Fuel cell or a partial oxidation reactor or a heat engine and an oxygen-enriching device and method therefor
US5925322A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventor
Key dates
| Filing date | Jul 18, 1997 |
| Grant date | Jul 20, 1999 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Jul 18, 2017 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC Y)Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
- CPC primaryY02P20/151
- WIPO fieldChemical engineering
- WIPO sectorChemistry
Abstract
The present invention relates to a combined cycle system of enhanced efficiency. The system comprises a top stage, such as a fuel cell, a partial oxidation reactor or a heat engine, and an oxygen-enriching device, such as a temperature swing adsorption device or a chemical reactor bed device, as its bottom stage. The bottom stage uses waste heat produced by the top stage to enrich the oxygen content of air that is inputted to the bottom stage, thereby producing an oxygen-enriched gas mixture as the bottom stage output. This output mixture constitutes a superior oxidant which is fed back as an input for the top stage, thus enhancing the energy conversion efficiency, cheapness, and compactness of the combined cycle system as compared to that of ordinary fuel cells, partial oxidation reactors and heat engines that use unenriched air as their oxidant input.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.