Abstract: A heater includes a heater housing extending along a heater axis; a fuel cell stack assembly disposed within the heater housing and having a plurality of fuel cells which convert chemical energy from a fuel into heat and electricity through a chemical reaction with an oxidizing agent; an electric resistive heating element disposed within the heater housing and electrically connected to the fuel cell stack assembly; and a first thermal switch located between the fuel cell stack assembly and the electric resistive heating element. The first thermal switch is closed to place the fuel cell stack assembly in electrical communication with the electric resistive heating element when the fuel cell stack assembly is electrochemically active and is open to prevent electrical communication between the fuel cell stack assembly and the electric resistive heating element when the fuel cell stack assembly is not electrochemically active.

Abstract: A heater assembly includes a plurality of fuel cell stack assemblies which each have a plurality of fuel cells, a fuel inlet, and an air inlet; a fuel supply conduit which communicates fuel to the fuel inlets; and an air supply conduit which communicates air to the air inlets. An orifice is disposed between the fuel supply conduit and the fuel inlet or between the air supply conduit and the air inlet of each fuel cell stack assembly. The plurality of fuel cell stack assemblies are arranged in fuel cell stack assembly groups such that the orifices of each of the fuel cell stack assembly groups are configured to provide a magnitude of restriction that is unique to their respective the fuel cell stack assembly group, thereby providing uniformity of flow of the fuel or the air to the plurality of fuel cell stack assemblies.

Abstract: A heater assembly includes a plurality of fuel cell stack assemblies which each have a plurality of fuel cells, a fuel inlet, and an air inlet; a fuel supply conduit which communicates fuel to the fuel inlets; and an air supply conduit which communicates air to the air inlets. An orifice is disposed between the fuel supply conduit and the fuel inlet or between the air supply conduit and the air inlet of each fuel cell stack assembly. The plurality of fuel cell stack assemblies are arranged in fuel cell stack assembly groups such that the orifices of each of the fuel cell stack assembly groups are configured to provide a magnitude of restriction that is unique to their respective the fuel cell stack assembly group, thereby providing uniformity of flow of the fuel or the air to the plurality of fuel cell stack assemblies.

Abstract: A heater includes a heater housing extending along a heater axis; a fuel cell stack assembly disposed within the heater housing and having a plurality of fuel cells which convert chemical energy from a fuel into heat and electricity through a chemical reaction with an oxidizing agent; an electric resistive heating element disposed within the heater housing and electrically connected to the fuel cell stack assembly; and a first thermal switch located between the fuel cell stack assembly and the electric resistive heating element. The first thermal switch is closed to place the fuel cell stack assembly in electrical communication with the electric resistive heating element when the fuel cell stack assembly is electrochemically active and is open to prevent electrical communication between the fuel cell stack assembly and the electric resistive heating element when the fuel cell stack assembly is not electrochemically active.

Abstract: A burner module for burning injected reformate mixed with engine exhaust in an exhaust pipe ahead of aftertreatment devices, comprising an exhaust flow divider that creates a localized region of exhaust flow for mixture of the reformate. The amount of reformate required to produce a burnable composition in the localized area is less than what is required in the prior art to provide the same composition over the entire cross-sectional region of the exhaust pipe. An igniter is provided within the localized region. Upon ignition of the reformate, the flow of reformate may be increased to the point of a stoichiometric mixture for the entire exhaust, to produce the maximum heat for warm up. The exhaust flow divider may comprise a divider tube mounted in the exhaust pipe or may be simply a protrusion from a wall of the exhaust pipe.

Abstract: A catalytic reformer assembly comprising a mixing chamber wherein fuel and air are mixed. The wall of the mixing chamber tapers toward an outlet end. A catalyst bed formed in an annular shape surrounds the outlet end such that the walls of the mixing chamber shield the catalyst from direct exposure to fuel droplets injected into the mixing chamber. The fuel/air mixture flows out of the mixing chamber, then turns and counterflows through the catalyst bed outside the mixing chamber. Hot reformate from the catalyst bed flows in a reformate flow chamber extending along the outer surface of the walls of the mixing chamber, heating the wall surface within the mixing chamber for instantaneous evaporation of injected fuel. A plenum for incoming air surrounds the reformate flow chamber which is also heated thereby.

Abstract: A reformer substrate for supporting a catalyst in a hydrocarbon reformer, comprising a graded structure that is inhomogeneous either radially, longitudinally, or both. The inhomogeous graded structure components are selected and arranged to maintain the catalyst operating temperature during extended periods of catalytic inactivity. Selection is based primarily on heat capacity and/or thermal loss properties. Generally, the perimeter of the substrate, radially and/or longitudinally comprises a thick wall of high thermal mass materials to reduce conductive and radiated heat loss, and a high thermal capacity material within the substrate to reduce radiated heat loss. Preferred materials are open-cell rigid foams such as zirconia-toughened alumina reticulated foam, for negative thermal loads in endothermic reaction regimes, and zirconia-mullite honeycomb monolith, for positive or neutral thermal loads in exothermic or autothermic reaction regimes.

Abstract: A catalytic hydrocarbon reformer comprising a catalyst concentrically disposed within a reformer tube surrounded by an annular flow space for air entering a fuel-air mixing zone ahead of the catalyst. The catalyst is sustained by minimal insulative mounting material so that most of the side of the catalyst is exposed for radial radiative heat transfer to the reformer tube for cooling by air in the annular flow space. The forward portion of the mounting material preferably is formed of a thermally-conductive material to provide radial conductive cooling of the entry of the catalyst to prevent overheating during catalysis. The incoming air flow is protected from heat exchange with hot reformate exiting the catalyst, allowing for convective cooling of the catalyst side and greater cooling of the catalyst face, thus increasing the working life of the catalyst while providing for rapid startup of the reformer and associated fuel cell system.

Abstract: A catalytic reformer assembly comprising a mixing chamber wherein fuel and air are mixed. The wall of the mixing chamber tapers toward an outlet end. A catalyst bed formed in an annular shape surrounds the outlet end such that the walls of the mixing chamber shield the catalyst from direct exposure to fuel droplets injected into the mixing chamber. The fuel/air mixture flows out of the mixing chamber, then turns and counterflows through the catalyst bed outside the mixing chamber. Hot reformate from the catalyst bed flows in a reformate flow chamber extending along the outer surface of the walls of the mixing chamber, heating the wall surface within the mixing chamber for instantaneous evaporation of injected fuel. A plenum for incoming air surrounds the reformate flow chamber which is also heated thereby.

Abstract: A burner module for burning injected reformate mixed with engine exhaust in an exhaust pipe ahead of aftertreatment devices, comprising an exhaust flow divider that creates a localized region of exhaust flow for mixture of the reformate. The amount of reformate required to produce a burnable composition in the localized area is less than what is required in the prior art to provide the same composition over the entire cross-sectional region of the exhaust pipe. An igniter is provided within the localized region. Upon ignition of the reformate, the flow of reformate may be increased to the point of a stoichiometric mixture for the entire exhaust, to produce the maximum heat for warm up. The exhaust flow divider may comprise a divider tube mounted in the exhaust pipe or may be simply a protrusion from a wall of the exhaust pipe.

Abstract: An actuator includes a piezoelectric stack within a housing that applies a compressive load to the stack. The housing may include a cylindrical tube closed at one end and may seal the stack against fluid pressure. The housing may be shorter than the length of the piezoelectric stack and may include resilient means for inducing elastic strain in the stack. The resilient means may include one or more slots extending around the circumference of the housing and/or a corrugated region of the housing to form a tension spring at a lower end of the housing. The tension spring may then serve to draw the stack into compression. The stack may include a plurality of layers of piezoelectric or piezoceramic material interspersed with a plurality of layers of electrically conductive material and connecting means for connecting the layers to a source of electrical power.