Abstract:
A safety control system for a fuel-consuming apparatus includes a switching assembly. The switching assembly includes a first end electrically connected to a power source node, a second end electrically connected to an input power node of a fuel safety shutoff valve of the fuel -consuming apparatus, and one or more switch units serially connected between the first and second ends. Each of the switch units is configured to be switched on or off based on a corresponding one of one or more environmental conditions of the fuel-consuming apparatus. An electrical connection path between the first and second ends is deactivated upon at least one of the one or more switch units being switched off to stop supplying of fuel into the fuel-consuming apparatus.
Abstract:
A chemical reactor (e.g. reformer reactor) system includes a manifold (126) for management of a flow of gaseous reaction medium thereto. Manifold (126) includes manifold housing (128) defining manifold chamber (129) and having at least one additional component selected from: a gas distributor (127); a heater; and a cavity having a seal within or adjacent to it.
Abstract:
Integrated liquid fuel catalytic partial oxidation (CPOX) reformer (401) and fuel cell systems (467) can include a plurality or an array of spaced-apart CPOX reactor units (408), each reactor unit (408) including an elongate tube having a gas-permeable wall with internal and external surfaces, the wall enclosing an open gaseous flow passageway with at least a portion of the wall having CPOX catalyst disposed therein and/or comprising its structure. The catalyst-containing wall structure and open gaseous flow passageway enclosed thereby define a gaseous phase CPOX reaction zone (409), the catalyst-containing wall section being gas-permeable to allow gaseous CPOX reaction mixture to diffuse therein and hydrogen rich product reformate to diffuse therefrom. The liquid fuel CPOX reformer also can include a vaporizer (415), one or more igniters (435), and a source of liquid reformable fuel. The hydrogen-rich reformate can be converted to electricity within a fuel cell unit integrated with the liquid fuel CPOX reactor unit.
Abstract:
A liquid fuel reformer includes a fuel vaporizer which utilizes heat from an upstream source of heat, specifically, an electric heater, operable in the start-up mode of the reformer, and therefore independent of the reforming reaction zone of the reformer, to vaporize fuel in a downstream vaporization zone.
Abstract:
A liquid fuel catalytic partial oxidation (CPOX) reformer can include a plurality or an array of spaced-apart CPOX reactor units (408'), each reactor unit (408') including an elongate tube having a gas-permeable wall with internal and external surfaces, the wall enclosing an open gaseous flow passageway with at least a portion of the wall having CPOX catalyst disposed therein and/or comprising its structure. The catalyst-containing wall structure and open gaseous flow passageway enclosed thereby define a gaseous phase CPOX reaction zone (409'), the catalyst-containing wall section being gas-permeable to allow gaseous CPOX reaction mixture to diffuse therein and hydrogen rich product reformate to diffuse therefrom. At least the exterior surface of the CPOX reaction zone can include a hydrogen barrier. The liquid fuel CPOX reformer can include a vaporizer (415'), one or more igniters (435'), and a source of liquid reformable fuel.
Abstract:
A tubular solid oxide fuel eel! assembly includes at least two tubular solid oxide fuel cell units, at least one shared current collector and a retainer for retaining a section of the fuel cell units and shared current collector in close fitting relationship therewith.
Abstract:
A process for producing tubular ceramic structures (10) of non-circular cross section is provided which comprises: . a) rotating a mandrel-spindle assembly (45) having a non-circular external cross section corresponding to the non-circular internal cross section of the tubular ceramic structure (11) to be produced, the mandrel-spindle assembly (45) comprising a mandrel component (47) and a spindle component (43), the mandrel component (47) being a heat shrinkable polymeric tube of non-circular cross section the external surface of which corresponds to the internal surface of the tubular ceramic structure (11) of non-circular cross section to be produced and the internal surface of which defines a bore (71), the spindle component (43) having a non-circular cross section corresponding to that of the bore (71) of the mandrel (47) and being in close fitting but slidably removable contact therewith; . b) applying a ceramic-forming composition to the external surface of the mandrel component (47) of the rotating mandrel-spindle assembly (45) to produce a tubular ceramic structure (11) of non-circular cross section the internal surface of which is in contact with the external surface of the mandrel (47); . c) removing the spindle (43) from the bore (71) of the mandrel (47) to provide a mandrel-tubular ceramic structure assembly (70) in which the interior surface (75) of the tubular ceramic structure (11) of non-circular cross section remains in contact with the external surface of the mandrel (47); and, . d) heat shrinking the mandrel component (47,76) of the mandrel-tubular ceramic structure assembly (70) to cause the mandrel (47,76) to undergo shrinkage to a reduced size in which the external surface (77) of the mandrel (76) separates from the interior surface (75) of the tubular ceramic structure (11) of non-circular cross section facilitating removal of the mandrel (76) therefrom.
Abstract:
Integrated gaseous fuel catalytic partial oxidation (CPOX) reformer (401) and fuel cell (467) systems can include a plurality or an array of spaced-apart CPOX reactor units (408), each reactor unit including an elongate tube having a gas-permeable wall with internal and external surfaces, the wall enclosing an open gaseous flow passageway with at least a portion of the wall having CPOX catalyst disposed therein and/or comprising its structure. The catalyst-containing wall structure and open gaseous flow passageway enclosed thereby define a gaseous phase CPOX reaction zone (409), the catalyst-containing wall section being gas-permeable to allow gaseous CPOX reaction mixture to diffuse therein and hydrogen rich product reformate to diffuse therefrom. The gaseous fuel CPOX reformer also can include one or more igniters (435), and a source of gaseous reformable fuel. The hydrogen-rich reformate can be converted to electricity within a fuel cell unit integrated with the gaseous fuel CPOX reformer.
Abstract:
A multi-tubular chemical reactor (400) includes an igniter (435) for the initiation of gas phase exothermic reaction within the gas phase reaction zones (409) of the tubular reactor units (408). A method of carrying out a gas phase exothermic reaction within the multi-tubular chemical reactor comprising: introducing gaseous reactants into a tubular reactor unit (408); initiating with radiant heat an exothermic reaction of the gaseous reactants within the reactor unit; and transferring heat produced by the exothermic reaction occurring within the gas phase reaction zone of the reactor unit to the gas phase reaction zone of one or more adjacent reactor units (408), thereby initiating an exothermic reaction within at least one adjacent reactor unit (408) until in such manner an exothermic reaction has been initiated in each of the plurality of spaced-apart reactor units (408).
Abstract:
A dual utilization liquid and gaseous fuel CPOX reformer includes first and second CPOX reaction zones for the CPOX reforming at respectively, liquid and gaseous reformable fuels.