| Entries |
| Document | Title | Date |
|---|
| 20100143809 | Air Bleed Through Fuel Cell Fuel Recycle Loop - In a fuel cell power plant ( | 06-10-2010 |
| 20100196769 | FUEL CELL SYSTEM - A fuel cell system according to exemplary embodiments of the present invention includes a fuel cell stack that generates electrical energy through the electrochemical reaction of fuel and oxidant, a fuel supply unit for supplying the fuel to the fuel cell stack, and an oxidant supply unit for supplying the oxidant to the fuel cell stack. The fuel supply unit includes a fuel permeation membrane between a space where fuel recovered from the fuel cell stack is positioned and a space where stored fuel is positioned. The fuel cell system enables easy control of the concentration of fuel supplied to the fuel cell stack. | 08-05-2010 |
| 20100203402 | FUEL CELL SYSTEM AND DRIVING METHOD THEREOF - A fuel cell system and method for driving the same is disclosed. In one embodiment, the fuel cell system includes i) a fuel supply unit, ii) a fuel cell stack in fluid communication with the fuel supply unit, wherein the fuel cell stack has a fuel inlet and a fuel outlet and iii) a bypass pipe configured to transfer fuel received from the fuel supply unit to a fuel outflow pipe connected to the fuel outlet. In one embodiment, the driving method includes i) receiving fuel from a fuel supply unit, ii) transferring the received fuel to a fuel outflow pipe connected to a fuel outlet of a fuel cell stack and iii) discharging non-reacted fuel from a fuel inlet of the fuel cell stack. | 08-12-2010 |
| 20100323252 | FUEL CELL SYSTEM - In a fuel cell system having an ejector downstream a hydrogen pump, the pressure of a hydrogen-off gas is efficiently increased with a simple configuration. The fuel cell system includes: an ejector that merges a hydrogen gas to be supplied from a hydrogen tank to a fuel cell with a hydrogen-off gas exhausted from the fuel cell and supplies the resulting gases to the fuel cell; a hydrogen pump that pressurizes the hydrogen-off gas in a hydrogen circulation flow path and sends the hydrogen-off gas toward a hydrogen supply flow path; and a control unit that controls, when the pressure of the hydrogen-off gas in the hydrogen circulation flow path is increased by the ejector and the hydrogen pump, the pressure of the hydrogen gas to be supplied to the ejector and the pressure increase of the hydrogen-off gas realized by the hydrogen pump so that the pressure increase of the hydrogen-off gas realized by the ejector is 0 or higher, wherein the pressure increase ratio of the ejector for increasing the pressure of the hydrogen-off gas is designed so as to be within a predetermined range which is set in accordance with the load state of the fuel cell. | 12-23-2010 |
| 20110008691 | DYNAMICALLY CONTROLLABLE DIRECT OXIDATION FUEL CELL SYSTEMS & METHODS THEREFOR - A direct oxidation fuel cell (DOFC) system comprises at least one fuel cell assembly including a cathode and an anode with an electrolyte positioned therebetween; a source of liquid fuel in fluid communication with an anode inlet; an oxidant supply in fluid communication with a cathode inlet; a liquid/gas (L/G) separator in fluid communication with anode and cathode outlets for: (1) receiving unreacted fuel and liquid and gaseous products of electrochemical reactions at the cathode and anode, and (2) supplying the unreacted fuel and liquid product to the inlet of said anode; and a control and/or regulation system for determining a fuel efficiency value of the DOFC system during operation and determining and regulating and/or controlling oxidant stoichiometry of the DOFC system at an appropriate value in response to the determined fuel efficiency value. | 01-13-2011 |
| 20110008692 | Fuel Cell System - The potential energy from a hydrogen tank is used in a gas jet pump, which draws in anode waste gas via an inlet and recirculates it to an anode inlet. To ensure that this system operates effectively even under low loads, a part of the waste gas is supplied to a compressor, and the compressed waste gas is supplied to the motive jet inlet of a gas jet pump, which may be the same one to which the hydrogen from the tank is also supplied. Different gas jet pumps may also be used, for the hydrogen from the tank on the one hand, and the compressed waste gas on the other hand. | 01-13-2011 |
| 20110014531 | FUEL CELL SYSTEM AND FUEL SUPPLY METHOD THEREOF - A fuel cell system is provided. The fuel cell system includes a fuel tank, a fuel supply unit, a fuel cell stack, a liquefied recycling unit, a liquid level modulation unit, a sensing unit and a control unit. The fuel supply unit supplies a first fuel to the fuel tank. The fuel tank provides a second fuel to the fuel cell stack, and the fuel cell stack generates a first gas. The liquefied recycling unit liquefies the first gas, transforming the first gas into a recycled fluid. The liquid level modulation unit guides the recycled fluid into the fuel tank to maintain a stable fuel level of the second fuel in the fuel tank. The sensing unit senses a current signal provided by the fuel cell stack. The control unit calculates a current quantity according to the current signal to supply the first fuel to the fuel tank. | 01-20-2011 |
| 20110020716 | FUEL CELL SYSTEM INCLUDING GAS RECYCLING AND PRESSURIZING ASSEMBLY - A fuel cell system including a gas recycling and re-pressurizing assembly. In one embodiment, the fuel cell system includes a fuel cell stack, the stack having an oxygen outlet and an oxygen inlet. The fuel cell system additionally includes two gas/water separator tanks, each of the tanks containing a quantity of water and a quantity of oxygen gas. Both tanks are capable of being fluidly connected to either the oxygen inlet or the oxygen outlet of the fuel cell stack. In addition, the two tanks are connected to one another so that water may be transferred back and forth between the two tanks. The system also includes a pump for transferring water back and forth between the tanks. In use, water is pumped from one of the tanks to the other until all of the oxygen gas present within the water-receiving tank is forced out of that tank and is conducted back to the oxygen inlet of the fuel cell stack. Once all of the oxygen gas has been forced out of the water-receiving tank, all of the water that had been present in the water-receiving tank is pumped from that tank to the other tank to expel all of the oxygen that is present in the second tank. As water is pumped out of a tank, the tank receives oxygen from the oxygen outlet of the fuel cell stack. Consequently, this process of moving water back and forth between the tanks to displace the oxygen gas present within the tanks is repeated indefinitely to recycle the oxygen back to the fuel cell stack. | 01-27-2011 |
| 20110045368 | Apparatus for Recirculation of a Cathode Gas in a Fuel Cell Arrangement, Method for Shutting Down Such a Fuel Cell Arrangement - An apparatus for recirculation of a cathode gas in a fuel cell arrangement having a cathode gas supply for supplying the cathode gas to a cathode area, and a cathode gas outlet for carrying the partially consumed cathode gas out of the cathode area, includes a recirculation line for recirculation of the partially consumed cathode gas from a junction point in the cathode gas outlet into a supply point in the cathode gas supply. Blocking apparatus is provided to block the cathode gas supply in the flow direction upstream of the supply point and to block the cathode gas outlet in the flow direction downstream from the junction point, such that a closed circuit for the partially consumed cathode gas is formed when the blocking apparatus is closed. | 02-24-2011 |
| 20110053014 | FUEL CELL SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR ADJUSTING MOISTURE CONTENT IN A POLYMER ELECTROLYTE MEMBRANE - A fuel cell system ( | 03-03-2011 |
| 20110053015 | Control Method for a Fuel Cell System and Fuel Cell System - In a method for controlling a fuel cell system that is designed to react a fuel with an oxidant, the fuel cell system can be switched between an idle condition and an active operating condition. In the idle condition, energy is supplied to an energy consumer, at least in part, from an energy storage device, and the fuel is moved actively within the fuel cell system. | 03-03-2011 |
| 20110059375 | METHOD FOR LIMITING THE OUTPUT VOLTAGE OF A PEM FUEL CELL SYSTEM - The method for limiting the output voltage of a PEM fuel cell system operating in, or near, zero load conditions, in such a way as to minimize degradation of performance over time, comprises:
| 03-10-2011 |
| 20110070509 | FUEL CELL SYSTEM HAVING TWO FUEL CELL STACKS CONNECTED IN SERIES - The invention relates to a fuel cell system comprising a first exothermally operated fuel cell stack and a second non-exothermally operated fuel cell stack, wherein anode waste gas containing water molecules from the first fuel cell stack can be supplied to the second fuel cell stack, and wherein hydrocarbons can be admixed to the anode waste gas by way of a feed line. According to the invention, it is contemplated that the anode waste gas of the first fuel cell stack can be supplied to the second fuel cell stack in an uncooled state. The invention further relates to a method for operating a fuel cell system. | 03-24-2011 |
| 20110081585 | Process for Co-Production of Power and Carboxylic Acids - There is disclosed a process for simultaneous co-production of electric power and a short chain carboxylic acid or salt thereof from a primary alcohol fuel. The primary alcohol can be obtained from coal, natural gas, wood waste or other biomass material. Moreover, there is disclosed a process that does not produce or release carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gasses. Specifically, there is disclosed a liquid fuel cell process technology provides electric power from coal, via a primary alcohol fuel, and allows a commercial scale electric power generating facility to capture at least 70% of the carbon contained in coal (or another carbon-based fuel source such as methane or biomass) for a beneficial and economically favorable use. The captured carbon is converted by the disclosed fuel cell process technology into industrial commodity chemicals such as formic and acetic acids. | 04-07-2011 |
| 20110117458 | FUEL CELL SYSTEM AND OPERATING METHOD - A fuel cell system comprises a fuel cell main body containing a fuel cell having an anode side at which fuel is reacted, exhaust products arising at the anode side of the fuel cell as a result of the reaction at the anode side. A recirculation passage is located inside the fuel cell main body and recirculates a proportion of the exhaust products directly to the anode side of the fuel cell for reaction at the anode side. The recirculation passage may include an ejector arrangement for mixing fresh fuel with the recirculated exhaust products and may also include a reforming catalyst for partially reforming the mixture in the recirculation passage. | 05-19-2011 |
| 20110123879 | METHOD AND ARRANGEMENT TO REDUCE THE CONSUMPTION OF SAFETY GAS IN A FUEL CELL SYSTEM - A method and system are disclosed for reducing the consumption of safety gas in a fuel cell system having at least one fuel cell unit whose fuel cells include an anode side and a cathode side, as well as an electrolyte interposed therebetween. A supply is provided for supplying the anode with a safety gas, and an exhaust is provided for exhausting the fuel cell unit of a spent safety gas coming from the anode side. The method can adapt a specific percentage of the spent safety gas flow coming from the anode side of the fuel cells to be re-supplied into the anode side of the fuel cells. | 05-26-2011 |
| 20110151343 | FUEL CELL SYSTEM - A fuel cell system is provided which can constantly control a fuel concentration of a liquid fuel supplied to a fuel cell, such as a DMFC. A DMFC system comprises a high-concentration cartridge in which a methanol aqueous solution having a concentration higher than a target fuel concentration is sealed, a water cartridge in which water is sealed, a mixing tank for mixing the methanol aqueous solution from the high-concentration cartridge with the water from the water cartridge to prepare the methanol aqueous solution having the target fuel concentration, and the DMFC for generating electricity by being supplied with the methanol aqueous solution from the mixing tank and air. | 06-23-2011 |
| 20110165480 | Fuel Cell System And Method Of Using The Same - In at least one embodiment, a fuel cell anode exhaust system includes a fuel cell anode having an input and an output. The system also includes a first conduit loop communicating with the anode input and output. The system also includes a second conduit loop having an input and an output. The input and output communicate with the first conduit loop. A gas separator is disposed on the second conduit loop for purifying an exhaust stream fed into the gas separator. | 07-07-2011 |
| 20110171544 | FUEL CELL ASSEMBLY WITH IMPROVED GAS RECIRCULATION - There is disclosed a fuel cell assembly comprising at least one horizontally arranged fuel cell stack that has numerous fuel cells, each comprising an anode, a cathode and an electrolyte situated between the anode and the cathode; combustible gas supply means for supplying combustible gas to the anodes of the fuel cells; anode gas withdrawal means for withdrawing the anode exhaust gas from the anodes; cathode gas supply means for supplying cathode gas to the cathodes of the fuel cells; cathode gas withdrawal means for withdrawing the cathode exhaust gas from the fuel cells; and recirculation means for recirculating at least one part of the anode exhaust gas and/or the cathode exhaust gas to cathodes of the fuel cells. The fuel cell assembly according to the invention is characterised in that the recirculation means comprises at least one collection line situated on one long side of the fuel cell stack for collecting the exhaust gases to be recirculated, said line opening into an inlet of a delivery unit which is situated on the end face of the fuel cell stack and which has an outlet that communicates with the cathode gas supply means. | 07-14-2011 |
| 20110177403 | HYDROGEN CONCENTRATION MEASUREMENT DEVICE AND FUEL CELL SYSTEM - In a hydrogen concentration measurement device that employs a proton conducting electrolyte membrane, more stable measurement of hydrogen concentration that is less susceptible to temperature and humidity state of measurement target gas becomes possible. | 07-21-2011 |
| 20110223499 | FUEL CELL SYSTEM WITH ENERGY-EFFICIENT REACTANT RECYCLING - The invention relates to a fuel cell system with at least one fuel cell for electrochemical conversion of two reactants. The fuel cell has two electrode areas, having a first supply line for supplying a first reactant to a first electrode area, and an outlet line, for emission of residual gas from the first electrode area. The residual gas has an electrochemically unconsumed portion of the first reactant, a recirculation element, for feeding the residual gas from the outlet line into the first supply line, and an outlet valve in order to emit the residual gas into an area surrounding the fuel cell system. The invention provides for the fuel cell system to have a monitoring unit in order to control the outlet valve. In particular, the monitoring unit opens the outlet valve when the energy required to feed the residual gas by the recirculation element exceeds an energy potential of the first reactant which is present in the residual gas. | 09-15-2011 |
| 20110223500 | MCFC POWER GENERATION SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR OPERATING SAME - Disclosed is an MCFC power generation system and a method for operating the same enabling significant reduction of CO | 09-15-2011 |
| 20110223501 | HYDROGEN-RECYCLING MCFC POWER-GENERATING SYSTEM - Provided is a hydrogen-recycling MCFC power-generating system that can improve power generation efficiency by effectively utilizing fuel gas having the hydrogen included in anode exhaust as the main component, and that can reduce the amount of carbon dioxide discharged by separating and recovering the carbon dioxide. The system is provided with a molten carbonate fuel cell ( | 09-15-2011 |
| 20110229779 | INTERNALLY GAS REGULATED FUEL CELL - A fuel cell includes a membrane electrode assembly (MEA) and at least one bipolar plate having an anode-side gas distributor structure for distributing anode reactants, a cathode-side gas distributor structure for distributing cathode reactants, and a guide passage structure for distributing a cooling medium. At least one of the anode-side gas distributor structure and the cathode-side gas distributor structure is divided into at least a first field and a second field, each of the first and second fields having an entry port and an exit port for the reactants. In addition, a method for such a fuel cell includes passing a reactant into an entry port of the first field and out of an exit port of the first field, mixing the reactant with a fresh reactant so as to form a mixture, and passing the mixture into the entry port of the second field. | 09-22-2011 |
| 20110269037 | FUEL CELL ASSEMBLY COMPRISING AN IMPROVED CATALYTIC BURNER - There is disclosed a fuel cell assembly comprising at least one horizontally arranged fuel cell stack that has numerous fuel cells, each comprising an anode, a cathode and an electrolyte situated between the anode and the cathode; combustible gas supply means for supplying combustible gas to the anodes of the fuel cells; anode gas withdrawal means for withdrawing the anode exhaust gas from the anodes; cathode gas supply means for supplying cathode gas to the cathodes of the fuel cells; cathode gas withdrawal means for withdrawing the cathode exhaust gas from the fuel cells; and recirculation means for recirculating at least one part of the anode exhaust gas and/or the cathode exhaust gas to cathodes of the fuel cells. The fuel cell assembly according to the invention is characterised in that the recirculation means comprise at least one catalytic burner with catalyst material for burning the remaining combustible gas contained in the anode exhaust gas, said burner being situated at the side of the fuel cell stack. | 11-03-2011 |
| 20110281187 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR REDUCING FUEL CELL POWER PLANT EMISSIONS - A system and method for operating fuel cell power plant | 11-17-2011 |
| 20120015264 | ELECTROCHEMICAL CELL WITH CATCH TRAY - An electrochemical cell includes a fuel electrode configured to operate as an anode to consume a fuel when the fuel electrode and an associated cathode are connected to a load. An ionically conductive medium either present or flowing through the electrochemical cell is configured to conduct ions and participate in electrochemical reactions between the anode and the cathode. The cell further includes a catch tray containing catalyst material to induce the ionization of precipitates of fuel and/or fuel additives that may separate in solid form from the fuel electrode. The catch tray may be positioned to prevent a congestion of the precipitates in the ionically conductive medium, or the waste of electrically disconnected fuel and/or additives. | 01-19-2012 |
| 20120064418 | FUEL CELL SYSTEM FOR IMPROVING FUEL SUPPLY - A fuel cell system includes a fuel cell for generating electric power by using a fuel, a valve module that controls a flow of a low concentration fuel circulating through the fuel cell, and a flow of a high concentration fuel supplied from a fuel storage unit to the fuel cell, a pump for pumping at least one of the low concentration fuel and the high concentration fuel according to a fuel flow control of the valve module; and a mixer for mixing and supplying the low concentration fuel and the high concentration fuel pumped from the pump to the fuel cell. | 03-15-2012 |
| 20120088167 | OPERATING METHOD FOR A FUEL CELL SYSTEM - The present invention relates to a method for operating a fuel cell system, wherein the fuel cell system comprises at least one reformer for generating a reformate gas and at least one fuel cell for generating an electric current. An increased lifespan for the anode is achieved when with said anode an anode state value is continuously determined which correlates to a current degree of loading with carbon of the anode of the at least one fuel cell and when depending on the anode state value an oxygen-carbon ratio is varied in the reformate gas which is fed to the anode of the respective fuel cell. | 04-12-2012 |
| 20120107705 | ANODE GAS COMPOSITION UTILIZING H2 INJECTION PRESSURE WAVE PROPAGATION RATES - A system for determining the concentration of hydrogen in an anode sub-system of a fuel cell system. The fuel cell system includes at least one fuel cell, an anode inlet, an anode outlet, an anode recirculation line, a source of hydrogen gas and an injector for injecting the hydrogen gas. First and second acoustic sensors are provided in the anode recirculation line and are spaced a known distance from each other. A controller that is responsive to the output signals from the first and second acoustic sensors determines the concentration of hydrogen gas in the anode recirculation line based on the time between when the controller receives the sensor signal from the first sensor and receives the sensor signal from the second sensor. | 05-03-2012 |
| 20120107706 | FUEL CELL SYSTEM AND CONTROL METHOD AT STARTING IN THE FUEL CELL SYSTEM - A fuel cell system includes a fuel cell stack and a fuel gas piping system which supplies a fuel gas to the fuel cell stack, and is capable of, at starting below a freezing point, selectively performing a rapid warm-up operation to generate electric power at an air stoichiometric ratio lower than that at starting at ordinary temperature, while revolving a circulating pump, and the fuel cell system further includes a clogging determination unit which determines whether or not clogging arises from freezing in a fuel gas passage of the fuel cell stack, or the fuel gas piping system, wherein when the clogging arises, the circulating pump is stopped in the rapid warm-up operation, and termination conditions of the rapid warm-up operation are changed in accordance with a clogging volume. | 05-03-2012 |
| 20120107707 | METHOD FOR THE DIRECT AMINATION OF HYDROCARBONS INTO AMINO HYDROCARBONS, INCLUDING ELECTROCHEMICAL SEPARATION OF HYDROGEN AND ELECTROCHEMICAL REACTION OF THE HYDROGEN INTO WATER - Process for the direct amination of hydrocarbons to aminohydrocarbons by reaction of a feed stream E comprising at least one hydrocarbon and at least one aminating reagent to form a reaction mixture R comprising aminohydrocarbon and hydrogen in a reaction zone RZ and electrochemical separation of at least part of the hydrogen formed in the reaction from the reaction mixture R by means of a gastight membrane-electrode assembly having at least one selectively proton-conducting membrane and at least one electrode catalyst on each side of the membrane, where at least part of the hydrogen is oxidized to protons at the anode catalyst on the retentate side of the membrane and the protons pass through the membrane and on the permeate side are reacted with oxygen to form water, where the oxygen originates from an oxygen-comprising stream O which is brought into contact with the permeate side of the membrane, over the cathode catalyst. | 05-03-2012 |
| 20120129062 | INTEGRAL REACTOR SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR FUEL CELLS - A reactor system is integrated internally within an anode-side cavity of a fuel cell. The reactor system is configured to convert higher hydrocarbons to smaller species while mitigating the lower production of solid carbon. The reactor system may incorporate one or more of a pre-reforming section, an anode exhaust gas recirculation device, and a reforming section. | 05-24-2012 |
| 20120141891 | FUEL CONTROL SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR FUEL CELL SYSTEM - The present invention provides a fuel control system and method, e.g., for a vehicle fuel cell system, which can efficiently supply hydrogen to a fuel cell stack and increase the efficiency of an ejector. For this purpose, the present invention provides a fuel control system having a series-connected multi-stage pressure control structure, in which an additional injector is provided in series between an injector for controlling the pressure of hydrogen supplied, a pressure control valve, or a pressure control actuator and a hydrogen recirculation ejector in a hydrogen supply passage, through which hydrogen is supplied from a hydrogen supply unit to a fuel cell stack, such that the pressure of hydrogen supplied is controlled in stages. | 06-07-2012 |
| 20120178005 | HIGH-TEMPERATURE FUEL CELL SYSTEM - The invention relates to a high-temperature fuel cell system which can be operated with at least one hydrocarbon compound, preferably with methane or a gas containing methane such as natural gas or biogas. It is the object of the invention to increase the efficiency of high-temperature fuel cell systems and to allow a more flexible operation. In the system in accordance with the invention, individual fuel cells are present which are connected electrically in series and form the stacks. The stacks are flowed through after one another by fuel gas which contains hydrogen and which flows into a first stack of the system from a reformer and a suitable hydrocarbon compound is supplied via further connection lines in the flow direction of the introduced fuel gas sequentially into further stacks to the respective stack for a direct internal reforming of a hydrocarbon compound at anodes of the fuel cells of the stack and air is supplied as an oxidation means at the cathode side to the individual fuel cells of the system. | 07-12-2012 |
| 20120189927 | EJECTOR APPARATUS FOR FUEL CELL - An ejector apparatus for a fuel cell includes an ejector main body including an inlet port, an outlet port, a suction port, and an oxidizer-gas supply port, a first to third chambers provided in the body, a nozzle having a nozzle hole discharging the fuel gas, a diffuser mixing the fuel gas discharged from the nozzle hole and the fuel offgas exhausted from the fuel cell and returned to the suction port, a needle fixed on a side of the body and extending along an axial direction of the nozzle in a hollow portion thereof, and first and second diaphragms arranged to oppose each other, and changing an opening area in a gap between the nozzle hole and an outer peripheral face of a top end of the needle, wherein a pressure receiving area of the first diaphragm is set to be larger than that of the second diaphragm. | 07-26-2012 |
| 20120237841 | FUEL CELL SYSTEM AND CORRESPONDING OPERATING PROCESS - A fuel cell system ( | 09-20-2012 |
| 20120251905 | FUEL CELL MODULE - A fuel cell module includes in a casing: a fuel cell stack that is formed by stacking a plurality of unit cell; an oxidant gas distributing member that is disposed at a side surface, that extends in a stack direction of the unit cells, of the fuel cell stack that extends in a direction from one end to another end of each of the unit cells, and that supplies the oxidant gas to the another end of each unit cell after supplying the oxidant gas through the oxidant gas distributing member from the one end to the another end; a reformer disposed at the one end; and a combustion portion that is disposed between the one end and the reformer. The oxidant gas distributing member has a higher thermal conductivity at the one end side of the unit cells than at the another end side of the unit cells. | 10-04-2012 |
| 20120258376 | Management of Operation of PEM-Fuel-Cell-Stack Backup Electric Generator - A PEM-fuel-cell-stack backup electric generator comprising: a fuel-cell stack, formed by a plurality of stacked PEM fuel cells electrically connected in series for supplying electrical energy to an electrical load; a cell-voltage monitor for measuring the voltage supplied by each fuel cell; an electrical-energy management and conditioning unit, connected between the fuel-cell stack and the electrical load; a blower for supplying the amount of air necessary for the chemical reactions that occur in the fuel cells; a hydrogen recirculator for recirculating hydrogen between the outlet and the inlet of the fuel-cell stack; a hydrogen-purging device for carrying out a primary purging of hydrogen at a lower flow rate, and a secondary purging of hydrogen at a higher flow rate; and a controller, programmed for managing operation of the electric generator differently at start-up, at shut-down, and during normal operation thereof. | 10-11-2012 |
| 20120270122 | METHOD OF OPERATING A DIRECT DME FUEL CELL SYSTEM - The present invention relates to a method of operating a fuel cell system comprising one or more fuel cells with a proton exchange membrane, wherein the membrane is composed of a polymeric material comprising acid-doped polybenzimidazole (PBI). The method comprises adjusting the operating temperature of the fuel cell to between 120 and 250° C., supplying an oxidant stream to the cathode, and supplying a humidified fuel stream to the anode, said fuel stream comprising dimethyl ether, wherein dimethyl ether is directly oxidised at the anode. | 10-25-2012 |
| 20120276463 | AMMONIA FLAME CRACKER SYSTEM, METHOD AND APPARATUS - Apparatus, methods and systems reside in the decomposition of ammonia into a hydrogen-containing product mixture. An ammonia-rich gaseous mixture containing ammonia and oxygen enters a conduit, within which combustion and decomposition of the mixture is initiated, thereby liberating hydrogen. A mixture of products, resulting from the reactions, is expelled from the outlet of the conduit, the mixture including non-combusted hydrogen gas, which may then be used for other purposes. The incoming reactants, including ammonia and oxygen, are heat exchanged with the outgoing product mixture containing non-combusted hydrogen gas. | 11-01-2012 |
| 20120282534 | HIGH EFFICIENCY, REVERSIBLE FLOW BATTERY SYSTEM FOR ENERGY STORAGE - The present invention relates to a reversible solid oxide electrochemical cell that may operate in two modes: a discharge mode (power generation) and a charge mode (electrolytic fuel production). A thermal system that utilizes a SOFB and is inclusive of selection of operating conditions that may enable roundtrip efficiencies exceeding about 80% to be realized is disclosed. Based on leverage of existing solid oxide fuel cell technology, the system concept is applicable to energy storage applications on the kW to MW scale. | 11-08-2012 |
| 20120308906 | Fuel Cell and Method for Stopping a Fuel Cell - The fuel cell stack ( | 12-06-2012 |
| 20120315557 | OXYGEN REMOVAL SYSTEMS DURING FUEL CELL SHUTDOWN - A purging system for removing oxygen from a fuel cell system during a shutdown period for the fuel cell system. The purging system includes a separator having an inlet and an outlet; a first exhaust line for communicating a first exhaust gas stream from an outlet of the fuel cell system to the separator inlet during the shutdown period of the fuel cell system; and a second exhaust line for communicating a second exhaust gas stream to an inlet of the fuel cell system for delivering the second exhaust gas stream to the fuel cell system during the shutdown period. The separator removes oxygen from the first exhaust gas stream such that the first stream nitrogen molar volume is lower than the second steam nitrogen molar volume and the first stream oxygen molar volume is higher than the second stream oxygen molar volume. | 12-13-2012 |
| 20130022885 | FUEL CELL SYSTEM HAVING IMPROVED FUEL GAS CIRCULATION - The invention relates to a fuel cell system ( | 01-24-2013 |
| 20130022886 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR DETECTING A FUEL CELL ANODE GAS COMPOSITION - In at least one embodiment, a purge system for a fuel cell stack is provided. The system comprises a blower, a differential pressure sensor and a purge valve. The blower delivers a recirculated gas back to the stack at varying electrical power levels and blower speeds. The differential pressure sensor senses pressure of the recirculated gas across the blower. The purge valve purges the recirculated gas based on at least one of a blower power level, a blower speed, and the pressure of the recirculated gas. | 01-24-2013 |
| 20130029236 | Device for Providing Hot Exhaust Gases - A device used to provide hot exhaust gases for driving a turbine. The device includes a burner, the combustion zone of which is directly mounted on or integrated into the gas inlet (turbine housing) of the turbine. The burner is supplied with at least one combustible gas or gas mixture. The combustion zone includes a porous material with a large specific surface area. | 01-31-2013 |
| 20130040214 | FUEL CELL WATER MANAGEMENT VIA REDUCED ANODE REACTANT PRESSURE - A method is provided for operation of a fuel cell with improved water management by maintaining reduced anode pressure relative to cathode pressure, relative to atmospheric pressure, or both. Typically, the fuel cell comprises a membrane electrode assembly comprising nanostructured thin film cathode catalyst. | 02-14-2013 |
| 20130095398 | PRESSURE-REDUCING VALVE WITH INJECTOR AND FUEL CELL SYSTEM INCLUDING PRESSURE-REDUCING VALVE - A pressure-reducing valve with an injector of the present invention includes a shuttle valve body, a shuttle valve seat in which the shuttle valve body is capable of coming into contact with and be separated, a back-pressure chamber, a back-pressure channel that communicates with the back-pressure chamber and discharges the fluid of the back-pressure chamber, a biasing portion that biases the shuttle valve body in a direction of coming into contact with the shuttle valve seat, and an injector that adjusts an intermittent time interval of the fluid in the back-pressure chamber discharged through the back-pressure channel and discharges the adjusted fluid to a discharging port or a channel that communicates with the discharging port. | 04-18-2013 |
| 20130149619 | HYDRATING A FUEL CELL - An example method of controlling fluid distribution within a fuel cell includes adjusting a flow of a reactant moving within a fuel cell to increase water within a portion of the fuel cell. Another example method of controlling fluid distribution within a fuel cell includes adjusting a flow of fuel entering a fuel cell, a velocity of air entering the fuel cell, or both, so that a first amount of water exiting the fuel cell in a fuel stream is about the same as a second amount of water exiting the fuel cell in an airstream. | 06-13-2013 |
| 20130157154 | Fuel Cell System Having an Integral Turbine/Compressor Unit - A fuel cell system includes at least one fuel cell having an anode chamber, a cathode chamber, a hydrogen pressure reservoir, a recirculation line connecting an outlet of the anode chamber to an inlet of the anode chamber, a recirculation conveyor with a compressor wheel in the region of the recirculation line, and a turbine for expanding the hydrogen that is under pressure before entry into the anode chamber. The recirculation conveyor is driven at least partially by the turbine. The turbine and the compressor wheel are formed in one component. | 06-20-2013 |
| 20130164641 | FUEL CELL SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR CONTROLLING FUEL CELL SYSTEM - A fuel cell system includes a fuel cell, a fuel-gas supply path, a fuel-gas circulation path, a first flow adjuster, an ejector, a bypass flow path, and a second flow adjuster. The fuel cell has a fuel-gas flow path and an oxidant-gas flow path. The bypass flow path connects an upstream section of the fuel-gas supply path located upstream of the first flow adjuster to a downstream section of the fuel-gas supply path located downstream of the ejector so as to cause fuel gas to bypass the first flow adjuster and the ejector. The second flow adjuster is provided in the bypass flow path to adjust a flow rate of the fuel gas by intermittently ejecting the fuel gas at a larger flow rate than the first flow adjuster. | 06-27-2013 |
| 20130171531 | FUEL CELL SYSTEM - The fuel cell system is simplified and made more compact while providing the favorable recirculation of hydrogen-containing off-gas regardless of the increase or decrease in its flow rate. The fuel cell system is provided with: a cell unit that generates electricity by means of separating hydrogen-containing gas and oxygen-containing gas from each other while placing in flow contact to each other; and a recirculation mechanism for recirculating to the cell unit hydrogen-containing off-gas discharged from the cell unit. The fuel cell system has a flow rate determination unit that determines whether or not the hydrogen-containing gas fed to the cell unit is less than a predetermined flow rate; and a gas feeding pressure varying mechanism that cause the pressure of the hydrogen-containing gas to vary to increase and decrease when it is determined that the hydrogen-containing gas fed to the cell unit is less than the predetermined flow quantity. | 07-04-2013 |
| 20130189597 | FUEL CELL SYSTEM AND METHOD OF OPERATING THE SAME AT LOW TEMPERATURE - A fuel cell system includes a fuel cell which generates power using a fuel; peripheral devices for operating the fuel cell and supplying power generated by the fuel cell to loads; and a heating module which heats at least one of the fuel cell and the peripheral devices using heat generated by a semiconductor device attached to the at least one of the fuel cell and the peripheral devices. | 07-25-2013 |
| 20130236800 | METHOD OF ACTIVATING FUEL CELL - A method of activating a fuel cell includes: supplying a fuel to an anode of the fuel cell; supplying a gas mixture to a cathode of the fuel cell; applying a second load, which is equal to or less than a predetermined first load, to a stack of the fuel cell after supplying the gas mixture to the cathode; discontinuing the supply of the gas mixture; resupplying the gas mixture to the cathode when a voltage of the stack of the fuel cell is a predetermined voltage or less after discontinuing the supply of the gas mixture; and applying a third load, which is higher than the predetermined first load, to the stack of the fuel cell, where the supply of the fuel to the anode of the fuel cell is maintained. | 09-12-2013 |
| 20130244125 | FUEL CELL SYSTEM - The present invention provides a fuel cell system that can quickly decrease a current/voltage characteristic. A fuel cell system includes an introduction piping which connects a discharging piping and a supply piping in communication with each other, and which introduces part of oxidant-off gas in the supply piping, and a circulation on-off valve provided in the introduction piping. The fuel cell system decreases the supply amount of air by an air compressor when a fuel cell is activated at a low temperature to decrease the air-stoichiometry of the fuel cell, and opens the circulation on-off valve to introduce the oxidant-off gas in the supply piping through the introduction piping, thereby causing the oxidant-off gas to circulate. | 09-19-2013 |
| 20130252119 | Solid Oxide Fuel Cell Stack Heat Treatment Methods and Apparatus - Systems and methods are provided for fuel cell stack heat treatment. An eductor may be used to recycle air into the air inlet stream or to recycle fuel into the fuel inlet stream. An eductor may also be used to exhaust air away from the furnace. The stack heat treatment may include stack sintering or conditioning. The conditioning may be conducted without using externally supplied hydrogen. | 09-26-2013 |
| 20130260269 | METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR OPERATING A SOLID-OXIDE FUEL CELL STACK WITH A MIXED IONIC/ELECTRONIC CONDUCTING ELECTROLYTE - A method and apparatus for operating an intermediate-temperature solid-oxide fuel cell stack ( | 10-03-2013 |
| 20130280629 | METAL HALOGEN ELECTROCHEMICAL CELL SYSTEM - A metal halogen electrochemical energy cell system that generates an electrical potential. One embodiment of the system includes at least one cell including at least one positive electrode and at least one negative electrode, at least one electrolyte, a mixing venturi that mixes the electrolyte with a halogen reactant, and a circulation pump that conveys the electrolyte mixed with the halogen reactant through the positive electrode and across the metal electrode. Preferably, the positive electrode comprises porous carbonaceous material, the negative electrode comprises zinc, the metal comprises zinc, the halogen comprises halogen, the electrolyte comprises an aqueous zinc-halide electrolyte, and the halogen reactant comprises a halogen reactant. Also, variations of the system and a method of operation for the systems. | 10-24-2013 |
| 20130288142 | ELECTRODIALYSIS SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR ENERGY GENERATION AND WASTE TREATMENT - Reverse electrodialysis (RED) may be used to neutralize acid and caustic effluent waste streams, such as in the semiconductor industry. Power may be generated while waste streams are treated by converting chemical energy into electric energy. A bipolar membrane may be integrated into the RED system. Alternatively, an anion exchange membrane and a cation exchange membrane may be overlapped and used in place of a bipolar membrane. A cell pair with four membranes and four chambers, without a bipolar membrane, may also be implemented. | 10-31-2013 |
| 20130295477 | FUEL CELL SYSTEM - A fuel cell system having a fuel cell operated under non-humidified conditions that includes a polymer electrolyte membrane sandwiched between an anode and a cathode, a fuel gas channel facing the anode to supply it with fuel gas, an oxidant gas channel facing the cathode to supply it with oxidant gas, and a flow direction of the fuel gas and the oxidant gas are opposite. The fuel cell system may control a water vapor amount at an outlet of the fuel gas channel based on a value that is set based on a relationship between a voltage of the fuel cell and the water vapor amount. The fuel cell system may control an average flow rate of the fuel gas in the fuel gas channel based on a value that is set based on a relationship between a voltage of the fuel cell and the average flow rate. | 11-07-2013 |
| 20130316255 | SOLID OXIDE FUEL CELL SYSTEM AND A METHOD OF OPERATING A SOLID OXIDE FUEL CELL SYSTEM - A solid oxide fuel cell system ( | 11-28-2013 |
| 20140023945 | AIRCRAFT FUEL CELL SYSTEM - An aircraft system comprising a fuel storage system comprising a first fuel tank capable of storing a first fuel and a second fuel tank capable of storing a second fuel is disclosed herein. The aircraft system further comprises a fuel cell system comprising a fuel cell capable of producing electrical power using at least one of the first fuel or the second fuel, and a fuel delivery system capable of delivering a fuel from the fuel storage system to the fuel cell system. | 01-23-2014 |
| 20140045083 | PASSIVE RECIRCULATION DEVICE - The present disclosure provides a recirculation device comprising a body comprising at least one first passage configured to receive an exhaust, at least one second passage configured to receive a fuel, at least one third passage configured to receive a mixture of the exhaust and the fuel, and a longitudinal axis extending from the second passage to the third passage. The device can also comprise a nozzle comprising an inner cavity for directing fuel towards an orifice, located at the smallest cross-sectional area of the inner cavity and a piston slideably located within the body comprising a first end configured to receive the fuel and a second end configured to fuel to the nozzle cavity, whereby the piston can be actuated along the longitudinal axis of the body by the exhaust controlling the flow of fuel passing through the orifice. A mixing chamber located within the body can be configured to receive an exhaust and configured to receive fuel from the orifice. | 02-13-2014 |
| 20140050998 | FUEL CELL SYSTEM - A fuel cell system is provided with a plurality of cell units, a feeding channel, a bypass channel and a control unit. The cell units generate power by feeding hydrogen-containing gas an oxygen-containing gas separated from each other and then having them flow and join with each other. The feeding channel has an ejector arranged therein for refluxing exhausted hydrogen-containing gas exhausted from the cell units back to the cell units. The bypass channel has the hydrogen-containing gas flowing to the cell units bypass the ejector. The control unit includes a gas feeding pressure varying section that is programmed to make the hydrogen-containing gas flow in the bypass channel, and, at the same time, vary the pressure of the hydrogen-containing gas flowing in the feeding channel upon determining a flow rate of the hydrogen-containing gas flowing in the feeding channel is over a prescribed level. | 02-20-2014 |
| 20140065499 | AMMONIA OR HYDRAZINE INJECTION INTO FUEL CELL SYSTEMS - A fuel cell system includes a controller, a fuel cell stack, a fuel inlet conduit operatively connected to the fuel cell stack, the fuel inlet conduit adapted to receive fuel from a fuel supply, a recycling conduit operatively connecting the fuel cell stack to the fuel inlet conduit, the recycling conduit adapted to recycle a portion of a fuel exhaust stream from the fuel cell stack to the fuel inlet conduit, and an ammonia or hydrazine storage vessel operatively connected to the fuel inlet conduit via a valve coupled to the controller. The controller is configured to control the operation of the valve to provide ammonia or hydrazine from the ammonia or hydrazine storage vessel into the fuel inlet conduit upon detecting a change in the fuel from the fuel supply. | 03-06-2014 |
| 20140065500 | Integrated Design of Burner, Reformer and Heat Exchangers for the Solid Oxide Fuel Cell - Thermotechnical units of solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC) are integrated as a whole one. The units may include a burner, a reformer and a heat exchanger. The integrated units can be easily assembled into an SOFC system with cell stacks. Thus, the present invention has a simple structure, operates with ease, saves operational cost, runs with fewer utilities, decreases heat dissipation and enhances system performance. | 03-06-2014 |
| 20140080018 | FUEL CELL SYSTEM AND METHOD OF CONTROLLING THE FUEL CELL SYSTEM - A fuel gas supply apparatus of a fuel cell system includes a pressure reducing valve, an interruption valve, and an injector in a hydrogen supply channel. A controller of the fuel cell system includes a drive cycle setting unit for setting the drive cycle of the injector based on a load of the fuel cell stack, and a water state determination unit for determining whether or not quantity of water content in the fuel cell is excessive by determining whether or not the quantity of water content is a predetermined quantity or more. | 03-20-2014 |
| 20140087278 | Fuel Cell System - The potential energy from a hydrogen tank is used in a gas jet pump, which draws in anode waste gas via an inlet and recirculates it to an anode inlet. To ensure that this system operates effectively even under low loads, a part of the waste gas is supplied to a compressor, and the compressed waste gas is supplied to the motive jet inlet of a gas jet pump, which may be the same one to which the hydrogen from the tank is also supplied. Different gas jet pumps may also be used, for the hydrogen from the tank on the one hand, and the compressed waste gas on the other hand. | 03-27-2014 |
| 20140087279 | FUEL CELL SYSTEM - A fuel cell system includes a fuel cell stack, an oxygen-containing gas flow rate control device, a reformer, a raw fuel flow rate control device, and an exhaust gas flow rate control device. In the fuel cell system, the oxygen-containing gas flow rate control device includes a start-up oxygen-containing gas flow rate regulator valve for supplying an oxygen-containing gas to the reformer to perform partial oxidation reforming from start-up of fuel cells until the temperature of the fuel cell stack is raised to a predetermined temperature. After the temperature of the fuel cell stack reaches the predetermined temperature, the exhaust gas flow rate control device supplies an exhaust gas to the reformer to perform the partial oxidation reforming and steam reforming. | 03-27-2014 |
| 20140093797 | Recirculation Unit For a Fuel Cell System - A recirculation device for a fuel cell system includes a recirculation line connecting the outlet and inlet of the anode region of the fuel cell. The recirculation device includes a liquid separator situated in the area of the recirculation line and a discharge line having a discharge valve for liquid and/or gases. A bubble sensor for controlling the discharge valve is situated in the area of the discharge line. A method for discharging liquid and/or gases from a recirculation device opens and closes the discharge valve as a function of an event detected by the bubble sensor. | 04-03-2014 |
| 20140106246 | SOLID OXIDE FUEL CELL SYSTEMS WITH HOT ZONES HAVING IMPROVED REACTANT DISTRIBUTION - A Solid Oxide Fuel Cell (SOFC) system having a hot zone with a center cathode air feed tube for improved reactant distribution, a CPOX reactor attached at the anode feed end of the hot zone with a tail gas combustor at the opposing end for more uniform heat distribution, and a counter-flow heat exchanger for efficient heat retention. | 04-17-2014 |
| 20140120437 | INTEGRAL REACTOR SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR FUEL CELLS - A reactor system is integrated internally within an anode-side cavity of a fuel cell. The reactor system is configured to convert higher hydrocarbons to smaller species while mitigating the lower production of solid carbon. The reactor system may incorporate one or more of a pre-reforming section, an anode exhaust gas recirculation device, and a reforming section. | 05-01-2014 |
| 20140141345 | FUEL CELL SYSTEM - A fuel cell system that can supply fuel gas appropriately is provided. The fuel cell system includes an injector | 05-22-2014 |
| 20140147760 | FUEL CELL SYSTEM - Provided is a fuel-cell system having a control device which controls driving of a first fuel supply device and a second fuel supply device. The control device includes, a driving-interval setting unit which sets first driving intervals for the first fuel supply device and second driving intervals for the second fuel supply device, a first fuel-supply-device control unit which sets valve-open durations of the first fuel supply device according to the first driving intervals, and a second fuel-supply-device control unit which sets valve-open durations of the second fuel supply device according to the second driving intervals. The driving-interval setting unit sets the second driving intervals to be shorter than the first driving intervals. | 05-29-2014 |
| 20140162153 | FOSSIL FUEL POWER PLANT WITH INTEGRATED CARBON SEPARATION FACILITY - As integrated fossil fuel power plant and a method of operating the power plant is provided. The integrated fossil fuel power plant includes a gas turbine arrangement and a carbonate fuel cell having an anode side and a cathode side. The operating method for the integrated fossil fuel power plant includes partially expanding combustion gases in the gas turbine arrangement so that the temperature of the partially expanded combustion gases is optimised for reaction in the cathode side of the carbonate fuel cell, and feeding the partially expanded combustion gases at the optimised temperature to the cathode side of the carbonate fuel cell for reaction in the cathode side of the carbonate fuel cell. | 06-12-2014 |
| 20140193728 | Fuel Cell System Having an Air Quality Sensor Suite - A fuel cell system having an air quality sensor suite includes a fuel cell having an anode and a cathode, a fuel source providing a fuel flow, a fuel flow rate sensor having a fuel flow rate sensor output, a fuel flow control device, a fuel oxidizer flow conduit, a first mixing region coupled to the fuel source and the fuel oxidizer flow conduit, an anode chamber coupled to the anode, a combustion oxidizer flow conduit, a second mixing region coupled to the combustion oxidizer flow conduit, and at least one oxidizer flow rate sensor having an oxidizer flow rate sensor output. The system further includes at least one oxidizer pump, an air quality sensor having an air quality sensor output, and a control system coupled to the fuel flow rate sensor output, the oxidizer flow rate sensor output, and the air quality sensor output. | 07-10-2014 |
| 20140193729 | FUEL CELL SYSTEM AND METHOD OF OPERATING THE SAME - A fuel cell system includes: a reformer configured to generate a hydrogen-containing gas through a reforming reaction by using a raw material and steam; a raw material supply device configured to supply the raw material to the reformer; a steam supply device configured to supply the steam to the reformer; a temperature detector configured to detect a temperature of the reformer; a fuel cell configured to generate electric power by using the hydrogen-containing gas; a combustor configured to combust the hydrogen-containing gas discharged from the fuel cell to heat the reformer; and a controller configured to, while controlling the raw material supply device such that the temperature detected by the temperature detector becomes a target temperature, control the steam supply device such that a change rate of a steam supply amount to the reformer becomes less than a change rate of a raw material supply amount to the reformer. | 07-10-2014 |
| 20140212776 | VARYING WALL GEOMETRY EJECTOR - An apparatus for delivering a primary fuel stream to a fuel cell stack is provided. The apparatus includes an ejector that is configured to receive the primary fuel stream from a fuel supply. The apparatus is further configured to receive the recirculated fuel stream from the fuel cell stack to provide a combined fluid stream for delivery to the fuel cell stack. The ejector includes an elastic conduit for varying a flow of the combined fluid stream based on a power level of the fuel cell stack. | 07-31-2014 |
| 20140212777 | FUEL CELL SYSTEM COMPRISING AN EJECTOR FOR RECIRCULATING OFF-GAS FROM A STACK - The fuel cell system includes:
| 07-31-2014 |
| 20140220463 | PRESSURE FEED FLOW BATTERY SYSTEM AND METHOD - A flow battery system and method are provided. The flow battery system includes a first battery stack including a first half-cell, a first pressure feed system, including at least a first storage tank and a first booster tank to store a liquid electrolyte, designed to generate a first booster pressure in the first booster tank sufficient to force the liquid electrolyte to be fed from the first pressure feed system through the first half-cell, and a return system to return the liquid electrolyte from the first half-cell to the first pressure feed system. The return system may include a gravity feed system returning liquid electrolyte from the first half-cell to a collection tank, and a pump to return the collected liquid electrolyte from the collection tank to the first storage tank. The pressure feed flow battery system may have a two-tank, divided 2-tank, or four-tank flow battery configurations. | 08-07-2014 |
| 20140242482 | SYSTEMS AND PROCESSES FOR OPERATING FUEL CELL SYSTEMS - Processes and systems for operating molten carbonate fuel cell systems are described herein. A process for operating a molten carbonate fuel cell system includes providing a hydrogen-containing stream comprising molecular hydrogen to an anode portion of a molten carbonate fuel cell; controlling a flow rate of the hydrogen-containing stream to the anode such that molecular hydrogen utilization in the anode is less than 50%; mixing anode exhaust comprising molecular hydrogen from the molten carbonate fuel cell with a hydrocarbon stream comprising hydrocarbons, contacting at least a portion of the mixture of anode exhaust and the hydrocarbon stream with a catalyst to produce a steam reforming feed; separating at least a portion of molecular hydrogen from the steam reforming feed; and providing at least a portion of the separated molecular hydrogen to the molten carbonate fuel cell anode. | 08-28-2014 |
| 20140242483 | SOLID OXIDE FUEL CELL SYSTEM - A solid oxide fuel cell system ( | 08-28-2014 |
| 20140255806 | METHANE-BASED POWER GENERATION WITH ZERO-CARBON EMISSIONS - The present invention provides a method of converting a hydrocarbon into H | 09-11-2014 |
| 20140272633 | INTEGRATED POWER GENERATION AND CARBON CAPTURE USING FUEL CELLS - Systems and methods are provided for capturing CO | 09-18-2014 |
| 20140272634 | INTEGRATED POWER GENERATION AND CHEMICAL PRODUCTION USING FUEL CELLS - In various aspects, systems and methods are provided for operating a molten carbonate fuel cell assembly at increased power density. This can be accomplished in part by performing an effective amount of an endothermic reaction within the fuel cell stack in an integrated manner. This can allow for increased power density while still maintaining a desired temperature differential within the fuel cell assembly. | 09-18-2014 |
| 20140272635 | Mitigation of NOx in Integrated Power Production - Systems and methods are provided for capturing CO | 09-18-2014 |
| 20140272636 | Hybrid Autothermal Steam Reformer for Fuel Cell Systems - A reactant processing module with a hybrid autothermal reformer (HASR) can allow for control of both the amount of cathode recirculation and the amount of water sent to the HASR. At the beginning of life of the fuel cell, reactant processing module can operate on full cathode recirculation. As the fuel cell begins to age and become less efficient, the amount of nitrogen-heavy, vitiated air from the fuel cell cathode can be monitored by a control system and restricted using a valve. In order to compensate for the aforementioned restriction, the rate of input of the external air supply is increased to the HASR and the deficit in water is supplied in liquid form from a water reservoir and turned to steam within the HASR. The amount of liquid water input from the water reservoir that meets the need for continued efficient operation is relatively small. | 09-18-2014 |
| 20140322621 | FUEL CELL SYSTEM BLOWER CONFIGURATION - An exemplary fuel cell system includes a cell stack assembly having a plurality of cathode components and a plurality of anode components. A first reactant blower has an outlet situated to provide a first reactant to the cathode components. A second reactant blower has an outlet situated to provide a second reactant to the anode components. The second reactant blower includes a fan portion that moves the second reactant through the outlet. The second reactant blower also includes a motor portion that drives the fan portion and a bearing portion associated with the fan portion and the motor portion. The motor portion has a motor coolant inlet coupled with the outlet of the first reactant blower to receive some of the first reactant for cooling the motor portion. | 10-30-2014 |
| 20140356740 | COMBINED GENERATION SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR COLLECTING CARBON DIOXIDE FOR COMBINED GENERATION SYSTEM - A combined generation system according to one embodiment of the present invention comprises: a natural gas synthesizing apparatus for receiving coal and oxygen, generating synthetic gas by a gasifier, and permitting the synthetic gas to pass through a methanation reactor so as to synthesize methane; a fuel cell apparatus for receiving fuel that contains methane from the natural gas synthesizing apparatus and generating electrical energy; and a generating apparatus for producing electrical energy using the fluid discharged from the fuel cell apparatus | 12-04-2014 |
| 20140377676 | FUEL CELL SYSTEM - A fuel cell system includes: a fuel cell to consume a fuel and generate electric power; a feeder for feeding a circulating fluid including the fuel to the cell; a collector for collecting the circulating fluid including unconsumed fuel from the cell; a first channel connecting the cell with the collector; a second channel connecting the collector with the feeder; and a third channel connecting the feeder with the cell. A mass ratio M2/M1 is less than or equal to 20 ppm in terms of hexadecane, where M1 is a total mass of the collector and the first, second and third channels, and M2 is a mass of organic substances eluted into the circulating fluid or an equivalent therefor, while the collector and the first, second and third channels are immersed in the circulating fluid or equivalent at a temperature TH1 for a certain time. | 12-25-2014 |
| 20150030947 | SOLID OXIDE FUEL CELL SYSTEM - A solid oxide fuel cell system ( | 01-29-2015 |
| 20150030948 | FUEL CELL SYSTEM AND CONTROL METHOD OF FUEL CELL SYSTEM - A fuel cell system includes a pressure regulating valve for controlling a pressure of an anode gas, a purge valve for controlling a discharge amount of an anode off-gas, the purge valve being configured to change an opening area thereof at least on two stages, a pulsation operation control means configured to control the pressure regulating valve so that the pressure of the anode gas in a fuel cell when a load is high becomes higher than when the load is low, and so that the pressure of the anode gas is periodically increased and decreased at a predetermined load, and a purge valve control means configured to increase the opening area of the purge valve used during a descending transition operation so that the opening area becomes larger than the opening area used during other operations. | 01-29-2015 |
| 20150064582 | FUEL CELL STARTUP APPARATUS AND METHOD - A fuel cell startup apparatus and method reduces high-voltage generation and corrosion of a cathode electrode that may occur because the density of oxygen is locally high in a cell near a central flow distributor after long-term parking of a fuel-cell vehicle. To this end, density control gas is selectably injected into a fuel supply line prior to supply of reaction gas of hydrogen and air in a fuel cell startup process after long-term parking to forcedly mix anode-side gas in the fuel supply line and the cell with the density control gas. | 03-05-2015 |
| 20150064583 | CONTROL APPARATUS AND CONTROL METHOD, AND COMBINED POWER GENERATION SYSTEM PROVIDED THEREWITH - A combined power generation system is promptly activated, and stable operation thereof is provided. A control apparatus of the combined power generation system that generates power by performing cooperative operation combining an SOFC and an MGT, in which the combined power generation system includes: an exhaust fuel gas supply line that supplies exhaust fuel gas to a combustor of the MGT from the SOFC; a recirculation line that branches from the exhaust fuel gas supply line to flow the exhaust fuel gas to the SOFC; and a flow rate adjustment valve provided on a path of the exhaust fuel gas supply line, and in which a gain to an opening of the flow rate adjustment valve is adjusted according to an cooperative operation state of the SOFC and the MGT. | 03-05-2015 |
| 20150111116 | FUEL CELL SYSTEM - A fuel cell system according to the present invention comprises a fuel gas supply system that supplies a fuel gas from a fuel supply source to a fuel cell that includes a stack including a plurality of cells, and a fuel off-gas circulation system that resupplies fuel off-gas to the stack. The fuel off-gas circulation system includes: a mixed fuel gas flow path formed such that a mixed fuel gas containing the fuel off-gas and the fuel gas flows in a direction along an inner surface of a manifold installed in the stack; and a point of merger where the fuel off-gas and the fuel gas merge with each other to produce the mixed fuel gas, the point of merger being arranged on one surface side of the manifold. With such configuration, the heat exchange efficiency of the fuel off-gas and the fuel gas can be increased, and ice resulting from water in the fuel off-gas can be prevented from flowing into the fuel cell stack. | 04-23-2015 |
| 20150147665 | METHOD AND ARRANGEMENT FOR UTILIZING RECIRCULATION FOR HIGH TEMPERATURE FUEL CELL SYSTEM - An arrangement utilizing recirculation for high temperature fuel cell system, each fuel cell including an anode side, a cathode side, and an electrolyte between the anode side and the cathode side, wherein the fuel cell system can perform anode side recirculation flow of reactants. The arrangement can accomplish a recycle ratio of 70% or more for the recirculation flow, feed to the recirculation a feed-in flow, which can include substantially high oxygen content, the feed-in flow being 30% or less of entire flow, perform heat exchanging to provide substantially reduced low temperature conditions in the recirculation flow, perform catalytic partial oxidation in the recirculation flow to produce a substantially high amount of hydrogen for the recirculation flow in fuel cell system start-up or shutdown situations, and exhaust 30% or less of the entire flow from the anode side recirculation. | 05-28-2015 |
| 20150303499 | SOLID OXIDE FUEL CELL POWER PLANT WITH AN ANODE RECYCLE LOOP TURBOCHARGER - An anode exhaust recycle turbocharger ( | 10-22-2015 |
| 20150311548 | INTEGRATED RECIRCULATING OPEN CATHODE FUEL CELL SYSTEM - A PEM fuel system includes a fuel cell stack comprising one or more PEM fuel cells and fan configured to provide process air to supply oxidizer to and cool the fuel cell stack. The system has an air duct coupled to the fan and the fuel cell stack, and an electrical service load coupled to the fuel cell stack for receiving electrical power generated from reactions within the fuel cell stack. The system further includes as auxiliary electrical load coupled to the fuel cell stack and located within the air duct to reduce potentials across the fuel cell stack. The air duct is configured to direct the flow of air to the fuel cell stack and auxiliary electrical load to provide cooling air to the fuel cell stack and auxiliary electrical load. | 10-29-2015 |
| 20150318562 | Fuel Cell Stack - A fuel cell stack has a multiplicity of individual cells, which each include an anode flow field, a membrane electrode arrangement, and a cathode flow field. Each flow field has a media inlet and channels for carrying the media. The anode flow fields and/or the cathode flow fields have the media inlet on their upward-facing side when used as intended, and are open on their downward-facing side when used as intended. | 11-05-2015 |
| 20150325866 | GAS SEPARATION FROM FUEL CELL COOLING WATER - A fuel cell has an anode and a cathode separated by a membrane. A source of fuel is provided for passing a fuel across the anode. A source of oxygen containing gas is provided for passing oxygen across a cathode. A cooling water circuit is associated with an accumulator and for supplying cooling water to cool the cathode, and to return the cooling water from the cathode back to the accumulator. A system removes entrained gases from the water returned to the accumulator and returns the removed gases to the cathode. A vehicle with such a fuel cell is also disclosed. | 11-12-2015 |
| 20160036078 | Fuel cell device - The invention is based on a fuel cell device which is provided to be operated with a natural gas, having a fuel cell unit ( | 02-04-2016 |
| 20160043422 | HIGH EFFICIENCY FUEL CELL SYSTEM WITH ANODE GAS CHEMICAL RECUPERATION AND CARBON CAPTURE - A method of providing anode gas exhaust from a fuel cell stack and carbon dioxide capture by feeding reformed fuel and air into a fuel cell stack where gas exhaust is fed to a series of oxidation/reduction beds to provide exit streams a) of H | 02-11-2016 |
| 20160064748 | SOFC Hot Box Components - Various hot box fuel cell system components are provided, such as heat exchangers, steam generator and other components. | 03-03-2016 |
| 20160064761 | FUEL CELL MODULE - A fuel cell module includes a fuel cell stack, a reformer, and a hydrodesulfurizer. A fuel gas is supplied to the fuel cell stack through a fuel gas supply channel, and the reformer and the hydrodesulfurizer are provided for the fuel gas supply channel. A fuel exhaust gas is discharged from the fuel cell stack into a fuel exhaust gas channel, and a recycling channel is connected to the fuel exhaust gas channel, for circulating some of the fuel exhaust gas to return to a position of the fuel gas supply channel, the position provided upstream of the reformer and the hydrodesulfurizer. | 03-03-2016 |
| 20160079622 | FUEL CELL MODULE - A fuel cell module includes a first area where an exhaust gas combustor and a start-up combustor are provided, a second area where a reformer and a heat exchanger are provided, and a third area where an evaporator is provided. A stress relaxing portion for relaxing heat stress is provided at least along a border between the first area and the second area, along a border between the second area and the third area, or along an outermost portion of the third area. | 03-17-2016 |
| 20160099477 | PASSIVE ANODE GAS RECOVERY SYSTEM FOR FUEL CELL - A passive anode gas recovery system for fuel cells is revealed. The system includes a fuel cell, a fuel supply device, an electronically controlled regulator, a first ejection module, a second ejection module, a hydrogen recovery module, and a controller. The system is a passive fuel recovery system disposed on an outlet end of an anode of the fuel cell. By the controller, the hydrogen recovery module recovers unconsumed hydrogen gas in the fuel cell provided by the fuel supply device into two ejection modules with different orifice diameters for recycling and reuse. | 04-07-2016 |
| 20160118675 | FUEL CELL SYSTEM USING HYDROGEN SUPPLY MANIFOLD - A fuel cell system having a hydrogen supply manifold according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention may include a stack that uses air and fuel gas, which is supplied, to generated electricity, a recirculation line that recirculates a fuel gas, which is partially used by the stack to be exhausted, to an inlet of the stack, and an ejector unit that is disposed on the recirculation line, supplies fresh fuel gas, and circulates the recirculated gas, wherein the ejector unit may include a middle pressure manifold where a nozzle mounting portion is formed at one side and a supply passage is formed to transmit fuel gas to the nozzle mounting portion, a control valve that is disposed on the middle pressure manifold to control fuel that is supplied to the stack, a nozzle that is engaged with an end portion of the nozzle mounting portion to injects fuel gas that is supplied through the supply passage, and a low pressure manifold that is engaged with the middle pressure manifold, a chamber is formed to house the nozzle mounting portion and the nozzle, a venture and a diffuser is formed in a direction that the fuel gas is injected from the nozzle, sucks exhaust gas of the stack and mixes the exhaust gas and the fuel that is injected from the nozzle through the venture and the diffuser. | 04-28-2016 |
| 20160118679 | NITROGEN ENRICHED AIR GENERATION AND FUEL TANK INERTING SYSTEM - A fuel cell power module is used to provide nitrogen enriched air for, in one application, fuel tank inerting in an aircraft. The fuel cell power module has a recirculation line between its cathode side outlet and cathode side inlet. At least one control-lable device is provided to allow the flow rate in the recirculation line to be controlled. The recirculation flow rate is adjusted such Cthat the cathode exhaust has an oxygen concentration useful for inerting a fuel tank or suppressing fire. | 04-28-2016 |
| 20160133960 | FUEL CELL SYSTEM - A fuel cell system includes: a fuel cell that includes a membrane electrode assembly clipping an electrolyte membrane with an anode and a cathode; a fuel gas supplier that supplies an anode gas to the anode via an anode gas supply passage in accordance with a power generation request for the fuel cell; a circulation pump that circulates an exhaust gas discharged from the anode to the anode gas supply passage; a judger that judges whether any one of a temperature of the circulation pump and a temperature associated with the temperature of the circulation pump is equal to or less than a prescribed temperature; and a drive controller that drives the circulation pump at a prescribed rotation number when the judger judges that any one of the temperatures is equal to or less than the prescribed temperature, and there is no power generation request for the fuel cell. | 05-12-2016 |
| 20160141650 | FUEL CELL SYSTEM - A fuel cell system includes: a fuel cell; a fuel gas path supplied with fuel and allowing a part of fuel gas discharged from the fuel cell to circulate; an exhaust mechanism discharging the reacted fuel gas to an outside; a circulation mechanism circulating the fuel gas; and a control unit configured to temporarily stop circulation of the fuel gas by the circulation mechanism when determining that discharge from the exhaust mechanism is not normal, drive the circulation mechanism so that the fuel gas circulates at a first circulation speed when determining that the discharge is not normal and a parameter relating to water vapor in the fuel gas path is equal to a predetermined value or greater, and drive the circulation mechanism so that the fuel gas circulates at a second circulation speed greater than the first circulation speed when determining that the discharge is normal. | 05-19-2016 |
| 20160141651 | FUEL CELL SYSTEM AND FUEL CELL SYSTEM CONTROL METHOD - A fuel cell system includes a fuel cell containing a unit cell with an anode and a cathode included therein, a hydrogen supply unit that supplies hydrogen gas to the anode, a circulation pump that supplies an anode exhaust gas containing hydrogen that has not been used for power generation by the fuel cell and is discharged from the anode, once again to the anode to circulate the anode exhaust gas, and a controller that controls supply quantity of the hydrogen gas by the hydrogen supply unit as well as rotating speed of the circulation pump. The controller drives the circulation pump so that the rotating speed of the circulation pump approaches an optimum rotating speed of the circulation pump at which a total hydrogen loss quantity becomes a minimum under a specified current value, the total hydrogen loss quantity being a sum of a hydrogen quantity corresponding to an electric power necessary for driving the circulation pump and a hydrogen quantity passing from anode side to cathode side of the fuel cell. | 05-19-2016 |
| 20160141652 | FUEL CELL SYSTEM - A fuel cell system, includes: a fuel cell stack that is formed by stacking fuel cells for causing electrochemical reaction of a fuel gas and an oxidizing gas; a fuel gas supply system that is configured to supply the fuel gas to the fuel cell stack from a supply source of the fuel gas; a fuel gas recirculating system that is configured to resupply to the fuel cell stack the fuel gas discharged from the fuel cell stack; and a piping member is configured to connect a junction between the fuel gas supply system and the fuel gas recirculating system with the supply source, the piping member having a bent portion that is curved such that a supply direction of the fuel gas from the supply source is reverse to a flowing direction of the fuel gas toward the junction. | 05-19-2016 |
| 20160141653 | METHOD AND ARRANGEMENT FOR UTILIZING RECIRCULATION FOR HIGH TEMPERATURE FUEL CELL SYSTEM - An arrangement utilizing recirculation for high temperature fuel cell system, each fuel cell including an anode side, a cathode side, and an electrolyte between the anode side and the cathode side, wherein the fuel cell system can perform anode side recirculation flow of reactants. The arrangement can accomplish a recycle ratio of 70% or more for the recirculation flow, feed to the recirculation a feed-in flow, which can include substantially high oxygen content, the feed-in flow being 30% or less of entire flow, perform heat exchanging to provide substantially reduced low temperature conditions in the recirculation flow, perform catalytic partial oxidation in the recirculation flow to produce a substantially high amount of hydrogen for the recirculation flow in fuel cell system start-up or shutdown situations, and exhaust 30% or less of the entire flow from the anode side recirculation. | 05-19-2016 |
| 20160141660 | FUEL CELL SYSTEM AND CONTROL METHOD THEREFOR - A fuel cell system includes: a fuel cell; an anode gas supply flow path for supplying an anode gas to the fuel cell; an anode gas discharge flow path for discharging an anode off gas from the fuel cell; an anode gas circulation flow path for connecting the anode gas supply flow path and the anode gas discharge flow path to each other; a circulation device provided on the anode gas circulation flow path and serving for supplying the anode off gas to the anode gas supply flow path; and a controller. When liquid water is residing in the circulation device, the controller controls a circulation flow rate of the circulation device to discharge the liquid water residing in the circulation device. The controller restricts an increasing rate of the circulation flow rate of the circulation device if it is decided that a quantity of the liquid water residing in the circulation device is equal to or more than a specified value. | 05-19-2016 |
| 20160141665 | FUEL CELL SYSTEM AND FUEL CELL SYSTEM CONTROL METHOD - To provide technology that is capable of inhibiting a decrease in starting properties of a pump in a low-temperature environment. A fuel cell system is equipped with a control unit, a fuel cell, and a pump. The control unit acquires the temperature of the fuel cell as a parameter expressing the temperature of the pump while operation of the fuel cell is stopped. The control unit rotates rotation body of the pump when it is detected that the temperature of the pump is a threshold value or less set within a predetermined range lower than the freezing point based on the detected temperature of the fuel cell. | 05-19-2016 |
| 20160141672 | FUEL CELL SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR DISCHARGING FLUID IN THE SYSTEM - There is provided a fuel cell system, wherein a controller configured to set the flow volume of a fluid in an anode flow path at an outlet of an anode of the fuel cell to a first flow volume, then set thereafter the flow volume of the fluid in the anode flow path at the outlet of the anode to a second flow volume which is smaller than the first flow volume, and discharge the water in the hydrogen discharge flow path by opening an exhaust and drain valve while the fluid is flowing at the second flow volume. | 05-19-2016 |
| 20160141678 | FUEL CELL SYSTEM AND A METHOD OF DETECTING A HYDROGEN GAS LEAK - The fuel cell system is provided with the hydrogen gas circulation system that supplies hydrogen gas to the fuel cell while merging the hydrogen gas discharged from the fuel cell with the newly supplied hydrogen gas, a hydrogen gas supply valve that controls the amount of hydrogen gas supplied to the hydrogen gas circulation system, an initial pressurization unit that pressurizes the hydrogen gas circulation system by temporarily opening the hydrogen gas supply valve at the start of the fuel cell, and a re-pressurization and gas leak detection unit that re-pressurizes the hydrogen gas circulation system by opening the hydrogen gas supply valve when a given level of pressure drop is found in the pressure detected by the pressure detection unit after the pressurization by the initial pressurization unit and detects a hydrogen gas leak from the hydrogen gas circulation system based on the pressure detected by the pressure detection unit in a given timing after the pressurization. | 05-19-2016 |
| 20160181647 | HIGH-EFFICIENCY MOLTEN CARBONATE FUEL CELL SYSTEM AND METHOD | 06-23-2016 |
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| 20160204457 | Method For Operating A Fuel Cell Stack | 07-14-2016 |
| 20180026278 | RECYCLING SYSTEM OF ANODE OFF GAS IN FUEL CELL | 01-25-2018 |
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