Generators Patents (Class 48/61)
  • Patent number: 8480766
    Abstract: Gasification equipment with a gasification furnace which maintains a. high cold gas efficiency, and suppresses a temperature rise of the gasification gas to minimize ash deposition is disclosed. A part of a CO2 gas separated from an exhaust of a power generation plant is compressed by a. recovered CO2 compressor 25. The compressed CO2 gas is used for transport of coal (pulverized coal). The CO2 gas is supplied, together with the pulverized coal, into a gasification furnace to accelerate the formation of CO by an endothermic reaction between C and CO2 and suppress a temperature raise within a coal gasification furnace 15, thereby producing a gasification gas.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 19, 2008
    Date of Patent: July 9, 2013
    Assignee: Central Research Institute of Electric Power Industry
    Inventors: Hiroaki Watanabe, Toshio Abe
  • Patent number: 8480770
    Abstract: A hydrogen manufacturing system for performing offgas flow control includes: a vaporizer (1) for heating a material mixture containing a hydrocarbon material; a reforming reactor (2) for generating hydrogen-containing reformed gas by reforming reactions of the material; a PSA separator (5) for repeating a cycle of adsorption and desorption, where in the adsorption PSA separation is performed with an adsorption tower loaded with an adsorbent to adsorb unnecessary components in the reformed gas and extract hydrogen-enriched gas out of the tower, and in the desorption the offgas containing the unnecessary components from the adsorbent and remaining hydrogen is discharged from the tower; and a buffer tank (6) for holding the offgas before supplying to the vaporizer. The offgas flow supply from the tank (6) to the vaporizer is changed continuously over time when the cycle time is changed according to load change on the separator (5).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 9, 2012
    Date of Patent: July 9, 2013
    Assignee: Sumitomo Seika Chemicals Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Toshihiko Sumida, Masanori Miyake, Hidenori Minami, Yoshinori Ueda
  • Patent number: 8480768
    Abstract: A gasifier 10 includes a first chemical process loop 12 having an exothermic oxidizer reactor 14 and an endothermic reducer reactor 16. CaS is oxidized in air in the oxidizer reactor 14 to form hot CaSO4 which is discharged to the reducer reactor 16. Hot CaSO4 and carbonaceous fuel received in the reducer reactor 16 undergo an endothermic reaction utilizing the heat content of the CaSO4, the carbonaceous fuel stripping the oxygen from the CaSO4 to form CaS and a CO rich syngas. The CaS is discharged to the oxidizer reactor 14 and the syngas is discharged to a second chemical process loop 52. The second chemical process loop 52 has a water-gas shift reactor 54 and a calciner 42. The CO of the syngas reacts with gaseous H2O in the shift reactor 54 to produce H2 and CO2. The CO2 is captured by CaO to form hot CaCO3 in an exothermic reaction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 13, 2011
    Date of Patent: July 9, 2013
    Assignee: ALSTOM Technology Ltd
    Inventors: Herbert E. Andrus, Jr., Michael S. McCartney
  • Patent number: 8480769
    Abstract: Disclosed is a cyclonic gasifier and cyclonic gasification method. The cyclonic gasifier and cyclonic gasification method involve a chamber having a first portion proximal to a first end and a second portion proximal to a second end, introducing a first fuel to the first portion of the chamber, introducing a second fuel to the chamber; and introducing a first oxidant to accelerate the velocity of the first fuel and swirl the first fuel from the first portion toward the second portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 29, 2010
    Date of Patent: July 9, 2013
    Assignee: Air Products and Chemicals, Inc.
    Inventor: Mark Daniel D'Agostini
  • Patent number: 8475551
    Abstract: A method and apparatus is described for reformulating of an input gas from a gasification reaction into a reformulated gas. More specifically, a gas reformulating system having a gas reformulating chamber, one or more plasma torches, one or more oxygen source(s) inputs and control system is provided thereby allowing for the conversion of an input gas from a gasification reaction into a gas of desired composition.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 7, 2007
    Date of Patent: July 2, 2013
    Assignee: Plasco Energy Group Inc.
    Inventors: Andreas Tsangaris, Kenneth Craig Campbell, Mao Pei Cui, Geoffrey Dobbs, Douglas Michael Feasby, Zhiyuan Shen
  • Patent number: 8475545
    Abstract: A method of assembling a feed injector is provided. The method includes providing a feed injector tip that includes an inlet, a tip end, a flow passage that extends longitudinally through the feed injector tip from the inlet to the tip end, an annular cooling channel that substantially circumscribes the flow passage, and a buffer region that separates the annular cooling channel from the flow passage. The method further includes coupling the feed injector tip to the feed injector to enable a fluid to be channeled through the flow passage, such that the fluid flows past the inlet, at which the buffer region has a first width, before flowing past the tip end, at which the buffer region has a second width, the first width wider than the second width, and coupling a cooling assembly to the feed injector to enable a flow of cooling fluid to be channeled into the annular cooling channel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 14, 2011
    Date of Patent: July 2, 2013
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Benjamin Campbell Steinhaus, Shashishekara Sitharamarao Talya, Daniel Aaron Kessler
  • Patent number: 8475546
    Abstract: A reactor vessel includes a dipleg connecting a tubular syngas collection chamber and a quench chamber. The collection chamber connects to the dipleg via a slag tap having a frusto-conical part starting from the lower end of the collection chamber and diverging to an opening connected to an interior of the dipleg. The slag tap has a first tubular part connected to the opening of the frusto-conical part and extending in the direction of the dipleg. A second tubular part connects to the frusto-conical part or to the tubular part and extends toward the dipleg. The second tubular part is spaced away from the dipleg to provide an annular space having a discharge conduit. The discharge conduit has a discharge opening located to direct water along the inner wall of the dipleg. At least half of the vertical length of the first tubular part extends below the discharge opening.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 2, 2009
    Date of Patent: July 2, 2013
    Assignee: Shell Oil Company
    Inventors: Benedict Ignatius Maria Ten Bosch, Thomas Ebner, Wouter Koen Harteveld, Hans Joachim Heinen, Manfred Heinrich Schmitz-Goeb
  • Patent number: 8475548
    Abstract: In a reactor for the gasification of solid and liquid fuels in the entrained flow at temperatures between 1200 and 1900° C. and pressures between ambient pressure and 10 MPa with an oxidizing agent containing free oxygen, the cooling screen is connected in a gas-tight manner to the pressure shell via a bellows compensator to accommodate linear deformation. Continuous sweeping by gas of the annular gap between pressure shell and cooling screen is unnecessary and backflow by producer gas is prevented.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 16, 2008
    Date of Patent: July 2, 2013
    Assignee: Siemens Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Volker Kirchhübel, Manfred Schingnitz, Heidrun Toth
  • Patent number: 8475547
    Abstract: In a reactor for gasification of entrained solid and liquid fuels at temperatures between 1,200 and 1,900° C. and at pressures between ambient pressure and 10 MPa using an oxidizing agent containing free oxygen, the cooling screen is connected to the pressure shell in a gastight manner via a sliding seal in order to allow length changes. Continuous gas purging of the annular gap between pressure shell and cooling screen is unnecessary and gasification gas is prevented from flowing behind.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 11, 2008
    Date of Patent: July 2, 2013
    Assignee: Siemens Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Volker Kirchhübel, Christian Reuther, Manfred Schingnitz, Heidrun Toth
  • Patent number: 8465562
    Abstract: A system and method capable of efficient production of synthesis gas from biomass materials in a manner which can be scaled to relatively large throughput capacities. the system is operable to compact a loose biomass material and simultaneously introduce the compacted biomass material into entrances of internal passages of multiple parallel reactors, heat the compacted biomass material within the reactors to a temperature at which organic molecules within the compacted biomass material break down to form ash and gases comprising carbon monoxide and hydrogen gases, inhibit combustion of the compacted biomass material when heated within the internal passages of the reactors, conduct the carbon monoxide and hydrogen gases through the reactors in a direction opposite the movement of the compacted biomass through the reactors, and remove the ash from the reactor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 14, 2010
    Date of Patent: June 18, 2013
    Assignee: Indiana University Research and Technology Corporation
    Inventor: Peter J. Schubert
  • Patent number: 8460834
    Abstract: A hydrogen production method includes: a first process in which nitrogen compounds of metal and water are reacted to produce ammonia and hydroxide of the metal; a second process in which hydrogen compounds of a metal and the ammonia produced in the first process are reacted; and a third process in which hydrogen compounds of a metal and the hydroxide of the metal produced in the first process are reacted.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 26, 2008
    Date of Patent: June 11, 2013
    Assignees: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha, Hiroshima University
    Inventors: Kyoichi Tange, Yoshitsugu Kojima, Takayuki Ichikawa, Chie Oomatsu, Satoshi Hino, Hironobu Fujii
  • Patent number: 8460408
    Abstract: Provided is hydrogen supply equipment that, when switching hydrogen supplied to equipment using hydrogen from (i) hydrogen produced at a normal temperature or hydrogen stored at a normal temperature to (ii) hydrogen stored at a low temperature, supplies the equipment using hydrogen with normal hydrogen obtained by returning the hydrogen at the low temperature to a normal temperature and then passing this hydrogen through equipment for accelerating a conversion from parahydrogen to orthohydrogen.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 16, 2009
    Date of Patent: June 11, 2013
    Assignee: Shin-Etsu Chemical Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Dai Inoue, Takaaki Nagao, Hiroyuki Koide
  • Patent number: 8459032
    Abstract: The present invention relates to hydrogen production for the generation of energy. The invention describes methods, devices and assemblies involving hydrogen production including reacting hydrogen producing compounds, such as organothiol compounds, with a reactive metal substrate to produce hydrogen gas and utilizing the hydrogen gas to generate energy. The present invention further describes regenerating spent compound to a form suitable for hydrogen production by reacting the spent compound with hydrogen. Hydrogen storage and production, as described herein, is useful for producing hydrogen for energy production in hydrogen consuming devices, such as combustible engines and fuel cells, for example, as located on a hydrogen powered vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 12, 2006
    Date of Patent: June 11, 2013
    Assignee: Asemblon, Inc.
    Inventors: Buddy D. Ratner, Esmaeel D. Naeemi
  • Patent number: 8460630
    Abstract: When the production of hydrogen and the recovery of carbon dioxide are simultaneously performed by using as a raw material a carbon-containing fuel, the increase of the system cost is suppressed and the efficiency is improved.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 27, 2008
    Date of Patent: June 11, 2013
    Assignee: Nippon Oil Corporation
    Inventors: Takuya Niitsuma, Shunsuke Maekawa, Yoshihiro Kobori
  • Patent number: 8460409
    Abstract: A reformer is disclosed that includes a plasma zone to receive a pre-heated mixture of reactants and ionize the reactants by applying an electrical potential thereto. A first thermally conductive surface surrounds the plasma zone and is configured to transfer heat from an external heat source into the plasma zone. The reformer further includes a reaction zone to chemically transform the ionized reactants into synthesis gas comprising hydrogen and carbon monoxide. A second thermally conductive surface surrounds the reaction zone and is configured to transfer heat from the external heat source into the reaction zone. The first thermally conductive surface and second thermally conductive surface are both directly exposed to the external heat source. A corresponding method and system are also disclosed and claimed herein.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 7, 2009
    Date of Patent: June 11, 2013
    Assignee: Ceramatec, Inc.
    Inventors: Joseph J. Hartvigsen, S. Elangovan, Piotr Czernichowski, Michele Hollist
  • Patent number: 8460410
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a system and process for gasifying feedstock such as carbonaceous materials. The invention includes partial combustion of dry solids and pyrolysis of carbonaceous material slurry in two separate reactor sections and produce mixture products comprising synthesis gas. The invention employs one or more catalytic or sorbent bed for removing tar from the synthesis gas. The inventive system and process allow a gasification to be carried out under higher slurry feeding rate and lower temperature with the provision to manage the tar being produced, therefore to increase the conversion efficiency of the overall gasification.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 15, 2008
    Date of Patent: June 11, 2013
    Assignee: Phillips 66 Company
    Inventors: Albert C. Tsang, Chancelor L. Williams, Max W. Thompson, David L. Breton
  • Patent number: 8454713
    Abstract: A method for producing natural gas is provided. a gas dynamic laser is powered by a gas, such as carbon dioxide, while the same gas is converted by a catalytic converter heated by the beam of the laser. Other gases can be formed simultaneously in other catalytic converters heated by the laser beam. The resulting converted gases can be used to produce a fuel gas. Excess heat and/or by-products of the process can be used to produce electricity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 2, 2011
    Date of Patent: June 4, 2013
    Assignee: Pet Projects Inc.
    Inventor: Thomas Merritt
  • Patent number: 8454900
    Abstract: A method of dispensing small discrete quantities of fluidized alkaline metals fuels through a plurality of spindle shaft orifices into a hydrolyzation chamber at a high spindle shaft rotational speed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 23, 2010
    Date of Patent: June 4, 2013
    Inventor: Edward Milton McWhorter
  • Patent number: 8449633
    Abstract: A steam-hydrocarbon reforming process and apparatus wherein reformate from a prereformer is reacted in a gas heated reformer which is heated by reformed gas from a primary reformer. Reformate from the gas heated reformer is passed to the primary reformer as feed gas.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 19, 2012
    Date of Patent: May 28, 2013
    Assignee: Air Products and Chemicals, Inc.
    Inventors: Hoanh Nang Pham, Xiang-Dong Peng, Shankar Nataraj, Michael Enever
  • Publication number: 20130125462
    Abstract: A chemical looping system and a method of transferring oxygen therein are provided. The system has an air reactor adapted to receive air for oxidizing an oxygen carrier, a fuel reactor adapted to receive a fuel and the oxidized oxygen carrier for at least partially oxidizing the fuel by reducing the oxygen carrier to produce a gas. The oxygen carrier has oxide-dispersion-strengthened alloy particles.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 2, 2010
    Publication date: May 23, 2013
    Inventors: Horst Greiner, Alessandro Zampieri
  • Patent number: 8444724
    Abstract: A generally upright reactor system for gasifying a feedstock. The reactor system generally includes a main body, at least two inlet projections extending outwardly from the main body, and at least one inlet positioned on each of the inlet projections. Each of the inlets is operable to discharge the feedstock into the reaction zone.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 31, 2012
    Date of Patent: May 21, 2013
    Assignee: Phillips 66 Company
    Inventors: Steven L. Douglas, Ronald W. Herbanek, David L. Breton, Steven E. Chichester
  • Patent number: 8444723
    Abstract: Provided is a fluidized bed gasification method wherein an amount of solid particles to be circulated in a fluidized bed combustion furnace is controlled to enhance gasification efficiency in the furnace. It is the fluidized bed gasification method with fluidized bed combustion and gasification furnaces 30 and 43, char and solid particles produced upon gasification of raw material 51 in the gasification furnace 43 being circulated to the combustion furnace 30. A circulated amount of the solid particles in the combustion furnace is controlled by varying the same in a range of 6 to 30 with respect to an air flow rate, thereby facilitating heat transmission to the raw material 51.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 1, 2007
    Date of Patent: May 21, 2013
    Assignee: IHI Corporation
    Inventors: Toshiro Fujimori, Hidehisa Tani, Toshiyuki Suda, Yoshiaki Matsuzawa, Kenichiro Kondo
  • Patent number: 8439993
    Abstract: A method of operating a gasification facility includes channeling a conveying fluid at a first temperature through at least one first steam heating device to increase the temperature of the conveying fluid to a second predetermined temperature. The method also includes channeling the conveying fluid at the second predetermined temperature through a second steam heating device to increase the temperature of the conveying fluid to a third predetermined temperature. The method further includes channeling the conveying fluid at the third predetermined temperature to a solids conveyance system. Solids become entrained within the conveying fluid. The method also includes transporting at least a portion of the solids to a gasification system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 7, 2012
    Date of Patent: May 14, 2013
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Sunil Ramabhilakh Mishra, Pradeep S. Thacker, Anindra Mazumdar, Vignesh Venkatraman
  • Patent number: 8439990
    Abstract: An apparatus for fuel reforming is provided that utilizes pulsed injectors for a fuel flow controller and an air flow controller, and the injectors are integrated with an atomizing mixer thereby producing a fuel-air mixture having an O/C Ratio which, in turn, is passed to a Catalytic Partial Oxidation reactor. Use of this apparatus permits beneficial long term operation of this Catalytic Partial Oxidation reactor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 21, 2009
    Date of Patent: May 14, 2013
    Assignees: Precision Combustion, Inc., Honda Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Subir Roychoudhury, David Spence, Richard Mastanduno, Dennis E. Walsh, Jun Iwamoto, Go Motohashi, Hitoshi Mikami, Eric Walker
  • Patent number: 8439991
    Abstract: A process for the generation of a synthesis gas comprising: (a) forming a raw synthesis gas, (b) dividing the raw synthesis gas into first and second streams, (c) subjecting the first stream to the water gas shift reaction to form a shifted gas mixture, (d) cooling the second raw synthesis gas stream and shifted gas mixture to below the dew point to form a dry raw synthesis gas mixture, and a dry shifted gas mixture respectively, (e) feeding the dry raw synthesis gas mixture and a dry shifted gas mixture to a gas-washing unit operating by counter-current solvent flow, such that the solvent flowing through said unit contacts first with the dry raw gas mixture and then the dry shifted gas mixture, and (f) collecting from said gas-washing unit a synthesis gas having a stoichiometry ratio, R=(H2?CO2)/(CO+CO2), in the range 1.4 to 3.3.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 7, 2008
    Date of Patent: May 14, 2013
    Assignee: Johnson Matthey PLC
    Inventor: Peter Edward James Abbott
  • Patent number: 8439992
    Abstract: An auto ignition type autothermal reformer (ATR) performs reproducible ignition using a catalyst that performs ignition without a separate ignition unit, such as an igniter or heating wire, and a fuel cell system having the ATR. The ATR includes a reaction container having a first opening through which a fuel is introduced into the reaction container and a second opening through which a reformate is discharged from the reaction container, the fuel having a mixture of an aqueous primary fuel solution and hydrogen peroxide; a first catalyst disposed adjacent to the first opening in the reaction container, the first catalyst being a granular catalyst; a second catalyst disposed at the rear portion of the first catalyst to promote an autothermal reforming reaction; and a third catalyst disposed at the rear portion of the second catalyst to promote an oxidation reaction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 4, 2010
    Date of Patent: May 14, 2013
    Assignee: Samsung SDI Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Jin-Goo Ahn, Sung-Chul Lee, In-Hyuk Son, Woo-Cheol Shin, In-Seob Song, Ju-Yong Kim, Yong-Kul Lee, Tae-Keun Kim
  • Patent number: 8435315
    Abstract: A method and apparatus is described for the efficient conversion of carbonaceous feedstock including municipal solid waste into a product gas through gasification. More specifically, a horizontally-oriented gasifier having one or more lateral transfer system for moving material through the gasifier is provided thereby allowing for the horizontal expansion of the gasification process such that there is sequential promotion of feedstock drying, volatization and char-to-ash conversions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 7, 2007
    Date of Patent: May 7, 2013
    Assignee: Plasco Energy Group Inc.
    Inventors: Andreas Tsangaris, Kenneth Craig Campbell, Mao Pei Cui, Geoffrey Dobbs, Douglas Michael Feasby, Zhiyuan Shen
  • Patent number: 8435685
    Abstract: A hydrogen generating apparatus can include an absorbent layer that absorbs an aqueous solution, a metal membrane deposited on either side of the absorbent layer such that the absorbent layer is interposed between the metal membranes, and a support layer formed on one side of one of the metal membranes that transports hydrogen generated by a reaction between the aqueous solution and the metal membrane. A batch type reaction may thus be implemented between the aqueous solution and the metal membranes, so that the reaction can be controlled to provide an even rate of hydrogen generation. Possible disturbances to the reaction resulting from by-products can be prevented, and since there is no additional equipment required, the volume and weight of the fuel cell power generation system can be reduced, and the extra power consumption by the additional equipment can be avoided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 18, 2008
    Date of Patent: May 7, 2013
    Assignee: Samsung Electro-Mechanics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Hye-Yeon Cha, Young-Soo Oh, Jae-Hyuk Jang, Chang-Ryul Jung, Jae-Hyoung Gil
  • Publication number: 20130104457
    Abstract: Batch mode supply of feedstock in non-combustive gasification systems and methods are described. In accordance with an aspect, a feedstock material is injected into a vessel at atmospheric pressure, atmosphere from the feedstock material in the vessel is purged, the purging includes evacuating the vessel, and in response to the pressure level in the vessel being below a predetermined value, injecting synthesis gas generated in a non-combustive gasification system, the vessel is pressurized to a reference pressure greater than an operating pressure of a gasification chamber, a portion of the feedstock material is supplied to an accumulation chamber, further feedstock material is injected into the gasification chamber, and atmospheric pressure in the collection vessel is recovered.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 26, 2011
    Publication date: May 2, 2013
    Applicant: RED LION BIO-ENERGY TECHNOLOGIES
    Inventors: Roger Jorgenson, Robb Alexander Johnson, Douglas Struble
  • Patent number: 8425638
    Abstract: Upon cold startup of a gasification facility, a fluidized air 10 is supplied to a combustion furnace 9 to fluidize a combustion-furnace fluidized bed 11 while a preheating fuel 22 is supplied to the combustion furnace to preheat the fluidized bed 11 up to an autoignition temperature of coal. Then, a coal 23 is charged to the combustion furnace 9 to heat the fluidized bed 11 and bed material is circulated between the combustion and gasification furnaces 9 and 1 for heating. Upon startup and shutdown of the gasification facility, steam 2 from an exhaust heat recovery boiler 20 in heat exchange with an exhaust gas 15 from the combustion furnace 9 is supplied to the gasification furnace 1 to purge the gasification furnace 1 and a lead-out passage 6 with the steam 2 utilizing the exhaust heat.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 18, 2009
    Date of Patent: April 23, 2013
    Assignee: IHI Corporation
    Inventors: Hisanori Nukumi, Tomoyuki Katagiri
  • Patent number: 8425637
    Abstract: A waste processing system and method is described. The waste processing system may be used to treat any type of waste material that may be decomposed upon the application of energy, wherein recyclable metal and/or a gaseous end product is/are generated which may have commercial or industrial applications. The waste material may be reduced in size and passed to a purge vessel where the oxygen content of the waste material is reduced. The waste material is then heated in a heat exchanger which may be linearly elongated and passed to a conversion chamber where it is treated with H—H—O gas torches. A final gaseous end product is generated which may be used as a fuel source.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 4, 2010
    Date of Patent: April 23, 2013
    Inventors: John R. Lersch, Lynell Braught
  • Patent number: 8425636
    Abstract: In certain embodiments, a system includes a gasification system configured to output grey water. The system also includes a grey water zero liquid discharge (ZLD) system configured to receive the grey water and to generate a first stream of distillate. The grey water ZLD system comprises an ammonia stripping system. An amount of water into and out of the grey water ZLD system is approximately equal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 12, 2009
    Date of Patent: April 23, 2013
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Sampath K. Bommareddy, Dinh-Cuong Vuong, James Scott Kain, Anil Dhansukh Amlani, Robert Henry Weed
  • Patent number: 8420267
    Abstract: Provided herein are methods and systems of producing hydrogen using ammonia borane, which has a high hydrogen density while being stable and easily stored. Ammonia borane may be exothermically reacted with a strong oxidizer, such as a mixture of hydrogen peroxide and water. The reaction between ammonia borane and the strong oxidizer may occur spontaneously and may produce heat. Unreacted ammonia borane may be exposed to and thermally decomposed using the heat produced during the exothermic reaction between ammonia borane and the strong oxidizer. The heat may be retained by performing the reactions in a vessel or reactor including a material capable of retaining the heat. A high gravimetric hydrogen yield is obtained from the reaction of ammonia borane with hydrogen peroxide and the thermal decomposition of unreacted ammonia borane. Hydrogen production using the methods and systems may yield a high gravimetric hydrogen content of at least about 10%.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 19, 2009
    Date of Patent: April 16, 2013
    Assignee: Alliant Techsystems Inc.
    Inventors: Ighor K. Uzhinsky, Fernando Aguirre, Anthony G. Castrogiovanni
  • Patent number: 8419812
    Abstract: A reactor for the recovery of carbon and hydrocarbons from organic input material through pyrolysis includes a vessel with a chamber that is limited outwardly by an outer jacket and by an upper and a lower end-wall section, and in which chamber input material in fragmented form is to be placed; an inlet which for the introduction of heated inert gas into the chamber for passage through the input material comprises several inlet units arranged in areas in the chamber; and an outlet which for the passage out from the chamber of gas that has passed through the input material that has been placed in the chamber comprises number of outlet units arranged in areas in the chamber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 26, 2007
    Date of Patent: April 16, 2013
    Assignee: SES IP AB
    Inventor: Bengt-Sture Ershag
  • Patent number: 8419813
    Abstract: The invention relates to an integrated method of in-situ oxygen production, chemical looping combustion and gasification of liquid, solid or gaseous fuels allowing combustion of coal, petroleum coke and/or liquid hydrocarbons and notably heavy and/or extra heavy or bituminous residues for production of synthesis gas under pressure and/or energy.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 29, 2010
    Date of Patent: April 16, 2013
    Assignee: IFP
    Inventors: Ali Hoteit, Florent Guillou, Arnold Lambert, John Roesler
  • Patent number: 8414668
    Abstract: In a coal gasification furnace adapted to feed pulverized coal thereinto by the use of inert carrier gas and gasify the same, any startup burner can be unnecessitated thereby eliminating any startup combustion chamber. Further, even in the use of a startup burner, it is smaller and lighter in weight than conventional startup burners, allowing the startup combustion chamber to be compact and limiting the height of the entirety of the gasification furnace. As a characteristic feature, a pulverized coal fuel supply passageway (23) to a combustor burner (9) is provided at its midstream portion with a startup gas supply passageway (29) for supply of a startup combustible gas (NG1).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 15, 2008
    Date of Patent: April 9, 2013
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Ltd.
    Inventors: Katsuhiko Yokohama, Hiromi Ishii, Yuichiro Kitagawa
  • Patent number: 8414666
    Abstract: Reformer and method for producing hydrogen and steam where steam is used for steam-assisted extraction of heavy hydrocarbons. Steam is injected into a hydrocarbon-containing reservoir. Hydrocarbons are extracted from the reservoir along with produced water. Hydrogen is produced in a catalytic steam hydrocarbon reformer. Combustion product gas from the reformer is used to generate wet steam in a once-through steam generator from produced water recycled from the reservoir. The wet steam is used for the steam-assisted extraction of heavy hydrocarbons. The reformer has a heat exchanger section including a first heat exchanger and a second heat exchanger downstream of the first heat exchanger. The second heat exchanger is suitable for processing the produced water by once-through steam generation and is suitable for mechanical cleaning. The reformer also has a first exhaust downstream of the second heat exchanger and a closeable second exhaust downstream of the first heat exchanger.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 12, 2012
    Date of Patent: April 9, 2013
    Assignee: Air Products and Chemicals, Inc.
    Inventors: John Eugene Palamara, David Anthony Zagnoli, William Frederick Baade
  • Patent number: 8409306
    Abstract: A fuel reformer including a reaction container including a first chamber, a first reactor in the first chamber, the first reactor, including a first catalyst, being configured to produce a first reformate by performing a steam reforming reaction on a first fuel, and having a first gas hourly space velocity (GHSV) at a set flow rate, a first heat source thermally connected to the first reactor, and a second reactor connected to the first reactor, the second reactor including a second catalyst, being configured to produce a second reformate having a lower carbon monoxide content than the first reformate, and having a second GHSV greater than the first GHSV at the set flow rate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 28, 2010
    Date of Patent: April 2, 2013
    Assignee: Samsung SDI Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: In-Hyuk Son, Woo-Cheol Shin, Sung-Chul Lee, Jin-Goo Ahn
  • Patent number: 8409307
    Abstract: This invention is a process and system for providing hydrogen at a high level of reliability from a gasification system by integrating it with SMR. Carbonaceous feedstock such as petroleum coke or coal or biomass is gasified to co-produce SNG, fuel gas, hydrogen, power and steam in conjunction with hydrogen production through steam methane reforming. Carbon dioxide may also be recovered in this process. The integrated schemes are designed in a way that maximizes the reliability of production of high value products such as hydrogen through gasification and minimizes the impact of high natural gas prices on hydrogen production by SMR.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 22, 2007
    Date of Patent: April 2, 2013
    Assignee: Praxair Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Raymond Francis Drnevich, Aqil Jamal
  • Patent number: 8404008
    Abstract: A system for reforming diesel fuel into hydrogen including feeds for water and diesel fuel, a supercritical water (SCW) reactor in fluid communication with the water feed and the diesel fuel, at least one pre-heater in thermal communication with the water feed, the diesel fuel feed that is configured to heat water from the water feed and diesel fuel from the diesel fuel feed to a predetermined temperature equal to or greater than the critical temperature of water before the water and the diesel fuel are mixed, a water-gas shift (WGS) reactor, and a hydrogen capturing system, where the SCW reactor reforms the diesel fuel into a synthesis gas comprising a mixture of hydrogen and carbon monoxide and outputs the synthesis gas, the synthesis gas output by the SCW reactor is fed into the WGS reactor which converts the carbon monoxide into carbon dioxide and hydrogen and outputs an output gas including a higher percentage of hydrogen to carbon monoxide compared to the synthesis gas, and the hydrogen in the output ga
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 28, 2011
    Date of Patent: March 26, 2013
    Assignee: DRS Sustainment Systems, Inc.
    Inventors: John R. Wootton, Sunggyu Lee, Asdrubal Garcia-Ortiz
  • Patent number: 8404007
    Abstract: An object of the present invention is to provide a reforming apparatus and the like capable of uniformly mixing water (steam) and a raw material together, of preventing the precipitation of carbon without using a temperature controller, and of efficiently heating the water and the mixture by heating gas. Accordingly, the reforming apparatus has the following configuration. The reforming apparatus includes: a first vaporizer (05) that is cylindrically shaped and includes a first flow passage; a second vaporizer (06) that is cylindrically shaped and includes a second flow passage; a duct (027) that connects an outlet of the first flow passage to an inlet of the second flow passage; a raw-material mixing portion (028) formed at a certain point of the duct. The first vaporizer and the second vaporizer are concentrically disposed. An interstice between the first vaporizer and the second vaporizer serves as a heating-gas flow passage (024).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 26, 2007
    Date of Patent: March 26, 2013
    Assignee: JX Nippon Oil & Energy Corporation
    Inventors: Naohiko Matsuda, Katsuki Yagi, Keiji Tanizaki, Akira Goto
  • Publication number: 20130071764
    Abstract: One embodiment of the present invention is a unique method for operating a fuel cell system. Another embodiment is a unique system for reforming a hydrocarbon fuel. Another embodiment is a unique fuel cell system. Other embodiments include apparatuses, systems, devices, hardware, methods, and combinations for fuel cell systems and steam reforming systems. Further embodiments, forms, features, aspects, benefits, and advantages of the present application will become apparent from the description and figures provided herewith.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 15, 2011
    Publication date: March 21, 2013
    Inventor: John R. Budge
  • Patent number: 8398731
    Abstract: A fuel treatment device includes: a reforming section that produces a hydrogen-rich gas containing carbon monoxide and water; a converting section that produces a hydrogen-rich gas containing a lower concentration of carbon monoxide by reacting the carbon monoxide and the water in the hydrogen-rich gas; a mixing channel that produces a mixed gas by mixing the hydrogen-rich gas containing the lower concentration of the carbon monoxide with air containing oxygen; an air supplying section that is connected to an upstream end of the mixing channel and supplies the air to the mixing channel; and a selective oxidizing section that is connected to a downstream end of the mixing channel and converts the mixed gas into a fuel gas by reacting the carbon monoxide and the oxygen in the mixed gas, wherein the mixing channel includes a gas supply region at the upstream side and a gas diffusion region at the downstream side, and has two or more gas supply ports connecting the gas supply region with the converting section, a
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 26, 2009
    Date of Patent: March 19, 2013
    Assignee: Panasonic Corporation
    Inventors: Masaki Nobuoka, Hiroyuki Nagai, Kazuya Shima, Miyuki Yoshimoto, Masayasu Miyazaki
  • Patent number: 8398729
    Abstract: Methods and systems for a gasifier having a partial moderator bypass are provided. The gasifier includes a partial oxidation reactor including an inlet and an outlet and a primary reaction zone extending therebetween, the partial oxidation reactor configured to direct a flow of products of partial oxidation including fuel gases, gaseous byproducts of partial oxidation, and unburned carbon, and a secondary reaction chamber coupled in flow communication with the partial oxidation reactor, the secondary reaction chamber is configured to mix a flow of moderator with the flow of gaseous byproducts of partial oxidation and unburned carbon such that a concentration of fuel gases is increased.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 25, 2011
    Date of Patent: March 19, 2013
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventor: Paul Steven Wallace
  • Patent number: 8398730
    Abstract: A method of producing substitute natural gas (SNG) includes providing a gasification reactor having a cavity defined at least partially by a first wall. The reactor also includes a first passage defined at least partially by at least a portion of the first wall and a second wall, wherein the first passage is in heat transfer communication with the first wall. The reactor further includes a second passage defined at least partially by at least a portion of the second wall and a third wall. The method also includes coupling the cavity in flow communication with the first and second passages. The method further includes producing a first synthetic gas (syngas) stream within the cavity. The method also includes channeling at least a portion of the first syngas stream to the first and second passages.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 23, 2008
    Date of Patent: March 19, 2013
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Paul Steven Wallace, Arnaldo Frydman
  • Patent number: 8394154
    Abstract: A process for preparation of synthesis gas and/or hydrogen by counter-currently providing an oxidation reactant stream through an oxidation chamber and a reforming reactant stream through a steam reforming chamber is described. Also provided is a reactor for conducting the reaction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 28, 2007
    Date of Patent: March 12, 2013
    Assignee: Texaco Inc.
    Inventors: Lixin You, Curtis Krause, Kevin Nguyen, Amanda Vincent
  • Patent number: 8394544
    Abstract: The present invention is a Solid Oxide Fuel Cell Reforming Power System that utilizes adiabatic reforming of reformate within this system. By utilizing adiabatic reforming of reformate within the system the system operates at a significantly higher efficiency than other Solid Oxide Reforming Power Systems that exist in the prior art. This is because energy is not lost while materials are cooled and reheated, instead the device operates at a higher temperature. This allows efficiencies higher than 65%.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 9, 2008
    Date of Patent: March 12, 2013
    Assignee: Battelle Memorial Institute
    Inventors: Lawrence A. Chick, Vincent L. Sprenkle, Michael R. Powell, Kerry D. Meinhardt, Greg A. Whyatt
  • Patent number: 8388706
    Abstract: A system uses thermal solar energy coupled with microwaves and plasma for producing carbon monoxide (CO) and dihydrogen (H2) from carbonated compounds (biomass, domestic waste, sludge from waste water, fossil coal), wherein the obtained gaseous mixture yields, amongst others, hydrocarbon fuels (olefins, paraffin), esters, and alcohols via a Fischer-Tropsch synthesis. In a first step the carbonated compounds are roasted and pyrolized to produce char and dry coal, and a mixture of superheated gases containing CO2, steam, tars and non-condensable volatile materials. The method includes in a second step, and from the pyrolyis products (char or coal, gas mixture), generating a syngas substantially containing a mixture of carbon monoxide and dihydrogen, the mixture being used in Fischer-Tropsch synthesis units. After the Fischer-Tropsch step, the synthesis products are separated in a distillation column after heating in solar furnaces of mixed furnaces (solar/microwave).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 14, 2008
    Date of Patent: March 5, 2013
    Inventor: Nicolas Ugolin
  • Patent number: 8389169
    Abstract: A hydrogen generator includes a water storage container for storing water, a reaction container for receiving a solid fuel that is a mixture of a complex metal hydride and catalysts, and a water supplying source that is connected between the water storage container and the reaction container to supply the water to the reaction container.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 14, 2008
    Date of Patent: March 5, 2013
    Assignee: Samsung SDI Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Sang-Jun Kong
  • Patent number: 8381766
    Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for hydrogen generation utilizing two or more liquid fuel components, using a fuel delivery system comprising a single reversible or bi-directional pump co-operable with flow control means comprising passive or active valves to deliver two or more fuel components to a mixing zone, reaction zone, or reaction chamber of a hydrogen generation system. The pump is operable in a forward direction to deliver one fuel component, and in a reverse direction to deliver a second fuel component. Control of the pump speed, direction and duty cycle of the pump in continuous or pulsed modes provides for delivery of first and second fuel components in desired proportions, to control hydrogen generation. The system also allows for dilution, mixing and flush cycles to be provided using a single pump, reducing the number of active elements required for fuel delivery and flow control in systems using two or more liquid fuel components.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 6, 2008
    Date of Patent: February 26, 2013
    Assignee: Protonex Technology Corporation
    Inventors: Keith A. Fennimore, John Spallone