Institute of Gas Technology

Donald K Fleming

Leonard G Marianowski

Sanford A Weil

Raymond C Rex, Jr

Tian-yu Xiong

A process for thermal management by feed gas conditioning in high temperature fuel cell systems wherein at least a portion of a fuel feed stream is chemically reacted in an exothermic chemical reaction in an external zone thermally separated from the fuel cell system and at least a portion of the products of such exothermic chemical reaction are passed to an internal zone in thermal exchange with the fuel cell system and reacted in an endothermic chemical reaction thereby absorbing heat from the exothermic electrochemical reaction within the fuel cell system producing a process stream of higher thermal energy. At least a portion of the higher thermal energy stream is removed from the fuel cell system, thereby maintaining the desired operating temperature in the fuel cell system. The process significantly reduces energy requirements of the system and significantly increases overall system efficiency and the output voltage of the system. The process is especially suited to molten carbonates electrolyte and solid oxide fuel cells.

Thermal management in fuel cell system by feed gas conditioning

A process and apparatus for high temperature combustion in a combustion chamber comprising two opposed porous plates is provided whereby increased combustion temperatures are achievable by means of internal radiant energy recuperation. The high temperature combustion apparatus and process may achieve super-adiabatic combustion temperatures and is especially suitable for applications such as waste disposal and incineration.

Process and apparatus for high temperature combustion

A hydrogen forming process and apparatus wherein one side of a hydrogen ion porous and molecular gas non-porous metallic foil is contacted with mixed gases comprising molecular hydrogen formed by a chemical reaction in a hydrogen production zone. The molecular hydrogen is dissociated and passed as ionic hydrogen to the other side of the metallic foil from which it is withdrawn, thereby removing hydrogen from the hydrogen production zone. This invention is particularly advantageous in favorably shifting the equilibrium of steam/methane reforming reactions and water-gas-shift reactions providing high yields of high purity hydrogen.

Hydrogen forming reaction process

An ammonia utilization process substantially eliminates by-product ammonia gas produced during hydrogen forming gasification processes by recycling sour water stripper off-gas comprising ammonia to a hydrogen forming gasifier wherein by-product ammonia gas is converted to desired hydrogen product gas and nitrogen.

Ammonia utilization process

A non-catalytic porous-phase combustor and process for generating radiant energy wherein the gas phase reaction and combustion take place within the pores of a multilayer porous plate to provide higher combustion intensity and to provide a greater proportion of heat released by radiation. The combustor comprises a porous plate having at least two discrete and contiguous layers, a first preheat layer comprising a material having a low inherent thermal conductivity and a second combustion layer comprising a material having a high inherent thermal conductivity and providing a radiating surface. Combustion intensities of about 400,000 to about 750,000 Btu/hr-ft.sup.2 may be achieved in the combustion layer of the porous phase combustor.

Growing community of inventors

Park Ridge, IL, United States of America

Donald K Fleming