Heat exchanger having plural tubular arrays

Abstract

A heat exchange apparatus including a housing, a first array of fluid conduits provided within the housing, and a second array of fluid conduits provided within the housing. The first and second arrays of fluid conduits are configured to carry a first fluid. The heat exchange apparatus also includes a first fluid passageway provided within the housing, where the first fluid passageway is defined by an internal surface of the housing and by a baffle plate. The first fluid passageway is configured to carry a second fluid. The baffle plate is configured to divide the first fluid passageway into a first flow path and a second flow path, where the first array of fluid conduits extends through the first flow path and the second array of fluid conduits extends through the second flow path.

1 . A method for producing hydrogen, comprising the step of:
 feeding at least one fuel into a reactor comprising a housing having an inlet and an outlet, and a flow path extending within the housing from the inlet to the outlet, the flow path comprising a convectively-heated catalytic steam reformer and a convectively-cooled water gas shift reactor, whereby hydrogen is produced, wherein a burner is provided to heat the steam reformer,   wherein combustor product from said burner is modulated by a flow diverting mechanism to maintain a predetermined operating temperature of the steam reformer,   wherein the combustion air is used to cool the water gas shift reactor before the combustion air is provided to the burner, and   wherein the combustion gas is preheated prior to being used to cool the water gas shift reactor, and wherein the combustion gas is preheated to a temperature whereby the combustion gas is provided to the burner at a predetermined temperature that is not greater than an allowable burner inlet temperature.   
     
     
         2 . A method for producing hydrogen, comprising the step of:
 feeding at least one fuel into a reactor comprising a housing having an inlet and an outlet, and a flow path extending within the housing from the inlet to the outlet, the flow path comprising a convectively-heated catalytic steam reformer and a convectively-cooled water gas shift reactor, whereby hydrogen is produced,   wherein a burner is provided to heat the steam reformer,   wherein combustor product from said burner is modulated by a flow diverting mechanism to maintain a predetermined operating temperature of the steam reformer, and   wherein a flow passage used to carry the combustion air from an inlet of the housing to an outlet of the housing is vertically configured to allow combustion gas to exit the outlet due to buoyancy properties of heat air.   
     
     
         3 . The method according to  claim 2 , wherein the flow passage is configured to allow combustion gas to exit the outlet due to buoyancy properties of air even when the inlet is closed. 
     
     
         4 . A method for producing hydrogen, comprising the step of:
 feeding at least one fuel into a reactor comprising a housing having an inlet and an outlet, and a flow path extending within the housing from the inlet to the outlet, the flow path comprising a convectively-heated catalytic steam reformer and a convectively-cooled water gas shift reactor, whereby hydrogen is produced,   wherein fluid used to convectively heat the steam reformer and convectively cool the water gas shift reactor is modulated by a flow diverting mechanism to maintain the steam reformer at a temperature above which water can condense therein.   
     
     
         5 . A method for producing hydrogen, comprising the steps of:
 feeding at least one fuel into a reactor comprising a housing having an inlet and an outlet, and a flow path extending within the housing from the inlet to the outlet, the flow path comprising a convectively-heated catalytic steam reformer and a convectively-cooled water gas shift reactor, whereby hydrogen is produced; and   minimizing an amount of cooling fluid used to cool the water gas shift reactor using a modulating valve to control the flow of the cooling fluid.   
     
     
         6 . The method according to  claim 5 , wherein said cooling fluid is combustion air that is provided to a burner to heat the steam reformer. 
     
     
         7 . A method for producing hydrogen, comprising the step of:
 feeding at least one fuel into a reactor comprising a housing having an inlet and an outlet, and a flow path extending within the housing from the inlet to the outlet, the flow path comprising a convectively-heated catalytic steam reformer and a convectively-cooled water gas shift reactor, whereby hydrogen is produced,   wherein a burner is provided to heat the steam reformer,   wherein a temperature of combustion product from said burner is controlled by controlling a total flowrate of combustion air to the burner, and   wherein an amount of cooling fluid used to cool the water gas shift reactor is controlled using a modulating valve to control a temperature of the water gas shift reactor.   
     
     
         8 . The method according to  claim 7 , wherein said cooling fluid is combustion air that is provided to the burner.