Ergenics Corporation

Hera USA Inc.

P Mark Golben

David H DaCosta

John E Fox

David C Tragna

Timothy D Meyer

David J Hanley

E Lee Huston

A system for conversion of waste and solar heat energy into a carbon sequestration device, including as a collector for collecting carbon dioxide gas from a carbon dioxide gas source, such as ambient air. The Joule Thompson effect is used to cool and thereby refrigerate/liquefy ambient air and then extracting carbon dioxide therefrom, comprising steps of and means for providing a hydride heat engine, operating the hydride heat engine utilizing hydride thermal compression technology to compress hydrogen gas and thereby to cool ambient air to a temperature rendering air into a refrigerated/liquefied state by use of a Joule-Thompson type process, and extracting carbon dioxide from the refrigerated/liquefied ambient air and collecting the carbon dioxide.

Method for production of carbon dioxide and apparatus therefor

A system for and method of conversion of electrical energy into gaseous and liquid fuels, comprising steps of and means for provide a hydrocarbon fuels, including a collector for collecting carbon dioxide gas from a carbon dioxide gas source, a means for reducing at least a portion of the collected carbon dioxide gas to carbon monoxide, a means for producing hydrogen from a hydrogen source and a vessel for thermo-chemically reacting the hydrogen gas with carbon dioxide in a Fischer-Tropsch type process in the presence of a catalyst and heat.

Liquid and gaseous fuel production from solar energy

A container for use in hydrogen transfer includes structural tubular members and perforations for fluid communication with a central passage covered with a film that is selectively permeable to hydrogen, but not to other gases. The tubular member walls comprise a sturdy material to fix the hydride powder, preventing it from shifting within the container. The hydrogen flow, when being absorbed or desorbed by the metal hydride, will pass through the film both as it is absorbed in the hydride material and also after it is desorbed to pass into the central passage. Simultaneously, the tubular member material, acting as a flexible cover or support for the film, retains contaminant gases within the conduit passage, but permits hydrogen to flow therethrough. Alternatively, a flexible conduit may be interspersed within selected ones of the longitudinal structural members, and hydride material may be packed within the springs, which provide for expansion protection.

Flexible and semi-permeable means of hydrogen delivery in storage and recovery systems

A hydrogen gas storage container has a canister with at least one outlet opening for charging and discharging gas, the canister enclosing a metal hydride capable of absorbing and desorbing hydrogen gas and a gauge for measuring the capacity of hydrogen remaining within the hydride material. To further permit distribution of the hydrogen throughout the hydride material, a porous matrix may be disposed within said metal hydride material for providing efficient distribution of hydrogen gas to said metal hydride material. The fuel gauge may further comprise subassemblies for determining the hydrogen capacity, each of which depends for operation on a different property of the metal hydride material. For example, a pressure gauge sensitive to the plateau pressure indicative of the hydrogen capacity, a piezoelectric sensor that in combination with a rigid chamber in which hydride material is closely packed provides a pressure differential indicative of hydrogen capacity, or a resistivity sensor that in combination with a chamber in which hydride material is packed provides a resistance differential indicative of hydrogen capacity.

Fuel gauge for hydrogen storage media

Heat exchangers, hydrogen gas compressors, hydrogen gas storage devices, hydrogen gas purifiers and metal hydride air conditioners utilizing a flow of a hydrogen gas stream which is absorbed and desorbed by a metal hydride causes disproportionation and &ldquo;poisoning&rdquo; of the metal hydrides by introduction of impurities such as water vapor, oxygen and carbon monoxide. Use of a noble metal in powder form, when introduced in the metal hydride particles has been found to act as a catalyst and to delay absorption of the impurities in the metal hydride, and further permits the more efficient and longer use of such devices by inhibiting the undesirable disproportionation and poisoning. In another embodiment, a vent is provided in the initial stage of a hydrogen compressor to vent out the impurities before these result in decreasing efficiency of the devices due to disproportionation, poisoning and increased vapor pressure.

Passive purification in metal hydride storage apparatus

An apparatus for and method of isolating an enclosed metal hydride container from an apparatus which uses hydrogen gas during periods of dormant or inactive storage of the device, including a constricted opening having a dual one way check valve arrangement to selectively open or close the hydrogen gas communication between the hydrogen storage container and the apparatus using the hydrogen. The dual check valve arrangement provides for constricting hydrogen gas flow between the chambers unless the device is in the process of charging or discharging, either of which process causes a differential pressure to develop across the dual check valve arrangement which is greater than a predetermined threshold pressure, e.g., 1-2 p.s.i. The hydrogen storage material within the hydrogen storage container comprises mixture of metal hydride particles with interspersed water adsorbing particles, such as silica gel desiccant.

Automatic water vapor density control of hydrogen gas

An apparatus for and method of storing hydrogen gas within an enclosed metal hydride container that is isolated from an apparatus which uses hydrogen gas, including a constricted opening having a valve to selectively open or close the hydrogen gas communication between the hydrogen storage container and the apparatus using the hydrogen. The hydrogen storage material within the hydrogen storage container comprises mixture of metal hydride particles with interspersed water adsorbing particles, such as silica gel dessicant. Optionally included within the hydrogen gas communication between the storage and use may be a filter for filtering out oxygen and water vapor molecules from the hydrogen stream passing into the metal hydride particles, and may comprise a coating on each of the hydrogen absorbing metal hydride particles disposed within the hydrogen storage chamber. The enclosed metal hydride chamber may be disposed either within the containment of the battery cells another apparatus using the hydrogen gas or alternatively, the chamber may be external of the apparatus. A preferred corrosion resistant metal hydride may be used comprising Lanthanum Nickel Aluminum (LaNi.sub.4.7 Al.sub.0.3) or La.sub.0.8 Nd.sub.0.2 Ni.sub.3.5 Co.sub.1.3 Al.sub.0.2.

Segmented hydride battery including an improved hydrogen storage means

A system and method is provided whereby exhaust gases from a cold started internal combustion engine are rapidly brought to catalytic combustion conditions. Specifically, a closed system of a low pressure metal hydride heat exchanger and a high pressure metal hydride heat exchanger is provided which, upon engine ignition, effectuates hydrogen flow from the high pressure alloy exchanger to the low pressure alloy exchanger with rapid heating of the low pressure alloy due to hydrogen occlusion, and with the further provision that the heated low pressure hydride alloy exchanger is in heat exchange relationship with the cold started engine exhaust gases or the vehicle catalytic converter and provides heat necessary for initiation of catalytic combustion of pollutants in the said exhaust gases.

Modular manifold gas delivery system

An apparatus for and method of storing hydrogen gas within an enclosed metal hydride container that is isolated from an apparatus which uses hydrogen gas, including a constricted opening having a valve to selectively open or close the hydrogen gas communication between the hydrogen storage container and the apparatus using the hydrogen. Also included within the hydrogen gas communication between the storage and use is a filter for filtering out oxygen and water vapor molecules from the hydrogen stream passing from the apparatus using the hydrogen to the hydrogen storage metal hydride. The filter means comprises a thin metal disc or a hydrogen gas permeable elastomeric thin film coating, such as a polyethylene resin or silicone oil, either in the hydrogen stream path or as a coating on each of the hydrogen absorbing metal hydride particles which are disposed within the hydrogen storage chamber. The enclosed metal hydride container may be disposed either within the apparatus using the hydrogen gas or externally thereof.

Segmented hydride battery

An actuator for performing a function at a predetermined temperature includes an actuator assembly with a resiliently expandable element and a device for liberating hydrogen gas into a sealed system formed in part by the element. When the hydrogen gas pressure in the system becomes sufficiently high, the element expands to perform the function. The resiliently expandable element is a piston or a bellows and the device for liberating hydrogen gas is a hydride sensor assembly.

Hydride operated reversible temperature responsive actuator and device

Exhaust gas preheating system

An electrochemical battery made of stacked cells which are separated by separator plates comprising a good heat conductive material, e.g. nickel, stainless steel, copper. The separator plates extend beyond the edge of the stacked cells and outside the enclosure of the battery. The separator plates directly conduct heat, which is generated by the electrochemical process, from the battery cells to the ambient environment. Sealing of the enclosure between the separator plates is provided by an O-ring or, alternatively, by a bellows sealed to adjacent separator plates by O-rings. Sealing is possible for hydrogen at low pressure which is presented in batteries utilizing a metal-hydride hydrogen storage capacity.

Hydrogen electrochemical cell housing

A metal hydride battery includes a metal hydride vessel for storing hydrogen and a battery cell in another enclosure having the capability of fluid communication between the vessel and enclosure through in-line piping. The in-line piping includes a catalytic converter and a molecular sieve dryer for adsorbing water from the hydrogen being piped from the battery cell enclosure to the hydrogen storage metal hydride vessel.

Growing community of inventors

Florida, NY, United States of America

P Mark Golben