Steven L Burch

US Patent:

6544494, Apr 8, 2003

Filed:

May 14, 2001

Appl. No.:

09/853400

Inventors:

Steven G. Goebel - Victor NY
Steven D. Burch - Honeoye Falls NY
William Henry Pettit - Rochester NY

Assignee:

General Motors Corporation - Detroit MI

International Classification:

C01B 324

US Classification:

423650, 252373, 423651

Abstract:

Method of operating an autothermal reformer (ATR) to produce a high temperature reformate including preheating steam and air inputs to the ATR with heat from the reformate. The steam is heated by the reformate, and the air is then heated by the steam. There is no direct heat exchange between the reformate and the air. In the heat exchangers effecting the heat transfer, the steam is kept at a higher pressure that both the reformate and the air.

US Patent:

6615872, Sep 9, 2003

Filed:

Jul 3, 2001

Appl. No.:

09/897335

Inventors:

Steven G. Goebel - Victor NY
Steven D. Burch - Honeoye Falls NY
Thomas P. Migliore - Rochester NY

Assignee:

General Motors Corporation - Detroit MI

International Classification:

B01F 506

US Classification:

138 38, 138 37, 1651091, 366340

Abstract:

A flow translocator disposed within a conduit for transferring and separating laminar fluid flow during translocation of the fluid core to the outer perimeter of the conduit and the outer perimeter flow to the center of the conduit. The flow translocator includes a disk disposed transverse the length of a conduit and having an outer profile conforming to the inner profile of a conduit to form a sealed fit. Arrays of slots extend about the disk for simultaneously directing the fluid core to the inner profile of a conduit and the outer perimeter flow toward the fluid core. The slots are staggered to maintain separation of the fluid core and the outer perimeter fluid during translocation.

US Patent:

6630260, Oct 7, 2003

Filed:

Jul 20, 2001

Appl. No.:

09/910331

Inventors:

Jameson R. Forte - Rochester NY
Steven Burch - Honeoye Falls NY
Mark A. Brundage - Pittsford NY

Assignee:

General Motors Corporation - Detroit MI

International Classification:

H01M 804

US Classification:

429 19, 429 20, 429 26

Abstract:

A fuel cell system that extracts water from the effluent of a fuel cell for supply to other components of the fuel cell system that require water. A preferred embodiment is a fuel cell system, for the production of electricity from hydrogen gas and an oxidant, comprising: (a) a fuel cell comprising an anode input for a hydrogen-containing anode supply stream, a cathode input for an oxidant-containing cathode supply stream, and a cathode output for cathode effluent comprising water produced by said fuel cell; and (b) a water transfer device, connected to said fuel cell, that transfers water from said cathode effluent to said anode supply stream.

US Patent:

6709780, Mar 23, 2004

Filed:

Apr 30, 2002

Appl. No.:

10/136843

Inventors:

Donald H. Keskula - Webster NY
Bruce J. Clingerman - Palmyra NY
Steven D. Burch - Honeoye Falls NY
Paul T. Yu - Pittsford NY

Assignee:

General Motors Corporation - Detroit MI

International Classification:

H01M 804

US Classification:

429 25, 429 13

Abstract:

A control system controls steam in a fuel cell system including a fuel processor. A fuel cell has run, standby and shutdown operating modes. A fuel processor provides reformate to the fuel cell. A pressure sensor generates a pressure signal based on a pressure of steam supplied to the fuel processor. A valve directs steam to or vents steam away from the fuel processor. A controller communicates with the pressure sensor, the fuel cell and the valve and controls the valve based on the operating mode of the fuel cell and the pressure signal. The controller opens the valve during the shutdown mode. The controller closes the valve during the run operating mode. The controller initially closes the valve during the standby mode. The controller opens the valve if the pressure signal exceeds a first predetermined pressure value and closes the valve when the pressure falls.

US Patent:

6805721, Oct 19, 2004

Filed:

Jan 10, 2002

Appl. No.:

10/044130

Inventors:

Steven D. Burch - Honeoye Falls NY 14472
Steven G. Goebel - Victor NY 14564
William H. Pettit - Rochester NY 14623

International Classification:

B01F 302

US Classification:

481983, 481981, 481987, 423650, 423651, 423652

Abstract:

An improved fuel processor thermal management system for use with a fuel cell is disclosed. The process includes supplying an air stream and a fuel stream into a auto thermal reactor (ATR) and forming reformate gas therein. Then, preferentially oxidizing the reformate gas and the air stream in the preferential oxidizer reactor (PrOx). The temperature of the preferential oxidizer reaction is controlled with a water stream by vaporizing the water stream to form a first portion of vaporized water. Then, reacting the air stream with the reformate gas exiting the PrOx is reached in a fuel cell to form an anode exhaust stream which is subsequently combined with the air stream to heat the water stream to form a second portion of vaporized water. The first portion of vaporized water and the second portion of vaporized water form a steam fluid. The steam fluid heats the auto thermal reactor and the air stream prior to entering the ATR and the reformate gas prior to entering the water shift gas reactor (WGS) to control the temperature of the reformate gas.

US Patent:

6838062, Jan 4, 2005

Filed:

Nov 19, 2001

Appl. No.:

09/992171

Inventors:

Steven G. Goebel - Victor NY, US
William H. Pettit - Rochester NY, US
Steven D. Burch - Honeoye Falls NY, US
Paul T. Yu - Pittsford NY, US
Yan Zhang - Rochester NY, US
Michael D. Cartwright - Naples NY, US

Assignee:

General Motors Corporation - Detroit MI

International Classification:

H01M 804

US Classification:

422198, 429 17, 429 13, 429 26, 429 20, 429 22, 429 24

Abstract:

A fuel processor for rapid start and operational control. The fuel processor includes a reformer, a shift reactor, and a preferential oxidation reactor for deriving hydrogen for use in creating electricity in a plurality of H—Ofuel cells. A heating and cooling mechanism is coupled to at least the shift reactor for controlling the critical temperature operation of the shift reactor without the need for a separate cooling loop. This heating and cooling mechanism produces or removes thermal energy as a product of the temperature of the combustion of air and fuel. Anode effluent and cathode effluent or air are used to control the temperature output of the heating mechanism. A vaporizer is provided that heats the PrOx reactor to operating temperature.

US Patent:

6875246, Apr 5, 2005

Filed:

Jul 20, 2001

Appl. No.:

09/910307

Inventors:

Steven Burch - Honeoye Falls NY, US
Jameson R. Forte - Rochester NY, US
Mark A. Brundage - Pittsford NY, US

Assignee:

General Motors Corporation - Detroit MI

International Classification:

H01M008/04
C01B003/32
B01J008/02

US Classification:

48 61, 48127, 48128, 48 78, 422177, 429 19, 429 34

Abstract:

A hydrocarbon fuel reformer that is supplied with water vapor extracted from the reformer's effluent stream. In particular, the present invention provides a power plant fuel processor for the production of hydrogen from a hydrocarbon fuel, comprising:.

US Patent:

6875407, Apr 5, 2005

Filed:

Jan 21, 2000

Appl. No.:

09/889623

Inventors:

Steven D. Burch - Honeoye Falls NY, US
Terry R. Penney - Lakewood CO, US

Assignee:

Benteler Automotive Corporation - Auburn Hills MI

International Classification:

B01D053/34
B01D053/92
F01N003/28
F01N007/14

US Classification:

422179, 422173, 422174, 422177, 422180

Abstract:

A thermally-activated exhaust treatment device, such as a catalytic converter () adapted to control exhaust emissions in a vehicle, includes a core having an inner housing () and a catalytic material () chosen to reduce undesirable emissions from the exhaust of a combustion engine. A jacket includes an outer housing () enclosing the inner housing () but characteristically not contacting the inner housing (). The inner and outer housings () include walls () forming a vacuum-drawn sealed insulation cavity () around the inner housing (). A chamber () positioned adjacent the inner housing () includes low melting point metal phase change material (). A thermal management system is operably connected to the insulation cavity () that is constructed to control heat flow from the inner housing () to maximize the time the catalytic material () is within a predetermined optimum temperature operating range or limit catalyst maximum temperature.