PSA Byproduct Fuel Supply System for Hydrogen Generation
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Hydrogen-generation assemblies face challenges in maintaining consistent temperature in heating assemblies due to intermittent and variable fuel flows from pressure swing adsorption (PSA) assemblies, leading to inconsistent performance in fuel cell systems.
Innovation Solution
A combustion fuel stream supply system that continuously provides a fuel stream with a predetermined threshold value by selectively using auxiliary fuel streams, including stored byproduct gas and redirected mixed gas streams, to maintain a stable fuel value, even during reduced byproduct periods, using a pressurized accumulator and controlled release system.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If PSA assemblies are operated in PSA cycles to remove impurities from hydrogen gas stream, then impurity removal is achieved, but fuel flow becomes intermittent and variable
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary action by storing byproduct gas in an accumulator during periods when the PSA assembly produces sufficient fuel (adsorption and depressurization steps). This stored gas is then released during reduced byproduct periods (equalization and purge steps) to maintain continuous fuel supply to the heating assembly, resolving the intermittency issue while preserving the PSA cycle's impurity removal function.
2Use of energy by moving object
If byproduct stream is used as fuel stream for heating assembly, then energy utilization is improved, but temperature control becomes inconsistent
Solution Approach 1:
The system implements feedback control by continuously monitoring the fuel value of the byproduct stream and adjusting the flow rates of byproduct gas from the accumulator and auxiliary fuel streams accordingly. This ensures that the heating assembly receives a consistent fuel supply with stable fuel value, maintaining desired temperature ranges even when the PSA assembly's byproduct output varies during different cycle steps.
3Reliability
If auxiliary fuel streams are introduced to maintain continuous fuel supply, then fuel supply reliability is improved, but system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system uses an accumulator as an intermediary component to buffer the intermittent byproduct gas from the PSA assembly. This accumulator serves as a storage reservoir that decouples the PSA cycle operations from the heating assembly fuel requirements, allowing the system to maintain continuous fuel supply without requiring complex real-time blending controls or multiple auxiliary fuel sources.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
Ensures consistent heating of hydrogen-generation assembly components, maintaining desired temperature ranges and preventing interruptions in fuel supply, thereby enhancing the reliability and efficiency of hydrogen production and fuel cell operation.
Implementation Method 1
A pressurized accumulator is adapted to receive and temporarily store, within a predetermined pressure range, byproduct gas from at least a portion of byproduct stream
Implementation Method 2
The beds are cycled through a series of steps, such as pressurization, separation (adsorption), depressurization (desorption), and purge steps to selectively remove impurities from the hydrogen gas
Implementation Method 3
a heating assembly that combusts at least one fuel stream with air to produce a heated exhaust stream for heating at least a portion of the hydrogen-generation assembly
Data Source
AI summary
Pressure swing adsorption (PSA) assemblies and hydrogen-producing fuel processing assemblies and/or fuel cell systems including the same. The PSA assemblies include, or are utilized with, combustion fuel stream supply systems that are adapted to regulate the flow of a byproduct stream from the PSA assembly for delivery to a heating assembly for use as a combustible fuel stream, such as to maintain at least a hydrogen-producing region of the fuel processing system at a hydrogen-producing temperature or range of temperatures. In some embodiments, the combustion fuel stream supply system is configured to ensure that the supply of combustible fuel from the PSA assembly to the heating assembly contains at least a sufficient fuel value, such as to maintain at least the hydrogen-producing region at or within a predetermined hydrogen-producing temperature or range of temperatures.