A miniature fuel reformer utilizes a metal thin film and includes a plurality
of
unit modules connected together. Each module has a cylindrical inner housing with
top and bottom walls defining a hydrogen separation reaction chamber, an outer
housing surrounding and radially spaced from the inner housing, a combustion catalyst
chamber between the inner and outer housings, a fuel inlet at the inner housing
top wall, a plurality of vertically spaced hydrogen gas separation cells arranged
in the reaction chamber, a steam reforming catalyst in the reaction chamber between
adjacent hydrogen gas separating cells, a plurality of vertically spaced cylindrical
support members centrally arranged in the reaction chamber while defining a hydrogen
passage communicating with the hydrogen separation cells, a permeate discharge
tube coupled to the inner housing bottom wall, a plurality of raffinate outlets
in the inner housing bottom wall, and a plurality of combustion fuel/air inlets
respectively connected to the raffinate outlets.
