Commissariat a L'energie Atomique

Compagnie Europeenne Des Technologies De L'hydrogene

H2-tech S.a.r.l

Claude Etievant

Michel Roche

Dominique De Lapparent

Karine Pointet

Fanny Gaillard

Roger Le Cren

Mustapha Roshd

Hans Wilhelmsson

The invention concerns a method for producing a gas rich in hydrogen by thermal pyrolysis of hydrocarbons which consists in carrying out, in a reactor (R) a catalyst-free thermal cracking to pyrolyze a fuel selected so as to produce either a gas rich in hydrogen and free of carbon monoxide, or a gas rich in hydrogen and containing carbon monoxide and in using said gas effluents during pyrolysis and inert with respect to the cell as fuel at the burner (B) to heat the reactor so as to bring it to a reaction temperature, and which consists, subsequently, in burning the powder carbon produced in the reactor (R) during the pyrolysis reaction either to produce carbon monoxide or to produce carbon dioxide. The invention is useful in particular for supplying hydrogen to fuel cells and for producing synthesis gas.

Method and device for the producing of a gas rich in hydrogen by thermal pyrolysis of hydrocarbons

The invention relates to a composite structure consisting of a relatively long filtration bar comprising, from the outside, an ultra-thin layer () that is selectively permeable to hydrogen and made from palladium or silver alloy. Said layer is disposed on a permeable, rigid, refractory substrate consisting of a more or less solid body () that is covered with an intermediary thin layer () having a relatively smooth surface. The body () and the intermediary layer () are made respectively by sintering with fine and ultra-fine Inconel grains. A rigid metallic axial structure () is embedded in the body (). Veinlets (), which are made in the body () through the destruction of thermo-destructible wires during sintering, increase the permeability of the substrate. The invention is particularly applicable to hydrogen-producing combustible gas processors.

Composite structures of membranes that are selectively permeable to hydrogen and combustible gas processors using same

One of these devices comprises: a reaction with cold plasma (,), for producing the reforming of a primary mixture consisting of fuel gas (hydrocarbon or alcohol), as well as oxygen and/or water vapor, thus producing a secondary mixture containing in particular hydrogen, carbon dioxide and carbon monoxide; an intake piece (,) for mixing these constituents, co-operating with a burner (,) and an associated combustion chamber (,) to bring the resulting primary mixture to a high temperature, before it is introduced into the reaction chamber (,); a ring-shaped chimney (,) enclosing this chamber for maintaining it at a relatively high temperature; a high frequency alternating high voltage source (,), modulated by brief periodical low frequency pulses and electrodes (,) for generating silent discharges, in the reaction chamber (,) thus generating a cold plasma producing a high chemical reactivity to the gas mixture present; a membrane (,) with high selective permeability for extracting the nascent hydrogen, arranged between the chamber (,) and a chamber for collecting the hydrogen (,); a thermal insulating sheath (,) enclosing the whole set. The invention is applicable to PEM type fuel cells, fitted on electric vehicles or on portable generator set.

Method and devices for producing hydrogen by plasma reformer

An electron accelerator for accelerating a first electron beam includes a resonant cavity, a source of electromagnetic energy for supplying the resonant cavity at a resonant frequency of the resonant cavity and for forming a second electron beam and injecting the second electron beam into the resonant cavity. The second electron beam is decelerated by the electromagnetic fields of the resonant cavity and the first electron beam is in phase opposition to the second electron beam.

Resonant cavity electron accelerator

Electrostatic accelerator includes an accelerating column (20), a high voltage terminal (18) located at one end of said accelerating column and electric charge transport means, said transport means incorporating a high frequency accelerator such as a high frequency electron accelerator (54) able to supply an electron beam and means (56) for supplying the electron beam to the high voltage terminal, said electric charges being constituted by the electrons supplied by said high frequency accelerator.

Electrostatic accelerator and free electron beam laser using the

A free electron laser having an electron source, and an electron accelerator and providing an electrode beam along with a magnetic wiggler traversed by the electron beam and mirrors on each side of the wigglers characterized in such a way that the electron accelerator has a coaxial structure formed by an external conductor and an internal conductor. A high frequency source supplies the cavity of the coaxial structure with an electromagnetic field at the resonant frequency. The radial component of the field has a maximum in at least one plane which is perpendicular to the axis with the external conductor and the internal conductors of the cavity having diametrically opposed openings located in the plane in order to introduce the electron beam into the cavity. An electron deflector deflects the beam which has traversed the cavity along a particular diameter while keeping the beam in the aforementioned plane and then reinjecting the beam back into the cavity along another diameter.

Free electron laser with improved electronic accelerator

Free electron laser. This laser includes a source (2) of electrons, means (4) for accelerating the electrons which supply a beam of electrons, a ring (6) for storing this beam and comprising at least one rectilinear section, magnetic means (22) provided to create a closed magnetic configuration having one first component mainly directed parallel to the circulating beam of electrons and which enables this beam to be contained, and one second component suitable for compensating the drift of the electrons transversally to the axis of the beam of electrons, and at least one magnetic wiggler (10) placed at the level of the rectilinear section and which is traversed by the beam of electrons. Application for fusion controlled by magnetic containment.

Free electron laser

Free electrons laser with gaseous medium wiggler and method to use this laser. The laser includes a chamber (22) designed to be traversed by a beam of previously accelerated electrons, a wiggler (44) which creates in this chamber a periodic magnetic field interacting with the beam of electrons, and means (54) to fill the chamber with a gas formed of atoms or molecules having at least one resonance line at a determined frequency. The laser is tuned on this resonance line, which enables the laser to produce a frequency light close to this determined frequency.

Growing community of inventors

Versailles, France

Claude Etievant