric vehicle fuel cells in which the gas mixture to be reformed is passed through a catalyst-containing reaction compartment. The active length and/or the active inlet cross-section of an intake-side reaction compartment section which is temperature-controlled for high methanol conversion can be set as a function of the throughput of gas mixture to be reformed. Thereby, an essentially constant residence period of the gas mixture to be reformed results in the reaction compartment section which is temperature-controlled for high methanol conversion. The methanol reforming may thus be carried out even in the case of markedly fluctuating throughputs of gas mixture to be reformed with a constant level of methanol conversion rate and constantly low formation of undesirable carbon monoxide.