| Patent application number | Description | Published |
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| 20090202873 | HYDROGEN PURIFICATION MEMBRANES, COMPONENTS AND FUEL PROCESSING SYSTEMS CONTAINING THE SAME - Hydrogen-producing fuel processing systems, hydrogen purification membranes, hydrogen purification devices, fuel processing and fuel cell systems that include hydrogen purification devices, and methods for operating the same. In some embodiments, operation of the fuel processing system is initiated by heating at least the reforming region of the fuel processing system to at least a selected hydrogen-producing operating temperature. In some embodiments, an electric heater is utilized to perform this initial heating. In some embodiments, use of the electric heater is discontinued after startup, and a burner or other combustion-based heating assembly combusts a fuel to heat at least the hydrogen producing region, such as due to the reforming region utilizing an endothermic catalytic reaction to produce hydrogen gas. | 08-13-2009 |
| 20090202874 | HYDROGEN PURIFICATION MEMBRANES, COMPONENTS AND FUEL PROCESSING SYSTEMS CONTAINING THE SAME - Hydrogen-producing fuel processing systems, hydrogen purification membranes, hydrogen purification devices, and fuel processing and fuel cell systems that include hydrogen purification devices. In some embodiments, the fuel processing systems and the hydrogen purification membranes include a metal membrane, which is at least substantially comprised of palladium or a palladium alloy. In some embodiments, the membrane contains trace amounts of carbon, silicon, and/or oxygen. In some embodiments, the membranes form part of a hydrogen purification device that includes an enclosure containing a separation assembly, which is adapted to receive a mixed gas stream containing hydrogen gas and to produce a stream that contains pure or at least substantially pure hydrogen gas therefrom. In some embodiments, the membrane(s) and/or purification device forms a portion of a fuel processor, and in some embodiments, the membrane(s) and/or purification device forms a portion of a fuel processing or fuel cell system. | 08-13-2009 |
| 20090205253 | STEAM REFORMING FUEL PROCESSOR, BURNER ASSEMBLY, AND METHODS OF OPERATING THE SAME - Systems and methods for producing hydrogen gas with a fuel processing system that includes a hydrogen-producing region that produces hydrogen gas from a feed stream and a heating assembly that consumes a fuel stream to produce a heated exhaust stream for heating the hydrogen-producing region. In some embodiments, the heating assembly heats the hydrogen-producing region to at least a minimum hydrogen-producing temperature. In some embodiments, the rate at which an air stream is delivered to the heating assembly is controlled to selectively increase or decrease the temperature of the heated exhaust stream. In some embodiments, the feed stream and the fuel stream both contain a carbon-containing feedstock and at least 25 wt % water. In some embodiments, the feed and fuel streams have the same composition. | 08-20-2009 |
| 20100021353 | SELF-REGULATING FEEDSTOCK DELIVERY SYSTEMS AND HYDROGEN-GENERATING FUEL PROCESSING ASSEMBLIES AND FUEL CELL SYSTEMS INCORPORATING THE SAME - 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. | 01-28-2010 |
| 20100086478 | HYDROGEN-PRODUCING FUEL PROCESSING ASSEMBLIES, HEATING ASSEMBLIES, AND METHODS OF OPERATING THE SAME - Combustion-based heating assemblies and hydrogen-producing fuel processing assemblies that include at least a reforming region adapted to be heated by the heating assemblies. The heating assembly may include at least one fuel chamber and at least one heating and ignition source. The at least one fuel chamber may be adapted to receive at least one fuel stream at a first temperature. The fuel stream may include a liquid, combustible, carbon-containing fuel having an ignition temperature greater than the first temperature at which the fuel stream is delivered to the fuel chamber. The at least one heating and ignition source may be adapted to heat at least a portion of the fuel chamber to raise the temperature of at least a portion of the carbon-containing fuel to a second temperature at least as great as the ignition temperature and to ignite the carbon-containing fuel. Methods of use are also disclosed. | 04-08-2010 |
| 20100136453 | THERMALLY PRIMED HYDROGEN-PRODUCING FUEL CELL SYSTEM - Thermally primed fuel processing assemblies and hydrogen-producing fuel cell systems that include the same. The thermally primed fuel processing assemblies include at least one hydrogen-producing region housed within an internal compartment of a heated containment structure. In some embodiments, the heated containment structure is an oven. In some embodiments, the compartment also contains a purification region and/or heating assembly. In some embodiments, the containment structure is adapted to heat and maintain the internal compartment at or above a threshold temperature, which may correspond to a suitable hydrogen-producing temperature. In some embodiments, the containment structure is adapted to maintain this temperature during periods in which the fuel cell system is not producing power and/or not producing power to satisfy an applied load to the system. In some embodiments, the fuel cell system is adapted to provide backup power to a power source, which may be adapted to power the containment structure. | 06-03-2010 |
| 20100297511 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR CONTROLLING THE OPERATION OF A FUEL PROCESSING SYSTEM - A control system and method for a fuel processing system. The control system automates the operation of a fuel processing system by monitoring operating parameters and automatically controlling the operation of the system responsive to the monitored parameters, predefined subroutines and/or user inputs. | 11-25-2010 |
| 20110076574 | FUEL CELL SYSTEM CONTROLLER - A fuel cell system that includes a control system for regulating the power produced by the fuel cell system. The fuel cell system includes a fuel cell stack adapted to produce electrical power from a feed. In some embodiments, the fuel cell system includes a fuel processing assembly adapted to produce the feed for the fuel cell stack from one or more feedstocks. The control system regulates the power produced by the fuel cell system to prevent damage to, and/or failure of, the system. | 03-31-2011 |
| 20110116985 | HYDROGEN PURIFICATION MEMBRANES, COMPONENTS AND FUEL PROCESSING SYSTEMS CONTAINING THE SAME - Hydrogen-producing fuel processing systems, hydrogen purification membranes, hydrogen purification devices, fuel processing and fuel cell systems that include hydrogen purification devices, and methods for operating the same. In some embodiments, operation of the fuel processing system is initiated by heating at least the reforming region of the fuel processing system to at least a selected hydrogen-producing operating temperature. In some embodiments, an electric heater is utilized to perform this initial heating. In some embodiments, use of the electric heater is discontinued after startup, and a burner or other combustion-based heating assembly combusts a fuel to heat at least the hydrogen producing region, such as due to the reforming region utilizing an endothermic catalytic reaction to produce hydrogen gas. | 05-19-2011 |
