Emerald Energy Nw, LLC

Battelle Memorial Institute

Prometheus Technologies, LLC

Cryo Fuel Systems, Inc

John A Barclay

Jamie D Holladay

Kerry D Meinhardt

Edwin C Thomsen

Evgueni Polikarpov

Tadeusz Szymanski

Jun Cui

Kathryn Midori Oseen-Senda

Michael Barclay

Lucian G Ferguson

Lenard J Stoltman

Hunter A Chumbley

Raymond R Tison

Corey C Archipley

Thomas C Brook

Michael A Barclay

A process for liquefying a process gas that includes introducing a heat transfer fluid into an active magnetic regenerative refrigerator apparatus that comprises a single stage comprising dual multilayer regenerators located axially opposite to each other.

Advanced multi-layer active magnetic regenerator systems and processes for magnetocaloric liquefaction

Active magnetic regenerative processes and systems employing hydrogen as heat transfer fluid and process

A system including: an active magnetic regenerative refrigerator apparatus that includes a high magnetic field section in which a hydrogen heat transfer fluid can flow from a cold side to a hot side through at least one magnetized bed of at least one magnetic refrigerant, and a low magnetic field or demagnetized section in which the hydrogen heat transfer fluid can flow from a hot side to a cold side through the demagnetized bed; a first conduit fluidly coupled between the cold side of the low magnetic field or demagnetized section and the cold side of the high magnetic field section; and a second conduit fluid coupled to the first conduit, an expander and at least one liquefied hydrogen storage module.

Active magnetic regenerative processes and systems employing hydrogen as heat transfer fluid and process gas

A process that includes pre-cooling a Hgas feedstock with a compressed liquid natural gas via a heat exchanger, introducing the pre-cooled Hgas feedstock into an active magnetic regenerative refrigerator Hliquefier module, and delivering liquid Hfrom the active magnetic regenerative refrigerator Hliquefier module to a liquid Hvehicle dispenser.

Process for delivering liquid Hfrom an active magnetic regenerative refrigerator Hliquefier to a liquid Hvehicle dispenser

A process for liquefying hydrogen gas into liquid hydrogen that includes:

Active magnetic regenerative liquefier using process gas pre-cooling from bypass flow of heat transfer fluid

Devices in which a toroidal mass rotates within a pressurized housing vessel, such as rotary wheel Active Magnetic Regenerative Refrigerators (AMRR) and Active Magnetic Regenerative Liquefiers (AMRL), are disclosed. Mechanical gap-type seal designs (e.g., labyrinth seal designs) for controlling (e.g., minimizing) and/or directing fluid flows in the space between a rotating torus and a stationary housing are disclosed. Additional features, such as the use of low friction surface coatings, the generation of low pressure gradients in high pressure heat transfer fluid transiting porous regenerative beds, and the use of pressure bladders to apply adjustable spring pressure to sealing surfaces are also disclosed and contribute to improved device efficiency and desired fluid flows.

Rotary seal facilitating fluid flows through a rotating toroidal mass within a pressurized housing vessel

An active gas regenerative refrigerator includes a plurality of compressor-expander units, each having a hermetic cylinder with a drive piston configured to be driven reciprocally therein, and a quantity of working fluid in each end of the cylinder. A piston seal in a central portion of the cylinder prevents passage of the working fluid between ends of the cylinder. Movement of the piston to a first extreme results in radial compression of one of the quantities of working fluid in a cylindrical gap formed between one end of the piston and an inner surface of the cylinder, while the other quantity is expanded in the opposite end of the cylinder. The piston includes a plurality of magnets arranged in pairs, with magnets of each pair positioned with like-poles facing each other. A piston drive is configured to couple with transverse magnetic flux regions formed by the magnets.

Refrigeration system including micro compressor-expander thermal units

A process for liquefying a process gas that includes:

Rotary fluid processing systems and associated methods are disclosed. A purification system in accordance with the particular embodiment includes a rotatable adsorbent-containing heat/mass transfer element that is generally symmetric about a rotation axis, and includes multiple radial flow paths oriented transverse to the rotation axis and multiple axial flow paths oriented transverse to the radial flow paths. The axial flow paths and radial flow paths are in thermal communication with each other, and are generally isolated from fluid communication with each other at the heat transfer element. Particular embodiments can further include a housing arrangement having multiple manifolds with individual manifolds having an entry port and an exit port, and with individual manifolds having different circumferential locations relative to the rotation axis. Still further embodiments can include a seal arrangement positioned between the heat transfer element and the housing arrangement to expose the radial flow paths, but not the axial flow paths, to the entry and exit ports of one of the manifolds, and expose the axial flow paths, but not the radial flow paths, to the entry and exit ports of another of the manifolds.

Rotary fluid processing systems and associated methods

Systems and methods for processing methane and other gases are disclosed. A representative method in accordance with one embodiment includes directing a first portion of a gas stream through a first adsorbent while exchanging heat between a second adsorbent and a third adsorbent. The method can further include directing a second portion of the gas stream through the third adsorbent while exchanging heat between the first and second adsorbents. The method can still further include directing a third portion of the gas stream through the second adsorbent while exchanging heat between the first and third adsorbents. In further particular aspects, the adsorbent can be used to remove carbon dioxide from a flow of methane. In other particular aspects, a heat exchange fluid that is not in direct contact with the adsorbents is used to transfer heat among the adsorbents.

Systems and methods for processing methane and other gases

An apparatus for separating CO.sub.2 from a mixture of gases includes CO.sub.2 and a second gas, the apparatus includes an active heat exchanger and a regenerating heat exchanger. The active heat exchanger includes a heat exchange surface in contact with the mixture of gases. The mixture of gases is present in the active heat exchanger at a predetermined pressure which is chosen such that CO.sub.2 freezes on the heat exchange surface when the surface is cooled by a refrigerant having a temperature below that at which CO.sub.2 freezes at the predetermined pressure. The regenerating heat exchanger includes a heat exchange surface in contact with the refrigerant and also in contact with a layer of frozen CO.sub.2. The refrigerant enters the regenerating heat exchanger at a temperature above that at which the CO.sub.2 in the frozen layer of CO.sub.2 sublimates. The sublimation of the solid CO.sub.2 cools the refrigerant prior to the refrigerant being expanded through an expansion valve, which reduces the temperature of the refrigerant to a point below the freezing point of CO.sub.2 at the predetermined pressure. The refrigerant is re-compressed by a compressor after leaving the active heat exchanger. In the preferred embodiment of the present invention, the gaseous CO.sub.2 released by the regenerating heat exchanger is used to precool the incoming gas mixture. A second precooling heat exchanger precools the compressed refrigerant by providing thermal contact with the refrigerant leaving the active heat exchanger.

Growing community of inventors

Redmond, WA, United States of America

John A Barclay