U.S. patent application number 11/178393 was filed with the patent office on 2005-11-03 for reactor structure as a heat exchanger layer stacking construction and method of making same.
This patent application is currently assigned to BALLARD POWER SYSTEM AG. Invention is credited to Benz, Uwe, Michels, Horst, Tischler, Alois, Weisser, Marc.
Application Number | 20050242157 11/178393 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 7658687 |
Filed Date | 2005-11-03 |
United States Patent
Application |
20050242157 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Benz, Uwe ; et al. |
November 3, 2005 |
Reactor structure as a heat exchanger layer stacking construction
and method of making same
Abstract
A reactor structure has a heat transfer layer stacking
construction with a stack of heat-conductive plate elements which,
alternating in the stacking direction, bound one catalyst-filled
reactor layer and one tempering layer respectively, adjacent plate
elements being connected in a fluid-tight manner on at least two
closed side areas. The plate elements on the closed side areas are
bent in a U-shape and are arranged with U-side flanks which rest
against one another in the stack such that the reactor layers have
a larger height than the tempering layers. In addition or as an
alternative, heat-conductive corrugated ribs are inserted at least
in the reactor layers which are higher than the tempering
layers.
Inventors: |
Benz, Uwe;
(Uhldingen-Muehlhofen, DE) ; Michels, Horst;
(Kirchheim, DE) ; Tischler, Alois; (Dorfen,
DE) ; Weisser, Marc; (Owen/Teck, DE) |
Correspondence
Address: |
CROWELL & MORING LLP
INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY GROUP
P.O. BOX 14300
WASHINGTON
DC
20044-4300
US
|
Assignee: |
BALLARD POWER SYSTEM AG
Kirchheim/Teck-Nabern
DE
|
Family ID: |
7658687 |
Appl. No.: |
11/178393 |
Filed: |
July 12, 2005 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
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11178393 |
Jul 12, 2005 |
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09971360 |
Oct 5, 2001 |
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6932949 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
228/101 |
Current CPC
Class: |
Y02P 70/50 20151101;
C01B 3/323 20130101; Y02E 60/50 20130101; B01J 2219/2498 20130101;
B01J 2208/022 20130101; C01B 3/384 20130101; Y10T 29/49345
20150115; B01J 2219/2485 20130101; B01J 2219/2481 20130101; C01B
2203/0833 20130101; B01J 2219/2453 20130101; C01B 2203/0805
20130101; H01M 8/0631 20130101; F28D 9/0037 20130101; B01J
2219/2459 20130101; B01J 19/249 20130101; B01J 2219/2462
20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
228/101 |
International
Class: |
B23K 001/00 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Oct 5, 2000 |
DE |
100 49 194.4 |
Claims
What is claimed:
1. A reactor structure comprising a stack of heat-conductive plate
elements which, alternating in a stacking direction, bound at least
one reactor layer respectively that is filled with a reaction
catalyst material for catalyzing a chemical reaction, and at least
one tempering layer respectively, through which a tempering medium
can flow; wherein, adjacent plate elements are connected in a
fluid-tight manner on at least two closed side areas; and
heat-conducting corrugated ribs are inserted in the reactor layers
formed with a larger height than the tempering layers.
2. Reactor structure comprising: a plurality of reactor layers
filled with a reaction catalyst material for catalyzing a chemical
reaction, a plurality of tempering layers disposed respectively
between the reactor layers, said tempering layers accommodating a
tempering medium flow therethrough, heat-conductive plate elements
bounding the reactor layers and tempering layers and tempering
layers, with adjacent plate elements connected in a fluid-tight
manner on at least two closed side areas, wherein the plate
elements are configured to provide the reactor layers with a height
larger than a height of the tempering layers.
3. Reactor structure according to claim 2, wherein heat-conducting
corrugated ribs are inserted in the reactor layers formed with a
larger height than the tempering layers.
4. The reactor structure according to claim 1, wherein the plate
elements have a corrugated main plate surface.
5. A method of making a reactor structure for an exothermal or
endothermal chemical reaction, comprising: forming a plurality of
reactor layers filled with reactor catalyst material for catalyzing
a chemical reaction, forming a plurality of tempering layers
accommodating a tempering medium flow therethrough, stacking the
reactor layers and tempering layers adjacent one another with a
tempering layer disposed between respective pairs of reactor
layers, bounding the reactor layers and the tempering layers with
heat-conductive plate elements with adjacent plate elements
connected in a fluid tight manner on at least two closed side areas
and with the reactor layers having a larger height than the
tempering layers.
Description
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] This application is a Continuation of application Ser. No.
09/971,360 filed on Oct. 5, 2001.
BACKGROUND AND SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0002] This application claims the priority of German Patent
Document 100 49 194.4, filed in Germany, Oct. 5, 2000, the
disclosure of which is expressly incorporated by reference
herein.
[0003] The invention relates to a reactor structure as a heat
exchanger layer stacking construction. Preferred embodiments relate
to a reactor structure as a heat transfer layer stacking
construction having a stack of heat-conductive plate elements
which, alternating in the stacking direction, bound one reactor
layer respectively, which is filled with a reaction catalyst
material for catalyzing a chemical reaction, and one tempering
layer respectively, through which a tempering medium can flow,
adjacent plate elements being connected in a fluid-tight manner on
at least two closed side areas. Such a reactor is suitable, for
example, for being used as a reforming reactor for generating
hydrogen in a fuel cell vehicle or in stationary fuel cell
applications by reforming methanol or another applied
substance.
[0004] This type of a reactor structure is disclosed in German
Published Patent Application DE 44 20 752 A1. There, only the
catalyst material filling them is charged into the reactor layers
which have a larger volume, while the heat-conducting corrugated
ribs are inserted into the tempering layers, which have a smaller
volume, and in that case specifically are heating layers. In a
different embodiment illustrated there, the reactor layers are not
filled with a catalyst material but the facing sides of the plate
elements are provided with a corresponding catalyst coating and
supporting or flow-conducting corrugated ribs are inserted in the
reactor layers as well as in the heating layers.
[0005] The invention is based on a technical problem of providing a
reactor structure of the initially mentioned type which can be
manufactured at relatively low expenditures in a compact and
pressure-resistant form while it provides reactor layers which have
a volume as large as possible, which reactor layers can be tempered
to be maintained at a desired temperature by way of tempering
layers situated in-between the reactor layers, and which reactor
structure is particularly suitable for generating hydrogen for
feeding a fuel cell system, for example, in a fuel cell
vehicle.
[0006] Preferred embodiments of the invention solve this problem by
structure arrangements that provide for reactor layers with a
larger height than the tempering layers.
[0007] Special plate elements are used for the reactor structure
according to certain preferred embodiments which on at least two
non-adjacent side areas along which they are connected in a
fluid-tight manner with one adjacent plate element respectively for
forming a closed lateral area, extend in a U-shaped bent manner and
are arranged with their U-side flanks resting against one another
in the stack such that the reactor layers have a greater height
than the tempering layers. By using the laterally appropriately
bent plate elements, no separate lateral spacer elements are
required for building up the layer stack. Simultaneously, the
lateral U-shape is selected such that adjacent plate elements can
be reliably connected with one another along their mutually facing
U- side flanks and thus in a flat manner and not only in a linear
shape in a fluid-tight manner. In addition, with respect to the
tempering layers, clearly higher and thus larger-volume reactor
layers can be formed, which in the case of a given, desired reactor
conversion performance promotes a compact structural shape of the
reactor structure.
[0008] Also in the case of the reactor structure according to
certain preferred embodiments of the invention, such a compact
structural shape can be achieved with larger-volume reactor layers
and smaller-volume tempering layers. In addition, heat-conducting
corrugated ribs are inserted into the reactor layers, which
corrugated ribs, on the one hand, promote the heat transfer between
the reactor layers and the tempering layers and the heat
distribution within the reactor layers and, on the other hand, can
be used as a supporting structure for the larger-volume reactor
layers, which can improve the stability and the pressure resistance
of the layer stacking construction. This measure can preferably be
combined with the measure according to claim 1 of using plate
elements with lateral areas extending in a manner bent in a
U-shape.
[0009] In a further development of certain preferred embodiments of
the invention, essentially plane plate elements are used which are
appropriately bent in a U-shaped at the corresponding lateral
areas, so that, as a result, when the plate elements are joined
together, lower tempering layers and higher reactor layers are
alternatingly formed.
[0010] In a further development of certain preferred embodiments of
the invention, plate elements of a corrugated structure are used
for the reactor structure. In comparison to plane plate elements,
while the base surface is the same, this results in a larger
heat-transfer-active contact surface between the reactor layer and
the heating layer.
[0011] In the case of a reactor structure further developed
according to certain preferred embodiments of the invention,
corrugated ribs are also provided in the tempering layers, which
further contributes to the stability of the layer stacking
construction and can improve the heat transfer characteristics.
[0012] Other objects, advantages and novel features of the present
invention will become apparent from the following detailed
description of the invention when considered in conjunction with
the accompanying drawings.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0013] FIG. 1 is a schematic cutout-type longitudinal sectional
view of a reactor structure as a heat transfer layer stacking
construction consisting of plate elements having a corrugated
structure constructed according to a preferred embodiment of the
invention; and
[0014] FIG. 2 is a view corresponding to FIG. 1 of a reactor
structure made of plane plate elements constructed according to
another preferred embodiment of the invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0015] As a cutout, FIG. 1 illustrates a reactor structure as a
heat transfer layer stacking construction with a stack of a
definable number of heat-conducting sheet metal plate elements 1a,
1b, 1c, 1d which bound, in the stacking direction, in an
alternating manner one reactor layer 2 and one tempering layer 3
respectively. For the catalyzing of a desired chemical reaction to
be implemented, each reactor layer is filled with a corresponding
reaction catalyst material 4, for example, in the form of a
catalyst charge, as indicated in FIG. 1 only in a partial section
with circular symbols for the purpose of clarity.
[0016] Each sheet metal plate 1a to 1d has a corrugated structure 5
which can be produced, for example, by deforming from a plane sheet
metal plate blank. As a result of the corrugated structure 5, in
the case of a given base area, in comparison to plane plates, a
higher surface area is obtained and thus a greater contact surface
between a respective reactor layer 2 and an adjacent tempering
layer 3, which improves the heat transfer between these layers 2,
3.
[0017] On two opposite side areas, the sheet metal plates 1a to 1d
are bent in a U-shape 6 toward one side. The sheet metal plates 1a
to 1d are then in each case placed against one another in the stack
in an alternating tilted manner.
[0018] As a result, on the one hand, the tempering layers 3 are
formed as comparatively low layer spaces defined by corrugated
structures 5 of two adjacent sheet metal plates resting against one
another, which layer spaces are closed laterally by fluid-tight
connections 7. These connections 7 may be implemented, for example,
by soldering, welding or gluing and, as flat fixations of inner
flanks 6a of the edge-side U-shape 6 situated against one another,
provide a reliable lateral sealing-off of the tempering layers 3
through which a suitable tempering medium can flow. According to
the requirements, the two corrugated structures 5 which each rest
against one another, can be arranged with parallel or mutually
sloped longitudinal dimension axes of the wave crests and wave
troughs transversely to the stacking direction, in the latter case,
a cross-channel structure for the tempering layers 3 being
implementable.
[0019] The reactor layers 2 are formed in that two pertaining sheet
metal plates respectively, which bound the reactor layers 2, are
placed against one another on the edge side with their U-shape and,
more precisely, are placed against one another with the outer
U-side flanks 6b of the U shape, so that the reactor layers 2 have
a height H in the stacking direction which corresponds
approximately to twice the value of the width of the U-shape, that
is, of the distance between their two side flanks 6a, 6b. As a
result of the fluid-tight flat connections 8 along the outer U-side
flanks 6d resting against one another, for example, by means of
soldering, welding or gluing, a reliable lateral sealing-off of the
reactor layers 2 is provided.
[0020] Corrugated ribs 9 are inserted into the reactor layers 2 and
extend in each case preferably continuously along the entire
reactor layer volume and are supported against the
reactor-layer-bounding corrugated structures of pertaining adjacent
sheet metal plates 1a, 1b and 1c, 1d respectively. The corrugated
ribs 9 consist of a heat-conducting material, for example, of the
same material as the sheet metal plates 1a to id and therefore, on
the one hand, carry out a supporting function stabilizing the stack
and, on the other hand, a heat transfer function which promotes the
charging of heat from the tempering layers 3 into the reactor
layers 2 or the dissipating of heat from the reactor layers 2 into
the tempering layers 3 and the achieving of a uniform heat
distribution in the reactor layers 2.
[0021] According to the application, an exothermal or endothermal
chemical reaction is carried out in the reactor layers 2; for
example, an exothermal partial oxidation of methanol or an
endothermal water vapor reforming of methanol for the purpose of
producing a hydrogen-rich gas which can be used, for example, for
fuel cells in a stationary or mobile fuel cell system. In the case
of an exothermal reaction, the temperature layers 3 act as cooling
layers; in the case of an endothermal reaction, they, in contrast,
act as heating layers. For this purpose, a cooling or heating
medium flows through them in a conventional manner.
[0022] Again as a cutout, FIG. 2 shows a reactor structure which is
similar to that of FIG. 1. For an easier understanding,
functionally identical components are provided with the same
reference numbers and reference can be made in this respect to the
statements made concerning FIG. 1. One difference of the reactor
structure of FIG. 2 consists of the fact that plane sheet metal
plates 11a to 11d are used for constructing the layer stack and not
those with a corrugated structure.
[0023] At two opposite lateral areas, the sheet metal plates 11a to
11d are again bent to the U-shape 6, specifically such that their
inner side flank 6a, that is, the side flank which is situated
closer to the remaining plate surface, is offset by a definable
height h/2 in the one direction with respect to the remaining plane
plate surface 5a, while the other outer side flank 6b is offset in
the other direction by a defined larger height H/2 with respect to
the plane main plate surface 5a. This has the result that by the
alternating orientation of the identically designed sheet metal
plates 11a to 11d in the stack, on the one hand, the tempering
layers 3 are formed with a height h which corresponds to twice the
value of the offset of the inner U-side flanks 6a with respect to
the respective pertaining main plate surface 5a and, on the other
hand, the reactor layers 2 are formed with a height H which is
larger in this respect and which corresponds to twice the value of
the outer U-side flanks 6b with respect to the respective
pertaining main plate surface 5a.
[0024] In the case of the reactor structure of FIG. 2, corrugated
ribs 10 are also inserted into the tempering layers 3 and, like the
corrugated ribs 9 in the reactor layers 2, operate as supporting
elements which hold the respective adjoining main plate surfaces 5a
at a distance and, in addition, can carry out a heat and flow
conducting function. Otherwise, the features and advantages
indicated with respect to the reactor structure of FIG. 1
correspondingly apply to the reactor structure of FIG. 2.
[0025] As indicated in the above description of advantageous
embodiments, the reactor structure according to the invention can
be produced at comparatively low expenditures from plate elements
placed on one another without the requirement of separate edge-side
spacer elements as a compact heat exchanger layer stacking
construction with relatively large-volume reactor layers and
smaller-volume tempering layers. The individual layers are
sufficiently stable as a result of mutually contacting corrugated
structures of the plate elements themselves and/or because of
corrugated ribs inserted into the layers and are reliably sealed
off laterally by flat fluid-tight connections of adjacent plate
elements. The reactor structure according to the invention can be
used in single-stage or multistage reforming reactors for the water
vapor reforming of methanol for the purpose of obtaining a
hydrogen-rich gas mixture for feeding fuel cells of a fuel cell
vehicle as well as in other chemical reactors in which the reactor
layers are to be in a heat contact with tempering layers.
[0026] The foregoing disclosure has been set forth merely to
illustrate the invention and is not intended to be limiting. Since
modifications of the disclosed embodiments incorporating the spirit
and substance of the invention may occur to persons skilled in the
art, the invention should be construed to include everything within
the scope of the appended claims and equivalents thereof.
* * * * *