US2008023322A1PendingUtilityA1

Fuel processor

45
Individually held — no corporate assignee on recordPriority: Jul 27, 2006Filed: Jul 27, 2006Published: Jan 31, 2008
Est. expiryJul 27, 2026(expired)· nominal 20-yr term from priority
Inventors:Robert A. SinucArne BallantineMichael Gasda
H01M 8/0656Y02E60/50
45
PatentIndex Score
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Claims

Abstract

An electrochemical cell includes an anode, a cathode and a proton conductor. The anode includes a catalyst to reform a hydrocarbon to generate hydrogen at the anode. The proton conductor is in electrical contact with the anode and cathode to receive an applied voltage to cause protons to be transferred from the anode to the cathode to produce hydrogen at the cathode.

Claims

exact text as granted — not AI-modified
1 . An electrochemical cell, comprising:
 an anode comprising a catalyst to reform a hydrocarbon to generate hydrogen at the anode;   a cathode; and   a proton conductor in electrical contact with the anode and the cathode to receive an applied voltage to cause protons to be transferred from the anode to the cathode to produce hydrogen at the cathode.   
   
   
       2 . The electrochemical cell of  claim 1 , wherein the proton conductor comprises a solid proton conductor. 
   
   
       3 . The electrochemical cell of  claim 1 , wherein the proton conductor comprises yttrium-doped barium cerate. 
   
   
       4 . The electrochemical cell of  claim 1 , wherein the anode is substantially flat. 
   
   
       5 . The electrochemical cell of  claim 1 , wherein the anode is substantially tubular. 
   
   
       6 . The electrochemical cell of  claim 1 , wherein
 the hydrocarbon comprises methane, and   the catalyst is adapted to react the methane with oxygen to produce the first hydrogen.   
   
   
       7 . A system comprising:
 a voltage source to provide a voltage; and   a stack of solid state proton conducting cells comprising an anode chamber to receive a hydrocarbon flow and a cathode chamber, wherein the stack is adapted to respond to the voltage to produce significantly pure hydrogen in the cathode chamber in response to the hydrocarbon flow and the voltage.   
   
   
       8 . The system of  claim 7 , wherein each of the cells comprise a catalyst to react the hydrocarbon flow with oxygen to produce hydrogen at an anode of the cell. 
   
   
       9 . The system of  claim 7 , further comprising:
 a burner to supply thermal energy to the stack during startup of the stack.   
   
   
       10 . The system of  claim 7 , further comprising:
 a first conduit to communicate oxygen to the anode chamber; and   a second conduit to communicate the hydrocarbon flow to the anode chamber.   
   
   
       11 . The system of  claim 7 , wherein the stack comprises an outlet to the cathode chamber to supply said significantly pure hydrogen. 
   
   
       12 . The system of  claim 11 , further comprising:
 a purifier located downstream of the outlet to remove water from said significantly pure hydrogen.   
   
   
       13 . The system of  claim 7 , wherein the stack comprises an outlet to the anode chamber to supply an anode exhaust, the system further comprising:
 a burner to receive the anode exhaust.   
   
   
       14 . The system of  claim 7 , wherein the stack comprises an inlet to the anode chamber and an outlet to the anode chamber to supply an anode exhaust, the system further comprising:
 a feedback path to route at least some of the anode exhaust to the inlet.   
   
   
       15 . The system of  claim 7 , wherein said substantially pure hydrogen comprises ninety nine percent hydrogen by volume. 
   
   
       16 . A method comprising:
 flowing a hydrocarbon into an electrochemical cell comprising an anode, a cathode and a solid proton conductor; and   inside the cell, reforming the hydrocarbon and conducting protons through the solid proton conductor to produce hydrogen at the cathode in response to the reforming.   
   
   
       17 . The method of  claim 16 , further comprising flowing oxygen and the hydrocarbon into the anode of the cell. 
   
   
       18 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein the proton conductor comprises yttrium-doped barium cerate. 
   
   
       19 . A method comprising:
 flowing a hydrocarbon and oxygen into electrochemical cells;   providing catalysts in the cells to reform the hydrocarbon flow to produce a first hydrogen flow; and   applying voltages to the cells to produce a second hydrogen flow having a substantially higher hydrogen content than the first hydrogen flow.   
   
   
       20 . The method of  claim 19 , wherein the electrochemical cells are arranged in a stack. 
   
   
       21 . The method of  claim 19 , further comprising:
 providing solid proton conductors in the cells to produce the second hydrogen flow.   
   
   
       22 . The method of  claim 19 , wherein the flowing the oxygen comprises enriching an air stream with oxygen to produce an oxygen enriched air stream and flowing the oxygen enriched air stream to the electrochemical cells. 
   
   
       23 . The method of  claim 19 , wherein the flowing the hydrocarbon and oxygen into the electrochemical cells comprises flowing the hydrocarbon and oxygen into anode chambers of the electrochemical cells. 
   
   
       24 . A method comprising:
 forming an electrochemical cell having an anode and a cathode;   providing a catalyst at the anode to reform hydrocarbon; and   providing a solid proton conductor between the anode and cathode to transfer protons from the anode to the cathode to produce hydrogen in the cathode chamber.   
   
   
       25 . The method of  claim 24 , further comprising:
 forming the anode and cathode from substantially tubular members.   
   
   
       26 . The method of  claim 24 , wherein forming the anode and cathode from substantially flat members.

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