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US 6,033,793 AGranted
Integrated power module
AssigneeHydrogen Burner Technology, Inc.
InventorsRichard R. Woods, Leonard Greiner, David Moard
Life of this patent
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AssigneeHydrogen Burner Technology, Inc.
InventorsRichard R. Woods, Leonard Greiner, David Moard
Estimating the term…
An integrated power module for generating thermal and electrical power is provided within a housing which includes inlets for fuel and for air, a reformer chamber, a fuel cell stack, and a combustion chamber. Oxygen-containing gas, such as air, is introduced into the module along a path in one direction in heat exchange relationship with reaction products produced in the reaction chamber traveling in an adjacent path, preferably in an opposite direction, to preheat the incoming oxygen-containing gas. A nozzle having an injector for the fuel and for the oxygen-containing gas delivers these gases to the interior of the reformer chamber, where ignition is supplied by a suitable device. The reaction products from the reformer chamber are fed to a fuel cell which will consume certain of the reaction products, such as hydrogen gas, with oxygen provided from the reaction chamber acting as an oxidizing gas. Exchange between a cathode and an anode will effect the generation of current, as well as the production of water, which normally will be absorbed as steam and passed from the fuel cell. The current generated by the fuel cell can be delivered externally to a user, while hydrogen may be combusted downstream in the combustion chamber to provide an added thermal energy source for heating. In alternate embodiments of the power module, the fuel cell is used as a shift reactor and hydrogen purification device. The primary product of this module is purified hydrogen gas, in additional to heat.
An integrated power module for converting combustible fuel into thermal and electrical energy, the power module comprising:
A method for converting fuel into electrical and thermal energy using an integrated power module, the method comprising the steps of:
An integrated power module, for converting combustible fuel into thermal and electrical energy, and purified hydrogen gas, the power module comprising:
A method of enriching hydrogen concentration in a gas mixture comprising carbon monoxide, steam, and hydrogen comprising the steps of:
A method of purifying an input gas mixture using a diffusion membrane porous to hydrogen gas having an input gas mixture side and a product gas side, the method comprising the steps of directing the input gas mixture in a first direction along the input side of the diffusion membrane and directing steam in a second direction along the product side of the diffusion membrane, wherein the first direction is substantially opposite the second direction.
A nozzle for injecting fuel and gas, the nozzle comprising two or more concentric tubes arranged with a first tube disposed within a second tube, and a rod disposed in the first tube, thereby defining between the first tube and the second tube an outer annular volume and defining between the first tube and the rod an inner annular volume, wherein at least one of the annular volumes functions as the fuel injector and at least one of the other annular volumes functions as the gas injector, and wherein the rod comprises a tube disposed concentrically around and surrounding a spark igniter which is useful for igniting the injected fuel and gas.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.