US Patent 7770545 Reformed alcohol power systems

Improved alcohol reforming processes and reformed alcohol power systems utilizing those processes are disclosed. In preferred embodiments, the alcohol reforming processes utilize a thermally conductive reforming catalyst that allows efficient, low-temperature reforming of an alcohol fuel to produce a reformate gas mixture comprising hydrogen. The present invention makes possible the efficient utilization of alcohol fuels in an internal combustion engine to generate electrical or mechanical power such as in vehicular applications.