Numbering	Patent number	Authors refer to	State of the country
Numbering	Patent number	Authors refer to	State of the country	1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9	PCT/JP97/02445 PCT/US96/1590 4 PCT/US97/1490 6 USSR 632294 USSR 700935 USSR 203816 USP 5.887.554	Tomura ISENBERG，Arnold，O CLAWSON，Lawrence，G Allen，M.Robin E.M.Rudyak N.S.Pechuro Cohn Cohn CHERNICHOWSKI，M.	JapaneseUnited states of AmericaUnited states of AmericaUnited states of AmericaRussian countryRussian countryUnited states of AmericaUnited states of AmericaFrance
10	USP 5.852.297 PCT/US98/1802 7 PCT/FR97/0239 6	Albin ETIEVANT，Claude	France	1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9

The proposed system and previous systems can produce syngas on board a vehicle or in a stationary plant. Both devices are prior art. See, as an example, US 5887554, which discloses a system for converting fuel into syngas.

The fixed system requires a high pressure vessel or a cryogenic vessel.

Another important example of a converter system is the world patent PCT/US 98/18027. Therein is disclosed a method for the production of light hydrocarbons, such as CH, by electrical discharge (particle discharge) in the presence (possibly) of water and oxygen (air)₄、C₂H₆、C₃H₈、C₄H₁₀Or natural gas). In the description of the plant of this patent, one of the energy sources of the conversion process is the partial oxidation of hydrocarbons.

The on-board production of hydrogen is described in detail. Such a device is disclosed for example in US 5143025. Therein is disclosed the electrolysis of H₂Decomposition of O into H₂And O₂And is combined with H₂To the engine fuel. The use of water and C was developed in US 5159900_o(solid carbon) interaction to produce a hydrogen-rich gas. In this apparatus, the carbon electrode is partially oxidized to H by the water supplied by the arc treatment₂+ major source of CO mixture. In US 5207185(Greiner et al), the apparatus is based on a burner which converts one portionof the hydrocarbon fuel into another portion to produce hydrogen. The hydrogen is mixed with fuel for the engine.

Another system involves the use of a thermal converter to convert a portion of the gasoline to a hydrogen rich gas. (see Breshears E1 et al, EPA first Low pollution electric Power systems development discussion corpus, 268 (1973)). Other similar systems use partial oxidation in the presence of a catalyst. (see Housmen et al, 3 rd world proceedings of the university of Hydrogen energy, 949 (1980)).

U.S. 5435332 and 5437250(Rabinovich et al) disclose internal combustion engine systems having arc plasma tubes as a device.

The plasma-assisted fuel conversion apparatus now claimed uses stable plasma discharge and pulsed versions of arc discharge (orbital gun, glide) in various models of high or ultra-high frequency arc plasma tubes; see US 5425332, 5437250 and 5887554. The very high temperature characteristics of these discharges and the resulting thermodynamic weight balance do not fully benefit from the advantages of plasma fuel reforming processes.

Description of the invention

The invention relates to a plasma converter for producing hydrogen-rich gas from hydrocarbons. The converter comprises a heater, a mixing chamber, a reactor, and a microwave source coupled to the reactor. Pulsed timed pseudo-corona microwave discharge was used to accelerate the conversion process in the reactor. The pseudo-corona discharge is generated by a set of metal ribs inserted into the microwave resonator in the region of maximum electric field. Thus, at selected conditions (pulse duration, pulse period/pulse duration ratio, specific energy input, reactor inlet temperature), the plasma-catalytic properties of the conversion process are provided. The plasma-catalytic conversion process is characterized by high productivity and low electrical energy at lower temperature limits. The proposed reactor is capable of carrying out the reforming process of fuels (petroleum ether, kerosene, diesel, etc.) with steam, steam-oxygen (steam-air) and partial oxidation with air to form a hydrogen-rich gas. Most of the energy required to carry out this particular process is supplied to the system by the heater as thermal energy, by the recovery of heat at the reactor outlet and (for steam-oxygen conversion or partial oxidation) by the partial combustion of the fuel in the mixing chamber. The heater may comprise an arc plasma tube in the case of water vapor reforming. The ultrasonic nozzle may be used in a mixing chamber, the mixing chamber being at 10^-3-10^-5Providing effective mixing of the initial reactants in seconds.

Modern technology enables the manufacture of stationary systems for mass production and small-design devices to be installed in vehicles. The use of on-board systems for the production of hydrogen-rich gas from fuel avoids the use of on-board hydrogen tanks. The proposed combined use of two on-board devices (application of internal combustion engines using hydrogen-rich gas and gasoline mixtures) significantly reduces the emission of pollutants and increases the efficiency of the engine. Engine performance characteristics are improved without any fundamental changes in engine design. Another application of the proposed device is in combination with a fuel cell for producing electric power for a vehicle motor.

Description of the apparatus manufactured by DAVID, in which the experiment of the present invention has been carried out.

The experimental configuration shown in fig. 8 includes: process block (shown in dashed lines in FIG. 1); reactant feed systems (fuel, water, air); a water feed system; modulator, MCW generator, waveguide.

Water and fuel are vaporized in the vaporizer 1 and the vaporizer 2 at temperatures exceeding the respective boiling points. Water is supplied at the inlet of the heater 2 (arc plasma tube) and fuel is supplied at the inlet of the mixing chamber. The temperature of the fuel vapor must be high enough to prevent condensation of the water vapor during the feed in the mixing chamber.

The air is heated to a temperature above the boiling point of water and water vapour is provided at the inlet of the heater 2. The temperature of the air must be high enough to prevent condensation of water vapour in the mixture at the inlet of the heater 2.

In the heater 2, the mixture of water vapour and air is heated to a fixed average mass temperature, which depends on the selected zone (see tables 2, 3, 4 and 5), while they are fed at the inlet of the mixing chamber.

The operating area of the process block (first the process temperature) is determined by the variation of the power of the heater 2 and/or by varying the consumption of the initial reactants.

At the mixing chamber, all the reactants are supplied rapidly and then sent to the plasma-catalytic reactor.

In the reactor, the heated reactant mixture is treated with a pulsed timed microwave pseudo-corona discharge.

The process product is cooled in a heat exchanger. The condensed phases (unreacted water and fuel, and in some cases also carbon) are separated in a cyclone heat exchanger. The synthesis gas obtained is sent to chromatography. At point 16, the consumption of gas phase product is determined. The consumption of unreacted water and fuel must be measured at point 17.

The discharge trigger and MCW input device are architecturally part of the process block.

The discharge trigger is a sharp tungsten tip placed in the MCW field of the reactor to initiate a pseudocorona microwave discharge.

The MCW input device creates an electric field distribution in the reactor with maximum intensity in the region of the sharp tungsten tip.

The measurement points (points 4-15) for the main parameters of the process block are shown in FIG. 1. For the basic region of the reaction scheme, the normal values for the process block parameters (reactant consumption, temperature range) are shown in tables 1, 2, 3 and 4.

1.2 brief introduction to MCW devices

The MCW device modulator generates a set of timed voltage pulses primarily for operation of the MCW generator with the MCW input device.

The main parameters of MCW radiation are: radiation pulse duration-0.1-1 mks; pulse repetition frequency-up to 1 khz; pulse power-up to 50 kw; average power-up to 50 watts; the wavelength of the radiation is-3 cm.

1.3 feeding reactants

The feed reactants are fed at the input of the process block (points 1, 2 and 3 of figure 1) under normal conditions. The cooling water at the input has the following parameters: pressure-3 atm; the temperature is-15-25 ℃.

2. Engineering requirements for process block component separation

2.1 general requirements

It is proposed to arrange the process block elements in a single building. The largest applications consist of possible aggregation-distribution of buildings for cleaning parts, replacement parts, modernization of process blocks, etc.

FIG. 9 shows a layout of the following process block components: heater 2 (arc plasma tube), mixing chamber, reactor, discharge trigger, MCW input device and a set of thermocouples TC for process block temperature range control_i(the indicescorrespond to the measurement points in the graph). The tube diameter was 20 mm.

2.2 arc plasma tube-heater 2

The power of the plasma tube was 300 watts, regardless of the efficiency factor, losses, etc. of the plasma tube.

The working gas is the mixture of water vapor, water vapor and air.

Pressure-above atmospheric (gas drifting off by the pressure of water and fuel in vaporizers 1 and 2). The atmospheric pressure is fixed at the outlet of the gas conduit by removing gas from the heat exchanger.

Gas consumption at plasma tube inlet:

range 1 (no air) -steam 40.55-355 cm³Second/second

Range 2 (with air) -water vapor 18.7-40.55 cm³Second +14-55 cm³Second (from air).

The temperature of the gas at the outlet of the plasma tube (average) -is up to 3000K.

Thermocouple TC₄And TC₅Incorporated in the plasma tube.

Thermocouple TC₉The radial temperature distribution at the outlet of the plasma tube is measured at the mixer outlet, which is active. It is possible to remove the thermocouple from the pipe section.

2.3 mixing Chamber

The operating range of the arc plasma tube is used to set the parameters of one of the components of the mixture (water vapor + air).

Parameters of the second component of the mixture (fuel vapor):

consumption amount:

range (no air): o.025-0.22 g/s

Range (with air): o.025 g/s

Mixing time was 10^-4And second.

The temperature of the mixed gas is 500-1560K.

Make the thermocouple TC₆Incorporated in the mixing chamber. Thermocouple TC in the center of the tube₁₀The temperature of the gas after mixing is controlled. It may be removed from the pipe section.

2.4 reactors with discharge triggers and MCW input devices

In the variant shown in fig. 2, the bottom end of the reactor is closed by a perforated metal plate MC (for the spatial judgment of the discharge) and a vacuum-tight glass window GW. The metal plate MC is used to reflect MW radiation in the DZ direction of the MCW discharge segment. The distance between the MC and the axis of radiation of the input device MCW is about 5 to 10 cm. In this alternative, the cyclone heat exchanger may be interfaced with the side wall of the reactor, as shown in FIG. 2. In this case, the arrangement of the process blocks is horizontal. The reflection of MCW radiation from the region of the mixing chamber in the direction of the discharge section is obtained by reducing the tube cross section at the outlet of the mixing chamber from 20 mm to 15 mm.

The MCW radiation input device is a rectangular waveguide 24 x 11 mm in cross-section. The wide walls of the waveguide were oriented along the tube with a length of 150 mm. 70 mm from the junction of the waveguide, the tube was placed in a closed chamber made of MCW radiation transparent material. The distance between the input device and the axis of the discharge section is about 5 to 10 cm.

Note that: for simplicity, the MCW input device is placed in the exit face in fig. 2. In this practical system, the input is not tilted 90 ° and is oriented perpendicular to the exit face.

The discharge initiator is a sharp tungsten rod having a diameter of about 2 mm. The initiator is movable in the direction ofthe pipe radius and can be removed from the pipe section.

Thermocouple TC₁₁Controlling the radial temperature distribution in the tube. The temperature range is 300-1560K. The thermocouple is movable on the pipe diameter and can be taken out of the pipe section.

The distance of the discharge zone DZ to the reactor inlet-mixing chamber outlet is minimized and determined by the architectural nature of the process block components.

3. Parameters of the process block

In order to determine the consumption rate of the reactants. Normal process parameters for the characteristic range of the experimental study were calculated. These data are used for the design of the device.

The two main types of processes that occur in the plant are steam reforming without air (1) and fuel reforming with steam and partial oxidation of the fuel by oxygen in air.

3.1 Process Block parameters for the air-free Fuel steam reforming Process

In this case, the process corresponds to the following reaction:(ii) a Δ H12000 kilojoule/cal 1.85 eV/mole (1)

The energy input J of the initial reactants is the main parameter that varies in the experiment: j ═ W₄/Q, wherein W₄Is the thermal energy and Q is the consumption of the initial reactants. The energy input determines the temperature range of the process and the equilibrium value of the conversion. Two main ranges were studied experimentally: varying the power W at a constant initial reactant consumption Q₄(Table 1), and at constant heating power W₄The initial reactant consumption Q (table 2) was varied.

3.2 Process Block parameters of the Fuel steam reforming Process with air as one of the initial reactants

If air is present in the input reactants, a portion of the fuel is oxidized by oxygen. Thus, the absorbed energy is partially compensated by the supplied energy. The increase of the proportion of air at the inlet of the system causes the heating power W in the heater 2₄And decreases. As in the initial range (without oxygen addition), twoThe individual regions need to consider: region "e" (100% fuel conversion, see table 1.3) and region "n" (65% fuel conversion, see table 4). The oxygen is added in the two zones to make the power W of the heater 2 in the zones₄Decrease, keep temperature and fuel conversion constant (table 3.4).

TABLE 1.2 TABLE 2

Q-reactant consumption in grams per second for the liquid phase and standard meters for the gas phase³Expressed in grams.

T-temperature

Power W₄The power absorbed by the gas heated in the heater 2, irrespective of heater efficiency, losses, etc.

α -estimate of the extent of reforming equilibrium at point 12. at this point, along with hydrogen and CO, there is steam in an amount corresponding to (1) unreacted water and fuel.

-the average mass temperature in a given segment is indicated at point 9; in practice, the radial temperature distribution is measured with a moving thermocouple.

-giving a temperature value without taking into account the energy cost of dissociation of the water molecules; the true temperature is about 3000K.

J-energy input (enthalpy) of the initial reactant in a particular region, which is derived (for information) by heating and vaporization of the reactant.

For the initial reactant (fuel and water) consumptions given in Table 2, thepower of the fuel and water vaporizers, respectively, is W₃5 watts and W₂80 watts.

The main characteristic of the regions specified and listed in Table 1 is the average MCW discharge power (W)_MCW^ev50W) and heating power W₄(the heating power may be 50-300 watts) of variable ratio.

Table 2 lists the calculated data for each zone at 300 watts of constant heating power W. W_MCW^ev/W₄The ratio is constant, approximately equal to 15%.

The power (W) of the vaporizer of the input reactant varies when its consumption (water and fuel) varies₂And W₃) Also varied as shown in table 2.

Table solutions of tables 3 and 4

The degree of conversion α corresponds to the degree of conversion of the fuel.

TABLE 1

Dots in the figure		1	2	3	5	6	9⁰⁾	10	11	12
Dots in the figure		1	2	3	5	6	9⁰⁾	10	11	12			Parameter(s)	W₄W	Q air	Q water	Q fuel	Q water	Q fuel	T，K	T，K	T，K	T，K	JKilojoule per kilogram	α％
Region(s)													Parameter(s)	W₄W	Q air	Q water	Q fuel	Q water	Q fuel	T，K	T，K	T，K	T，K	JKilojoule per kilogram	α％
Region(s)													A	48	0	0.032 g/s	0.025 g/s	0.0146 Standard Rice³Hour/hour	0.021 Standard rice³Hour/hour	1060	701	701	580	4000	18
B	80	0	0.032 g/s	0.025 g/s	0.0146 Standard Rice³Hour/hour	0.021 Standard rice³Hour/hour	1461	890	890	620	5000	35	A	48	0	0.032 g/s	0.025 g/s	0.0146 Standard Rice³Hour/hour	0.021 Standard rice³Hour/hour	1060	701	701	580	4000	18
B	80	0	0.032 g/s	0.025 g/s	0.0146 Standard Rice³Hour/hour	0.021 Standard rice³Hour/hour	1461	890	890	620	5000	35	C	112	0	0.032 g/s	0.025 g/s	0.0146 Standard Rice³Hour/hour	0.021 Standard rice³Hour/hour	1829	1039	1039	649	6000	50
D	176	0	0.032 g/s	0.025 g/s	0.0146 Standard Rice³Hour/hour	0.021 Standard rice³Hour/hour	2500	1269	1269	696	8000	73	C	112	0	0.032 g/s	0.025 g/s	0.0146 Standard Rice³Hour/hour	0.021 Standard rice³Hour/hour	1829	1039	1039	649	6000	50
D	176	0	0.032 g/s	0.025 g/s	0.0146 Standard Rice³Hour/hour	0.021 Standard rice³Hour/hour	2500	1269	1269	696	8000	73	E	304	0	0.032 g/s	0.025 g/s	0.0146 Standard Rice³Hour/hour	0.021 Standard rice³Hour/hour	3760⁾¹	1560	1560	800	12000	99

TABLE 2

Dots in the figure		1	2	3			9⁰⁾	10	11	12
Dots in the figure		1	2	3			9⁰⁾	10	11	12			Parameter(s)	W₄W	Q air	Q water	Q fuel	W₂W	W₃ W	T，K	T，K	T，K	T，K	JKilojoule per kilogram	α％
Region(s)													Parameter(s)	W₄W	Q air	Q water	Q fuel	W₂W	W₃ W	T，K	T，K	T，K	T，K	JKilojoule per kilogram	α％
Region(s)													E	300	0	0.032 g/s	0.025 g/s	80	5	3760¹⁾	1560	1560	800	12000	99
F	300	0	0.045 g/s	0.035 g/sec	113	7	1367	1367	1367	709	9166	77	E	300	0	0.032 g/s	0.025 g/s	80	5	3760¹⁾	1560	1560	800	12000	99
F	300	0	0.045 g/s	0.035 g/sec	113	7	1367	1367	1367	709	9166	77	G	300	0	0.056 g/s	0.044 g/s	140	9	1264	1264	1264	684	8003	67
H	300	0	0.112 g/s	0.088 g/sec	280	18	916	916	916	615	5173	34	G	300	0	0.056 g/s	0.044 g/s	140	9	1264	1264	1264	684	8003	67
H	300	0	0.112 g/s	0.088 g/sec	280	18	916	916	916	615	5173	34	I	300	0	0.168 g/s	0.132 g/s	420	27	759	759	759	580	4286	20
J	300	0	0.281 g/s	0.219 g/s	720	44	605	605	605	530	3569	8	I	300	0	0.168 g/s	0.132 g/s	420	27	759	759	759	580	4286	20

TABLE 3

Dots in the figure		1	2	3	5	6	9⁰⁾	10	11	12
Dots in the figure		1	2	3	5	6	9⁰⁾	10	11	12			Parameter(s)	W₄W	Q air	Q water	Q fuel	Q water	Q fuel	T，K	T，K	T，K	T，K	JKilojoule per kilogram	α％²⁾
Region(s)													Parameter(s)	W₄W	Q air	Q water	Q fuel	Q water	Q fuel	T，K	T，K	T，K	T，K	JKilojoule per kilogram	α％²⁾
Region(s)													E	304	0	0.032 g/s	0.025 g/s	0.146 standard rice³Hour/hour	0.021 Standard rice³Hour/hour	3760¹⁾	1560	1560	800	12000	99
K	265	0.014 standard liter/second	0.028 g/s	0.025 g/s	0.128 standard meter³Hour/hour	0.021 Standard rice³Hour/hour	3098¹⁾	1458	1458	811	7300	100	E	304	0	0.032 g/s	0.025 g/s	0.146 standard rice³Hour/hour	0.021 Standard rice³Hour/hour	3760¹⁾	1560	1560	800	12000	99
K	265	0.014 standard liter/second	0.028 g/s	0.025 g/s	0.128 standard meter³Hour/hour	0.021 Standard rice³Hour/hour	3098¹⁾	1458	1458	811	7300	100	L	212	0.028 standard liter/second	0.023 g/s	0.025 g/s	0.105 standard rice³Hour/hour	0.021 Standard rice³Hour/hour	2403	1298	1298	825	4500	100
M	91	0.055 standard liter/second	0.014 g/s	0.025 g/s	0.064 standard rice³Hour/hour	0.021 Standard rice³Hour/hour	1179	838	838	838	1500	100	L	212	0.028 standard liter/second	0.023 g/s	0.025 g/s	0.105 standard rice³Hour/hour	0.021 Standard rice³Hour/hour	2403	1298	1298	825	4500	100

TABLE 4

Dots in the figure		1	2	3	5	6	9⁰⁾	10	11	12
Dots in the figure		1	2	3	5	6	9⁰⁾	10	11	12			Parameter(s)	W₄W	Q air	Q water	Q fuel	Q water	Q fuel	T，K	T，K	T，K	T，K	JKilojoule per kilogram	α％²⁾
Region(s)													Parameter(s)	W₄W	Q air	Q water	Q fuel	Q water	Q fuel	T，K	T，K	T，K	T，K	JKilojoule per kilogram	α％²⁾
Region(s)													N	144	0	0.032 g/s	0.025 g/s	0.146Standard rice³Hour/hour	0.021Standard rice³Hour/hour	2176	1160	1160	664	7000	63
0	86	0.014 standard liter/second	0.028 g/s	0.025 g/s	0.128Standard rice³Hour/hour	0.021Standard rice³Hour/hour	1390	888	888	651	3900	65	N	144	0	0.032 g/s	0.025 g/s	0.146Standard rice³Hour/hour	0.021Standard rice³Hour/hour	2176	1160	1160	664	7000	63
0	86	0.014 standard liter/second	0.028 g/s	0.025 g/s	0.128Standard rice³Hour/hour	0.021Standard rice³Hour/hour	1390	888	888	651	3900	65	P	32	0.028 standard liter/second	0.023 g/s	0.025 g/s	0.105Standard rice³Hour/hour	0.021Standard rice³Hour/hour	697	541	541	642	1500	64

Detailed Description

The basis of the invention is to use the ultra-high frequency pseudo-corona timing pulse to time discharge under normal pressure, which is different from the prior equipment in that: high-efficiency chemical active particle generation in plasma by low reactant temperature and high-weight nonequilibrium scale and high-efficiency electric energy utilization

The apparatus of the present invention is intended to carry out the plasma-catalytic conversion of fossil fuels to produce a hydrogen-rich synthesis gas (mixture of hydrogen and carbon monoxide).

The main processes involved in fuel conversion are: steam reforming (see j below) steam-oxygen reforming (k) partial oxidation (l)

The reactants are preheated to a temperature that provides a sufficiently high degree of conversion equilibrium for the reactor prior to entering the plasma-catalytic reactor section. Usually, this temperature is too low to allow this process to be carried out within an acceptable time (kinetic barrier). Plasma treatment of the preheated reactants removes kinetic limitations and reaches equilibrium values of reactant conversion levels via chain reaction processes involving chemically active particles.

The main part of the apparatus of the present invention is a plasma-catalytic reactor (fig. 10) in which preheated reactants are treated with a pseudo-corona timed pulsed microwave discharge.

The reactor is a metal tube of circular cross-section (1 in fig. 10), which is used in addition to gas transport and as a waveguide for the propagation of microwave radiation. Microwave radiation enters the reactor through a standard rectangular waveguide (2) (type H01 wave) through an interface aperture (3).

The interface aperture is closed by a chamber (8) transparent to microwave radiation to prevent interference of the kinetic parameters of the gas and to insulate the waveguide from the reactor. The longer wall of the rectangular waveguide is placed along the tube axis and the H11 wave pattern is excited in the circular waveguide. The electric field E distribution in rectangular and circular waveguides is depicted in fig. 2 and 3.

The reactor diameter is chosen under the condition that the circular waveguide does not excite other (higher) modes than the dominant mode H11. The next mode is EO 1. Satisfying this condition results in the following constraints on the diameter D:

I_O＜Icr^H11(D)＝1.705D (a)

I_O＜Icr^E01(D) 1.308d (b) wherein: i is_O: wavelength of microwave radiation in free space

Icr: critical wavelength of corresponding wave type in circular waveguide

The reactor diameter conditions are obtained from the above relation:

0.59I_O＜D＜0.76I。 (c)

the heated reactants enter the reactor from the mixing block (11 in fig. 10) through the reactant inlet means (4).

The mixing chamber is a device with a 3 reactant inlet system. The first inlet system (10) is mounted on the system shaft. Heated steam (process j) or a heated steam-air mixture (K) or heated air (l) is fed through it into the mixing chamber in various process variants and conversions. The second and third reactant inlets (9 and 10) are a central ultrasonic nozzle system. The use of these systems in this apparatus results in a mixing time of 10 on the molecular level of the reactants^-3-10^-4And second. In the steam-oxygen conversion (K) and partial oxidation (1) variants, the oxidation of the fuel occurs between the second and third reactant inlet systems. The energy generated during this oxidation process further heats the reactants.

The reactant inlet system (4) is a portion of a tube that narrows in the direction of the mixing chamber. It must be sufficiently narrow that the reactant inlet means exceeds the confines of the wave H11. I.e. microwave radiation is reflected out of this component to the interface aperture (3). This condition yields the following relationship between the characteristic transverse dimension of the reactant element and the diameter d:

I_o＞I_cr^H11(d)＝1.705d (d)

the process product exits the reactor through the piston bore (5). This piston is used to reflect microwave radiation to the interface aperture (3).

An alternative means of withdrawing the process product from the reactor may be a pipe section similar to the reactant inlet (4), but which is narrow in the opposite direction. In both cases, the length of the reactor (L in FIG. 10) must be an integer multiple of the half wavelength Iwg/2 of the microwave radiation in the waveguide:

L＝nI_wg/2＝nI_O/(1-(I_o/I_cr^H11(D))²)^1/2/2 (e)

corona means-a sharp metal rod (6) of non-molten material placed in the waveguide causes an electric discharge. This point of the rod causes the microwave electric field E around it to increase, thereby producing a pseudo-corona effect discharge. The rods are aligned in the waveguide along the power lines of the field E (fig. 12). The position of the rod point (H in fig. 12) corresponds approximately to half the waveguide radius. In the longitudinal sense (L2 in fig. 10), the rod is placed at the point of the stationary wave field in the resonator where the discharge has no maximum value:

L₂＝I_WH(n/2+1/4)＝(n/2+1/4)I_O/(1-(I_O/I_cr^H11(D))²)^1/2/2(f)

the beam in the pseudo-corona discharge phase is transferred in the microwave field into the plasma beam system and moves as a microwave beam, filling the tube cross-section and creating a microwave pulse discharge segment (7 in fig. 10). The purpose of the pseudocorona discharge stage is to generate a plasma with high average electrical energy at atmospheric pressure.

The purpose of the microwave beam stage is to generate a plasma that expands in the reactant plasma-catalytic processing space.

The fit of the rectangular waveguide (2 in FIG. 10) and the reactor (11) is achieved by selecting the ratio between the lengths 1 and L1 (FIG. 10). Practically all microwave radiation is absorbed in the discharge region (7) so that the part of the waveguide to the right of the radiation input aperture (3) operates in the moving wave region in the presence of the discharge. In this case, the distance L1 of about an integer multiple of half the wavelength in the waveguide is:

L1＝nIwg/2＝I_o/(1-(I_o/I_cr^H11(D))²)^1/2/2 (g)

the microwave radiation source operates in a timed pulse region. Duration t of radiation pulse₁Provision forThe time required for the two discharge phases (pseudo-corona effect and microwave beam phase) to occur under given conditions.

Pulse repetition period t₂The following quantities are best used to derive the relationship: lifetime of plasma-generated active species in the passive discharge phase after cessation of the ultra-high frequency radiation pulse; linear velocity of the reactant through the discharge region; discharging and supplying energy:

J_{plasma body}W/q (h) wherein W is W_{Pulse of light}·t₁/t₂W is the average power of the microwave radiation, W_{Pulse of light}Pulse power and Q reactant consumption.

Microwave radiation pulse power W_{Pulse of light}(h) (i) determining the energy input of the plasma, J_{Plasma body}. Furthermore, the pulse power depends on the electric field strength in the circular waveguide without plasma, which must be lower than the disruptive discharge, but at the same time sufficiently high to initiate a pseudo-corona discharge phase in the corona component.

The thermal energy provided (energy provided to preheat the reactants) J must be sufficient to heat the reactants to the desired temperature and to compensate for the energy consumption of the endothermic process of the system, which produces a reactant conversion equilibrium at a given temperature.

Preheating of the reactants can be carried out by the following method: a heater (e.g., arc plasma tube) independent of the power supply; combustion of part of the fuel in the combustion chamber; part of the fuel is oxidized by oxygen in a reforming process involving oxygen (air); heat recovery at the outlet of the plant

Combinations of the above methods are also possible.

Ratio of plasma energy supply to heat supply J_{Plasma body}/J_{Heat generation}About 1-10%.

The characteristic temperatures of the conversion process and their corresponding reactant conversions are given below.

The fuel steam reforming process (j) with 35% conversion had the following characteristic temperatures: the steam heating temperature 1450K, the temperature of the mixed steam-fuel steam mixture 890K, and the temperature of the post-process product 620K.

The fuel steam reforming process (j) with 65% conversion had the following characteristic temperatures: the steam heats the temperature of 2180K, the temperature of the mixed steam-fuel steam mixture is 1150K, and the temperature of the post-process product is 665K.

The fuel steam reforming process (j) with 99% conversion had the following characteristic temperatures: water vapor heats 3750K (regardless of the water molecule dissociation process), temperature 1560K of the mixed water vapor-fuel vapor mixture, and temperature 800K of the product after the process.

The steam-oxygen reforming process (K) of the fuel with a conversion of 65% (water-air molar ratio 2.5) has the following characteristic temperatures: the steam-air mixture heats 1390K, the temperature of the mixed reactants 890K, and the temperature of the product after the process 650K.

The partial oxidation process (1) of the fuel with 100% conversion (fuel-air molar ratio 1: 3.46) has the following characteristic temperatures:the heating temperature of the steam-air mixture is 1110K, the temperature of the reactants after mixing is 896K, and the temperature of the products after the process is 1611K.

3. Implementation and features of the present procedure

The proposed plant can perform the fossil fuel reforming process with steam, steam-oxygen and fuel steam to generate a hydrogen rich gas, as well as a facilitated fuel partial oxidation process.

3.1

The steam reforming process of the fuel is described by the following reaction:

(j)

and an implementation in the device is illustrated in fig. 13.

Water vapor is fed into the heater and then into the first inlet of the mixing chamber, while fuel is fed into the second and third inlets of the mixing chamber. Depending on the selected range, the fuel ratio at the inlet of the second and third mixing chambers may be 0-1, while the overall steam/fuel molar ratio may vary between 6 and 14.

As shown in fig. 14, a recovery heat exchanger using heat from the outlet of the reactor may be used as a heater, with arc plasma tubes in series. At the heater outlet, the temperature of the water vapor required for the fuel water vapor reforming process is 1400-3000K, while the reactant temperature at the reactor inlet is 900-1500K.

The total energy balance of the plasma-catalyzed steam reforming process involves reactant vaporization (J)_{Steam generating device}) Reactant heating and energy consumed by chemical processes. The product composition at the reactor outlet (degree of conversion of the reactants "a") and the energy "A" consumed by the product (hydrogen-rich gas) depend above all on the energy J supplied_{General assembly}＝J_{Plasma body}+J_{Heat generation}+J_{Steam generating device}. The following table shows this relationship (energy supply J)_{General assembly}Expressed as the energy and weight ratio of the liquid reactants)

J_{General assembly}，KJ(kg)	a，％	A, ev/mol
J_{General assembly}，KJ(kg)	a，％	A, ev/mol	12000	96	0.14
9170	77.5	0.19	12000	96	0.14
9170	77.5	0.19	8000	67	0.19
5170	49	0.28	8000	67	0.19
5170	49	0.28	4290	20	0.31

3.2

In a steam-oxygen (steam-air) reforming process, for a given amount of fuel (x) and oxygen (y)

As shown in fig. 15, water vapor is fed into the heater to mix with air, and fuel is fed into inlets 2 and 3 in a ratio of 0.5-2. The temperature at the outlet of the heater is 500-600K, 800-1500K at the inlet of the reactor. The steam/air and steam/fuel molar ratios are 0.3-2 and 3-7, respectively.

The conversion of the reactants to hydrogen-rich synthesis gas depends on the energy J supplied to the system_{General assembly}(see 3.1) and on the air to fuel molar ratio "g". The following table lists the main quantitative characteristics:

g，％ J_{general assembly}Qiaojiao/kg a%

In the course of the partial oxidation of the fuel,

(l)

as shown in FIG. 16, air is fed to the heater and fuel is fed to the second and third inlets of the mixing chamber in a ratio of 0.5 to 2, with an air/fuel molar ratio "g" at the reactor inlet of 8 to 12.

The temperature required for partial oxidation of the feed fuel at the heater outlet was 500-.

In order to determine the working temperature of the process, 1000-_{General assembly}(see 3.1), using this energy, the conversion of the reactants reaches 100%.

Symbols in FIGS. 10-16

FIG. 10 configuration of the apparatus 1-circular waveguide, chemical reactor; 2-a rectangular waveguide; 3-interfacial pores; 4-a reactor reactant inlet means; 5-reactor product outlet, waveguide piston; 6-initiator rod; 7-a plasma catalytic discharge section; 8-first mixing chamber inlet; 9-the cross-section of the second mixing chamber inlet; 10-the cross section of the third mixing chamber inlet; 11-reactant mixing chamber.

FIG. 11 is a matched 1-rectangular waveguide of circular and rectangular waveguide electric field distributions; 2-circular waveguide tube; e-microwave electric field vector.

FIG. 12 corona initiator rod to waveguide inlet 1-circular waveguide; 2-a sharp rod of rigid metal; 3-lines of electric force at the rods and discharge waveguides. The distribution of the microwave electric field radiation is as follows.

FIG. 13 Process flow scheme for steam reforming of Fuel 1, 2, 3-reactants to first, second and third inlets of a mixing chamber.

FIG. 14 flow diagram for steam preheating during fuel steam reforming

FIG. 15 flow diagram of the fuel steam-air reforming process 1, 2, 3-first, second, and third inlets for reactants to the mixing chamber.

FIG. 16 flow diagram of the process for partial oxidation of fuel 1, 2, 3-the first, second and third inlets for the reactants to the mixing chamber.

FIG. 17 apparatus FIG. 1-circular waveguide, plasma chemical reactor, 2-rectangular waveguide for microwave radiation into the reactor, 3-small interface holes, 4-inlet means for reactants into the reactor, 5-outlet of reactor product, waveguide junction, 6-initiator rod, 7-plasma catalytic discharge section, 8-inlet of first mixing chamber, 9-cross section of third mixing chamber inlet, 11-reactant mixing chamber.

Modification according to article 19 of the treaty

1. Plasma reformer for the generation of hydrogen rich gas from fossil fuels, said reformer comprising a heater, a mixing chamber, a reactor, which are connected in series, and an MCW energy source for the reactor, which generates pulses with a pulse duration of 0.1-1 microsecond, with a ratio of pulse period to pulse duration of 100-1000 in the cm or dm range (X, S band) of the microwave, and which uses a pseudocorona pulse timed MCW discharge in the reactor at normal pressure, which is initiated by a set of metal tips inserted into an MCW resonator, wherein the resonator has a length of about several times the wavelength of the MCW radiation, the metal tips are arranged in the resonator in the region of maximum electric field, the mixing chamber is equipped with an inlet connected to the heater and second and third inlets for supplying reactants in different regions of the mixing chamber.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein to perform the steam reforming process of the fuel, steam is fed to the heater,fuel is fed to the inlets of the second and third mixing chambers, Q₁/Q₂The ratio is 0-1.

3. The apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the heater constitutes a heat exchanger for recovering heat of the generated hydrogen-rich gas and having an arc plasma tube connected in series with the heat exchanger.

4. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the selected steam to fuel mole ratio is from 6 to 14.

5. The apparatus of claim 2 wherein the temperature of the water vapor at the heater outlet is about 1400-3000K and the temperature of the reactants in the reactor is 900-1500K.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein to perform the steam-air reforming process of the fuel, steam mixed with air is fed into the mixing chamber and the fuel is fed into the inlets of the second and third mixing chambers, Q₂/Q₃The ratio is 0.5-2.

7. The apparatus of claim 2 wherein the temperature of the reactant at the heater outlet is about 500-.

8. The apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the steam/air and steam/fuel molar ratios at the reactor inlet are comprised between 0.3 and 2 and between 3 and 7, respectively.

9. Apparatus according to claim 2, wherein for the partial oxidation of the fuel, air is fed in at a first inlet of the mixing chamber and fuel is fed in at a second and a third inlet of the mixing chamber, Q₂/Q₃The ratio is 0.5-2.

10. The apparatus according to claim 9, wherein the temperature of the reactants at the heater outlet is 500-.

11. The apparatus of claim 9 wherein the air/fuel molar ratio at the reactor inlet is from 8 to 12.

12. The apparatus according to claims 6 and 9, wherein the heater is formed with a heatrecovery heat exchanger which utilizes the heat of the hydrogen-rich gas generated in the reactor.

13. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein W/Q is 0.2-0.4 kw.h/m according to the relationship³The total flow rate of reactants Q and the average specific power of MCW are selected.

14. The apparatus according to claims 6 and 9, wherein W/Q is 0.05-0.15 kw.h/m according to the relation³The average of the total flow rates of reactants Q and W is selected.