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US 7,632,338 B2Granted
Electrochemical oxygen pump for fuel stabilization unit
AssigneeUnited Technologies Corporation
InventorNed E. Cipollini
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A fuel stabilization unit includes an electrochemical device for promoting the formation of water utilizing oxygen from a fuel stream for generating an oxygen partial pressure differential across an oxygen permeable membrane.
Claims12
A fuel stabilization unit for removing oxygen from a fuel stream comprising:
- an oxygen permeable membrane including a fuel side in contact with a fuel stream containing oxygen and a non-fuel side;
- a chamber through which an oxygen depleted gas flows adjacent the non-fuel side of the oxygen permeable membrane;
- and
- an electrochemical device disposed within the chamber and including a first electrode adjacent the non-fuel side of the oxygen permeable membrane and a second electrode on a side of the electrochemical device opposite the permeable membrane, the electrochemical device generates an oxygen partial pressure differential across the permeable membrane for diffusing oxygen from the fuel stream by promoting the formation of water adjacent the non-fuel side of the permeable membrane using oxygen from the fuel stream drawn through the oxygen permeable membrane.
1 more element
A method of deoxygenating a fuel stream comprising the steps of:
- a) flowing a fuel stream on a fuel side of an oxygen permeable membrane;
- b) flowing an oxygen depleted gas through a chamber adjacent a non-fuel side of the oxygen permeable membrane opposite from the fuel side;
- and
- c) generating an oxygen partial pressure differential across the permeable membrane by using an electrochemical device having a first electrode adjacent the non-fuel side of the permeable membrane for promoting a reaction between oxygen drawn through the permeable membrane, hydrogen ions and electrons to form water on the non-fuel side of the permeable membrane.
1 more element
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.