Patent application number | Description | Published |
20080210088 | 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 at least one metal membrane, which is at least substantially comprised of a palladium alloy. In some embodiments, the membrane is formed from an alloy of palladium and gold and which 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 membranes and/or purification device purifies a mixed gas stream from a hydrogen-producing fuel processor and/or the product stream from a coal gasification process. | 09-04-2008 |
20080248347 | FUEL PROCESSOR FEEDSTOCK DELIVERY SYSTEM - Fuel processing and fuel cell systems with feedstock delivery systems that are designed to deliver a mixed component feed stream to a hydrogen-producing region for the production of hydrogen gas therefrom and to selectively deliver the feed stream to a heating assembly for use as a combustible fuel stream for heating at least the hydrogen-producing region. The feed stream contains water and a carbon-containing feedstock, and may contain at least 31 vol % water. In some embodiments, the feedstock delivery system may be adapted to mix the components of the feed stream at a determined mix ratio and to deliver this feed stream to the fuel processor(s). The fuel processing system may also include one or more fuel cell stacks that are adapted to produce an electric current from the product hydrogen stream produced by the fuel processing system. | 10-09-2008 |
20080305034 | 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 feed stream and the fuel stream both contain a carbon-containing feedstock and at least 25 wt % water. In some embodiments, at least one of the feed and fuel streams contain at least one additional component. In some embodiments, the feed and fuel streams have the same composition. In some embodiments, the feed and fuel streams are drawn or obtained from a common source or supply, and in some embodiments as a liquid stream that is selectively apportioned to form the feed and fuel streams. | 12-11-2008 |
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 |
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 |
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 |
20110232491 | HYDROGEN-PROCESSING ASSEMBLIES AND HYDROGEN-PRODUCING SYSTEMS AND FUEL CELL SYSTEMS INCLUDING THE SAME - Hydrogen-processing assemblies, components of hydrogen-processing assemblies, and fuel-processing and fuel cell systems that include hydrogen-processing assemblies. The hydrogen-processing assemblies include a hydrogen-separation assembly positioned within the internal volume of an enclosure in a spaced relation to at least a portion of the internal perimeter of the body of the enclosure. | 09-29-2011 |
20110256491 | 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. | 10-20-2011 |
20120058403 | 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. | 03-08-2012 |
20120088168 | SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR MAINTAINING HYDROGEN-SELECTIVE MEMBRANES DURING PERIODS OF INACTIVITY - The present disclosure is directed to systems and methods for maintaining hydrogen-selective membranes during periods of inactivity. These systems and methods may include heating and maintaining at least the hydrogen-selective membrane of a hydrogen-producing fuel processing system in a thermally buffered state and/or controlling the chemical composition of the gas streams that may come into contact with the hydrogen-selective membrane. Controlling the chemical composition of the gas streams that may come into contact with the hydrogen-selective membrane may include maintaining a positive pressure of an inert, blanket, reducing, and/or non-oxidizing gas within the membrane separation assembly and/or periodically supplying a reducing gas stream to the membrane separation assembly. These systems and methods may further include periodically supplying a feed stream to a hydrogen-producing region of the hydrogen-producing fuel processing system to produce a mixed gas stream and supplying the mixed gas stream to the membrane separation assembly. | 04-12-2012 |
20130108514 | HYDROGEN PURIFICATION MEMBRANES, COMPONENTS AND FUEL PROCESSING SYSTEMS CONTAINING THE SAME | 05-02-2013 |