Planar micro fuel processor

Abstract

Described herein is a fuel processor that produces hydrogen from a fuel source. The fuel processor comprises a reformer, boiler and burner. The reformer includes a catalyst to facilitate the production of hydrogen from the fuel source. A boiler heats the fuel source before receipt by the reformer. The burner provides heat to the reformer and to the boiler. The fuel processor may also comprise a dock that maintains position of the reformer and boiler within the fuel processor. Dewars are also described that improve thermal management of a fuel processor by reducing heat loss and increasing burner efficiency.

1 . A fuel processor for producing hydrogen from a fuel source, the fuel processor comprising:
 a reformer including a set of reformer channels disposed in a first substrate and including a reformer catalyst that facilitates the production of hydrogen from the fuel source;   a burner configured to provide heat to the reformer; and   a dewar that contains the reformer and the burner and includes a set of dewar walls that form a dewar chamber configured to receive the fuel source or oxygen before the reformer receives the fuel source or oxygen.   
     
     
         2 . The fuel processor of  claim 1  wherein the dewar includes a radiative layer disposed on an inner wall of the set of dewar walls that improves radiative heat reflectance of the inner wall. 
     
     
         3 . The fuel processor of  claim 1  wherein the dewar is configured such that air passing through the dewar chamber receives heat generated in the burner. 
     
     
         4 . The fuel processor of  claim 1  wherein the dewar includes a second dewar chamber. 
     
     
         5 . The fuel processor of  claim 1  wherein air passes through the second dewar chamber before entering the first dewar chamber. 
     
     
         6 . The fuel processor of  claim 1  wherein the burner is a catalytic burner including a catalyst that facilitates the production of heat using the fuel source. 
     
     
         7 . The fuel processor of  claim 6  wherein the catalytic burner comprises a set of burner channels and the burner catalyst comprises a wash coat disposed over the burner channels. 
     
     
         8 . The fuel processor of  claim 1  wherein the reformer channels comprise a width between about 20 microns and about 400 microns. 
     
     
         9 . The fuel processor of  claim 1  wherein the first substrate comprises silicon or a metal. 
     
     
         10 . The fuel processor of  claim 9  wherein the reformer channels are formed in the silicon, silicon alloy, or a metal using an etch process. 
     
     
         11 . The fuel processor of  claim 1  further comprising:
 a boiler including a set of channels disposed in a second substrate and configured to heat the fuel source before the reformer receives the fuel source.   
     
     
         12 . The fuel processor of  claim 11  further comprising:
 a dock having a securing member only on a first wall of the dock, the securing member configured to maintain position of the reformer and boiler within the fuel processor by applying a compliant securing force from the first wall that passes through a portion of the first substrate and a portion of the second substrate; and   a compliant material that intercepts the complaint securing force and establishes an upper limit for the compliant securing force, wherein the reformer channels and the boiler channels are not in contact with the compliant material.   
     
     
         13 . A fuel processor for producing hydrogen from a fuel source, the fuel processor comprising:
 a reformer including a set of reformer channels disposed in a first substrate and including a reformer catalyst that facilitates the production of hydrogen from the fuel source;   a boiler including a set of channels disposed in a second substrate and configured to heat the fuel source before the reformer receives the fuel source;   a burner configured to provide heat to the reformer and configured to provide heat to the boiler;   a dewar that contains the reformer and the burner and includes a set of dewar walls that form a dewar chamber configured to receive the fuel source or oxygen before the reformer receives the fuel source or oxygen; and   a dock having a securing member only on a first wall of the dock, the securing member configured to maintain position of the reformer and boiler within the fuel processor by applying a compliant securing force from the first wall that passes through a portion of the first substrate and a portion of the second substrate.   
     
     
         14 . The fuel processor of  claim 13  further comprising a compliant material that intercepts the complaint securing force and establishes an upper limit for the compliant securing force, wherein the reformer channels and the boiler channels are not in contact with the compliant material. 
     
     
         15 . The fuel processor of  claim 13  wherein the dock is configured to permit transport of hydrogen from the reformer to outside the fuel processor though a wall included in the dock. 
     
     
         16 . The fuel processor of  claim 13  wherein the dock is configured to permit transport of the fuel source to the reformer from outside the fuel processor though a wall included in the dock. 
     
     
         17 . The fuel processor of  claim 13  further comprising a shell attached to the dock, wherein the dock and shell collectively encapsulate the reformer, boiler and burner. 
     
     
         18 . The fuel processor of  claim 13  wherein the dewar includes a radiative layer disposed on an inner wall of the set of dewar walls that improves radiative heat reflectance of the inner wall. 
     
     
         19 . The fuel processor of  claim 13  wherein the dewar is configured such that air passing through the dewar chamber receives heat generated in the burner. 
     
     
         20 . The fuel processor of  claim 13  wherein the reformer channels comprise a width between about 20 microns and about 400 microns.