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US 2003/0198843 A1Published application
Hydrocarbon fueled liquid gallium fuel generator system
AssigneeEnernext, LLC
InventorRalph C. Struthers
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Apparatus including a gallium fuel generator configured to convert gallium hydroxide to gallium fuel, the generator comprising a combustor for receipt and combustion of hydrocarbon fuel and an oxidizing gas to form a pressurized hot gas mixture including reducing gases, a dehydrator for dehydrating gallium hydroxide to gallium sesquioxide, a reducer configured to receive the gallium sesquioxide and hot gas mixture to form by reduction an intermixture including spent gases and gallium fuel, and a gallium fuel separator configured to receive and separate the gallium fuel from the intermixture.
Claims29
A liquid gallium fuel cell system including a gallium fuel generator configured to generate liquid gallium fuel from spent gallium fuel, comprising:
- a fuel cell utilizing liquid gallium fuel and an aqueous electrolytic alkaline solution to produce electricity and form an admixture including the solution and spent gallium fuel in the form of gallium hydroxide;
- a gallium hydroxide separator configured to receive the admixture and recover the gallium hydroxide from the admixture;
- and
- a gallium fuel generator configured to receive and convert the gallium hydroxide to gallium fuel, comprising a combustor configured to receive a hydrocarbon fuel and oxygen gas and to mix them together to form a combustible gas mixture to generate, upon being ignited, a pressurized hot gas mixture including hydrogen gas and carbon monoxide;
- an ignitor disposed in the combustor to ignite the combustible mixture;
- a dehydrator connected to the combustor for receipt of the hot gas mixture therefrom and configured to receive the gallium hydroxide to dehydrate the gallium hydroxide and form gallium sesquioxide;
- a reducer connected to the dehydrator for receipt of the hot gas mixture and the gallium sesquioxide therefrom to reduce the gallium sesquioxide and form a gallium fuel intermixture of the gallium fuel and spent gases;
- and a fuel separator connected to the reducer for receipt of the fuel intermixture to separate the gallium fuel from the spent gases and recover the gallium fuel.
5 more elements
A liquid gallium fuel cell system including a gallium fuel generator to generate liquid gallium fuel from spent gallium fuel, comprising:
- a fuel cell utilizing liquid gallium fuel and an aqueous electrolytic alkaline solution to produce electricity and spent gallium fuel in the form gallium hydroxide;
- a generator means to generate liquid gallium fuel from spent gallium fuel;
- a first conduit means including a first pump device connecting the fuel cell with the generator means to transfer the spent fuel to the generator;
- and
- a second conduit means including a second pump device connecting the generator to the fuel cell to transfer the gallium fuel to the fuel cell.
2 more elements
A method for removing and converting spent gallium fuel, in the form of gallium hydroxide, from a liquid gallium fuel cell to gallium fuel for reuse in the fuel cell, the gallium hydroxide being included in an admixture including an aqueous electrolytic alkaline solution contained in an ion exchange chamber of the fuel cell, including:
- removing at least a portion of the admixture from the fuel cell;
- forcing the removed admixture through a filter media to separate the gallium hydroxide from the solution;
- removing the gallium hydroxide from the filter media;
- collecting the gallium hydroxide into a container;
- injecting a hydrocarbon fuel and oxygen gas into a combustor
- mixing together in the combustor the hydrocarbon fuel and oxygen gas to form a combustible gas mixture to generate, upon being ignited, a pressurized hot gas mixture including hydrogen gas and carbon monoxide;
- igniting the combustible mixture;
- expelling the hot gas mixture into a dehydrator to provide heat for the dehydration of the gallium hydroxide to form gallium sesquioxide;
- introducing the gallium hydroxide from the container into the dehydrator;
- dehydrating the gallium hydroxide to form gallium sesquioxide;
- expelling the gallium sesquioxide and the hot gas mixture into a reducer to reduce the gallium sesquioxide to the gallium fuel and form and form an intermixture of the gallium fuel and spent gases;
- and
- expelling the intermixture into a fuel separator to separate the gallium fuel from the spent gases;
- and
- collecting the gallium fuel from the fuel separator.
12 more elements
A gallium fuel generator for generating gallium fuel from gallium hydroxide, comprising:
- a combustor configured to receive a hydrocarbon fuel and oxygen gas and to mix them together to form a combustible gas mixture to generate, upon being ignited, a pressurized hot gas mixture including hydrogen gas and carbon monoxide;
- an ignitor disposed in the combustor to ignite the combustible mixture;
- a dehydrator connected to the combustor for receipt of the hot gas mixture therefrom and configured to receive the gallium hydroxide to dehydrate the gallium hydroxide and form gallium sesquioxide;
- a reducer connected to the dehydrator for receipt of the hot gas mixture and the gallium sesquioxide therefrom to reduce the gallium sesquioxide and form a gallium fuel intermixture of the gallium fuel and spent gases;
- and
- a fuel separator connected to the reducer for receipt of the fuel intermixture to separate the gallium fuel from the spent gases and recover the gallium fuel.
3 more elements
A gallium fuel generator for generating gallium fuel from gallium hydroxide, comprising:
- a combustor to receive a hydrocarbon fuel and oxygen gas and to mix them together to form a combustible gas mixture to generate, upon being ignited, a pressurized hot gas mixture including hydrogen gas and carbon monoxide;
- an ignitor disposed in the combustor to ignite the combustible mixture;
- a dehydrator connected to the combustor for receipt of the hot gas mixture therefrom and configured to receive the gallium hydroxide to dehydrate the gallium hydroxide and form gallium sesquioxide;
- a reducer connected to the dehydrator for receipt of the hot gas mixture and the gallium sesquioxide therefrom to reduce the gallium sesquioxide and form a gallium fuel intermixture of the gallium fuel and spent gases;
- and
- a separator means connected to the reducer for receipt of the fuel intermixture to separate the gallium fuel from the spent gases and recover the gallium fuel.
3 more elements
A gallium fuel generator for generating gallium fuel from gallium hydroxide, comprising:
- a combustor including means to receive a hydrocarbon fuel and oxygen gas and to mix them together to form a combustible gas mixture to generate, upon being ignited, a pressurized hot gas mixture including hydrogen gas and carbon monoxide;
- an ignitor disposed in the combustor to ignite the combustible mixture;
- a dehydrator connected to the combustor for receipt of the hot gas mixture therefrom and configured to receive the gallium hydroxide to dehydrate the gallium hydroxide and form gallium sesquioxide;
- a reducer connected to the dehydrator for receipt of the hot gas mixture and the gallium sesquioxide therefrom to reduce the gallium sesquioxide and form a gallium fuel intermixture of the gallium fuel and spent gases;
- and
- a fuel separator connected to the reducer for receipt of the fuel intermixture to separate the gallium fuel from the spent gases and recover the gallium fuel.
3 more elements
A gallium fuel generator for generating gallium fuel from gallium hydroxide, comprising:
- a combustor configured to receive a hydrocarbon fuel and oxygen gas and to mix them together to form a combustible gas mixture to generate, upon being ignited, a pressurized hot gas mixture including hydrogen gas and carbon monoxide;
- an ignitor disposed in the combustor to ignite the combustible mixture;
- a dehydrator connected to the combustor for receipt of the hot gas mixture therefrom and configured to receive the gallium hydroxide to dehydrate the gallium hydroxide and form gallium sesquioxide;
- a reducer means connected to the dehydrator for receipt of the hot gas mixture and the gallium sesquioxide therefrom to reduce the gallium sesquioxide and form a gallium fuel intermixture of the gallium fuel and spent gases;
- and
- a fuel separator connected to the reducer means for receipt of the fuel intermixture to separate the gallium fuel from the spent gases and recover the gallium fuel.
3 more elements
A gallium fuel generator for generating gallium fuel from gallium hydroxide, comprising:
- a combustor configured to receive a hydrocarbon fuel and oxygen gas and to mix them together to form a combustible gas mixture to generate, upon being ignited, a pressurized hot gas mixture including hydrogen gas and carbon monoxide;
- an ignitor disposed in the combustor to ignite the combustible mixture;
- a dehydrator disposed in heat exchange relationship with the combustor and configured to receive the gallium hydroxide to dehydrate the gallium hydroxide and form gallium sesquioxide;
- a reducer connected to the combustor for receipt of the hot gas mixture therefrom and connected to the dehydrator for receipt of the gallium sesquioxide therefrom to reduce the gallium sesquioxide and form a gallium fuel intermixture of the gallium fuel and spent gases;
- and
- a fuel separator connected to the reducer for receipt of the fuel intermixture to separate the gallium fuel from the spent gases and recover the gallium fuel.
3 more elements
A gallium fuel generator for generating gallium fuel from gallium hydroxide, comprising:
- a combustor configured to receive a hydrocarbon fuel and oxygen gas and to mix them together to form a combustible gas mixture to generate, upon being ignited, a pressurized hot gas mixture including hydrogen gas and carbon monoxide;
- an ignitor disposed in the combustor to ignite the combustible mixture;
- a dehydrator configured to receive and dehydrate the gallium hydroxide and form gallium sesquioxide;
- a reducer connected to the combustor for receipt of the hot gas mixture therefrom and connected to the dehydrator for receipt of the gallium sesquioxide therefrom to reduce the gallium sesquioxide and form a gallium fuel intermixture of the gallium fuel and spent gases;
- and
- a fuel separator connected to the reducer for receipt of the fuel intermixture to separate the gallium fuel from the spent gases and recover the gallium fuel.
3 more elements
A method for recovering gallium fuel from an admixture including an aqueous electrolytic alkaline solution and gallium hydroxide, including:
- forcing the admixture through a filter media to separate the gallium hydroxide from the solution;
- collecting the gallium hydroxide from the filter media;
- injecting a hydrocarbon fuel and oxygen gas into a combustor;
- mixing together in the combustor the hydrocarbon fuel and oxygen gas to form a combustible gas mixture to generate, upon being ignited, a pressurized hot gas mixture including hydrogen gas and carbon monoxide;
- igniting the combustible mixture to form the pressurized hot gas mixture;
- expelling the hot gas mixture into a dehydrator to provide heat for the dehydration of the gallium hydroxide to form gallium sesquioxide;
- introducing the gallium hydroxide into the dehydrator;
- dehydrating the gallium hydroxide to form gallium sesquioxide;
- expelling the gallium sesquioxide and the hot gas mixture into a reducer to reduce the gallium sesquioxide to the gallium fuel and form and form an intermixture of the gallium fuel and spent gases;
- and
- expelling the intermixture into a fuel separator to separate the gallium fuel from the spent gases;
- and
- collecting the gallium fuel from the fuel separator.
10 more elements
A gallium hydroxide separator for recovering gallium hydroxide from an admixture of aqueous alkaline electrolyte and gallium hydroxide, comprising:
- a filter being disposed to receive the admixture to separate the gallium hydroxide from the admixture;
- a pump device connected with the admixture providing the admixture to the filter;
- and
- a gallium hydroxide collector configured to collect the gallium hydroxide from the filter.
1 more element
A method for recovering gallium hydroxide from an admixture of aqueous alkaline electrolyte solution and gallium hydroxide, including:
- forcing the admixture through a filter disposed to separate the gallium hydroxide from the admixture;
- removing the filtered gallium hydroxide from the filter with a wash of liquid;
- and
- collecting the gallium hydroxide and liquid in a container.
1 more element
A carbon dioxide separator for removing carbon dioxide from a gas mixture that includes oxygen gas, comprising:
- a heat exchanger utilizing liquid carbon dioxide as a refrigerant to liquify carbon dioxide gas moving through the heat exchanger, and including a vent for expulsion of carbon dioxide vapor;
- a first pump device to pressurize and transport the gas mixture through the heat exchanger at a pressure and temperature to liquify the carbon dioxide of the mixture and form a resulting intermixture that includes oxygen gas and liquid carbon dioxide;
- and
- a pressure tank connected with the first pump device to receive and separate the liquid carbon dioxide from the resulting intermixture forming a gas composition free of carbon dioxide.
1 more element
A method for removing carbon dioxide from a gas mixture that also includes oxygen gas, including:
- providing a heat exchanger utilizing liquid carbon dioxide as a refrigerant to liquify carbon dioxide gas moving through the heat exchanger, and including a vent for expulsion of carbon dioxide vapor;
- providing a first pump device to pressurize and transport the gas mixture through the heat exchanger at a pressure and temperature to liquify the gaseous carbon dioxide and form a resulting intermixture that includes oxygen gas and liquid carbon dioxide;
- providing a pressure tank connected with the first pump device to receive and separate the liquid carbon dioxide from the resulting intermixture forming a gas composition free of carbon dioxide;
- and
- pumping the gas mixture through the heat exchanger forming the intermixture;
- and
- separating in the pressure tank the liquid carbon dioxide from the intermixture forming the gas composition free of carbon dioxide.
4 more elements
A carbon dioxide separator for removing carbon dioxide from a gas mixture that also includes nitrogen gas, comprising:
- a heat exchanger utilizing liquid carbon dioxide as a refrigerant to liquify carbon dioxide gas moving through the heat exchanger, and including a vent for expulsion of carbon dioxide vapor;
- a first pump device connected to the gas mixture to pressurize and move the gas mixture through the heat exchanger at a pressure and temperature to liquify the gaseous carbon dioxide and form a resulting intermixture that includes nitrogen gas and liquid carbon dioxide;
- and
- a pressure tank connected with the first pump device to receive and separate the liquid carbon dioxide from the resulting intermixture forming a gas composition free of carbon dioxide.
1 more element
A method for removing carbon dioxide from a gas mixture that also includes nitrogen gas, including:
- providing a heat exchanger utilizing liquid carbon dioxide as a refrigerant to liquify carbon dioxide gas moving through the heat exchanger, and including a vent for expulsion of carbon dioxide vapor;
- providing a first pump device to pressurize and transport the gas mixture through the heat exchanger at a pressure and temperature to liquify the gaseous carbon dioxide and form a resulting intermixture that includes nitrogen gas and liquid carbon dioxide;
- providing a pressure tank connected with the first pump device to receive and separate the liquid carbon dioxide from the resulting intermixture forming a gas composition free of carbon dioxide;
- and
- pumping the gas mixture through the heat exchanger forming the intermixture;
- and
- separating in the pressure tank the liquid carbon dioxide from the intermixture forming the gas composition free of carbon dioxide.
4 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.