Hypergolic hydrogen generation system for fuel cell power plants
US7344789B2 · kind B2 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Jul 1, 2004 |
| Grant date | Mar 18, 2008 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Aug 24, 2025 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC Y)Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
- CPC primaryY02P20/52
- WIPO fieldElectrical machinery, apparatus, energy
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
The invention provides a controlled hypergolic approach to using concentrated hydrogen peroxide in combination with certain hydrocarbons such as ethanol, methanol, methane as well as more common fuels such as gasoline, diesel, DME, JP5, JP8 and the like to generate a gas mixture primarily composed of hydrogen and carbon dioxide. Because air is not used as the oxygen source, this novel process does not allow the formation of nitrous oxide (NOx) compounds, thereby avoiding the primary source of nitrogen contamination as well. The process is executed in a constraining system on a micro scale such that the resulting hydrogen supply is self-pressurizing. This enables the incorporation of an “on-demand” hydrogen fuel source for a variable output fuel cell power plant such as those proposed for use in automobiles, marine vessels and stationary power sources. In another embodiment of the present invention hydrogen peroxide is catalytically, or thermally reacted to provide H2O vapor and O2. When this gaseous stream is introduced to the cathode of the fuel cell, the percent concentration of oxygen is increased with no corresponding increase in the parasitic power demand made by an air-moving…
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.