Fuel reformer cooler

Abstract

A fuel reformer cooler for cooling a hydrogen-containing effluent released from a fuel reformer is disclosed. The fuel reformer cooler may comprise a heat transfer wall separating an effluent conduit from a coolant conduit and permitting heat transfer from the effluent in the effluent conduit to a coolant in the coolant conduit therethrough. The heat transfer wall may be formed from a base that includes a first surface facing the coolant conduit and a second surface facing the effluent conduit. The cooler may further comprise an anti-hydrogen embrittlement layer applied to the second surface of the base to shield the base from exposure to the effluent, and a plurality of symmetrical fins each extending through the anti-hydrogen embrittlement layer and contacting the second surface of the base. The plurality of symmetrical fins may project into the effluent conduit.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A fuel reformer cooler, comprising:
 an effluent conduit configured to permit a flow of a hydrogen-containing effluent released from a fuel reformer from an effluent inlet to an effluent outlet; 
 a coolant conduit configured to permit a flow of a coolant from a coolant inlet to a coolant outlet; 
 a heat transfer wall separating the effluent conduit from the coolant conduit and permitting heat transfer from the effluent to the coolant therethrough, the heat transfer wall being formed from a base that includes a first surface facing the coolant conduit and a second surface facing the effluent conduit; 
 an anti-hydrogen embrittlement layer applied to the second surface of the base; and 
 a plurality of symmetrical fins each extending through the anti-hydrogen embrittlement layer and contacting the second surface of the base, the plurality of symmetrical fins projecting into the effluent conduit. 
 
     
     
       2. The fuel reformer cooler of  claim 1 , wherein the symmetrical fins are formed from a material having a thermal conductivity of at least about 300 Watts/meter·Kelvin (W/m·K). 
     
     
       3. The fuel reformer cooler of  claim 2 , wherein the symmetrical fins are at least partly formed from copper. 
     
     
       4. The fuel reformer cooler of  claim 3 , wherein the symmetrical fins are formed entirely from copper. 
     
     
       5. The fuel reformer cooler of  claim 3 , wherein the anti-hydrogen embrittlement layer is a nitride film. 
     
     
       6. The fuel reformer cooler of  claim 3 , wherein the anti-hydrogen embrittlement layer is composed of a nickel-based alloy. 
     
     
       7. The fuel reformer cooler of  claim 3 , wherein each of the symmetrical fins include a height extending from a top to a bottom, wherein the top projects into the effluent conduit and the bottom contacts the base, and wherein the top has a smaller cross-sectional area than the bottom. 
     
     
       8. The fuel reformer cooler of  claim 7 , wherein each of the symmetrical fins have a conical shape. 
     
     
       9. The fuel reformer cooler of  claim 8 , wherein the symmetrical fins are retained on the heat transfer wall by insertion into the anti-hydrogen embrittlement layer. 
     
     
       10. The fuel reformer cooler of  claim 8 , wherein the symmetrical fins are press fit into the anti-hydrogen embrittlement layer. 
     
     
       11. The fuel reformer cooler of  claim 9 , wherein the anti-hydrogen embrittlement layer has a thickness that is about one-third of the height of the symmetrical fins. 
     
     
       12. The fuel reformer cooler of  claim 9 , wherein the base is formed from steel. 
     
     
       13. An engine, comprising:
 a combustion chamber configured to combust a mixture of air and fuel; 
 an air intake system configured to supply the combustion chamber with the air; 
 at least one fuel admission valve configured to supply the combustion chamber with the fuel; 
 a fuel reformer configured to transform the fuel into a hydrogen-containing effluent; 
 a fuel reformer cooler configured to cool the effluent released from the fuel reformer, the cooler including a plurality of stacked heat transfer modules each having an effluent conduit, a coolant conduit, and at least one heat transfer wall separating the effluent conduit from the coolant conduit, the heat transfer wall including a base facing the coolant conduit and an anti-hydrogen embrittlement layer facing the effluent conduit, the heat transfer wall further including a plurality of symmetrical fins contacting the base and extending through the anti-hydrogen embrittlement layer into the effluent conduit; and 
 at least one delivery conduit configured to deliver the cooled effluent exiting the cooler to one of the air intake system and the fuel admission valve. 
 
     
     
       14. The engine of  claim 13 , wherein the base of the heat transfer wall includes a first surface directed toward the coolant conduit and a second surface directed toward the effluent conduit, and wherein the anti-hydrogen embrittlement layer is applied on the second surface of the base and shields the base from the effluent. 
     
     
       15. The engine of  claim 14 , wherein the symmetrical fins are formed from a material having a thermal conductivity of at least about 300 Watts/meter·Kelvin (W/m·K). 
     
     
       16. The engine of  claim 15 , wherein the symmetrical fins are formed from copper. 
     
     
       17. The engine of  claim 16 , wherein the anti-hydrogen embrittlement layer is a nitride film. 
     
     
       18. The engine of  claim 16 , wherein the anti-hydrogen embrittlement layer is composed of a nickel-based alloy. 
     
     
       19. The engine of  claim 17 , wherein each of the symmetrical fins have a conical shape with a top having a smaller cross-sectional area than a bottom, and wherein the top of each of the fins projects into the effluent conduit and the bottom of each of the fins contacts the base. 
     
     
       20. A method for cooling a hydrogen-containing effluent released from a fuel reformer using a fuel reformer cooler, the fuel reformer cooler including a heat transfer wall separating an effluent conduit from a coolant conduit and including a base exposed to the coolant conduit and an anti-hydrogen embrittlement layer exposed to the effluent conduit, comprising:
 flowing a coolant through the coolant conduit and over the base, the base being formed from steel and having a first surface facing the coolant conduit and a second surface facing the effluent conduit; 
 flowing the effluent through the effluent conduit and over the anti-hydrogen embrittlement layer, the anti-hydrogen embrittlement layer being a nitride film applied to the second surface of the base; 
 transferring heat from the effluent in the effluent conduit to symmetrical fins extending from the second surface of the base into effluent conduit, the symmetrical fins being formed from copper; 
 transferring heat from the symmetrical fins to the base; and 
 dissipating heat from the base to the coolant in the coolant conduit.