IPC분류정보
국가/구분 |
United States(US) Patent
등록
|
국제특허분류(IPC7판) |
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출원번호 |
UP-0202969
(2008-09-02)
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등록번호 |
US-7837765
(2011-01-22)
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발명자
/ 주소 |
- Adams, Patton M.
- Bizjak, Travis A.
- Givens, James A.
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출원인 / 주소 |
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대리인 / 주소 |
Dascenzo Intellectual Property Law, P.C.
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인용정보 |
피인용 횟수 :
2 인용 특허 :
86 |
초록
▼
Pressure swing adsorption (PSA) assemblies and hydrogen-producing fuel processing assemblies and/or fuel cell systems including the same. The PSA assemblies include, or are utilized with, combustion fuel stream supply systems that are adapted to regulate the flow of a byproduct stream from the PSA a
Pressure swing adsorption (PSA) assemblies and hydrogen-producing fuel processing assemblies and/or fuel cell systems including the same. The PSA assemblies include, or are utilized with, combustion fuel stream supply systems that are adapted to regulate the flow of a byproduct stream from the PSA assembly for delivery to a heating assembly for use as a combustible fuel stream, such as to maintain at least a hydrogen-producing region of the fuel processing system at a hydrogen-producing temperature or range of temperatures. In some embodiments, the combustion fuel stream supply system is configured to ensure that the supply of combustible fuel from the PSA assembly to the heating assembly contains at least a sufficient fuel value, such as to maintain at least the hydrogen-producing region at or within a predetermined hydrogen-producing temperature or range of temperatures.
대표청구항
▼
What is claimed is: 1. A hydrogen-generation assembly, comprising: a fuel processing system having a hydrogen-producing region adapted to receive a feed stream and to produce a mixed gas stream containing hydrogen gas and other gases therefrom, wherein hydrogen gas forms a majority component of the
What is claimed is: 1. A hydrogen-generation assembly, comprising: a fuel processing system having a hydrogen-producing region adapted to receive a feed stream and to produce a mixed gas stream containing hydrogen gas and other gases therefrom, wherein hydrogen gas forms a majority component of the mixed gas stream; a pressure swing adsorption (PSA) assembly adapted to receive and separate during a PSA cycle at least a portion of the mixed gas stream into a product stream and a byproduct stream, wherein the product stream contains a greater concentration of hydrogen gas than the mixed gas stream and has a reduced concentration of the other gases than the mixed gas stream, wherein the byproduct stream containing byproduct gas contains at least a substantial portion of the other gases, and further wherein the PSA assembly is adapted to intermittently discharge the byproduct stream during the PSA cycle; a pressure-driven combustion stream supply system adapted to receive the byproduct stream from the PSA assembly and to continuously supply, during the PSA cycle, a combustion fuel stream containing the byproduct gas and having at least a predetermined threshold fuel value to a downstream component of a fuel processing system, the combustion stream supply system comprising: an accumulator adapted to receive and at least temporarily store as stored byproduct gas the byproduct gas of a byproduct stream intermittently discharged by the pressure swing adsorption assembly; a controlled release system including an orifice assembly comprising: an open orifice adapted to release stored byproduct gas from the accumulator at a first flow rate; and a valved orifice adapted, when open, to release stored byproduct gas from the accumulator at a second flow rate; and a delivery assembly adapted to receive the stored byproduct gas released from the accumulator through the orifice assembly and to supply the stored byproduct gas as the combustion fuel stream to the downstream component of the hydrogen-generation assembly. 2. The assembly of claim 1, wherein the PSA cycle includes at least pressurization, adsorption, depressurization, and purge stages, and further wherein the PSA assembly does not discharge the byproduct stream during at least a portion of the PSA cycle. 3. The assembly of claim 2, wherein the PSA cycle further includes an equalization stage during which the byproduct stream is not discharged from the PSA assembly, and further wherein the PSA assembly discharges the byproduct stream during at least one of the depressurization and purge stages. 4. The assembly of claim 3, wherein the valved orifice is closed during at least the equalization stage. 5. The assembly of claim 1, wherein the first flow rate is sufficient when the valved orifice is closed, to retain the pressure of the byproduct gas in the accumulator within a predetermined pressure range throughout the PSA cycle. 6. The assembly of claim 5, wherein the first flow rate is sufficient when the valved orifice is closed, to retain the pressure of the byproduct gas in the accumulator within a selected range of the predetermined pressure range throughout the PSA cycle. 7. The assembly of claim 1, wherein the valved orifice is a first valved orifice, and wherein the orifice assembly further includes a second valved orifice adapted, when open, to release stored byproduct gas from the accumulator at a third flow rate. 8. The assembly of claim 1, further including a controller adapted to selectively operate the valved orifice of the orifice assembly to configure the valved orifice between at least an open configuration and a closed configuration. 9. The assembly of claim 8, wherein the controller is adapted to operate the valved orifice responsive to an output of the hydrogen-generation assembly. 10. The assembly of claim 8, wherein the controller is adapted to operate the valved orifice responsive to the pressure of the stored byproduct gas in the accumulator. 11. The assembly of claim 10, wherein the controller is adapted to open the valved orifice when the pressure of the stored byproduct gas in the accumulator is greater than a predetermined maximum threshold value, and to close the valved orifice when the pressure of the stored byproduct gas in the accumulator is lower than a selected range of a predetermined pressure range. 12. The assembly of claim 8, wherein the downstream component includes a heating assembly adapted to receive and combust the combustion fuel stream to produce a heated exhaust stream sufficient to heat and maintain a region of the hydrogen-generation assembly within a predetermined temperature range. 13. The assembly of claim 12, wherein the controller is adapted to operate the valved orifice responsive to the temperature of the region heated by the heating assembly. 14. The assembly of claim 12, wherein the region of the hydrogen-generation assembly includes the hydrogen-producing region. 15. The assembly of claim 8, wherein the controller is adapted to operate the valved orifice responsive to the pressure of the byproduct stream released from the PSA assembly. 16. The assembly of claim 15, further including a conduit adapted to convey, under pressure, the byproduct stream from the PSA assembly to the accumulator, and wherein the controller is adapted to operate the valved orifice responsive to the pressure of the byproduct stream in the conduit. 17. The assembly of claim 8, wherein the byproduct stream has a fuel value, and further wherein the controller is adapted to operate the valved orifice responsive to the fuel value of the byproduct stream released from the PSA assembly. 18. The assembly of claim 8, wherein the controller is adapted to operate the valved orifice responsive to the flow rate of the byproduct stream released from the PSA assembly. 19. A hydrogen-generation assembly, comprising: a fuel processing system having a hydrogen-producing region adapted to receive a feed stream and to produce a mixed gas stream containing hydrogen gas and other gases therefrom, wherein hydrogen gas forms a majority component of the mixed gas stream; a heating assembly adapted to receive and combust one or more streams having a combined combustion fuel value at least as great as a corresponding, predetermined threshold value and thereby produce a heated exhaust stream sufficient to heat and maintain at least the hydrogen-producing region within a predetermined temperature range for producing the mixed gas stream; a pressure swing adsorption (PSA) assembly adapted to separate at least a portion of the mixed gas stream into a product stream and a byproduct stream, wherein the product stream contains at least substantially pure hydrogen gas and has a reduced concentration of the other gases than the mixed gas stream, wherein the byproduct stream contains at least a substantial portion of the other gases, and further wherein the PSA assembly is adapted to intermittently discharge the byproduct stream; and a combustion stream supply system adapted to selectively supply the byproduct stream to the heating assembly and to also selectively supply, when a byproduct stream having at least a predetermined threshold fuel value is not discharged from the PSA assembly, an auxiliary fuel stream to the heating assembly, such that the one or more streams supplied to the heating assembly have a combined combustion fuel value at least as great as the corresponding, predetermined threshold value, the combustion stream supply system including: an accumulator adapted to receive and at least temporarily store, as stored byproduct gas, the byproduct gas of the byproduct stream intermittently discharged by the pressure swing adsorption assembly; a controlled release system adapted to continuously release stored byproduct gas from the accumulator at a first flow rate and selectively release stored byproduct gas from the accumulator at a second flow rate; and a delivery assembly adapted to receive from the controlled release system the byproduct gas released from the accumulator and to supply the received gas as a combustion fuel stream to the heating assembly. 20. The assembly of claim 19, wherein the controlled release system includes an orifice assembly with at least an open orifice, which is adapted to continuously release stored byproduct gas from the accumulator during the PSA cycle, and a valved orifice, which is adapted to selectively release stored byproduct gas from the accumulator during the PSA cycle, wherein the valved orifice is selectively configured between at least an open configuration and a closed configuration. 21. A method for maintaining a continuous supply of fuel to a heating assembly of a fuel processing system, the method comprising: receiving a mixed gas stream containing hydrogen gas and other gases, wherein the hydrogen gas forms a majority component of the mixed gas stream; separating the mixed gas stream during a PSA cycle of a pressure swing adsorption (PSA) assembly into a product stream and a byproduct stream, wherein the product stream contains a greater concentration of hydrogen gas than the mixed gas stream and has a reduced concentration of the other gases than the mixed gas stream, and further wherein the byproduct stream contains byproduct gas containing at least a substantial portion of the other gases; intermittently discharging the byproduct stream from the PSA assembly during the PSA cycle; receiving the byproduct stream in an accumulator adapted to receive and at least temporarily store, within a predetermined pressure range, the byproduct gas of the byproduct stream as stored byproduct gas; continuously releasing stored byproduct gas from the accumulator at a first flow rate; selectively releasing stored byproduct gas from the accumulator at a second flow rate; and supplying the released stored byproduct gas as a combustion fuel stream to the heating assembly. 22. The method of claim 21, wherein continuously releasing stored byproduct gas includes releasing stored byproduct gas through an open orifice, and wherein selectively releasing stored byproduct gas includes releasing stored byproduct gas through at least a valved orifice. 23. The method of claim 22, wherein selectively releasing stored byproduct gas includes selectively opening and closing the valved orifice responsive to the pressure of the gas in the accumulator. 24. The method of claim 23, wherein selectively releasing stored byproduct gas includes opening the valved orifice when the pressure of the stored byproduct gas in the accumulator is greater than a predetermined maximum threshold value, and closing the valved orifice when the pressure of the stored byproduct gas in the accumulator is lower than a predetermined minimum threshold value.
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