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US 2008/0184892 A1Published application
Architectures for electrochemical systems
AssigneeCTP Hydrogen Corporation
InventorsReinder J. Boersma, Scott C. Rackey, Jack A. Shindle
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
The present invention generally relates to electrochemical systems for producing hydrogen and/or power. Various aspects of the invention are directed to reactor designs for producing hydrogen and/or power from a fuel and water, conducting ceramics and other materials for such systems, including mixed ionically and electrically conducting ceramics which can be used for hydrogen gas generation, control systems for such systems, and methods of operating such systems.
Claims71
A system, comprising:
- a source of fuel;
- a source of water;
- an oxidation chamber in fluidic communication with the source of fuel;
- a reaction chamber in fluidic communication with the oxidation chamber;
- a water conversion chamber, contained within but fluidically separate from the reaction chamber, the water conversion chamber in fluidic communication with the source of water via a first conduit;
- a second conduit in fluidic communication with the water conversion chamber for removing reaction products from the water conversion chamber;
- a cleanup chamber in fluidic communication with the reaction chamber;
- and
- a third conduit in fluidic communication with the cleanup chamber for removing reaction products from the cleanup chamber;
- wherein the first conduit and the second conduit heat exchange via countercurrent, crosscurrent, or cocurrent flow, and the first conduit and the third conduit heat exchange via countercurrent, crosscurrent, or cocurrent flow.
7 more elements
A system, comprising:
- a source of fuel;
- a source of water;
- an oxidation chamber in fluidic communication with the source of fuel;
- a reaction chamber in fluidic communication with the oxidation chamber;
- a water conversion chamber, contained within but fluidically separate from the reaction chamber, the water conversion chamber in fluidic communication with the source of water;
- and
- a cleanup chamber in fluidic communication with the reaction chamber and in thermal communication with the oxidation chamber.
4 more elements
A method, comprising:
- partially oxidizing a mixture of a fuel and air in a first chamber, whereby some of the fuel remains unoxidized;
- partially reacting the unoxidized fuel with water across a membrane to generate hydrogen, whereby some of the fuel remains unoxidized, wherein the water is isolated from the fuel except for ionic and electronic conduction across the membrane;
- and
- igniting the unoxidized fuel in a second chamber using heat produced in the first chamber.
1 more element
A system, comprising:
- a source of fuel;
- a source of water;
- an oxidation chamber in fluidic communication with the source of fuel;
- a reaction chamber in fluidic communication with the oxidation chamber via a first conduit and a second conduit, the first conduit constructed and arranged to pass reaction products from the oxidation chamber to the reaction chamber, the second conduit constructed and arranged to pass products from the reaction chamber to the oxidation chamber;
- a water conversion chamber, contained within but fluidically separate from the reaction chamber, the water conversion chamber in fluidic communication with the source of water via a third conduit;
- a fourth conduit in fluidic communication with the water conversion chamber for removing reaction products from the water conversion chamber;
- a cleanup chamber in fluidic communication with the reaction chamber;
- and
- a fifth conduit in fluidic communication with the cleanup chamber for removing reaction products from the cleanup chamber.
6 more elements
A system, comprising:
- a source of fuel;
- a source of water;
- an oxidation chamber in fluidic communication with the source of fuel;
- a reaction chamber in fluidic communication with the oxidation chamber via a first conduit and a second conduit, the first conduit constructed and arranged to pass reaction products from the oxidation chamber to the reaction chamber, the second conduit constructed and arranged to pass products from the reaction chamber to the oxidation chamber;
- a water conversion chamber, contained within but fluidically separate from the reaction chamber, the water conversion chamber in fluidic communication with the source of water via a third conduit;
- a fourth conduit in fluidic communication with the water conversion chamber for removing reaction products from the water conversion chamber;
- a cleanup chamber in fluidic communication with the reaction chamber;
- and
- a fifth conduit in fluidic communication with the cleanup chamber for removing reaction products from the cleanup chamber.
6 more elements
A system, comprising:
- a source of fuel;
- a source of water;
- a housing;
- an oxidation chamber in fluidic communication with the source of fuel;
- a reaction chamber in fluidic communication with the oxidation chamber;
- a cleanup chamber in fluidic communication with the reaction chamber;
- and
- a water conversion chamber, contained within but fluidically separate from the reaction chamber, the water conversion chamber in fluidic communication with the source of water,
- wherein each of the oxidation chamber, the reaction chamber, and the cleanup chamber are contained within the housing.
6 more elements
A system, comprising:
- a source of water;
- a source of fuel;
- a housing;
- a reaction chamber, contained within the housing, in fluidic communication with the source of fuel;
- a water conversion chamber, contained within but fluidically separate from the reaction chamber, the water conversion chamber in fluidic communication with the source of water via a first conduit;
- a second conduit in fluidic communication with the water conversion chamber for removing reaction products from the water conversion chamber;
- and
- a heat exchanger positioned externally of the housing, the heat exchanger being constructed and arranged to exchange heat between the first conduit and the second conduit.
5 more elements
A system, comprising:
- a source of fuel;
- a source of water;
- a housing;
- an oxidation chamber in fluidic communication with the source of fuel;
- a reaction chamber in fluidic communication with the oxidation chamber;
- a cleanup chamber in fluidic communication with the reaction chamber;
- a water conversion chamber, contained within but fluidically separate from the reaction chamber, the water conversion chamber in fluidic communication with the source of water;
- and
- a CO-reacting species in fluidic communication with the cleanup chamber.
- wherein at least one of the catalyst, the oxidation chamber, the reaction chamber, and the cleanup chamber are contained within the housing.
7 more elements
A system, comprising:
- a source of fuel;
- a source of water;
- an oxidation chamber in fluidic communication with the source of fuel;
- a reaction chamber in fluidic communication with the oxidation chamber;
- a water conversion chamber, contained within but fluidically separate from the reaction chamber, the water conversion chamber in fluidic communication with the source of water;
- a cleanup chamber in fluidic communication with the reaction chamber;
- and
- a CO-reacting species in fluidic communication with the cleanup chamber.
5 more elements
A system, comprising:
- a source of fuel;
- a source of water;
- an oxidation chamber in fluidic communication with the source of fuel;
- a reaction chamber in fluidic communication with the oxidation chamber;
- a water conversion chamber, contained within but fluidically separate from the reaction chamber, the water conversion chamber in fluidic communication with the source of water;
- a cleanup chamber in fluidic communication with the reaction chamber;
- and
- an airflow device able to direct air to both the oxidation chamber and the cleanup chamber.
5 more elements
A method, comprising:
- providing a source of fuel, and a system comprising:
- an oxidation chamber in fluidic communication with the source of fuel;
- a reaction chamber in fluidic communication with the oxidation chamber;
- and
- a cleanup chamber in fluidic communication with the reaction chamber;
- determining an amount of fuel entering the system from the source of fuel;
- and
- directing a flow of air into the oxidation chamber and/or the cleanup chamber such that there is at least a substantially stoichiometric amount of oxygen to react with the fuel.
5 more elements
A system, comprising:
- a source of fuel;
- a source of water;
- an oxidation chamber in fluidic communication with the source of fuel;
- a reaction chamber in fluidic communication with the oxidation chamber;
- a water conversion chamber, contained within but fluidically separate from the reaction chamber, the water conversion chamber in fluidic communication with the source of water;
- a cleanup chamber in fluidic communication with the reaction chamber;
- a first controller for controlling an amount of fuel entering the oxidation chamber;
- and
- a second controller for controlling an amount of air entering the oxidation chamber and/or the cleanup chamber.
6 more elements
A method, comprising:
- providing a source of fuel, and a system comprising:
- an oxidation chamber in fluidic communication with the source of fuel;
- a reaction chamber in fluidic communication with the oxidation chamber;
- and
- a cleanup chamber in fluidic communication with the reaction chamber;
- directing air and fuel from the source of fuel to the oxidation chamber at rates such that the fuel and the amount of oxygen from the air are present in the oxidation chamber in a substantially stoichiometric ratio;
- substantially reacting all of the fuel with the oxygen within the oxidation chamber until the oxidation chamber reaches a predetermined temperature;
- and
- thereafter, directing fuel to the oxidation chamber and directing air to the oxidation chamber and the cleanup chamber at rates such that the fuel and the amount of oxygen from the air are present in the system in a substantially stoichiometric ratio.
6 more elements
A method, comprising:
- reacting a fuel and water across a mixed ionically and electrically conducting material to generate hydrogen, the water being isolated from the fuel except for ionic and electronic conduction across the material, wherein the Nernst potential created across the material is at least about 0.005 V;
- and
- reacting at least a portion of the hydrogen to produce electricity.
A system, comprising:
- a source of fuel;
- a source of water;
- an oxidation chamber in fluidic communication with the source of fuel;
- a reaction chamber in fluidic communication with the oxidation chamber;
- a water conversion chamber, contained within but fluidically separate from the reaction chamber, the water conversion chamber in fluidic communication with the source of water;
- a cleanup chamber in fluidic communication with the reaction chamber and in thermal communication with the oxidation chamber;
- and
- a condenser in fluidic communication with the water conversion chamber, the condenser able to condense water from the water conversion chamber and/or recirculate water back into the water conversion chamber.
5 more elements
A method, comprising:
- providing a source of fuel, and a system comprising:
- an oxidation chamber in fluidic communication with the source of fuel;
- a reaction chamber in fluidic communication with the oxidation chamber;
- and
- a cleanup chamber in fluidic communication with the reaction chamber;
- and
- reacting air and fuel from the source of fuel in the oxidation chamber such that the flow of air and fuel in the oxidation chamber is laminar.
4 more elements
A method, comprising:
- providing a source of fuel, and a system comprising:
- an oxidation chamber in fluidic communication with the source of fuel;
- a reaction chamber in fluidic communication with the oxidation chamber via a conduit;
- and
- a cleanup chamber in fluidic communication with the reaction chamber;
- and
- reacting air and fuel from the source of fuel in the oxidation chamber and in the conduit.
4 more elements
A system, comprising:
- a source of fuel;
- an oxidation chamber in fluidic communication with the source of fuel;
- a reaction chamber in fluidic communication with the oxidation chamber;
- and
- a cleanup chamber in fluidic communication with the reaction chamber and in thermal communication with the oxidation chamber, wherein fuel in the cleanup chamber is ignited using heat produced by the oxidation chamber.
2 more elements
A system, comprising:
- a source of fuel;
- a source of water;
- an oxidation chamber in fluidic communication with the source of fuel;
- a reaction chamber in fluidic communication with the oxidation chamber;
- a water conversion chamber, contained within but fluidically separate from the reaction chamber, the water conversion chamber in fluidic communication with the source of water;
- a cleanup chamber in fluidic communication with the reaction chamber;
- an airflow device able to direct air to either or both the oxidation chamber and the cleanup chamber;
- and
- a regulator able to alter a ratio of flows from the airflow device to both the oxidation chamber and the cleanup chamber.
6 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.