72results about "Fuel cell combinations" patented technology

A system and method for co-production of hydrogen and electrical energy. The system comprises a fuel cell assembly comprising a plurality of fuel cells. The fuel cells further comprise a cathode inlet for receiving a compressed oxidant, an anode inlet for receiving a fuel feed stream, an anode outlet in fluid communication with an anode exhaust stream and a cathode outlet in fluid communication with a cathode exhaust stream. At least a portion of the fuel feed stream reacts with the oxidant to produce electrical power. The anode exhaust stream comprises hydrogen. The co-production system further comprises a separation unit in fluid communication with the fuel cell assembly. The separation unit is configured to receive the anode exhaust stream from the fuel cell assembly to separate hydrogen from the anode exhaust stream.

A ceramic electrolyte for a solid oxide fuel cell includes at least one non-uniform surface portion. Preferably, the electrolyte surface is textured.

A hydrogen-electricity co-production (HECP) system utilizes a fuel cell to produce hydrogen, electricity, or a combination of both hydrogen and electricity. In a first mode, the fuel cell performs an electrochemical reaction by reacting a hydrogen-containing fuel with oxygen to produce electricity, water and heat. In a second mode, the fuel cell utilizes heat released by an electrochemical reaction of the fuel cell to reform a hydrogen-containing fuel to produce hydrogen rich gas. In a third mode, both hydrogen and electricity are co-produced by the fuel cell. The HECP system can control an amount of hydrogen and / or electricity produced and switch between modes by varying an electrical load on the system.

A power generation system includes a vanadium redox battery that interfaces with a control system to optimize performance and efficiency. The power generation system may include one or more wind turbine generators and one or more diesel fuel generators. The control system manages the vanadium redox battery's absorption and power generation to control system stability and system frequency. The control system further manages the operation of the wind turbine generators and diesel fuel generators to control system stability and voltage.

A ceramic electrolyte for a solid oxide fuel cell includes at least one non-uniform surface portion. Preferably, the electrolyte surface is textured.

The present invention is a mobile-energy generating system capable of providing redundant direct current power. It comprises a reciprocating engine and generator having dual fuel capability, a fuel cell, commercial electrical power hookups, and capacitors used for bridging purposes. Back-up fuel for the engine and fuel for the fuel cells are stored in propane and hydrogen storage tanks, respectively.

An apparatus and method for generating water from an air stream is disclosed. The apparatus has an inlet for receiving an air stream, a condensing element located in the air stream, a collector for gathering water vapor condensate that is formed on the condensing element when the condensing element temperature drops below the dew point temperature of the ambient air stream, and an ozone generator that precisely generates ozone required to disinfect the water vapor condensate. In some embodiments of the invention, the ozone is also added to the air stream for disinfecting the air stream and associated elements of the apparatus.

A power generation system includes a fuel cell including an anode that generates a tail gas. The system also includes a hydrocarbon fuel reforming system that mixes a hydrocarbon fuel with the fuel cell tail gas and to convert the hydrocarbon fuel and fuel tail gas into a reformed fuel stream including CO2. The reforming system further splits the reformed fuel stream into a first portion and a second portion. The system further includes a CO2 removal system coupled in flow communication with the reforming system. The system also includes a first reformed fuel path coupled to the reforming system. The first path channels the first portion of the reformed fuel stream to an anode inlet. The system further includes a second reformed fuel path coupled to the reforming system. The second path channels the second portion of the reformed fuel stream to the CO2 removal system.

The invention relates to a power generation system with a continuously operating fuel reformer. Preferably, the fuel reformer is either off, warming up, or operating with an essentially constant fueling rate. Some of the reformed fuel is intermittently used to regenerate a NOx trap that treats the exhaust of an internal combustion engine. Any reformed fuel not used for other purposes is supplied to a fuel cell. The fuel reformer does not shut down between NOx trap regeneration cycles except when the engine is also shut down. The invention substantially eliminates issues of reformer response time as they relate to NOx trap regeneration.

A method and system for solid reactant based thermochemical process are disclosed. A metal oxide or solid reactant having a crystal structure associated with a characteristic state of high temperature engendering creation of oxygen vacancies is identified. The metal oxide is heated to the high temperature corresponding to the state of oxygen vacancies. Subsequently, the solid reactant is cooled to a temperature conducive to water splitting reaction. Steam is then introduced to react with the solid reactant to thereby re-oxidize the solid reactant producing hydrogen gas. Finally, the re-oxidized solid reactant is reheated to a reduction temperature completing the process of solid based reactant thermochemical solar power generation.The system includes one or more processors adapted to configure a solar absorption system, a thermochemical system, a gas storage system for storing product gases and a power generation system for processing the stored product gases into electrical power.

The invention relates to a power generation system with a continuously operating fuel reformer. Preferably, the fuel reformer is either off, warming up, or operating with an essentially constant fueling rate. Some of the reformed fuel is intermittently used to regenerate a NOx trap that treats the exhaust of an internal combustion engine. Any reformed fuel not used for other purposes is supplied to a fuel cell. The fuel reformer does not shut down between NOx trap regeneration cycles except when the engine is also shut down. The invention substantially eliminates issues of reformer response time as they relate to NOx trap regeneration.

A combined cycle fuel cell includes a fuel cell such as a solid-oxide fuel cell (SOFC) comprising an anode that generates a tail gas. A hydrocarbon fuel reforming system that mixes a hydrocarbon fuel with the fuel cell tail gas downstream of the fuel cell partly or fully converts the hydrocarbon fuel into hydrogen (H2) and carbon monoxide (CO). A fuel path diverts a first portion of the reformed fuel to the inlet of the fuel cell anode. A cooler such as an Organic Rankine cycle (ORC) is optionally configured to remove heat from a residual portion of the reformed fuel and to deliver the cooled residual portion of the reformed fuel to a bottoming cycle that may be an external or internal combustion engine such as a reciprocating gas engine or gas turbine that is driven in response to the cooled residual portion of the reformed fuel.

Heat from a concentrated solar power source is applied to the conversion of carbonaceous materials such as heavy petroleum crude oils, coals and biomass to liquid hydrocarbons. The solar heat is applied to provide at least a portion of the process heat used in the high temperature, short contact time hydropyrolysis of the carbonaceous material which is supplied with hydrogen generated by a high temperature process such as high temperature steam electrolysis, the sulfur-iodine cycle, the hybrid sulfur cycle, the zinc-zinc oxide cycle or by methane steam cracking. The heat from the solar source may be used to generate electricity to operate high temperature steam electrolysis used in generation of the hydrogen. By the use of solar thermal energy sources, hydrocarbon resource utilization for process heat is eliminated along with carbon dioxide evolution associated with burning of the hydrocarbon resource to generate process heat. The substitution of zero carbon emission sources therefore offers the potential for significant carbon emission reductions in refinery operations where external process heat can be applied and effectively utilized.

The invention discloses an electricity-electricity hybrid fuel cell vehicle hydrothermal management system and a control method thereof. The electricity-electricity hybrid fuel cell vehicle hydrothermal management system comprises a fuel cell stack, a power cell system, a power cell thermal management system, a fuel cell cooling system, a controller and a detection unit, wherein the power cell thermal management system comprises a first electric three-way valve, a PTC heater, a second electric three-way valve, the power cell system, a second water pump, a third electric three-way valve, a radiator fan and a radiator, the fuel cell cooling system comprises a first water pump, the first electric three-way valve, the radiator, the radiator fan, the third electric three-way valve, a heat preservation water storage tank, the fuel cell stack and a condenser, the detection unit comprises two temperature detection units and a pressure detection unit, and the controller controls the working states of the PTC heater, the water pump and the radiator fan according to the detection results of the temperature detection units, so that low-temperature cold start and constant-temperature operationstate control of the fuel cell system and the power cell system are carried out.

A hybrid power plant includes a turbine, a compressor driven by the turbine and a recuperator in flow communication with the compressor. The recuperator is configured to transfer heat from turbine exhaust to compressed air, and at least one fuel cell is in flow communication with said recuperator to provide fresh air for said fuel cell.

Various embodiments of the present invention pertain to methods for biological production of hydrogen. More specifically, embodiments of the present invention pertain to a modular energy system and related methods for producing hydrogen using organic waste as a feed stock.

A hybrid power plant (10) includes a turbine (14), a compressor (12) driven by the turbine and a recuperator (20) in flow communication with the compressor. The recuperator is configured to transfer heat from turbine exhaust (52) to compressed air, and at least one fuel cell (34) is in flow communication with said recuperator to provide fresh air for said fuel cell.

A power producing system adapted to be integrated with a flue gas generating assembly, the flue gas generating assembly including one or more of a fossil fueled installation, a fossil fueled facility, a fossil fueled device, a fossil fueled power plant, a boiler, a combustor, a furnace and a kiln in a cement factory, and the power producing system utilizing flue gas containing carbon dioxide and oxygen output by the flue gas generating assembly and comprising: a fuel cell comprising an anode section and a cathode section, wherein inlet oxidant gas to the cathode section of the fuel cell contains the flue gas output from the flue gas generating assembly; and a gas separation assembly receiving anode exhaust output from the anode section of the fuel cell and including a chiller assembly for cooling the anode exhaust to a predetermined temperature so as to liquefy carbon dioxide in the anode exhaust, wherein waste heat produced by the fuel cell is utilized to drive the chiller assembly.

A method generates mechanical energy by storing water in a fuel-cell and a pressure equalization device. The water stored in the fuel-cell is electrolyzed into hydrogen gas and oxygen gas, which displaces the water stored in the pressure equalization device. The displaced water is fed to a hydraulic device to drive the hydraulic device in a forward direction to produce mechanical energy.

System and methods for efficiently capturing hydrogen gas from a microbial electrolytic cell. Certain aspects of the invention describe microbial electrolytic cells in which the cathode is located above the anode and proximal to a fluid level and a gas headspace in the single-chamber microbial electrolytic cell. In other aspects, the invention relates to improved and high volumetric production rate of hydrogen gas effected by increasing the geometric surface area of the electrodes. Combinations of these aspects also are contemplated.

The invention provides a distinctive method of operating an internal combustion engine (300) in a low-temperature combustion mode. An engine (300) combustion chamber (200) is provided with fuel and air charges before combustion conditions are reached. The fuel charge is sufficient to provide a fuel-air equivalence ratio of at least 1.05. The fuel and air are allowed to mix prior to combustion. The fuel is provided to the combustion chamber (200) at least 20 crank angle degrees before top dead center. The fuel and air charges are regulated such that the mixture auto-ignites as a result of the heat and pressure generated by the compression stroke. The amounts are further regulated such that combustion occurs below a temperature at which significant soot production occurs. In one embodiment, early intake valve (204) closing is used to limit the air charge. The method provides a rich low temperature combustion mode operation, which has several applications.

Disclosed is a motor power simulating apparatus for fuel cell power module evaluation that accurately reflects real world characteristics of a fuel cell vehicle. More particularly, the power simulating apparatus disclosed herein includes a fuel cell power module, a ripple current generator, and an electronic load device, the ripple current generator connected to the fuel cell power module and the electronic load device to accurately simulate power output from a fuel cell of a fuel cell vehicle under real world conditions.

A method for operating a fuel cell power plant to provide end-use electricity, end-use heat and end-use reformate includes the steps of providing a fuel cell power plant that consumes reformate to provide electricity and heat, said fuel cell power plant having a nominal reformate flow rate and including a fuel processor system for generating reformate from a hydrocarbon fuel; operating the fuel processor system so as to provide a reformate flow at a rate greater than the nominal reformate flow rate; operating the fuel cell power plant using a first portion of the reformate flow to generate the electricity and the heat, the first portion being less than or equal to the nominal reformate flow rate; and providing a second portion of the reformate flow as the end-use reformate.

A fuel cell system includes: a power generation stack (1) composed by stacking a plurality of fuel cells (10); and a hydrocarbon-oxidizing device (2) disposed on an upstream side of the power generation stack (1) in a fuel supply passage (8). The hydrocarbon-oxidizing device (2) directly and electrochemically oxidizes hydrocarbons with a carbon number of 2 or more, which are contained in fuel gas, or decomposes the hydrocarbons and electrochemically oxidizes carbon obtained by decomposing the hydrocarbons.

Disclosed is a fuel cell system with a control unit (3) for controlling and / or regulating at least one fuel cell unit (1), whereby the fuel cell unit (1) includes at least one membrane monitored by the control unit (3), and an electrical load (4) is provided, in particular an electric drive motor and / or at least one load on the vehicle electrical system, whereby the moistening of the fuel cell membrane is improved. This is achieved according to the present invention by the fact that the control unit (3) includes at least one additional electrical load (5, 7) for an additional power output from the fuel cell unit (1) which is dependent at least on the moistening of the membrane.

A thermo-electro-chemical converter direct heat to electricity engine has a monolithic co-sintered ceramic structure or a monolithic fused polymer structure that contains a working fluid within a continuous closed flow loop. The co-sintered ceramic or fused polymer structure includes a conduit system containing a heat exchanger, a first high density electrochemical cell stack, and a second high density electrochemical cell stack.

A combined heat and power cogeneration system for a fuel cell according to the present invention comprises: a fuel cell that produces direct current power using fuel gas containing hydrogen and air containing oxygen; a power converter which converts the direct current power produced by the fuel cell into alternating current power; a power divider which selects commercial power from an electric power system and power produced by the fuel cell and divides the selected power into loads; a waste heat recovery unit for recovering heat generated by the fuel cell; and a fuel cell controller which controls the fuel cell, the power converter, the power divider, and the waste heat recovery unit, and controls the commercial power such that the price of the commercial power and the price of the produced power coincide with each other at a preset level.

An electrochemical direct heat to electricity converter includes a primary thermal energy source; a working fluid; an electrochemical cell comprising at least one membrane electrode assembly including a first porous electrode, a second porous electrode and at least one membrane, wherein the at least one membrane is sandwiched between the first and second porous electrodes and is a conductor of ions of the working fluid; an energy storage reservoir; and an external load. The electrochemical cell operates on heat to produce electricity. When thermal energy available from the primary thermal energy source is greater than necessary to meet demands of the external load, excess energy is stored in the energy storage reservoir, and when the thermal energy available from the primary thermal energy source is insufficient to meet the demands of the external load, at least a portion of the excess energy stored in the energy storage reservoir is used to supply power to the external load.

An energy control apparatus for controlling hybrid energy sources for an aircraft is designed for determining an operating characteristic of an energy source, a demand of at least one first consumer for a first resource and a demand of a second consumer for a second resource. The energy control apparatus activates the energy source in dependence on the demand for the first resource and the second resource and, if there is no demand for a first or second resource that is generatable by the energy source and is present in excess, supplies a third consumer with the excess resource. This makes it possible for an energy system to operate different consumers independently of the type of generated resources and their dependencies during the generation.