501 results about "Fuel treatment" patented technology

The present invention relates to a method and apparatus for creating steam from the cooling stream of a proton exchange membrane (PEM) fuel cell. As the cooling stream exits the PEM fuel cell, a portion of the cooling fluid is extracted from the circulating cooling stream, thereby creating a secondary stream of cooling fluid. This secondary stream passes through a restriction, which decreases the pressure of the secondary stream to its saturation pressure, such that when the secondary stream enters a flash evaporator it transforms into steam. Creating steam from the cooling stream of a PEM fuel cell power plant provides the fuel processor with a co-generated source of steam without adding a significant amount of auxiliary equipment to the power plant.

The present invention includes an integrated fuel processor subsystem incorporating a thermal combustor, a catalytic combustor, a quasi-autothermal reactor (QATR) and a air-fuel-steam (AFS) mixer to provide a range of operating modes exhibiting performance between that of a pure steam reformer and a pure autothermal reformer to increase the flexibility of the fuel processor to handle transient system demands such as cold starts, suppress emissions and carbon formation and improve efficiency.

Described herein is a portable storage device that stores a hydrogen fuel source. The storage device includes a bladder that contains the hydrogen fuel source and conforms to the volume of the hydrogen fuel source. A housing provides mechanical protection for the bladder. The storage device also includes a connector that interfaces with a mating connector to permit transfer of the fuel source between the bladder and a device that includes the mating connector. The device may be a portable electronics device such as a laptop computer. Refillable hydrogen fuel source storage devices and systems are also described. The refillable system comprises a hydrogen fuel source refiner that includes the mating connector and provides the hydrogen fuel source to the storage device. Hot swappable fuel storage systems described herein allow a portable hydrogen fuel source storage device to be removed from a fuel processor or electronics device it provides the hydrogen fuel source to, without shutting down the receiving device or without compromising hydrogen fuel source provision to the receiving device for a limited time.

A fuel cell system is provided which includes a hydrocarbon fuel processor for generating hydrogen for use in a fuel cell. The system further includes a hydrogen buffer for storing a portion of the hydrogen generated by the fuel processor. The system further includes a staged hydrogen selective membrane providing pressurized hydrogen to the buffer. This stored hydrogen may then be used during start-up of the system in a number of ways, such as feed for the fuel cell, or when the fuel processor output is temporarily less than that required by the operating demand of the fuel cell.

Described herein is a highly heat integrated steam reformer / combustor assembly that can be used in a fuel processor for hydrogen production from a fuel source. The assembly comprises a reforming section and a combustion section separated by a wall. Catalyst able to induce the reforming reactions is coated on the wall facing the reforming section. Catalyst able to induce the combustion reactions is coated on the wall facing the combustion section. A steam and fuel mixture is supplied to the reforming section where it is reformed to product hydrogen. A fuel and air mixture is supplied to the combustion section where it is combusted to supply the heat for the reformer. Catalytic combustion takes place on the combustion catalyst coated on one side of the wall while catalytic reforming takes place on the reforming catalyst coated on the other side of the wall. Heat transfer is very facile and efficient across the wall. Multiple such assemblies can be bundled to form reactors of any size.

Described herein are fuel cell systems and methods of increasing fuel cell system efficiency. The systems include a fuel processor that produces hydrogen from a fuel source and a fuel cell that generates electrical energy using the hydrogen. An electronics device that receives the electrical energy may also include the fuel cell system and a heat-generating component. The invention uses heat from the fuel cell and / or heat from the heat-generating electronics component to preheat a liquid fuel source. This reduces or potentially eliminates the need for fuel source heating in the fuel processor.

Feedstock delivery systems and hydrogen-producing fuel processing assemblies and fuel cell systems containing the same. The feedstock delivery systems include a liquid pump that draws at least one liquid feedstock from a supply and delivers at least one feed stream containing the feedstock(s) to a fuel processor, such as to the hydrogen-producing region thereof. The feedstock delivery system further includes a recycle conduit that establishes a fluid flow path for the liquid feedstock(s) from a location downstream of the pump back to a location upstream of the pump. In some embodiments, the feedstock delivery system further includes a flow restrictor associated with the recycle conduit and a pressure-actuated valve that selectively permits the recycled feedstock to bypass the flow restrictor. In some embodiments, the pump is configured to draw a greater flow rate of the feed stream from the supply than is delivered to the fuel processor.

In embodiments of the present invention, a method of heat treating a solid fuel briquette may include heating the solid fuel briquette using energy from at least one of a heat furnace or an electromagnetic energy system of a solid fuel treatment facility as the solid fuel briquette is moved through the treatment facility to a specified internal temperature, and sealing the heat-treated solid fuel briquette in a vessel for a duration of time.

A fuel processing system is operable to remove substantially all of the sulfur present in an undiluted hydrocarbon fuel stock supply used to power a fuel cell power plant in a mobile environment, such as an automobile, bus, truck, boat, or the like, or in a stationary environment. The power plant hydrogen fuel source can be gasoline, diesel fuel, naphtha, light hydrocarbon fuels such as butane, propane, natural gas, or other like fuels which contain relatively high levels of organic sulfur compounds such as mercaptans, sulfides, disulfides, and the like. The undiluted hydrocarbon fuel supply is passed through a nickel desulfurizer bed wherein essentially all of the sulfur in the organic sulfur compounds react with the nickel reactant, and are converted to nickel sulfide while the desulfurized organic remnants continue through the remainder of the fuel processing system. The system does not require the addition of steam or a hydrogen source to the fuel stream prior to the desulfurizing step. The system operates at relatively low temperatures and can be used to desulfurize either a liquid or a gaseous fuel stream.

The invention relates to fuel cell systems with improved thermal efficiency. The systems include a fuel cell that generates electrical energy using hydrogen and a fuel processor that produces hydrogen from a fuel. Some heat efficient systems described herein include a thermal catalyst that generates heat when the catalyst interacts with a heating medium. The heat is used to heat the fuel cell. The thermal catalyst may be disposed in, proximity to the fuel cell, or remote from the fuel cell and a heat transfer pipe conducts heat from the catalyst to the fuel cell. Another thermally efficient embodiment uses a recuperator to transfer heat generated in the fuel cell system to incoming fuel. A fuel cell package may also include a multi-layer insulation arrangement to decrease heat loss from the fuel cell and fuel processor, which both typically operate at elevated temperatures.

This application relates to a hybrid power supply apparatus comprising a fuel cell and an energy storage device for use in off-road electric vehicles, such as lift trucks. The apparatus is a substitute for conventional lead acid batteries and is sized to fit within a conventional lift truck battery receptacle tray. The fuel cell and fuel processor systems are designed to meet the average load requirements of the vehicle, while the batteries and power control hardware are capable of responding to very high instantaneous load demands. The invention has a similar electrical interface as conventional battery systems and does not require vehicle modification. The apparatus is air-cooled to ensure that the hybrid power components operate within a preferred temperature range and to maintain the external surfaces of the apparatus and exhaust gases within safe temperature limits. Apart from vehicular applications, low power hybrid fuel cell products as exemplified by the present invention may also find application in uninterruptable power supply systems, recreational power, off-grid power generation and other analogous applications.

A homogeneous ceria-based mixed-metal oxide, useful as a catalyst support, a co-catalyst and / or a getter, is described. The mixed-metal oxide has a relatively large surface area per weight, typically exceeding 150 m<2> / g, a structure of nanocrystallites having diameters of less than 4 nm, and including pores larger than the nanocrystallites and having diameters in the range of 4 to about 9 nm. The ratio of the pore volumes, VP, to skeletal structure volumes, VS, is typically less than about 2.5, and the surface area per unit volume of the oxide material is greater than 320 m<2> / cm<3>, such that the structural morphology supports both a relatively low internal mass transfer resistance and large effective surface area for reaction activity of interest. The mixed metal oxide is made by co-precipitating a dilute metal salt solution containing the respective metals, which may include Zr, Hf, and / or other metal constituents in addition to Ce, replacing water in the co-precipitate with a water-miscible low surface-tension solvent, and relatively quickly drying and calcining the co-precipitate at moderate temperatures. A highly dispersive catalyst metal, such as Pt, may be loaded on the mixed metal oxide support from a catalyst-containing solution following a selected acid surface treatment of the oxide support. The mixed metal oxide, as catalyst support, co-catalyst or getter, is applied in various reactions, and particularly water gas shift and / or preferential oxidation reactions as associated with fuel processing systems, as for fuel cells and the like.

An evaporated fuel treatment apparatus is provided for reducing a refilling time, ensuring satisfactory adsorption / desorption performance for an evaporated fuel, and reducing the manufacturing cost through a simplified structure. The evaporated fuel treatment apparatus comprises a casing having formed therein a first chamber in communication with the fuel tank, a second chamber in communication with the first chamber, and a third chamber in communication with the second chamber and the atmosphere. Active carbons are contained in the first chamber and second chamber for adsorbing fuel components in an evaporated fuel introduced from the fuel tank. An adsorbent is contained in the third sub-chamber for adsorbing fuel components in the evaporated fuel introduced from the second chamber. The adsorbent has an air-flow resistance which is set smaller than that of the active carbons.

A first connecting pipe of an electromagnetic valve connects with the fuel tank, and a second connecting pipe connects with a canister. A spring urges a moving core and a first valve body in a closing direction of a electromagnetic valve. A shaft of the first valve body includes a fluid-amount controlling portion on the top. The fluid-amount controlling portion is inserted to the communicating passage while a contact member of bellows seats on a convex of a rubber member, and is tapered in an inserted direction. When a coil is energized, the first valve body is lifted in the direction in which the fluid-amount controlling portion retracts from the communicating passage.

Described herein is a portable storage device that stores a hydrogen fuel source. The storage device includes a bladder that contains the hydrogen fuel source and conforms to the volume of the hydrogen fuel source. A housing provides mechanical protection for the bladder. The storage device also includes a connector that interfaces with a mating connector to permit transfer of the fuel source between the bladder and a device that includes the mating connector. The device may be a portable electronics device such as a laptop computer. Refillable hydrogen fuel source storage devices and systems are also described. Hot swappable fuel storage systems described herein allow a portable hydrogen fuel source storage device to be removed from a fuel processor or electronics device it provides the hydrogen fuel source to, without shutting down the receiving device or without compromising hydrogen fuel source provision.

Methods and systems to achieve clean fuel processing systems in which carbon dioxide emissions (1) from fossil fuel consumption sources (2) may be processed in at least one processing reactor (4) containing a plurality of chemoautotrophic bacteria (5) which can convert the carbon dioxide emissions into biomass (6) which may then be used for various products (21) such as biofuels, fertilizer, feedstock, or the like. Sulfate reducing bacteria (13) may be used to supply sulfur containing compounds to the chemoautotrophic bacteria (5).

An evaporated fuel treatment apparatus is provided for reducing a refilling time, ensuring satisfactory adsorption / desorption performance for an evaporated fuel, and reducing the manufacturing cost through a simplified structure. The evaporated fuel treatment apparatus comprises a casing having formed therein a first chamber in communication with the fuel tank, a second chamber in communication with the first chamber, and a third chamber in communication with the second chamber and the atmosphere. Active carbons are contained in the first chamber and second chamber for adsorbing fuel components in an evaporated fuel introduced from the fuel tank. An adsorbent is contained in the third sub-chamber for adsorbing fuel components in the evaporated fuel introduced from the second chamber. The adsorbent has an air-flow resistance which is set smaller than that of the active carbons.

The invention relates to a fuel processor that produces hydrogen from a fuel. The fuel processor comprises a reformer and a heater. The reformer includes a catalyst that facilitates the production of hydrogen from the fuel; the heater provides heat to the reformer. Multipass reformer and heater chambers are described that reduce fuel processor size. Single layer fuel processors include reformer and heater chambers in a compact form factor that is well suited for portable applications. Some fuel processors described herein place an electrically resistive material in contact with a thermally conductive material to heat fuel entering the fuel processor. This is particularly useful during start-up of the fuel processor. Fuel processors described may also include features that facilitate assembly.

An apparatus removes carbon monoxide (CO) from a hydrogen-rich gas stream in a hydrogen fuel cell system. CO fouls costly catalytic particles in the membrane electrode assemblies of proton exchange membrane (PEM) fuel cells. A vessel houses a carbon monoxide adsorbent. The vessel may be a rotating pressure swing adsorber. A water gas shift reactor is upstream of the rotating pressure swing adsorber. The water gas shift reactor may include a second adsorbent adapted to adsorb carbon monoxide at low temperatures and to desorb carbon monoxide at high temperatures. The apparatus advantageously eliminates the use of a preferential oxidation (PROX) reactor, by providing an apparatus which incorporates CO adsorption in the place of the PROX reactor. This cleans up carbon monoxide without hydrogen consumption and the concomitant, undesirable excess low grade heat generation. The present invention reduces start-up duration, and improves overall fuel processor efficiency during normal operation.

A sealing valve is installed between a fuel tank and a canister. A purge VSV is installed between the canister and an intake path. A pump module unit is installed to introduce a negative pressure into the canister. The negative pressure is introduced into the canister while the purge VSV and sealing valve are closed. An open failure diagnostic check is conducted on the sealing valve in accordance with the prevalent canister side pressure. A close failure diagnostic check is conducted on the sealing valve by making use of a differential pressure that is generated across the sealing valve as a result of the open failure diagnostic check.

Feedstock delivery systems and hydrogen-producing fuel processing assemblies and fuel cell systems containing the same. The feedstock delivery systems include a liquid pump that draws at least one liquid feedstock from a supply and delivers at least one feed stream containing the feedstock(s) to a fuel processor, such as to the hydrogen-producing region thereof. The feedstock delivery system further includes a recycle conduit that establishes a fluid flow path for the liquid feedstock(s) from a location downstream of the pump back to a location upstream of the pump. In some embodiments, the feedstock delivery system further includes a flow restrictor associated with the recycle conduit and a pressure-actuated valve that selectively permits the recycled feedstock to bypass the flow restrictor. In some embodiments, the pump is configured to draw a greater flow rate of the feed stream from the supply than is delivered to the fuel processor.

This sewage and garbage treatment system centrally designed for power plant includes sewage treatment unit, fuel processing unit, garbage combustion boiler, fly ash processing unit, smoke processing unit, the de-oxygenating draining steam of turbine steam-extraction heat-supply boiler and circulated water cooling unit. The effluent of sewage treatment unit with coal as filter is led into magnetic water strainer, and condensed water from the domestic garbage dehydration-drying condensed water-recovering combustion-supporting device is cleared by the coal filtration and normal water treatment system to feedback the circulated water-cooling system, the steam condensed water is heated and delivered into the de-oxygenating device. Treated sewage is introduced into multi-medium condenser and the distillation-desalination device; discharged smoke from fly ash incineration device is led into garbage combustion boiler; acid water discharged from distillation unit and alkaline water from coal filter are neutralized and discharged. Water distillation system and the circulation cooling water of the steam turbine condensator are led to the air- water cooling tower.

A sealing valve is installed between a fuel tank and a canister. A purge VSV is installed between the canister and an intake path. A pump module unit is installed to introduce a negative pressure into the canister. The negative pressure is introduced into the canister while the purge VSV and sealing valve are closed. An open failure diagnostic check is conducted on the sealing valve in accordance with the prevalent canister side pressure. A close failure diagnostic check is conducted on the sealing valve by making use of a differential pressure that is generated across the sealing valve as a result of the open failure diagnostic check.

In a canister system of seal type, a purge VSV is closed even if a predetermined purge condition is established so as to prevent direct purging of an evaporated fuel within a fuel tank into an intake system of an engine when one of the following conditions is established, that is, (1) a motor pump of an OBD pump module is driven; (2) a switching valve of the OBD pump module is set to ON; and (3) a closing valve is opened.

A fuel processing system is provided wherein heat is transferred from a reformate flow (32) downstream from a water-gas shift (38) to both a) a combustor feed flow (40) that is supplied to a combustor (25); and b) a water flow (26) that is supplied to a reformer feed mix (34) for a steam reformer (28).