Ceramic compositions with catalytic activity are provided, along with methods for using such catalytic ceramic compositions. The ceramic compositions correspond to compositions that can acquire increased catalytic activity by cyclic exposure of the ceramic composition to reducing and oxidizing environments at a sufficiently elevated temperature. The ceramic compositions can be beneficial for use as catalysts in reaction environments involving swings of temperature and/or pressure conditions, such as a reverse flow reaction environment. Based on cyclic exposure to oxidizing and reducing conditions, the surface of the ceramic composition can be converted from a substantially fully oxidized state to various states including at least some dopant metal particles supported on a structural oxide surface.

Apparatuses for gasifying glycerol using solar energy, system including the apparatuses, and methods of using the apparatuses are provided. The apparatuses may include a concentrated solar dish comprising an opening and a gasifying reactor comprising a chamber. An entrance of the chamber may be aligned to the opening. The apparatuses may also include a thermal insulator disposed on outer surfaces of the concentrated solar dish and the gasifying reactor and a pipe in the thermal insulator. The pipe may be configured to deliver glycerol into the chamber of the gasifying reactor in the form of atomized mist. The glycerol may be delivered to a portion of the chamber adjacent the opening.

A heat exchange module including a corrugated top heat exchange substrate and a corrugated bottom heat exchange substrate, and tubes that extend in a width direction (W) between the top and bottom substrates in heat exchanging contact with ridges of the substrates. A top and a bottom casing member contacts the substrates and each has a transverse side wall with slits oriented in the transverse direction (T) and accommodating the tubes. The side walls of the top and bottom casing members overlap and are mutually connected by soldering or brazing.

Hydrogen generation assemblies, hydrogen purification devices, and their components, and methods of manufacturing those assemblies, devices, and components are disclosed. In some embodiments, the devices may include an insulation base having insulating material and at least one passage that extends through the insulating material. In some embodiments, the at least one passage may be in fluid communication with a combustion region.

A bifunctional catalyst for example for conversion of oxygenates, the bifunctional catalyst comprising zeolite, alumina binder, Zn and P, wherein Zn is present at least partly as ZnAl.sub.2O.sub.4.

A metal/α-MoC.sub.1-x load-type single-atomic dispersion catalyst, a synthesis method therefor, and applications thereof. The catalyst uses α-MoC.sub.1-x as carrier, and has metal that has the mass fraction ranging from 1-100% and that is dispersed on carrier α-MoC.sub.1-x in the single atom form. The catalyst provided in the present application can be adapted to a wide alcohol/water proportion in hydrogen production based on aqueous-phase reforming of alcohols, outstanding hydrogen production performance can be obtained at a variety of proportions, and catalysis performance of the catalyst is much higher than that of metal loaded with an oxide carrier. Especially when the metal is Pt, catalysis performance of the catalyst provided in the present application in the hydrogen production based on aqueous-phase reforming of alcohols is much higher than that of a Pt/α-MoC.sub.1-x load-type catalyst on the α-MoC.sub.1-x carrier on which Pt is disposed on a layer form in the prior art. The hydrogen production performance of the catalyst provided in the present application can be higher than 20,000 h.sup.−1 at the temperature of 190° C.

Hydrogen generation assemblies, hydrogen purification devices, and their components are disclosed. In some embodiments, the devices may include a permeate frame with a membrane support structure having first and second membrane support plates that are free from perforations and that include a plurality of microgrooves configured to provide flow channels for at least part of the permeate stream. In some embodiments, the assemblies may include a return conduit fluidly connecting a buffer tank and a reformate conduit, a return valve assembly configured to manage flow in the return conduit, and a control assembly configured to operate a fuel processing assembly between run and standby modes based, at least in part, on detected pressure in the buffer tank and configured to direct the return valve assembly to allow product hydrogen stream to flow from the buffer tank to the reformate conduit when the fuel processing assembly is in the standby mode.

The invention relates to a catalyst useful in the steam reforming of hydrocarbons and oxygenated hydrocarbons. The invention provides a method for preparing a catalyst comprising heating a spinel of formula ANi.sub.xFe.sub.(1-X)CrO.sub.4 where A is Mn or Mg and x is from 0 to 0.75 under reducing conditions at a temperature of from 800 to 1500° C., and catalysts obtainable by said method.

A bifunctional catalyst for example for conversion of oxygenates, said bifunctional catalyst comprising zeolite, alumina binder, Zn and P, wherein Zn is present at least partly as ZnAl.sub.2O.sub.4.

Hydrogen generation assemblies and methods of generating hydrogen are disclosed. In some embodiments, the method may include receiving a feed stream in a fuel processing assembly of the hydrogen generation assembly; and generating a product hydrogen stream in the fuel processing assembly from the received feed stream. Generating a product hydrogen stream may, in some embodiments, include generating an output stream in a hydrogen generating region from the received feed stream, and generating the product hydrogen stream in a purification region from the output stream. The method may additionally include receiving the generated product hydrogen stream in a buffer tank of the hydrogen generation assembly; and detecting pressure in the buffer tank via a tank sensor assembly. The method may further include stopping generation of the product hydrogen stream in the fuel processing assembly when the detected pressure in the buffer tank is above a predetermined maximum pressure.