Abstract: An apparatus and process for measuring the concentration of hydrogen gas being transferred through a nozzle from a source container to a destination container and for providing an alert and/or taking action where hydrogen gas leaks may create an unsafe condition. The invention can accurately and reproducibly respond to and measure the absolute hydrogen gas concentration within the nozzle housing using hydrogen gas sensors that are selective only to hydrogen, which do not require the presence of oxygen to operate and which do not saturate when hydrogen safety levels are reached. These sensors are positioned inside the nozzle housing to allow for the direct and immediate knowledge of the presence of hydrogen gas that cannot be safely determined by other means. An apparatus and process for detecting leaks of liquid hydrogen through a nozzle during transfer of liquid hydrogen from a source container to a destination container are also discussed.

Abstract: An apparatus for dispensing an odorant to a hydrogen gas includes at least one container, each container having an interior volume. At least one odorant material is disposed in the interior volume of a first container, the odorant material having at least one detectable odor. At least one hydrogen storage material is disposed in the interior volume of the first container or the interior volume of a second container.

Abstract: A method of forming a composite structure includes: (1) providing first and second sintered bodies containing first and second multicomponent metallic oxides having first and second identical crystal structures that are perovskitic or fluoritic; (2) providing a joint material containing at least one metal oxide: (a) containing (i) at least one metal of an identical IUPAC Group as at least one sintered body metal in one of the multicomponent metallic oxides, (ii) a first row D-Block transition metal not contained in the multicomponent metallic oxides, and/or (iii) a lanthanide not contained in the multicomponent metallic oxides; (b) free of metals contained in the multicomponent metallic oxides; (c) free of cations of boron, silicon, germanium, tin, lead, arsenic, antimony, phosphorus and tellurium; and (d) having a melting point below the sintering temperatures of the sintered bodies; and (3) heating to a joining temperature above the melting point and below the sintering temperatures.

Abstract: A method for operating a cyclone combustor having first and second burners in communication with a barrel includes: feeding a stream of a primary fuel and a primary oxidant having a first oxygen concentration into the first burner; feeding a stream of a secondary fuel and a secondary oxidant having a second oxygen concentration greater than or equal to the first oxygen concentration into the second burner; combusting at least a portion of the primary fuel with at least a portion of the primary oxidant in the barrel of the cyclone combustor, thereby forming a plurality of primary products of combustion in the barrel; and combusting at least a portion of the secondary fuel with at least a portion of the secondary oxidant, thereby forming a plurality of secondary products of combustion and a secondary flame, the secondary flame generating a supplemental radiant heat in the barrel.

Abstract: A method for combusting a fuel in a cyclone combustor having a burner and a barrel includes: feeding a stream of the fuel into the barrel at the burner end of the barrel; feeding a stream(s) of a first oxidant (e.g., air) having a first oxygen concentration into the barrel at a first flowrate, the stream(s) of the first oxidant including a predominant stream; feeding a stream(s) of a second oxidant (e.g., oxygen) having a second oxygen concentration into the barrel at a second flowrate and in a selective manner, whereby a portion of the first oxidant combines with a portion of the second oxidant, thereby forming a combined oxidant having a combined oxygen concentration, and a portion of the first oxidant from the predominant stream continues having the first oxygen concentration; and combusting a portion of the fuel with a portion of the combined oxidant in the barrel.

Abstract: A gas adsorption composite a high density adsorbent including a high density layer having a first density of at least 0.3 g/cc; and a low density adsorbent having a low density layer having a second density of less than 0.3 g/cc, wherein the high density adsorbent is in substantially contiguous contact with the low density adsorbent and each of the high density adsorbent and the low density adsorbent has an adsorbent surface area of at least 500 m2/g. A pressure swing adsorption process for recovering a product gas from a feed gas, the process including supplying a pressure swing adsorption apparatus including a gas adsorption composite, feeding a feed gas into the pressure swing adsorption apparatus during a feed period not exceeding 100 seconds and recovering the product gas from the pressure swing adsorption apparatus.

Abstract: Rotary sequencing valve comprising a rotor having a rotor face rotatable about an axis perpendicular to the rotor face, wherein the rotor face has a plurality of openings, one or more of which are disposed at a selected radial distance from the axis, and wherein the rotor includes at least one passage connecting at least one pair of the plurality of openings. The valve includes a flexible port plate having a first side and a second side, wherein the first side faces the rotor and engages the rotor such that the flexible port plate can be rotated coaxially by the rotor and can move axially with respect to the rotor, wherein the flexible port plate has a plurality of ports between the first and second sides, which ports are aligned with the openings in the rotor face.

Abstract: Mobile hydrogen generation and supply system comprising hydrogen precursor storage means for storing one or more hydrogen precursors; one or more hydrogen precursor conversion means selected from the group consisting of means for converting a hydrogen precursor into gaseous hydrogen and means for converting a hydrogen precursor into a hydrogen-containing intermediate; one or more delivery means selected from the group consisting of delivery means for offloading gaseous hydrogen and delivery means for offloading a hydrogen-containing intermediate; and mobile support means for mounting the hydrogen precursor storage means, hydrogen precursor conversion means, and one or more delivery means. The system may further comprise one or more means selected from the group consisting of means for converting gaseous hydrogen into stored hydrogen; means for containing stored hydrogen; means for converting stored hydrogen into gaseous hydrogen; and storage means for storing a hydrogen-containing intermediate.

Abstract: A burner is provided which includes a plurality of burner subunits that each share a single air supply, a single fuel supply and a single control system. Each burner subunit has a plurality of air orifices and a plurality of fuel orifices of sufficient quantity and of a cross-sectional area to control a transverse heat flux profile of the burner. The burner subunits are spaced with respect to one another to control a longitudinal heat flux profile of the burner. The single air supply and said single fuel are adapted to provide an air-fuel mix that ensures the transverse and the longitudinal heat flux profiles are maintained at different fuel and air input rates. A burner of similar design using premixed air and fuel is also disclosed.

Abstract: A nozzle comprising a nozzle body having an inlet face, an outlet face, and an inlet flow axis passing through the inlet and outlet faces, and two or more slots extending through the nozzle body from the inlet face to the outlet face. Each slot has a slot axis and the slot axis of at least one of the slots is not parallel to the inlet flow axis of the nozzle body. In another embodiment, the nozzle comprises a nozzle body having an inlet face, an outlet face, and an inlet flow axis passing through the inlet and outlet faces, and two or more slots extending through the nozzle body from the inlet face to the outlet face, each slot having a slot axis, wherein none of the slots intersect other slots and all of the slots are in fluid flow communication with a common fluid supply conduit. The nozzles may be used to inject secondary fuel in a burner system having a central burner combusting a primary fuel surrounded by secondary fuel injection nozzles.

Abstract: An apparatus for detecting a leak of a fluid from a system for storing and/or transporting a volume of the fluid includes an odorant material. The system includes at least one vessel and at least one sealant having an outer surface. The odorant material is encapsulated or sorbed on the sealant, at least a portion of the odorant material having at least one detectable odor.

Abstract: A light emitting device includes: (a) a light emitting layer including an electroluminescent organic material dispersed in a matrix, wherein the matrix contains a non-electroluminescent organic polymer having a Tg of at least 170° C., and each of the organic polymer and the electroluminescent organic material constitutes at least 20 percent by weight of the light emitting layer; and (b) electrodes in electrical communication with the light emitting layer and configured to conduct an electric charge through the light emitting layer such that the light emitting layer emits light. A method for manufacturing a flexible organic light emitting device, includes providing the light emitting layer and providing electrodes above and below the light emitting layer, wherein the electrodes are in electrical communication with the light emitting layer.

Abstract: The present invention relates to an interconnect for an electrically driven solid electrolyte oxygen separation device comprising a composition of matter represented by the general formula: LnxCax′Ax″MnyBy′O3−&dgr; wherein Ln is selected from the group consisting of La, Ce, Pr, Nd, Pm, Sm, Eu, Gd, Tb, Dy, Ho, Er, Tm, Yb, and Lu; A is selected from the group consisting of Sr, Ba and Y; B is selected from the group consisting of Cu, Co, Cr, Fe, Ni, Zn, Nb, Zr, V, Ta, Ti, Al, Mg, and Ga; 0.1≦x≦0.9; 0.1≦x′≦0.9; 0≦x″≦0.5; 0.5<y<1.2; and 0≦y′≦0.5; provided that x+x′+x″=1 and 1.2>y+y′>1.0 wherein &dgr; is a number which renders the composition of matter charge neutral.

Abstract: Rapid cycle pressure swing adsorption processes, systems and apparatus for the separation of a multi-component feed gas mixture by selectively adsorbing at least one more readily adsorbable component in a bed of adsorbent material are provided.

Abstract: An apparatus and a method for inhibiting metal dusting corrosion of a tubesheet inside a shell-and-tube heat exchanger having at least one exit nozzle for transmitting at least one process fluid from the shell-and-tube heat exchanger include and use: an isolation baffle disposed inside the shell-and-tube heat exchanger at a location between a first exit nozzle and the tubesheet, whereby an isolated space exists between the tubesheet and the isolation baffle; and a means for purging the isolated space with a purging fluid.

Abstract: An apparatus for a hydrocarbon reforming process includes a combustion chamber, a convection chamber in fluid communication with the combustion chamber, at least one burner disposed in the combustion chamber, a reaction chamber, a means for flowing a first mixed-feed through a first part of the reaction chamber, and a means for flowing a second mixed-feed through an annular portion of a second part of the reaction chamber, the second part being a tube-in-tube in fluid communication with the first part. The burner(s) generates a flow of a flue gas having a sensible heat from the combustion chamber to the convection chamber. The flow of the flue gas in the convection chamber is counter-currently with the flow of the second mixed-feed.

Abstract: A mobile self-contained self-powered station having a plurality of vessels delivers a pressurized fluid to a receiving tank (e.g., a fuel tank of a hydrogen-powered vehicle) without using mechanical compression, external electric power, or other external utilities. The station includes first and second vessels, a conduit in fluid communication with the receiving tank and each of the first and second vessels, means for transferring at least a portion of a quantity of the pressurized fluid from the first vessel to the receiving tank, means for measuring continuously a pressure differential between the increasing pressure in the receiving tank and the decreasing pressure in the first vessel, means for discontinuing the transfer from the first vessel when a predetermined limit value is reached, and means for transferring at least a portion of a quantity of the pressurized fluid from the second vessel to the receiving tank.

Abstract: An ultra low NOx burner for process heating is provided which includes a fluid based flame stabilizer which provides a fuel-lean flame at an equivalence ratio in the range of phi=0.05 to phi=0.3 and fuel staging lances surrounding the flame stabilizer in circular, flat, or load shaping profiles, each lance comprising a pipe having a staging nozzle at a firing end thereof, each lance having at least one hole for staging fuel injection, and each hole having a radial divergence angle and an axial divergence angle. The at least one hole and the divergence angles provide circular, flat or load shaping flame pattern. The burner provides NOx emissions of less than 9 ppmv at near stoichiometry combustion conditions.

Abstract: The present invention is a method for production of a hydrogen-rich fuel gas compatible for a fuel cell, comprising; reforming a hydrocarbon-containing fuel to a CO-containing, hydrogen-rich reformate, converting CO in the reformate to CO2 and hydrogen by a catalyzed water-shift reaction, removing residual CO in the reformate by adsorption on a copper halide adsorbent, and passing the essentially CO-free reformate as a hydrogen-rich fuel gas to a fuel cell.

Abstract: The present invention relates to compositions of matter represented by the general formula LnxLn′x′AyTizCe1−x−x′−y−zO2−&dgr; wherein Ln is selected from the group consisting of Sm, Gd, Y, Ln′ is selected from the group consisting of La, Pr, Nd, Pm, Eu, Tb, Dy, Ho, Er, Tm, Yb, Lu; A is selected from the group consisting of Mg, Ca, Sr and Ba, 0.05≦x≦0.25, 0≦x′≦0.25, 0≦y≦0.03, 0.001≦z≦0.03, 0.05≦x+x′≦0.25, 0.001≦y+z≦0.03, wherein &dgr; is a number which renders the composition of matter charge neutral. The compositions can be formed into sintered bodies suitable for use as solid electrolytes in devices including solid-state oxygen generators. Such sintered bodies have greater than 95% theoretical density at temperatures at or below 1600° C., and can be produced by a solid-state method.