Device for reforming a voc gas

Abstract

A device and method for producing a reformate fuel from a hydrocarbon gas source. The invention enables the conversion of a dilute hydrocarbon gas into a more easily consumable reformate fuel. Gases having low concentrations of hydrocarbons are concentrated using a concentrator into a gaseous or liquid concentrated VOC fuel. The concentrated VOC fuel is then converted into a reformate using a reformer. The reformate is more easily consumed by an energy conversion device such as a combustion engine, fuel cell, sterling engine or similar device that converts chemical energy into kinetic or electrical energy. The reformer enables complex hydrocarbon fuels that are not normally suitable for use in an energy conversion device to be converted into a reformate. The reformate may be directly supplied into the energy conversion device.

1 . An energy producing device receiving a dilute VOC gas stream comprising:
 a concentrator that concentrates the VOC into concentrated VOC fuel;   a sweep gas injector injecting sweep gas into the concentrator to remove the concentrated VOC fuel;   a reformer converting said sweep gas and concentrated VOC fuel into reformate; and   an energy conversion device consuming said reformate to produce energy.   
     
     
         2 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein said concentrator includes an adsorbent media adsorbing said dilute VOC gas stream. 
     
     
         3 . The device of  claim 2 , wherein said concentrator comprises an adsorbing chamber where said dilute VOC gas stream is adsorbed on said adsorbent media and a desorbing chamber where said adsorbed VOC gas stream is desorbed. 
     
     
         4 . The device of  claim 2 , wherein said adsorbent media is selected from the group comprising activated carbon, zeolite, synthetic resin and mixtures thereof. 
     
     
         5 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein said concentrator concentrates said concentrated VOC fuel to a concentration greater than 15,000 ppm. 
     
     
         6 . The device of  claim 5 , wherein said concentrator concentrates said concentrated VOC fuel to a concentration greater than 200,000 ppm. 
     
     
         7 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein said sweep gas is steam. 
     
     
         8 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein said sweep gas is a gaseous fuel. 
     
     
         9 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein said sweep gas is inert. 
     
     
         10 . The device of  claim 9 , wherein said sweep gas is nitrogen. 
     
     
         11 . The device of  claim 2 , wherein said adsorbent media is in a fluidized bed. 
     
     
         12 . The device of  claim 2 , wherein said adsorbent media is affixed to a rotating wheel. 
     
     
         13 . The device of  claim 2 , wherein said adsorbent media is contained in fixed beds. 
     
     
         14 . The device of  claim 1 , further comprising a cooler cooling said reformate. 
     
     
         15 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein said reformate contains H 2  gas and oxides of carbon. 
     
     
         16 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the device contains filters that filter particulates from the dilute VOC gas stream. 
     
     
         17 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein said dilute VOC gas stream comprises straight chain hydrocarbons, branched hydrocarbons, aromatic hydrocarbons, oxygenated hydrocarbons and mixtures thereof. 
     
     
         18 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein said dilute VOC gas stream is between 1 ppm and 5000 ppm VOC. 
     
     
         19 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein said dilute VOC gas stream is paint exhaust. 
     
     
         20 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein said dilute VOC gas stream is gasoline vapor. 
     
     
         21 - 31 . (canceled)