Abstract:
A novel integrated system for the co-production of heat and electricity for residences or commercial buildings is based on the cracking of hydrocarbons to generate hydrogen for a fuel cell. Compared to prior art reforming methods for hydrogen production, the cracking reaction provides an input stream to the fuel cell that is essentially free of CO, a known poison to the anode catalyst in many fuel cell designs, such as PEM fuel cells. The cracking reaction is coupled with an air or steam regeneration cycle to reactivate that cracking catalyst for further use. This regeneration can provide a valuable source of heat or furnace fuel to the system. A novel control method for system adjusts the durations of the cracking and regeneration cycles to optimize the recovery of reaction heat.
Abstract:
Molecular sieve zeolites are incorporated in the inflator device to assist in the inflation of airbags in passenger vehicles. The pre-loading of the molecular sieve zeolites with gases such as air or nitrogen or carbon dioxide provides for rapid airbag inflation and following inflation, additionally provides the remediation of at least a portion of the toxic waste gases generated by the exploding inflator device. Molecular sieve zeolites, particularly zeolites X, having been exchanged with lithium or calcium, provide high-capacity gas storage and enhanced toxic waste gas adsorption. The use of molecular sieve zeolites reduces risk of injury to occupants of vehicles from exposure to hot, toxic waste gases following airbag deployment.
Abstract:
The present invention is a process for controlling a sorption cooling or heating process which employs an adsorption zone in fluid communication with a refrigeration circuit to pass desorbed vapor upon heating to a condenser and to adsorb refrigerant vapor from an evaporator when cooled. The process is cyclic and comprises heating the adsorption zone during a desorption step and cooling the adsorption zone during an adsorption step. The heating and cooling of the adsorption zone wherein a heat exchange zone is in intimate indirect thermal contact with the adsorption zone is provided during a cyclic process by alternating the flow of a working fluid at a hot source temperature or a working fluid at a cold source temperature through the heat exchange zone to provide the heating and cooling. It was discovered that by conserving hot working fluid at or above a reference temperature in a hot working medium reservoir, fluctuations in the heating requirements at the hot source can be minimized and significant cost savings could be achieved. The present invention can provide significant benefits in the refining and petrochemical process industry where product streams from catalytic reactions at elevated temperatures must be cooled to ambient conditions for storage or transport.
Abstract:
A process and a control system are disclosed for continuous cooling of a condensable process stream by the integration of a sorption cooling section for producing a chilled stream therewith. The condensable process stream is cooled with a cooled hot exit stream from the sorption cooling section to provide a hot working fluid stream to desorb an adsorption zone in the sorption cooling zone. A cold working fluid stream comprising a condensed portion of the condensable stream is passed to the sorption cooling section to facilitate adsorption in another adsorption zone in the sorption cooling section and a warm exit stream is withdrawn. The hot exit stream and the warm exit stream are cross-exchanged to smooth out the temperature variations which reduce the size and operating cost of producing the chilled stream. Potential damage to equipment and variation operations can be avoided by comparing the pressure of the condensable process stream to the pressure of the condensed portion and admixing a portion of the condensable stream with the condensed portion. The process provides significant economic benefits operating cost savings in refinery and petrochemical applications where fractionation column overhead vapors or flue gases are available at waste heat temperatures above about 80.degree. C. (176.degree. F.) such as fluid catalytic cracking, crude phenol fractionation, benzene, toluene, xylene, ethylbenzene, and cumene columns and naphtha splitter columns.
Abstract:
A process and apparatus for the dehumidification and VOC odor remediation of an air stream withdrawn from the passenger compartment of a transportation vehicle is disclosed which employs a continuously rotating wheel support and adsorbent selective for the adsorption of water and VOCs. The wheel is coated with zeolite adsorbent selected from the group consisting of zeolite Y-74, zeolite Y-84, zeolite Y-85, a low cerium rare earth exchanged zeolite Y-84, a rare earth exchanged zeolite LZ-210 and mixtures thereof. A surprisingly significant increase in the thermal efficiency is possible as a result of the lower regeneration temperature of the adsorbent and the use of novel process steps.
Abstract:
A desiccant cooling apparatus and process using a solid adsorbent and refrigerant wherein the solid adsorbent is selected from the group consisting of zeolite Y-85, a low cerium rare earth exchanged Y-84 and a rare earth exchanged LZ-210, and the adsorbent is bonded directly to the heat exchange tubes within the device by a novel slip coating process resulted in significant improvements in thermal efficiency and overall performance.
Abstract:
Layered adsorbent-substrate composites are prepared by methods comprising heating the surface of an aluminum substrate, contacting the surface of the substrate with a slurry containing the adsorbent and a binder, and heating the coatings to form hardened surfaces which can have excellent adsorption and mechanical properties and have a variety of uses such as adsorbents in automobile mufflers and a desiccants in multiple pane windows.