U.S. patent application number 10/612446 was filed with the patent office on 2004-02-05 for method and apparatus for advancing air into a fuel reformer by use of a turbocharger.
Invention is credited to Kramer, Dennis A..
Application Number | 20040020191 10/612446 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 31191420 |
Filed Date | 2004-02-05 |
United States Patent
Application |
20040020191 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Kramer, Dennis A. |
February 5, 2004 |
Method and apparatus for advancing air into a fuel reformer by use
of a turbocharger
Abstract
A method of operating a power system includes operating a
turbocharger so as to produce pressurized air, and advancing the
pressurized air into a fuel reformer. The method also includes
advancing reformate gas produced by the fuel reformer to a
component such as the intake of the engine, an emission abatement
device, or a fuel cell. A power system operated by such a method is
also disclosed.
Inventors: |
Kramer, Dennis A.; (Troy,
MI) |
Correspondence
Address: |
BARNES & THORNBURG
11 SOUTH MERIDIAN
INDIANAPOLIS
IN
46204
|
Family ID: |
31191420 |
Appl. No.: |
10/612446 |
Filed: |
July 2, 2003 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
|
|
60401095 |
Aug 5, 2002 |
|
|
|
Current U.S.
Class: |
60/286 ; 60/275;
60/280; 60/295; 60/301 |
Current CPC
Class: |
Y02T 10/30 20130101;
F02B 43/08 20130101; Y02T 10/32 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
60/286 ; 60/275;
60/301; 60/295; 60/280 |
International
Class: |
F01N 003/00; F01N
003/10 |
Claims
1. A method of operating a fuel reforming system, the method
comprising the steps of: operating a turbocharger so as to produce
pressurized air, and cadvancing the pressurized air through a fuel
reformer.
2. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of advancing
a reformate gas produced by the fuel reformer to an intake of an
internal combustion engine with the pressurized air.
3. The method of claim 2, wherein: the reformate gas comprises a
hydrogen-rich gas, and the reformate gas advancing step comprises
advancing the hydrogen-rich gas to the intake of the engine with
the pressurized air.
4. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of advancing
a reformate gas produced by the fuel reformer to an emission
abatement device with the pressurized air.
5. The method of claim 4, wherein: the reformate gas comprises a
hydrogen-rich gas, and the reformate gas advancing step comprises
advancing the hydrogen-rich gas to the emission abatement device
with the pressurized air.
6. The method of claim 1, wherein: the turbocharger has a turbine
assembly, and the operating step comprises driving the turbine
assembly with exhaust gases from an internal combustion engine.
7. The method of claim 1, wherein: the fuel reformer comprises a
plasma fuel reformer having an air inlet, and the advancing step
comprises advancing the pressurized air through the air inlet of
the plasma fuel reformer.
8. A fuel reforming system, comprising: a turbocharger having a
pressurized air outlet, and a fuel reformer having an air inlet
fluidly coupled to the pressurized air outlet.
9. The system of claim 8, wherein: the fuel reformer has a
reformate gas outlet, and the reformate gas outlet is fluidly
coupled to an intake of an internal combustion engine.
10. The system of claim 8, wherein: the fuel reformer has a
reformate gas outlet, and the reformate gas outlet is fluidly
coupled to an emission abatement device.
11. The system of claim 8, wherein: the turbocharger comprises a
turbine assembly having a turbine gas inlet, and the turbine gas
inlet is fluidly coupled to an exhaust manifold of an internal
combustion engine.
12. The system of claim 8, wherein the fuel reformer comprises a
plasma fuel reformer.
13. A method of operating a power system, the method comprising the
steps of: operating a turbocharger so as to produce pressurized
air, and advancing a reformate gas from a fuel reformer to a
component with the pressurized air.
14. The method of claim 13, wherein the advancing step comprises
advancing the reformate gas from the fuel reformer to an intake of
an internal combustion engine with the pressurized air.
15. The method of claim 13, wherein the advancing step comprises
advancing the reformate gas from the fuel reformer to an emission
abatement device with the pressurized air.
16. The method of claim 13, wherein: the turbocharger has a turbine
assembly, and the operating step comprises driving the turbine
assembly with exhaust gases from an internal combustion engine.
17. The method of claim 13, wherein: the reformate gas comprises a
hydrogen-rich gas, and the advancing step comprises advancing the
hydrogen-rich gas to the component with the pressurized air.
Description
[0001] This application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Patent
Application Serial No. 60/401,095 which was filed on Aug. 5, 2002,
the disclosure of which is hereby incorporated by reference.
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0002] Cross reference is made to copending U.S. patent application
Ser. No. ______ (Attorney Docket No. 9501-72760) entitled "Method
and Apparatus for Generating Pressurized Air by Use of Reformate
Gas from a Fuel Reformer," along with copending U.S. patent
application Ser. No. ______ (Attorney Docket No. 9501-72887)
entitled "Method and Apparatus for Advancing Air into a Fuel
Reformer by Use of an Engine Vacuum," both of which are assigned to
the same assignee as the present application, filed concurrently
herewith, and hereby incorporated by reference.
FIELD OF THE DISCLOSURE
[0003] The present disclosure relates generally to a power system
and a method of operating the power system. More particularly, the
present disclosure relates to advancing air into a fuel reformer of
the power system.
BACKGROUND OF THE DISCLOSURE
[0004] A fuel reformer is used to reform a hydrocarbon fuel into a
reformate gas. Some fuel reformers use a mixture of air and fuel to
produce the reformate gas. More particularly, air is advanced into
such fuel reformers and mix with fuel with such a mixture being
used to produce the reformate gas.
[0005] Reformate gas from fuel reformers may be utilized as a fuel
or fuel additive in the operation of an internal combustion engine.
Such reformate gas may also be utilized to regenerate an emission
abatement device or as a fuel for a fuel cell.
SUMMARY OF THE DISCLOSURE
[0006] According to one aspect of the disclosure, a fuel reforming
system includes a turbocharger and a fuel reformer. The
turbocharger has a pressurized air outlet that is fluidly coupled
to an air inlet of the fuel reformer so that the turbocharger can
provide pressurized air for use by the fuel reformer.
[0007] The turbocharger has a turbine assembly that drives a
compressor assembly to provide the pressurized air. In one
embodiment, the turbine assembly is driven by exhaust gas
discharged by an internal combustion engine. In another embodiment,
the turbine assembly is driven by a reformate gas produced by the
fuel reformer.
[0008] A method of operating the above system includes operating
the turbocharger so as to produce pressurized air, and advancing
the pressurized air through the fuel reformer.
[0009] According to another aspect of the disclosure, a method of
operating a power system includes operating the turbocharger so as
to produce pressurized air, and advancing a reformate gas from the
fuel reformer to a component with the pressurized air. The
component may be, for example, the intake of the engine, an
emission abatement device, or a fuel cell.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0010] FIG. 1 is a simplified block diagram of a power system that
uses the engine vacuum of an internal combustion engine to advance
air into a fuel reformer and to advance a reformate gas produced by
the fuel reformer to the engine;
[0011] FIG. 2 is a simplified block diagram of a second embodiment
of a power system that uses the engine vacuum of an internal
combustion engine to advance air into a fuel reformer and to
advance a reformate gas produced by the fuel reformer to an
emission abatement device;
[0012] FIG. 3 is a simplified block diagram of a third embodiment
of a power system that uses the engine vacuum of an internal
combustion engine to drive a turbocharger which, when driven,
advances pressurized air into a fuel reformer to advance a
reformate gas produced by the fuel reformer to an emission
abatement device;
[0013] FIG. 4 is a simplified block diagram of a fourth embodiment
of a power system in which exhaust gas discharged from an internal
combustion engine drives a turbocharger which, when driven,
advances pressurized air into a fuel reformer to advance a
reformate gas produced by the fuel reformer to the engine;
[0014] FIG. 5 is a simplified block diagram of a fifth embodiment
of a power system in which exhaust gas discharged from an internal
combustion engine drives a turbocharger which, when driven,
advances pressurized air into a fuel reformer to advance a
reformate gas produced by the fuel reformer to an emission
abatement device;
[0015] FIG. 6 is a simplified block diagram of a sixth embodiment
of a power system having a turbocharger that advances pressurized
air to a fuel reformer that produces a reformate gas that drives
the turbocharger and advances to a component of the power
system;
[0016] FIG. 7 is a simplified block diagram showing an internal
combustion engine as being the component of the power system of
FIG. 6 that receives the reformate gas produced by the fuel
reformer;
[0017] FIG. 8 is a simplified block diagram showing an emission
abatement device as being the component of the power system of FIG.
6 that receives the reformate gas produced by the fuel reformer;
and
[0018] FIG. 9 is a simplified block diagram showing a fuel cell as
being the component of the power system of FIG. 6 that receives the
reformate gas produced by the fuel reformer.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF ILLUSTRATIVE EMBODIMENTS
[0019] While the concepts of the present disclosure are susceptible
to various modifications and alternative forms, specific exemplary
embodiments thereof have been shown by way of example in the
drawings and will herein be described in detail. It should be
understood, however, that there is no intent to limit the
disclosure to the particular forms disclosed, but on the contrary,
the intention is to cover all modifications, equivalents, and
alternatives following within the spirit and scope of the invention
as defined by the appended claims.
[0020] Referring now to FIG. 1, there is shown a power system 10
which includes a fuel reformer 12 and an internal combustion engine
14. A conduit 16 interconnects the fuel reformer 12 and the engine
14. The fuel reformer 12 uses fuel and air to produce a reformate
gas. The reformate gas is, for example, hydrogen-rich gas. The
reformate gas may include other constituents such as carbon
monoxide. The fuel is, for example, a hydrocarbon fuel, such as
gasoline or diesel fuel, supplied by a fuel tank (not shown) of the
power system 10.
[0021] The engine 14 produces an engine vacuum when running (i.e.,
operated in an actuated mode of operation). The engine vacuum is
communicated from the engine 14 to the fuel reformer 12 via the
conduit 16 so as to draw or otherwise advance air into the fuel
reformer 12. At some point (either prior to or subsequent to entry
into the fuel reformer 12), some portion of the air may be mixed
with fuel with the resultant mixture being reformed so as to
produce the reformate gas. The engine vacuum further draws or
otherwise advances the reformate gas from the fuel reformer 12 into
the engine 14 so as to enhance the combustion process in the engine
14, for example.
[0022] The fuel reformer 12 comprises, for example, a plasma fuel
reformer. A plasma fuel reformer uses a plasma a heated,
electrically conducting gas to convert hydrocarbon fuel into
hydrogen-rich gas. Such a plasma fuel reformer heats the
electrically conducting gas either by an arc discharge or by a high
frequency inductive or microwave discharge. Systems including
plasma fuel reformers are disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,425,332
issued to Rabinovich et al.; U.S. Pat. No. 5,437,250 issued to
Rabinovich et al.; U.S. Pat. No. 5,409,784 issued to Bromberg et
al.; and U.S. Pat. No. 5,887,554 issued to Cohn, et al., the
disclosures of each of which is hereby incorporated by reference.
Additional examples of systems including plasma fuel reformers are
disclosed in copending U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/158,615
entitled "Low Current Plasmatron Fuel Converter Having Enlarged
Volume Discharges" which was filed on May 30, 2002 by A.
Rabinovich, N. Alexeev, L. Bromberg, D. Cohn, and A. Samokhin,
along with copending U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/411,917
entitled "Plasmatron Fuel Converter Having Decoupled Air Flow
Control" which was filed on Apr. 11, 2003 by A. Rabinovich, N.
Alexeev, L. Bromberg, D. Cohn, and A. Samokhin, the disclosures of
both of which are hereby incorporated by reference. The fuel
reformer 12 may comprise another type of fuel reformer, such as a
catalytic fuel reformer, a thermal fuel reformer, or a steam fuel
reformer.
[0023] The fuel reformer 12 includes an air inlet 18 for admitting
air into the fuel reformer 12 and a reformate gas outlet 20 for
discharging the reformate gas from the fuel reformer 12. The engine
14 has an intake 22 such as an intake manifold for admitting the
reformate gas into the engine 14. The conduit 16 is coupled to the
reformate gas outlet 20 and the intake 22 to conduct the reformate
gas from the outlet 20 to the intake 22.
[0024] During operation of the engine 14, the engine vacuum is
present at intake 22. The engine vacuum causes air to advance
through the inlet 18 and into the fuel reformer 12. The engine
vacuum further causes the reformate gas produced by the reformer 12
to advance from the outlet 20 through the conduit 16 to the intake
22.
[0025] During advancement of air through the fuel reformer 12 with
the engine vacuum, a pressure drop across the fuel reformer 12 from
the inlet 18 to the outlet 20 is present. As such, an outlet
pressure at the outlet 20 is less than an inlet pressure at the
inlet 18.
[0026] Advancing the reformate gas from the outlet 20 through the
conduit 16 to the intake 22 generates a pressure drop across the
conduit 16 between the outlet 20 and the intake 22. More
particularly, advancing the reformate gas from the outlet 20
through the conduit 16 to the intake 22 generates an intake
pressure at the intake 22 which is less than the outlet pressure at
the outlet 20.
[0027] Operation of the engine 14 produces mechanical output which
is used to drive or otherwise mechanically power a driven mechanism
(not shown). Specifically, the driven mechanism is mechanically
coupled to an output mechanism of the engine 14 such as a
crankshaft or the like. The driven mechanism may be embodied as a
transmission, specifically a vehicle transmission, which is used to
propel a vehicle. In the case of when the power system 10 is used
in the construction of a stationary power-generating system or a
hybrid vehicle, the driven mechanism may be provided as a power
generator or the like for producing electrical power from the
mechanical output of the engine 14. The driven mechanism may be
embodied as any type of mechanism which is driven by an internal
combustion engine. For example, the driven mechanism may be
embodied as a pump mechanism or the like.
[0028] Referring now to FIG. 2, there is shown another power system
110. The power system 110 includes structures similar to structures
of the power system 10 so that like reference numerals refer to
like structures.
[0029] The power system 110 includes the fuel reformer 12 and the
engine 14. The power system 110 further includes an emission
abatement device 124 such as a NO.sub.x absorber or a soot filter.
The emission abatement device 124 is fluidly coupled to the engine
14 via an exhaust gas conduit 126 to receive exhaust gas discharged
from the engine 14 to remove or otherwise treat emissions of the
exhaust gas.
[0030] The device 124 is arranged, for example, to remove compounds
such as NO.sub.x, SO.sub.x, or soot particles present in the
exhaust gas discharged from the engine 14. In particular, the
device 124 may be used to trap or otherwise capture one or more
compounds present in the engine's exhaust gases. In such a way,
treated emissions are exhausted into the surrounding
atmosphere.
[0031] The emission abatement device 124 is fluidly coupled to the
reformate gas outlet 20 of the fuel reformer 12 via a reformate gas
conduit 116 to receive the reformate gas from the fuel reformer 12.
The reformate gas is used to regenerate or otherwise condition the
emission abatement device 124 during operation of the engine
14.
[0032] The engine vacuum produced by the engine 14 is used to draw
or otherwise advance the reformate gas from the outlet 20 to the
emission abatement device 124. To do so, a vacuum source 122 of the
engine 14 is fluidly coupled to the reformate gas conduit 116 via a
vacuum supply conduit 128. The engine vacuum thus causes the
reformate gas to advance from the outlet 20 of the fuel reformer 12
to the emission abatement device 124 via the reformate gas conduit
116. It should be appreciated that the vacuum present in the supply
conduit 128 also causes air to be advanced into the fuel reformer
12 in a similar manner to as described above with respect to FIG.
1.
[0033] Referring now to FIG. 3, there is shown another power system
210. The power system 210 includes structures similar to structures
of the power system 10 and the power system 110 so that like
reference numerals refer to like structures.
[0034] Similar to power system 110, power system 210 includes an
emission abatement device 124 fluidly coupled to a fuel reformer 12
via a reformate gas conduit 116. The emission abatement device 124
is fluidly coupled to an engine 14 via an exhaust gas conduit 126
to receive exhaust gas discharged from the engine 14 to reduce or
otherwise treat emissions of the exhaust gas.
[0035] Power system 210 also includes a turbocharger 230 for
advancing air into the inlet 18 of the fuel reformer 12 with the
engine vacuum produced by the engine 14. In particular, the
turbocharger 230 has a turbine assembly 232 and a compressor
assembly 236. The turbine assembly 232 is driven by the engine
vacuum. The turbine assembly 232 in turn drives the compressor
assembly 236 via a shaft (not shown) coupled to the turbine
assembly 232 and the compressor assembly 236. Operation of the
compressor assembly 236 pressurizes air and advances the
pressurized air into the fuel reformer 12. Operation of the
compressor assembly 236 further causes the reformate gas produced
by the fuel reformer 12 to advance from the fuel reformer 12 to the
emission abatement device 124 for regeneration of the emission
abatement device 124.
[0036] The turbine assembly 232 has a turbine gas inlet 240 and a
turbine gas outlet 242. The turbine gas outlet 242 is fluidly
coupled to a vacuum source 122 of the engine 14 via a vacuum supply
conduit 234. The engine vacuum provided by the vacuum source 122
draws or otherwise advances air through the turbine gas inlet 240,
the turbine assembly 232, the turbine gas outlet 242, and the
vacuum supply conduit 234 to drive the turbine assembly 232.
[0037] The compressor assembly 236 has an unpressurized air inlet
246 and a pressurized air outlet 248. The unpressurized air inlet
246 admits unpressurized air (i.e., air having a pressure lower
than air at the pressurized air outlet 248) into the compressor
assembly 236. The pressurized air outlet 248 discharges air
pressurized by the compressor assembly 236. The pressurized air
outlet 248 is fluidly coupled to the inlet 18 of the fuel reformer
12 via a pressurized air conduit 238. Operation of the compressor
assembly 238 causes pressurized air to advance from the pressurized
air outlet 248 through the pressurized air conduit 238 and through
the inlet 18 of the fuel reformer 12 and causes the reformate gas
produced by the fuel reformer 12 to advance from the outlet 20 of
the fuel reformer 12 through the reformate gas conduit 116 to the
emission abatement device 124.
[0038] It should be appreciated that the herein described systems
may also be utilized to supply reformate gas from the fuel reformer
to components other than an engine or an emission abatement device.
For example, the engine vacuum produced by the engine may be used
to advance air into the fuel reformer and to advance a reformate
gas produced by the fuel reformer from the fuel reformer to a fuel
cell. A fuel cell uses the reformate gas to generate electricity to
power electrical components of the power system or other electrical
components. The fuel cell may be embodied as any type of fuel cell.
For example, the fuel cell may be embodied as an alkaline fuel cell
(AFC), a phosphoric acid fuel cell (PAFC), a proton exchange
membrane fuel cell (PEMFC), a solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC), a
molten carbonate fuel cell (MCFC), or any other type of fuel
cell.
[0039] Referring now to FIG. 4, another power system 310 is shown.
The power system 310 includes structures similar to structures of
the above-described power systems so that like reference numerals
refer to like structures.
[0040] The power system 310 includes a fuel reformer 12, an
internal combustion engine 14, and a turbocharger 330. The fuel
reformer 12 uses fuel from a fuel tank (not shown) and pressurized
air from the turbocharger 330 to produce a reformate gas which is
advanced to the engine 14. Exhaust gas discharged from the engine
14 is used to drive the turbocharger 330 so that the turbocharger
330 can provide the pressurized air for use by the fuel reformer
12.
[0041] The turbocharger 330 has a turbine assembly 332 and a
compressor assembly 336 coupled to the turbine assembly 332 via a
shaft (not shown). The turbine assembly 332 has a turbine gas inlet
340 and a turbine gas outlet 342. The turbine gas inlet 340 admits
exhaust gas discharged from the exhaust manifold 23 of the engine
14 into the turbine assembly 332. The turbine gas outlet 342
discharges exhaust gas from the turbine assembly 332. The turbine
gas inlet 340 is fluidly coupled to the exhaust manifold 23 of the
engine 14 via an exhaust gas conduit 348 so that exhaust gas
discharged from the exhaust manifold 23 flows from the exhaust
manifold 23 through the exhaust gas conduit 344, the turbine gas
inlet 340, the turbine assembly 332, and the turbine gas outlet 342
to drive the turbine assembly 332.
[0042] The compressor assembly 336 has an unpressurized air inlet
346 and a pressurized air outlet 348. The unpressurized air inlet
346 admits unpressurized air (i.e., air having a pressure lower
than air at the pressurized air outlet 348) into the compressor
assembly 336. The pressurized air outlet 348 discharges pressurized
air from the compressor assembly 336.
[0043] The exhaust gas drives the turbine assembly 332 as it
advances therethrough. The turbine assembly 332 in turn drives the
compressor assembly 336. As the compressor assembly 336 is driven,
it pressurizes unpressurized air admitted into the compressor
assembly 336 through the unpressurized air inlet 346 to provide
pressurized air at the pressurized air outlet 348. The pressurized
air outlet 348 is fluidly coupled to the pressurized air inlet 18
of the fuel reformer via a pressurized air conduit 350. In such a
way, pressurized air from the turbocharger 330 is advanced out the
pressurized air outlet 348, through the pressurized air conduit
350, and into the pressurized air inlet 346. Operation of the
turbocharger 330 thus advances pressurized air from the
turbocharger 330 into the fuel reformer 12.
[0044] The fuel reformer uses the pressurized air and fuel to
produce the reformate gas. The reformate gas is discharged from a
reformate gas outlet 20 of the fuel reformer 12 and advances from
the reformate gas outlet 20 through a reformate gas conduit 16 to
an intake 22 of the engine 14 with the pressurized air. Operation
of the turbocharger 330 thus also advances the reformate gas from
the fuel reformer 12 to the engine 14.
[0045] Referring now to FIG. 5, another power system 410 is shown.
The power system 410 includes structures similar to structures of
the above-described power systems so that like reference numerals
refer to like structures.
[0046] The power system 410 includes a fuel reformer 12, an
internal combustion engine 14, a turbocharger 330, and an emission
abatement device 124. Exhaust gas discharged from the engine 14
flows through the turbocharger 330 to operate the turbocharger 330
and then flows through the emission abatement device 124 for
treatment of the exhaust gas prior to discharge to the surrounding
atmosphere. Operation of the turbocharger 330 pressurizes air and
causes the pressurized air to advance into the fuel reformer 12.
The reformate gas produced by the fuel reformer 12 is advanced from
the fuel reformer 12 to the emission abatement device 124 by
pressurized air from the turbocharger 330 for regeneration of the
emission abatement device 124.
[0047] The turbocharger 330 is fluidly coupled to the engine 14,
the emission abatement device 124, and the fuel reformer 12. The
exhaust manifold 23 of the engine 14 is fluidly coupled to a
turbine gas inlet 340 of a turbine assembly 332 of the turbocharger
330 via an exhaust gas conduit 344. In such a way, exhaust gas from
the exhaust manifold 23 is advanced through the exhaust gas conduit
344 an into the turbine gas inlet 340. A turbine gas outlet 342 is
fluidly coupled to the emission abatement device 124 via an exhaust
gas conduit 452 to provide exhaust gas from the turbine gas outlet
342 through the exhaust gas conduit 452 to the emission abatement
device 124. A pressurized air outlet 348 of a compressor assembly
336 of the turbocharger 330 is fluidly coupled to a pressurized air
inlet 18 of the fuel reformer 12 via a pressurized air conduit 350
to provide pressurized air from the pressurized air outlet 348
through the pressurized air conduit 350 to the pressurized air
inlet 18.
[0048] Exhaust gas drives the turbine assembly 332 as it flows from
the turbine gas inlet 340 through the turbine assembly 332 to the
turbine gas outlet 342. The turbine assembly 332 in turn drives the
compressor assembly 336. Operation of the compressor assembly 336
pressurizes air that enters the compressor assembly 336 through an
unpressurized air inlet 346 and exits the compressor assembly 336
through the pressurized air outlet 348. The driven compressor
assembly 336 causes the pressurized air to advance through the
pressurized air conduit 350 and the pressurized air inlet 18 into
the fuel reformer 12 and causes the reformate gas produced by the
fuel reformer 12 to advance from a reformate gas outlet 20 of the
fuel reformer 12 to the emission abatement device 12 through a
reformate gas conduit 116.
[0049] Referring now to FIG. 6, another power system 510 is shown.
The power system 510 includes structures similar to structures of
the above-described power systems so that like reference numerals
refer to like structures.
[0050] The power system 510 includes a fuel reformer 12, a
turbocharger 330, and a component 511. The component 511 may be,
for example, the internal combustion engine 14 (see FIG. 7), the
emission abatement device 124 (see FIG. 8), or a fuel cell 513 (see
FIG. 9). The reformate gas produced by the fuel reformer 12
advances through the turbocharger 330 to operate the turbocharger
330. Thereafter, the reformate gas is exhausted from the
turbocharger 330 and advanced to either the intake 22 of the engine
14, the emission abatement device 124, or the fuel cell 513. Hence,
operation of the turbocharger 330 provides pressurized air for
input into the fuel reformer 12, and, similar to as described
above, for advancement of the reformate gas produced from the fuel
reformer 12 to the component 511 (via the turbocharger 330).
[0051] The turbocharger 330 is fluidly coupled to the fuel reformer
12 and the component 511. In particular, the turbine gas inlet 340
of a turbine assembly 332 of the turbocharger 330 is fluidly
coupled to the reformate gas outlet 20 of the fuel reformer 12 via
a reformate gas conduit 516. The turbine gas outlet 342 of the
turbine assembly 332 is fluidly coupled to the component 511 via a
reformate gas conduit 517. The pressurized air outlet 348 is
fluidly coupled to a pressurized air inlet 18 of the fuel reformer
via a pressurized air conduit 350.
[0052] The reformate gas produced by the fuel reformer 12 drives
the turbine assembly 332. The reformate gas advances from the
reformate gas outlet 20 through the reformate gas conduit 516 to
the reformate gas inlet 340 of the turbine assembly 332. The
reformate gas then flows from the reformate gas inlet 340 through
the turbine assembly 332 to the reformate gas outlet 342 of the
turbine assembly 332 to drive the turbine assembly 332. Upon
exiting the turbine assembly 332 through the reformate gas outlet
342, the reformate gas advances through the reformate gas conduit
517 to the component 511.
[0053] Flow of exhaust gas through the turbine assembly 332 causes
the turbine assembly 332 to drive the compressor assembly 336.
Operation of the compressor assembly 336 causes unpressurized air
to enter the compressor assembly 336 through an unpressurized air
inlet 346, to flow through the compressor assembly 336, and to exit
the compressor assembly 336 through the pressurized air outlet 348
as pressurized air. Upon exiting the compressor assembly 336, the
pressurized air advances through the pressurized air conduit 350 to
the pressurized air inlet 18 of the fuel reformer 12 for mixing
with fuel to produce the reformate gas.
[0054] While the concepts of the present disclosure have been
illustrated and described in detail in the drawings and foregoing
description, such an illustration and description is to be
considered as exemplary and not restrictive in character, it being
understood that only the illustrative embodiments have been shown
and described and that all changes and modifications that come
within the spirit of the disclosure are desired to be
protected.
[0055] There are a plurality of advantages of the concepts of the
present disclosure arising from the various features of the systems
described herein. It will be noted that alternative embodiments of
each of the systems of the present disclosure may not include all
of the features described yet still benefit from at least some of
the advantages of such features. Those of ordinary skill in the art
may readily devise their own implementations of a system that
incorporate one or more of the features of the present disclosure
and fall within the spirit and scope of the invention as defined by
the appended claims.
* * * * *