The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Apr. 22, 2008
Filed:
Jan. 07, 2004
Craig S Gittleman, Brighton, NY (US);
Ramesh Gupta, Berkeley Heights, NJ (US);
Craig S Gittleman, Brighton, NY (US);
Ramesh Gupta, Berkeley Heights, NJ (US);
General Motors Corporation, Detroit, MI (US);
Abstract
An apparatus removes CO from a hydrogen-rich gas stream in a hydrogen fuel cell system. CO fouls costly catalytic particles in the membrane electrode assemblies. Both a catalyst adapted to perform a water gas shift reaction, and a carbon dioxide adsorbent are disposed in a rotating pressure swing adsorber housing. The adsorption of carbon dioxide shifts equilibrium toward carbon monoxide consumption. A second adsorbent may be disposed in the housing for adsorbing carbon monoxide at low temperatures, and is adapted to desorb carbon monoxide at high temperatures. The present invention advantageously eliminates a unit operation from a space-constrained fuel cell vehicle by combining the WGS catalyst and a COadsorbent in a single reactor/housing. The apparatus further eliminates the use of a PROX reactor, by providing an apparatus which incorporates COadsorption and consequent carbon monoxide consumption in the place of the PROX reactor.