United Technologies Corporation

International Fuel Cells, LLC

Gregory J Sandelli

Roger R Lesieur

John C Trocciola

Richard A Sederquist

William A Taylor

Ronald J Spiegel

Herbert C Healy

The gas stream which emanates from landfills is treated to produce a purified gas which is essentially a hydrocarbon such as methane which can be used as the fuel source in a fuel cell power plant, or can be used in other power plants which use natural gas as a fuel. The landfill gas passes through a system which removes essentially all of the hydrogen sulfide; water; organic sulfur and halogen compounds; and solid contaminants from the gas stream. The resultant purified gas stream can be cleanly flared; used to power an energy plant; or put to other useful purposes.

Landfill gas treatment system

An electrochemical cell separator plate formed from a mixture of carbonizable resin and coke particles, wherein the plate is molded from the resin and coke particles, carbonized, and graphitized. The particle size distribution of the coke is selected so that expansion occurring during graphitization minimizes the rupture of carbonized bonds within the separator plate. The separator plates have improved properties over separator plates formed from graphite particles including increased density, decreased porosity and increased corrosion resistance. The coke particle plates are more energy efficient to manufacture than graphite particle plates.

Coke filled separator plate for electrochemical cells

An economical method for fabricating a porous electrochemical cell substrate having ribs on one side comprises molding the substrate by loading a die of the proper configuration with a predetermined amount of a dry mixture of thermosetting resin and carbon fibers. The mixture is partially cured using heat and low pressure and then is fully cured up to at least 1100.degree. C. to convert all the resin to glassy carbon. The amount of mixture loaded into the die is preselected to yield a finished part having a porosity of at least 75%. Preferably the ribbed substrate is wetproofed in all areas except the ribs which are used to store excess electrolyte during cell operation.

Method for fabricating a ribbed electrode substrate

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Newington, CT, United States of America

Gregory J Sandelli