A device and method for producing a reformate fuel from a hydrocarbon gas source. The invention enables the conversion of a dilute hydrocarbon gas into a more easily consumable reformate fuel. Gases having low concentrations of hydrocarbons are concentrated using a concentrator into a gaseous or liquid concentrated VOC fuel. The concentrated VOC fuel is then converted into a reformate using a reformer. The reformate is more easily consumed by an energy conversion device such as a combustion engine, fuel cell, sterling engine or similar device that converts chemical energy into kinetic or electrical energy. The reformer enables complex hydrocarbon fuels that are not normally suitable for use in an energy conversion device to be converted into a reformate. The reformate may be directly supplied into the energy conversion device.

A device and method for producing a reformate fuel from a hydrocarbon gas source. The invention enables the conversion of a dilute hydrocarbon gas into a more easily consumable reformate fuel. Gases having low concentrations of hydrocarbons are concentrated using a concentrator into a gaseous or liquid concentrated VOC fuel. The concentrated VOC fuel is then converted into a reformate using a reformer. The reformate is more easily consumed by an energy conversion device such as a combustion engine, fuel cell, sterling engine or similar device that converts chemical energy into kinetic or electrical energy. The reformer enables complex hydrocarbon fuels that are not normally suitable for use in an energy conversion device to be converted into a reformate. The reformate may be directly supplied into the energy conversion device.

A membrane humidifier for a fuel cell, the membrane humidifier includes, a humidifier housing, and a bundle of hollow fiber membranes which has both ends potted by potting members and accommodated in the humidifier housing, wherein a bypass flow tube having a plurality of pores is also potted by the potting members in addition to the bundle of hollow fiber membranes, such that a part of dry air from an air blower is bypassed from the outside to the inside of the potting member through the bypass flow tube, and thereafter, the dry air is injected into an internal space of the humidifier housing where the bundle of hollow fiber membranes is present.

A device and method for producing a reformate fuel from a hydrocarbon gas source. The invention enables the conversion of a dilute hydrocarbon gas into a more easily consumable reformate fuel. Gases having low concentrations of hydrocarbons are concentrated using a concentrator into a gaseous or liquid concentrated VOC fuel. The concentrated VOC fuel is then converted into a reformate using a reformer. The reformate is more easily consumed by an energy conversion device such as a combustion engine, fuel cell, sterling engine or similar device that converts chemical energy into kinetic or electrical energy. The reformer enables complex hydrocarbon fuels that are not normally suitable for use in an energy conversion device to be converted into a reformate. The reformate may be directly supplied into the energy conversion device.

A system for generating electricity with reduced or negative carbon emissions includes a power plant section having an electricity generating unit that includes a solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC) system. The SOFC system includes a SOFC fuel cell reactor and a combustor with an energy exchange path. The combustor is coupled to the fuel cell reactor to combust unutilized fuel. The system also includes a direct air capture (DAC) section having a carbon dioxide (CO.sub.2) adsorption device having a CO.sub.2 adsorbent material and a ventilator electrically coupled to the electric generator for flowing ambient air through the CO.sub.2 adsorption device in a carbon capture mode. The CO.sub.2 adsorption device is coupled to and in energy communication with the energy exchange path for releasing adsorbed CO.sub.2 in a carbon release mode.

A fuel cell exhaust-gas system, in particular for a vehicle, includes a condenser for receiving water-containing fuel cell exhaust gas that has been discharged from a fuel cell unit. A separator, arranged downstream of the condenser, is provided for separating off water that has been condensed out of the water-containing fuel cell exhaust gas fed to the condenser. The separator includes an at least regionally arcuately curved separating channel delimited by a channel wall. The separating channel is surrounded at least in the region of an arc outer side by a separating chamber. A plurality of separating openings, which connect the separating channel to the separating chamber, are provided in the channel wall.

Systems and methods for recovery of gaseous substances from molten salt electrolysis are generally described. Certain systems comprise a cell configured for molten salt electrolysis; a collector fluidically connected to the cell and configured to collect volatilized molten salt from the cell; and a gas scrubber fluidically connected to the collector and configured to at least partially remove a gas from an effluent stream of the cell. Some methods comprise, using a pressure gradient: transporting a gas comprising molten salt vapor from an electrolytic cell to and through a collector such that at least a portion of the molten salt vapor forms a solid within the collector; and transporting some or all of the gas from the collector through a gas scrubber.

Provided herein are CO.sub.2-selective membranes that can be used to efficiently separate CO.sub.2 and CO. The membranes can be used to produce high-purity CO.sub.2 and CO gas streams from a feed gas stream comprising a mixture of CO.sub.2 and CO (e.g., an exhaust gas stream from a fuel cell, such as a solid oxide fuel cell). In this way, the membranes can be used with a solid oxide fuel cell system to covert CO.sub.2 to CO.

A method for treating products from a CO.sub.2 electrolysis process where carbon dioxide (CO.sub.2) and water (H.sub.2O) are electrochemically reacted in a cathode chamber of an electrolysis cell. Gaseous cathode products are formed which comprise ethylene (C.sub.2H.sub.4), hydrogen (H.sub.2) and carbon monoxide (CO). The products are treated in a multi-stage separating process. First, the cathodic product gas stream is fed to a desublimation process, where CO.sub.2 and water (H.sub.2O) are frozen out of, and separated from, the product gas stream. Next, the product gas stream is compressed to a pressure, and then the compressed product gas stream is fed to a gas permeation process, wherein hydrogen (H.sub.2) is separated off by passing the hydrogen through a hydrogen-permeable membrane. Next, the retentate which remains and which comprises ethylene (C.sub.2H.sub.4) and carbon monoxide (CO) is subjected to distillative separation, such that ethylene (C.sub.2H.sub.4) and carbon monoxide (CO) are separated.

A four-fluid bipolar plate for a fuel cell includes a nonporous sub-plate and a porous sub-plate. The nonporous sub-plate includes a water management side, an opposing reactant side, and an internal coolant passage therebetween. The water management side includes a recessed region over an area approximately equal to the active area, and the porous sub-plate is nested and sealed in the recessed region. The porous sub-plate includes a reactant side and an opposing water management side. The water management side is in fluid communication with the water management side of the nonporous sub-plate.