# US 10,479,679 B2 · Exhaust gas clean-up system equipped with power generating function

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- Number: US 10,479,679 B2
- Document ID: US10479679B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 15/558,464
- Filed: 2016-03-04
- Published: 2018-04-05
- Granted: 2019-11-19
- Earliest claimed: 2015-03-23
- Assignees: Kabushiki Kaisha Atsumitec
- Applicants: Atsumitec Co., Ltd.
- Inventors: Naoki Uchiyama
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10479679B2

## CPC

- C01B 3/065: by reaction of inorganic compounds with hydrides
- C01B 3/0031: Intermetallic compounds; Metal alloys
- C01B 3/0042: only containing magnesium and nickel
- C01B 3/34: by reaction of hydrocarbons with gasifying agents
- C01B 3/508: by using hydrogen storage media (reversible storage of hydrogen C01B3/0005)
- F01N 3/24: characterised by constructional aspects of converting apparatus (filtering in combination with catalytic reactors F01N3/035)
- H01M 8/04: Auxiliary arrangements, e.g. for control of pressure or for circulation of fluids
- H01M 8/0612: from carbon-containing material
- H01M 8/0618: {Reforming processes, e.g. autothermal, partial oxidation or steam reforming}
- C01B 2203/0233: the reforming step being a steam reforming step
- C01B 2203/0405: Purification by membrane separation
- C01B 2203/0435: Catalytic purification
- C01B 2203/066: with fuel cells
- C01B 2203/1657: the product being hydrogen
- C01B 2203/1685: Control based on demand of downstream process
- C01B 2203/169: Controlling the feed
- Y02E 60/32: Hydrogen storage
- Y02E 60/36: Hydrogen production from non-carbon containing sources, e.g. by water electrolysis
- Y02E 60/50: Fuel cells
- C01B: NON-METALLIC ELEMENTS; COMPOUNDS THEREOF; {METALLOIDS OR COMPOUNDS THEREOF NOT COVERED BY SUBCLASS C01C}
- F01N: GAS-FLOW SILENCERS OR EXHAUST APPARATUS FOR MACHINES OR ENGINES IN GENERAL; GAS-FLOW SILENCERS OR EXHAUST APPARATUS FOR INTERNAL-COMBUSTION ENGINES (arrangements in connection with gas exhaust of propulsion units in vehicles B60K13/00; combustion-air intake silencers specially adapted for, or arranged on, internal-combustion engines F02M35/00; protecting against, or damping, noise in general G10K11/16)
- H01M: PROCESSES OR MEANS, e.g. BATTERIES, FOR THE DIRECT CONVERSION OF CHEMICAL ENERGY INTO ELECTRICAL ENERGY
- Y02E: REDUCTION OF GREENHOUSE GAS [GHG] EMISSIONS, RELATED TO ENERGY GENERATION, TRANSMISSION OR DISTRIBUTION

## Abstract

The system comprises a steam reforming unit to produce hydrogen from exhaust gas supplied, a hydrogen permeable membrane to allow only hydrogen produced by the steam reforming unit to pass through it, a hydrogen storage unit to absorb hydrogen supplied through the hydrogen permeable membrane and release absorbed hydrogen, a fuel cell to generate power using hydrogen supplied from the hydrogen storage unit, a gas clean-up unit to clean up residual gases delivered not passing through the hydrogen permeable membrane, and a control unit to control the hydrogen storage unit to absorb or release hydrogen depending on whether the fuel cell is supplied with sufficient hydrogen.

## Claims

### Claim 1

An exhaust gas clean-up system equipped with a power generating function, comprising:
a steam reforming unit to produce hydrogen from exhaust gas supplied,
a hydrogen permeable membrane configured to allow only hydrogen produced by the steam reforming unit to pass through it,
a hydrogen storage unit configured to absorb hydrogen supplied through the hydrogen permeable membrane and release absorbed hydrogen,
a fuel cell configured to generate power using hydrogen supplied from the hydrogen storage unit,
a gas clean-up unit configured to clean up residual gases not passing through the hydrogen permeable membrane,
a control unit configured to control the hydrogen storage unit to absorb or release hydrogen depending on whether the fuel cell is supplied with an operative amount of hydrogen,
a hydrogen delivery path extending from the hydrogen permeable membrane to the gas clean-up unit via the hydrogen storage unit and the fuel cell, and
a residual gas delivery path extending from the steam reforming unit to the gas clean-up unit bypassing the hydrogen storage unit and the fuel cell.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The exhaust gas clean-up system equipped with a power generating function according to claim 1, comprising a hydrogen supply bypassing path extending from the hydrogen storage unit to the gas clean-up unit bypassing the fuel cell.

### Claim 3 (depends on 2)

The exhaust gas clean-up system equipped with a power generating function according to claim 2, wherein the hydrogen supply bypassing path joins the residual gas delivery path.