# US 9,040,205 B2 · Protection of porous carbon fuel particles from boudouard corrosion

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- Number: US 9,040,205 B2
- Document ID: US9040205B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 13/525,795
- Filed: 2012-06-18
- Published: 2012-12-27
- Granted: 2015-05-26
- Earliest claimed: 2011-06-21
- Assignees: Lawrence Livermore National Security, LLC
- Applicants: John F. Cooper
- Inventors: John F. Cooper
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US9040205B2

## CPC

- H01M 8/06: Combination of fuel cells with means for production of reactants or for treatment of residues (regenerative fuel cells H01M8/18)
- H01M 8/145: {comprising carbonates}
- H01M 2008/147: {Fuel cells with molten carbonates}
- Y02E 60/50: Fuel cells
- H01M: PROCESSES OR MEANS, e.g. BATTERIES, FOR THE DIRECT CONVERSION OF CHEMICAL ENERGY INTO ELECTRICAL ENERGY
- Y02E: REDUCTION OF GREENHOUSE GAS [GHG] EMISSIONS, RELATED TO ENERGY GENERATION, TRANSMISSION OR DISTRIBUTION

## Abstract

A system for producing energy that includes infusing porous carbon particles produced by pyrolysis of carbon-containing materials with an off-eutectic salt composition thus producing pore-free carbon particles, and reacting the carbon particles with oxygen in a fuel cell according to the reaction C+O2=CO2 to produce electrical energy.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A method of producing energy using a direct carbon fuel cell protected from Boudouard corrosion, the direct carbon fuel cell having an operating temperature, comprising the steps of:
providing carbon particles that have pores,
blocking said pores in said carbon particles by infusing an off-eutectic salt composition into said pores in said carbon particles and filling said pores thereby producing substantially pore-free carbon particles wherein said off-eutectic salt composition has a melting point that is higher than the operating temperature of the direct carbon fuel cell, and
reacting said substantially pore-free carbon particles with oxygen at the direct carbon fuel cell operating temperature below said melting point of said off-eutectic salt composition according to the reaction C+O2=CO2 providing protection from Boudouard corrosion to produce the energy.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The method of producing energy of claim 1 wherein said step of providing substantially pore-free carbon particles comprises providing particles that have pores and blocking said pores with an inert material.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The method of producing energy of claim 1 wherein said step of providing substantially pore-free carbon particles comprises providing particles that have pores and blocking said pores with organic binders.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The method of producing energy of claim 1 wherein said step of providing substantially pore-free carbon particles comprises providing particles that have pores and blocking said pores with pitch or coal tar.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The method of producing energy of claim 1 wherein the method of producing energy utilizes pyrolysis of a fuel feed stock and wherein said step of blocking said pores in said carbon particles by infusing an off-eutectic salt composition into said pores in said carbon particles thereby producing substantially pore-free carbon particles comprises infusing the direct carbon fuel cell fuel particles with an off-eutectic salt composition during the pyrolysis of the fuel feedstock.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The method of producing energy of claim 1 wherein the method of producing energy utilizes pyrolysis of a fuel feed stock and wherein said step of blocking said pores in said carbon particles by infusing an off-eutectic salt composition into said pores in said carbon particles thereby producing substantially pore-free carbon particles comprises infusing said pores in said carbon particles with an off-eutectic salt composition during the pyrolysis of the fuel feedstock at temperatures of 800-1000° C.