Rolls-royce Corporation

Lg Fuel Cell Systems Inc.

Lg Fuell Cell Systems Inc.

Eric W Dean

Gerard D Agnew

Chloe J Palmer

Robert Hay Cunningham

Gerry D Agnew

John Raymond Budge

Michele Bozzolo

Nigel T Hart

Philip D Butler

Michael J Oakely

Mark N Pashley

Peter McNeely

Gary Saunders

An organic composite gas storage tankcomprises a hollow central portionwhich is substantially cylindrical and formed integrally with first and second end portions, and which defines a longitudinal tank axis. The first end portion comprises a hollow truncated conical region which meets the hollow central portion at a first end thereof. The hollow central portion comprises first and second hollow truncated conical portionsA,B, the external radius of a given hollow truncated conical portion decreasing in a direction towards a corresponding end portion. The tank comprises an organic composite fibre winding extending between first and second positions along the length of the tank which coincide with the first and second hollow truncated conical portions of the hollow central portion respectively, biassing these portions together and increasing the axial strength of the central portion.

Organic composite gas storage tank

A hydrogen-fuelled aircraftcomprises a fuselage, wings and a plurality of cylindrical elongate hydrogen storage tanks mounted on the exterior of the fuselage and disposed vertically above a plane containing the wing-tips of the aircraft. An aerodynamic fairing forms a continuous air-washed surface of the aircraft together with a lower portion of the fuselage. The hydrogen storage tanks extend generally parallel to the fuselage and are contained between the fairing and the fuselage. The aircraft provides for storage of a large volume of compressed hydrogen without compromising the volume of usable space within the fuselage. The aircraft is able to carry out flight missions comparable in range and payload to those of an equivalent conventionally-fuelled aircraft.

Aircraft with hydrogen storage tanks

An organic composite gas storage tankcomprises a hollow central portionwhich is substantially cylindrical and formed integrally with first and second end portions, and which defines a longitudinal tank axis. The first end portion comprises a hollow truncated conical region which meets the hollow central portion at a first end thereof, the outer and inner radii of the hollow truncated conical region decreasing in a direction along the longitudinal tank axis away from the hollow central portion. An organic fibre windingextends at least between axial positions which coincide with the hollow truncated conical region of the first end portion and the hollow central portion respectively. The first end portion has a higher axial strength than that achievable for hemispherical end portion of a tank of the prior art.

There is disclose a fuel cell system including at least one fuel cell and a duct to supply oxidant to the cathode of the at least one fuel cell. The duct includes at least one sorbent getter adapted to extract volatile species from the oxidant. The sorbent getter includes at least one member of the group consisting of magnesium oxide, calcium oxide and manganese oxide. The sorbent getter provides the advantage of extracting volatile species from the oxidant stream.

Fuel cell system

A fuel cell system and method is provided to control the volumetric ratio of a reformate and unreformed hydrocarbon fuel supplied to a fuel cell configured for in-stack reforming. The system includes a reformer having a number of high and low steam reforming activity channels which provide a full equilibrated fuel stream and a fuel stream having hydrocarbon levels slight lower than the hydrocarbon levels of the hydrocarbon fuel supplied to the reformer, respectively. The fuel streams can be mixed and supplied to the fuel cell to provide in-stack reforming while reducing or inhibiting the formation of carbon in the fuel stack.

Steam reformer for in-block fuel cell reforming

A fuel cell system having a cathode, anode and auxiliary loop is provided. The anode loop may be configured to deliver reformed and unreformed fuel to the fuel cells. Unreformed fuel may be provided to the fuel cells by bypassing a portion of the fuel around a reformer. The unreformed fuel may be reformed in the fuel cell block. The cathode loop may direct a portion of oxidant exhausted from said fuel cells back to the fuel cell through a cathode ejector. The ejector may be supplied with pressurized oxidant that may be heated prior to entering the cathode ejector. The auxiliary loop may combust unused fuel and oxidant to provide the heat transferred to the oxidant prior to the oxidant entering the cathode loop.

Integrated fuel cell block with a revised fuel cell cycle for in block reforming fuel cells

A fuel cell stack which is amenable to simple manufacturing processes and is thermally and mechanically compliant. The fuel cell stack reduces the number of components by combing fuel cell tubes to form tube sub-assemblies, the tube sub-assemblies comprising end fittings connected to the fuel cell tubes, the end fittings provided with at least one or preferably a plurality of channels to provide equal distribution of fuel throughout the fuel cell tubes.

Components and methods for manufacture and assembly of a fuel cell stack

There is provided a fuel cell stack assembly being thermally and mechanically compliant. The fuel cell stack comprises fuel feed pipe and fuel outlet pipe, a plurality of bundles of fuel cell tube sub-assemblies, the bundles being separated by an expansion gap to prevent thermal and mechanical stresses propagating from one bundle to an adjacent bundle.

Fuel cell stack assembly

There is disclosed a method and components for repairing a fuel cell stack. In particular, the method and components relate to repairing a high temperature fuel cell stack incorporating ceramic components. The method includes identifying a fuel cell bundle within a fuel cell strip to be disconnected from the fuel cell strip, identifying at least one fuel feed pipe portion connected to the fuel cell bundle, and identifying at least one fuel outlet pipe portion connected to the fuel cell bundle. A cutting blade is positioned on the fuel feed pipe portion and cutting through the fuel feed pipe portion, and similarly for the fuel outlet pipe portion. The fuel cell bundle is then removed, and a replacement inserted in its place.

Method and components for repairing a ceramic fuel cell stack assembly

A solid oxide fuel cell stack () comprises a plurality of modules (). Each module () comprises an elongate hollow member (). Each hollow member () has at least one passage () extending longitudinally through the hollow member () for the flow of reactant. Each hollow member () has two parallel flat surfaces (). At least one of the modules (A,B,C) includes a plurality of solid oxide fuel cells (). The solid oxide fuel cells () are arranged on the flat surfaces () of the modules (A,B,C). At least one end () of each module () is connected to an end () of an adjacent module () to allow reactant to flow sequentially through the modules (). The arrangement of the modules () provides compliance in the solid oxide fuel cell stack () and thermal and mechanical stresses in the solid oxide fuel cell stack () are reduced.

Growing community of inventors

Derby, United Kingdom

Eric W Dean