JP5066470B2 - Reforming raw material supply apparatus and fuel cell system including the supply apparatus - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to a reforming material supply device that supplies a reforming material to a reformer that generates reformed gas containing hydrogen, and a fuel cell system including such a reforming material supply device.

As a conventional reforming raw material supply device in the above technical field, a liquid fuel supply system that supplies liquid fuel from which sulfur content has been removed by a desulfurizer to the reformer, a water supply system that supplies water to the reformer, In order to heat the desulfurization catalyst of a desulfurizer, what is provided with the water vapor circulation system which vaporizes water and circulates water vapor | steam is known (for example, refer patent document 1).
JP 2004-323285 A

  However, the reforming raw material supply apparatus as described above requires a water vapor circulation system different from the water supply system and a burner for vaporizing water in order to heat the desulfurization catalyst of the desulfurizer. However, there is a problem that the heating efficiency of the desulfurization catalyst is lowered.

  Therefore, the present invention has been made in view of such circumstances, and a reforming raw material supply apparatus capable of efficiently heating a desulfurization catalyst of a desulfurizer with a simple configuration, and such a reforming raw material supply. An object of the present invention is to provide a fuel cell system including the device.

In order to achieve the above object, a reforming raw material supply apparatus according to the present invention is a reforming raw material supply apparatus that supplies a reforming raw material to a reformer that generates a reformed gas containing hydrogen. The liquid fuel from which the sulfur content has been removed by heat is received from a liquid fuel supply system that supplies the reformer as a reforming raw material and a heater that heats the reforming catalyst of the reformer. A water supply system that supplies the heated water to the reformer as a reforming raw material, and the water supply system raises the pressure of the water that heats the desulfurization catalyst to heat the desulfurization catalyst. Is provided with a booster that keeps the liquid phase state .

In this reforming material supply apparatus, water supplied to the reformer as a reforming material receives heat from a heater that heats the reforming catalyst of the reformer, and then supplies heat to the desulfurization catalyst of the desulfurizer. That is, water supplied to the reformer as a reforming raw material takes heat from the heater and gives the heat to the desulfurization catalyst. As a result, the desulfurization catalyst of the desulfurizer can be efficiently heated with a simple configuration. Furthermore, the water for heating the desulfurization catalyst can be kept in a liquid phase. Therefore, it is possible to maintain a higher heat transfer efficiency from water to the desulfurization catalyst than in the case of steam. In addition, it is possible to prevent heat to be transferred from water to the desulfurization catalyst from being dissipated as heat of vaporization. The sulfur content includes sulfur and sulfur compounds, and the water includes liquid phase water and gas phase water (water vapor).

  In the reforming raw material supply apparatus according to the present invention, it is preferable that the desulfurizer is provided with an electric heater for heating the desulfurization catalyst. In this case, the desulfurization catalyst can be reliably heated to a predetermined temperature using an electric heater as an auxiliary heat source.

  Further, the fuel cell system according to the present invention generates a reformed gas containing hydrogen using the above reformed raw material supply device and the liquid fuel and water supplied by the reformed raw material supply device as the reformed raw material. The fuel cell stack includes a reformer and a fuel cell stack that generates electric power using the reformed gas generated by the reformer.

  According to this fuel cell system, since the reforming material supply device is provided, the desulfurization catalyst of the desulfurizer can be efficiently heated with a simple configuration.

  In the reforming raw material supply apparatus and the fuel cell system according to the present invention, the heater for heating the reforming catalyst of the reformer is preferably a burner that burns using liquid fuel. In this case, a heater for heating the reforming catalyst can be easily configured.

  According to the present invention, the desulfurization catalyst of the desulfurizer can be efficiently heated with a simple configuration.

  DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS Hereinafter, preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. In addition, in each figure, the same code | symbol is attached | subjected to the same or an equivalent part, and the overlapping description is abbreviate | omitted.

  FIG. 1 is a configuration diagram of an embodiment of a fuel cell system according to the present invention. As shown in FIG. 1, a fuel cell system 1 includes a hydrogen production device 2 that generates a reformed gas containing hydrogen, and a reforming material supply that supplies liquid fuel and water to the hydrogen production device 2 as reforming materials. An apparatus 3 and a fuel cell stack 4 that generates power using the reformed gas generated by the hydrogen production apparatus 2 are provided. The fuel cell system 1 is used as, for example, a household power supply source, and kerosene is used as a liquid fuel from the viewpoint that it can be easily obtained and stored independently. Yes.

  The hydrogen production apparatus 2 includes a reformer 5 that reforms liquid fuel with steam to generate a reformed gas, a burner (heater) 6 that heats the reforming catalyst of the reformer 5, and the reformer 5. It has a transformer 7 and a selective oxidizer 8 for removing carbon monoxide in the outflowing reformed gas. The transformer 7 and the selective oxidizer 8 constitute a CO removal unit 9. The water that has passed through the hydrogen production apparatus 2 is separated from the reformed gas by the water recovery unit 11, and further, oil such as liquid fuel is removed and recovered.

  The reformer 5 contains a reforming catalyst that promotes the steam reforming reaction. The burner 6 heats the reforming catalyst of the reformer 5 to supply heat necessary for effectively exhibiting the catalytic reaction to the reforming catalyst. Liquid fuel and water vapor (water) are introduced into the reformer 5 by the reforming raw material supply device 3. In the reformer 5, the liquid fuel is vaporized to become a raw material gas, and a steam reforming reaction between the raw material gas and steam (water) is promoted by the reforming catalyst, and a hydrogen-rich reformed gas is generated.

  In the CO removal unit 9, the transformer 7 is disposed on the upstream side, and the selective oxidizer 8 is disposed on the downstream side. The transformer 7 reacts carbon monoxide with water in order to reduce the concentration of carbon monoxide contained in the reformed gas generated by the reformer 5, and converts it into hydrogen and carbon dioxide by an aqueous shift reaction. . The selective oxidizer 8 selectively oxidizes carbon monoxide in the reformed gas and converts it into carbon dioxide in order to further reduce the concentration of carbon monoxide in the reformed gas processed by the transformer 7.

  The fuel cell stack 4 is a polymer electrolyte fuel cell stack configured by stacking a plurality of battery cells. The fuel cell stack 4 generates power using the reformed gas obtained from the hydrogen production apparatus 2 and outputs a DC current. . Each battery cell has an anode, a cathode, and a polymer ion exchange membrane that is an electrolyte disposed between the anode and the cathode. In each battery cell, the reformed gas is introduced into the anode and air is introduced into the cathode, and an electrochemical power generation reaction is performed. The DC current output from the fuel cell stack 4 is converted into an AC current by the inverter 12.

  The reforming material supply apparatus 3 includes a liquid fuel supply system 20 that supplies liquid fuel as a reforming material to the reformer 5, and a water supply system 30 that supplies water as a reforming material to the reformer 5. ing. The liquid fuel supply system 20 includes a liquid fuel tank 21 that stores liquid fuel, and a desulfurizer 22 that removes sulfur from the liquid fuel. The water supply system 30 includes a water tank 31 that stores water, a cooling jacket 32 that cools the burner 6, and a heating jacket 33 that heats the desulfurization catalyst 23 of the desulfurizer 22.

  In the liquid fuel supply system 20, the liquid fuel stored in the liquid fuel tank 21 is introduced into the desulfurization catalyst 23 of the desulfurizer 22 heated to, for example, 110 ° C. to 140 ° C. via the liquid fuel supply line 24. The The liquid fuel supply line 24 is provided with a pump 25 for pumping liquid fuel. The liquid fuel from which the sulfur content has been removed by the desulfurizer 22 is introduced into the reforming catalyst of the reformer 5 through the main line 26 a of the liquid fuel supply line 26. The desulfurizer 22 is provided with an electric heater 27 for heating the desulfurization catalyst 23. The sub-line 26b of the liquid fuel supply line 26 is connected to the burner 6, and the burner 6 burns using air and the liquid fuel introduced through the sub-line 26b.

  In the water supply system 30, the water stored in the water tank 31 is introduced into the cooling jacket 32 through the water supply line 34. The water supply line 34 is provided with a pump 35 for pumping water. The water introduced into the cooling jacket 32 and received from the burner 6 by heat exchange is introduced into the heating jacket 33 via the water supply line 36. The water introduced into the heating jacket 33 and supplied to the desulfurization catalyst 23 of the desulfurizer 22 by heat exchange is introduced into the reforming catalyst of the reformer 5 through the water supply line 37. The water supply line 37 is provided with an orifice (a booster) 38 for increasing the pressure of water in the heating jacket 33. The water tank 31 stores process water and water introduced from the water recovery unit 11.

  In the reforming material supply device 3 of the fuel cell system 1 configured as described above, water supplied to the reformer 5 as the reforming material is supplied from the burner 6 that heats the reforming catalyst of the reformer 5. After receiving heat by the cooling jacket 32, heat is supplied to the desulfurization catalyst 23 of the desulfurizer 22 by the heating jacket 33. That is, water supplied to the reformer 5 as a reforming raw material takes heat from the burner 6 and gives the heat to the desulfurization catalyst 23. Thereby, the desulfurization catalyst 23 of the desulfurizer 22 can be efficiently heated with a simple configuration.

  In addition, the water supply system 30 is provided with the orifice 38 for increasing the pressure of the water in the heating jacket 33, so that the water for heating the desulfurization catalyst 23 of the desulfurizer 22 can be kept in a liquid phase state. Therefore, it is possible to maintain the heat transfer efficiency from water to the desulfurization catalyst 23 in a higher state than in the case of steam. In addition, it is possible to prevent heat to be transferred from water to the desulfurization catalyst 23 from being dissipated as heat of vaporization.

  Further, since the desulfurizer 22 is provided with an electric heater 27 for heating the desulfurization catalyst 23, the desulfurization catalyst 23 is set to, for example, 110 ° C. to 140 ° C. together with the heating jacket 33 using the electric heater 27 as an auxiliary heat source. Heating can be ensured.

  Further, the connection port of the water supply line 36 to the upper part of the cylindrical heating jacket 33 and the connection port of the liquid fuel supply line 26 to the lower part of the cylindrical desulfurizer 22 are connected to the heating jacket 33 with reference to the center line CL. The connection port of the water supply line 37 to the lower part and the connection port of the liquid fuel supply line 24 to the upper part of the desulfurizer 22 are arranged on the opposite side. Thereby, the heat transfer efficiency from the water in the heating jacket 33 to the desulfurization catalyst 23 of the desulfurizer 22 can be improved.

Table 1 shows the auxiliary machine efficiency of Comparative Example 1 and Examples 1-3. The auxiliary machine efficiency of Examples 1 to 3 having the heating jacket 33 was higher than the auxiliary machine efficiency of Comparative Example 1 having no heating jacket 33. And in Examples 1-3, when it has the electric heater 27 and also has the orifice 38, auxiliary machinery efficiency became high. The temperature of the desulfurization catalyst 23 was 115 ° C.

  The present invention is not limited to the embodiment described above.

  For example, the fuel cell stack 4 is not limited to a solid polymer fuel cell stack, and may be a solid oxide fuel cell stack or the like.

  Further, the reformer 5 is not limited to one that performs steam reforming, and may be one that undergoes partial oxidation reforming or autothermal reforming. The reforming method using the reformer 5 depends on the characteristics of liquid fuel such as kerosene, gasoline, naphtha, light oil, methanol, ethanol, DME (dimethyl ether), biofuel using biomass, and the like.

  Further, the booster that increases the pressure of the water in the heating jacket 33 is not limited to the orifice 38 and may be a throttle valve or the like.

  Further, the heater that heats the reforming catalyst of the reformer 5 is not limited to the burner 6, and may use an electric heater or exhaust heat (for example, off gas) from the fuel cell stack 4.

1 is a configuration diagram of an embodiment of a fuel cell system according to the present invention.

Explanation of symbols

  DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Fuel cell system, 2 ... Hydrogen production apparatus, 3 ... Reformation raw material supply apparatus, 4 ... Fuel cell stack, 5 ... Reformer, 6 ... Burner (heater), 20 ... Liquid fuel supply system, 22 ... Desulfurization , 23 ... desulfurization catalyst, 27 ... electric heater, 30 ... water supply system, 38 ... orifice (booster).

Claims (5)

A reforming material supply device that supplies a reforming material to a reformer that generates reformed gas containing hydrogen,
A liquid fuel supply system for supplying liquid fuel from which sulfur content has been removed by a desulfurizer to the reformer as the reforming raw material;
A water supply system that receives heat from a heater that heats the reforming catalyst of the reformer, and then supplies water supplied to the desulfurization catalyst of the desulfurizer to the reformer as the reforming raw material. ,
The water supply system is provided with a booster for raising the pressure of water for heating the desulfurization catalyst to keep the water for heating the desulfurization catalyst in a liquid phase state. apparatus. 2. The reforming raw material supply according to claim 1, wherein the booster is located downstream of the desulfurizer and upstream of the reformer and increases the pressure of water upstream of the booster. apparatus.   The reforming raw material supply apparatus according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the desulfurizer is provided with an electric heater for heating the desulfurization catalyst.   The reforming raw material supply apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the heater is a burner that burns using the liquid fuel. The reforming raw material supply apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 4 ,
A reformer that generates a reformed gas containing hydrogen using the liquid fuel and water supplied by the reforming material supply apparatus as reforming materials;
A fuel cell stack for generating power using the reformed gas generated by the reformer;
A fuel cell system comprising:

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