Fuelcell Energy, Inc.

Enbridge, Inc.

Andrew Skok

Matthew Lambrech

Joseph M Daly

Dennis R Farrenkopf

Ling Chen

Kazim Naqvi

Allen Adriani

David Jonathan Teichroeb

A method for manufacturing a heat exchanger includes: providing a porous material that has a porosity of about 30% to about 80%; forming an oxide layer on a surface of the porous material by heat treating the porous material at a temperature in a range of 600&#xb0; C. to 900&#xb0; C. for a time period in a range of 8 hours to 12 hours in air; and integrating the porous material into a cold side flow passage of the heat exchanger.

Heat exchanger with porous material

A heat exchanger includes a porous material in a cold side flow passage. The porous material is configured to distribute a liquid phase throughout the cold side flow passage through capillary action.

A method for use with a gas distribution system in which a higher pressure gas is transported/distributed and reduced to a lower pressure gas for a gas distribution or transmission line, the method comprising pre-heating the higher pressure gas before it is reduced in pressure, using an energy recovery generator to generate electricity using the pre-heated higher pressure gas while reducing the gas pressure to a lower gas pressure, using a fuel cell power plant to generates electricity while producing heat that is used to pre-heat high pressure gas, and combining the electrical outputs of the energy recovery generator and the fuel cell power plant to generate a combined electrical output. The method also comprises the fuel cell power plant making the waste heat available to the gas pre-heater without using a combustion unit thereby increasing the system's electrical efficiency.

Fuel cell hybrid power generation system and method for gas distribution systems

A fuel cell hybrid power generation system for use in a gas distribution system in which a higher pressure gas is transported/distributed and reduced to a lower pressure gas for a gas distribution or transmission line and a pre-heater is used to heat the higher pressure gas before it is reduced in pressure. The power generation system includes: (i) a fuel cell power plant that generates electricity while producing heat that is used to preheat high pressure gas; (ii) an energy recovery generator that uses the pre-heated higher pressure gas to generate electricity while reducing the gas pressure to a lower gas pressure; and (iii) an electrical assembly combining the electrical outputs of the energy recovery generator and the fuel cell power plant. The fuel cell power plant makes the waste heat available to the gas pre-heater without using a combustion unit thereby increasing the system's electrical efficiency.

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Monroe, CT, United States of America

Andrew Skok