5429results about "Motive system fuel cells" patented technology

The present invention provides a method and system for efficiently producing hydrogen that can be supplied to a fuel cell. The method and system of the present invention produces hydrogen in a reforming reactor using a hydrocarbon stream and water vapor stream as reactants. The hydrogen produced is purified in a hydrogen separating membrane to form a retentate stream and purified hydrogen stream. The purified hydrogen can then be fed to a fuel cell where electrical energy is produced and a fuel cell exhaust stream containing water vapor and oxygen depleted air is emitted. In one embodiment of the present invention, a means and method is provided for recycling a portion of the retentate stream to the reforming reactor for increased hydrogen yields. In another embodiment, a combustor is provided for combusting a second portion of the retentate stream to provide heat to the reforming reaction or other reactants. In a preferred embodiment, the combustion is carried out in the presence of at least a portion of the oxygen depleted air stream from the fuel cell. Thus, the system and method of the present invention advantageously uses products generated from the system to enhance the overall efficiency of the system.

A power generation system and method providing an engine configured to produce hydrogen rich reformate to feed a solid oxide fuel cell includes an engine having an intake and an exhaust; an air supply in fluid communication with the engine intake; a fuel supply in fluid communication with the engine intake; at least one solid oxide fuel cell having an air intake in fluid communication with an air supply, a fuel intake in fluid communication with the engine exhaust, a solid oxide fuel cell effluent and an air effluent. Engines include a free piston gas generator with rich homogenous charge compression, a rich internal combustion engine cylinder system with an oxygen generator, and a rich inlet turbo-generator system with exhaust heat recovery. Oxygen enrichment devices to enhance production of hydrogen rich engine exhaust include pressure swing absorption with oxygen selective materials, and oxygen separators such as an solid oxide fuel cell oxygen separator and a ceramic membrane oxygen separator.

A system is provided for producing hydrogen and oxygen based on decomposition of sodium chlorate (NaClO₃). In a service station, NaClO₃ is produced by a sodium chloride (NaCl) electrolyser. The service station is supplied with water (H₂O), NaCl, and energy in order to carry out an electrolysis reaction in the electroyser, to produce NaClO₃ and gaseous hydrogen (H₂). The NaClO₃ and H₂ are supplied to vehicles. Each vehicle includes a reactor for decomposing the NaClO₃ and producing reaction products of NaCl and oxygen, with the oxygen being supplied to a fuel cell.

An energy storage and recovery system includes a renewable power source, a hydrogen generation device in electrical communication with the renewable power source, a hydrogen storage device in fluid communication with the hydrogen generation device, a hydrogen fueled electricity generator in fluid communication with the hydrogen storage device, and a pressure regulator interposed between and in fluid communication with the hydrogen fueled electricity generator and the hydrogen storage device. The pressure regulator is set at an operating pressure of the hydrogen fueled electricity generator.

A fuel cell system, control method and current measuring device for a power unit are disclosed. The fuel cell system includes a fuel cell having local areas, a current measuring device associated with at least one of the local areas to measure localized current related to a specified operating characteristic, and a control section for diagnosing an operating condition of the fuel cell in response to localized current to enable optimum control of the fuel cell depending upon a specified operating characteristic determined by localized current. The control method controls the operating condition of the fuel cell in response to localized current indicative of the specified operating characteristic of the fuel cell. The current measuring device includes an electrical conductor formed with a recessed portion, a localized current conductor received in the recessed portion, and a current sensor for detecting current flowing across the localized current conductor.

A fuel cell and heat engine hybrid system using a high-temperature fuel cell having an anode compartment adapted to receive fuel from a fuel supply path and to output anode exhaust gas and a cathode compartment adapted to receive oxidant gas and to output cathode exhaust gas. A heat engine assembly is adapted to receive oxidant gas and a further gas comprising one of the anode exhaust gas and a gas derived from the anode exhaust gas and to cause oxidation of the further gas and generate output power, the heat engine also generating heat engine exhaust including oxidant gas. The heat engine exhaust is then used to provide oxidant gas to the cathode compartment of the fuel cell.

A fuel cell in a fuel cell stack that provides a transition from nested bipolar plates in the active region of the stack to non-nested bipolar plates in the inactive regions of the stack without giving up the reduced stack thickness provided by the nested plates or changing the size of the flow channels. Particularly, the diffusion media layers in the fuel cells are removed in the inactive regions where the bipolar plates are non-nested so that the volume necessary to maintain the size of the flow channels is provided without the need to increase the distance between adjacent MEAs. A thin shim can be provided between the membranes and the plates in the inactive regions to support the membrane where the diffusion media layer has been removed to prevent the membrane from intruding into the flow channels and blocking the reactive flow.

Combined aircraft hybrid fuel cell auxiliary power unit and environmental control system and methods are disclosed. In one embodiment, an auxiliary power unit includes a fuel cell component which chemically converts combustible fuel into electrical energy. Unutizlied fuel emitted by the fuel cell component is combusted by a burner to generate heated gas. The heated gas is received by and drives a turbine, which in turn drives a drive shaft. A compressor, coupled to the drive shaft, compresses a source of oxidizing gas for supplying compressed oxidizing gas to the fuel cell component and to an environmental control system. A heat exchanger controls the temperature of the pressurized air leaving the environmental control system to provide the cabin air supply. Finally, a generator is coupled to the drive shaft to be driven by the turbines to generate additional electrical energy.

Water is generated onboard of a craft such as an aircraft or in a self-contained stationary system by partially or completely integrating a water generating unit into a power plant of the craft or system. The water generating unit includes one or more high temperature fuel cells which partially or completely replace the combustion chamber or chambers of the power plant. A reformer process is integrated into the high temperature fuel cell which is arranged between, on the one hand, a fan (30) and power plant compressor stages (31, 32) and, on the other hand, power plant turbine stages (33, 34). These power plant stages may be provided in such redundant numbers that safety and redundancy requirements are satisfied.

An electric power generation system has a multiple jet ejector assembly for recirculating an exhaust stream. The system includes a fuel cell stack having a reactant stream inlet, a reactant stream outlet and at least one fuel cell. A pressurized reactant supply provides a reactant to the multiple jet ejector assembly. The multiple jet ejector assembly includes two motive flow inlets, one suction inlet, fluidly connected to the reactant stream outlet to receive a recirculated flow from the fuel cell stack, and one discharge outlet, fluidly connected to the reactant stream inlet to provide an inlet stream to the fuel cell stack. A pressure regulator is interposed between the pressurized reactant supply and the two motive flow inlets of the multiple jet ejector assembly. A first solenoid valve is interposed between the first motive flow inlet and the regulator. A second solenoid valve is interposed between the second motive flow inlet and the regulator. A by-pass line connects the pressurized reactant supply to the second motive flow inlet. A by-pass solenoid valve is interposed in the bypass line between the pressurized reactant supply and the second motive flow inlet. During low-load operating conditions, the second solenoid valve is open and the first and by-pass solenoid valves are closed, so that pressurized reactant, controlled by the regulator, is directed to the second motive flow inlet. During high-load operating conditions, the second solenoid valve is closed and the first and by-pass solenoid valves are open, so that pressurized reactant, controlled by the regulator, is directed to the first motive flow inlet and pressurized reactant, not controlled by the regulator, is directed to the second motive flow inlet.

A power system for an aircraft includes a solid oxide fuel cell system which generates electric power for the aircraft and an exhaust stream; and a heat exchanger for transferring heat from the exhaust stream of the solid oxide fuel cell to a heat requiring system or component of the aircraft. The heat can be transferred to fuel for the primary engine of the aircraft. Further, the same fuel can be used to power both the primary engine and the SOFC. A heat exchanger is positioned to cool reformate before feeding to the fuel cell. SOFC exhaust is treated and used as inerting gas. Finally, oxidant to the SOFC can be obtained from the aircraft cabin, or exterior, or both.

Disclosed are coolants comprising brazed metal corrosion inhibitors. In one embodiment, the disclosed brazed metal corrosion inhibitor will comprise a polycarboxylic acid functional compound having the structure:

wherein R¹, R², R³, and R⁴ are each independently selected from the group consisting of H, OH, COOH, C₁-C₁₀alkyl groups, glycol esters, anhydride groups, —COOM, and combinations thereof, wherein M is at least one of H, alkali metal ions, alkali earth metal ions, NH4⁺, amines, imidazoline, polyalcohol esters, C1 to C12 alkyl groups, and combinations thereof; wherein (1) at least three of R¹, R², R³, and R⁴ contain the group —COOM, wherein M is defined above; or (2) at least two of R¹, R², R³, and R⁴ contain an anhydride group, and at least one of R¹, R², R³, and R⁴ contain the group —COOM, wherein M is defined above.

A hybrid bipolar plate assembly comprises a metallic anode plate, a polymeric composite cathode plate, and a metal layer positioned between the metallic anode plate and the composite cathode plate. The metallic anode and composite cathode plates can further comprise an adhesive sealant applied around the outer perimeter to prevent leaking of coolant. The assembly can be incorporated into a device comprising a fuel cell. Further, the device can define structure defining a vehicle powered by the fuel cell.