Architectures for electrochemical systems

摘要

The present invention generally relates to electrochemical systems for producing hydrogen and/or power. Various aspects of the invention are directed to reactor designs for producing hydrogen and/or power from a fuel and water, conducting ceramics and other materials for such systems, including mixed ionically and electrically conducting ceramics which can be used for hydrogen gas generation, control systems for such systems, and methods of operating such systems.

主权项

1. A system, comprising:
a source of fuel; a source of water; a housing; an oxidation chamber in fluidic communication with the source of fuel and a source of oxidant, the oxidation chamber operative to produce an output product stream including oxidized fuel; a reaction chamber downstream from and in fluidic communication with the oxidation chamber and configured to receive a single fuel input stream consisting of the output product stream including oxidized fuel from the oxidation chamber, the reaction chamber operative to produce a further output stream including further oxidized fuel; a cleanup chamber downstream from and in fluidic communication with the reaction chamber and the source of oxidant, the cleanup chamber operative to further oxidize any unoxidized products present in the further output stream from the reaction chamber; and a water conversion chamber, contained within but fluidically separate from the reaction chamber at least in part by a mixed ionically and electronically conductive material to supply ions to the reaction chamber for reaction within the reaction chamber to produce the further output stream, the water conversion chamber in fluidic communication with the source of water, the water conversion chamber operative to produce a hydrogen output product stream fluidically separate from the reaction chamber and the further output stream; wherein water from the source of water enters the water conversion chamber through a water input port; wherein the hydrogen output product stream exits the water conversion chamber through a hydrogen output port; wherein each of the oxidation chamber, the reaction chamber, the water conversion chamber within the reaction chamber, and the cleanup chamber are contained within the housing; wherein the hydrogen output product stream is substantially pure and free of contaminants; wherein the cleanup chamber is configured to receive a single input stream from the reaction chamber consisting of the further output stream of the reaction chamber; and wherein the water conversion chamber, the water input port and the hydrogen output port are all disposed within the reaction chamber.