Emissions reduction system and method
OwnerJohn E. Kirwan, Jean J. Bottiinventors
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A reformate/buffer system and method for operating an exhaust emissions control device are disclosed herein. In one embodiment, the reformate/buffer system comprises: a hydride storage bed, a hydride cycling bed disposed in fluid communication with the hydride storage bed, a hydrogen separation device, a reformate flow path, coolant flow passages in thermal communication with the hydride cycling bed, and reformer flow passages in thermal communication with the hydride cycling bed. The reformate flow path is formed by the hydride storage bed, the hydride cycling bed, and the hydrogen separation device and is disposed in fluid communication with the hydride storage bed and hydride cycling bed.
Claims13
A reformate/buffer system, comprising:
- a hydride storage bed;
- a hydride cycling bed disposed in fluid communication with the hydride storage bed;
- a hydrogen separation device;
- a reformate flow path formed by the hydride storage bed, the hydride cycling bed, and the hydrogen separation device and is disposed in fluid communication with the hydride storage bed and hydride cycling bed;
- coolant flow passages in thermal communication with the hydride cycling bed;
- and
- reformer flow passages in thermal communication with the hydride cycling bed.
A method for operating an exhaust emissions system, comprising:
- reforming fuel to produce a reformate comprising reformate hydrogen and byproducts;
- passing the reformate through a reformate flow path formed by the hydride storage bed, the hydride cycling bed, and the hydrogen separation device and is disposed in fluid communication with the hydride storage bed and hydride cycling bed;
- separating the reformate hydrogen from the byproducts;
- absorbing the reformate hydrogen in a hydride cycling bed while removing heat from the hydride cycling bed;
- heating the hydride cycling bed to desorb hydrogen at least until a partial pressure of hydrogen over the hydride cycling bed attains a selected level;
- storing the desorbed hydrogen in a hydride storage bed;
- and
- during cold start, desorbing storage bed hydrogen and burning a first portion of the storage bed hydrogen in an engine.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.