HYDROTHERMAL LIQUEFACTION SYSTEM (iEdison No. 0685901-19-0011)
Using a two stage heat exchanger with two independent heat exchanger designs to heat up HTL feedstock will drastically reduce the capital investment for a HTL plant. The first stage HTL heat exchanger will be rated for lower pressure, and maximize the heat exchanger area by reducing the tube size within the pressure drop limits of the system. The second heat exchanger will involve large tubes to produce a turbulent stream, thereby changing the heat transfer regime and drastically increasing the heat transfer. The second heat exchanger will be rated for high pressure.
ACTIVE MAGNETIC REGENERATIVE LIQUEFIER USING PROCESS GAS PRE-COOLING FROM BYPASS FLOW OF HEAT TRANSFER FLUID
A process for liquefying a process gas comprising: introducing a heat transfer fluid into an active magnetic regenerative refrigerator apparatus that comprises (i) a high magnetic field section in which the heat transfer fluid flows from a cold side to a hot side through at least one magnetized bed of at least one magnetic refrigerant, (ii) a first no heat transfer fluid flow section in which the bed is demagnetized, (iii) a low magnetic or demagnetized field section in which the heat transfer fluid flows from a hot side to a cold side through the demagnetized bed, and (iv) a second no heat transfer fluid flow section in which the bed is magnetized; continuously diverting a bypass portion of the heat transfer fluid from the cold side of the low magnetic or demagnetized field section into a bypass flow heat exchanger at a first cold inlet temperature; and continuously introducing the process gas into the bypass flow heat exchanger at a first hot inlet temperature and discharging the process gas or liquid from the bypass flow heat exchanger at a first cold exit temperature; wherein the temperature difference between bypass heat transfer first cold inlet temperature and the process gas first cold exit temperature is 1 to 5 K.
Palladium Catalyzed Hydrogenation of Bio-oils and Organic Compounds
Biomass fast pyrolysis oil (bio-oil) can serve as feedstock for production of useful chemicals by catalytic hydrogenation over a ruthenium metal catalyst. The chemical products include a suite of cyclohexanols, such as cyclohexanol, 4-alkylcyclohexanols, 1,2-cyclohexanediol, 4-alkyl-1,2-cyclohexanediol, 2-methoxycyclohexanol, and 4-alkyl-2-methoxycyclohexanols, as well as similar cyclohexanones. (alkyl = methyl, ethyl and propyl). The hydrogenation is accomplished at temperatures of 180 to 280 degrees Celsius and operating pressures of 2000 psig.
TRANSACTIVE CONTROL FRAMEWORK AND TOOLKIT FUNCTIONS
"Transactive control and coordination" features market-like mechanisms for the selection of resources and demand-side assets in an electric power grid. Battelle has been developing this technology at its Pacific Northwest National Laboratory since the 1990's and completed an often-cited field pilot demonstrations of one embodiment of the technology in its Gridwise Olymipic Peninsula Project [PNNL 2007]. Battelle presently leads the Pacific Northwest Smart Grid Demonstration, an ARRA project that also includes participants from 11 utiltiy sites, the Bonneville Power Administration, and about seven entities that are helping Battelle formulate, implement, and test an embodiment of transactive control and coordination. The new embodiment was found necessary and was influenced by the geographical expanse of the demonstration (a five-state region), the fact that the demonstration operates across grid regulation and business boundaries, the immense diversity of participating resources and loads to be coordinated, and the fact that the embodiment must function at multiple scales (both large areas of the transmission region and at individual devices). The locations on the electric power grid that complete the algorithms of the embodiment are herein called "transactive nodes." This invention report first incorporates the "algorithmic framework," the highest-level algorithmic responsibilities that are to be conducted at a transactive node. A document was drafted by Battelle staff that teaches the algorithmic framework. Two functional blocks within the algorithmic framework allow for the further incorporation of (1) "toolkit resource functions" and (2) 'toolkit load functions." Depending on the unique features extant at a given transactive node (e.g., certain types of generation resources, inelastic electrical loads, other loads that might be responsive to a price-like signal in a demand-responsive way), one or more toolkit functions and their unique functionality may be incorprated. These toolkit functions respectively modify the formulation of the price-like signal by the framework, or modify the amount of load that is to be generated or consumed by assets at this grid location. The functions also advise the control of responsive assets.
COST EFFECTIVE SYNTHESIS OF OXIDE MATERIALS FOR LITHIUM ION BATTERIES (iEdison No. 0685901-20-0044)
High-Energy-Density, Aqueous, Metal-Polyiodide Redox Flow Batteries
Improved metal-based redox flow batteries (RFBs) can utilize a metal and a divalent cation of the metal (M2+) as an active redox couple for a first electrode and electrolyte, respectively, in a first half-cell. For example, the metal can be Zn. The RFBs can also utilize a second electrolyte having I−, anions of Ix (for x≧3), or both in an aqueous solution, wherein the I− and the anions of Ix (for x≧3) compose an active redox couple in a second half-cell.
ANODE-FREE RECHARGEABLE BATTERY
An anode-free rechargeable battery is disclosed. The battery includes an anode current collector and a cathode containing an active cation M.sup.n+, where n=1, 2, or 3. The anode-free rechargeable battery further includes a separator placed between the anode current collector and the cathode. The anode-free rechargeable battery also includes an electrolyte including a salt or salt mixture containing an active cation M.sup.n+ dissolved in a solvent or solvent mixture.
Water Heater Control Module
An advanced electric water heater control system that interfaces with a high temperature cut-off thermostat and an upper regulating thermostat. The system includes a control module that is electrically connected to the high-temperature cut-off thermostat and the upper regulating thermostat. The control module includes a switch to open or close the high-temperature cut-off thermostat and the upper regulating thermostat. The control module further includes circuitry configured to control said switch in response to a signal selected from the group of an autonomous signal, a communicated signal, and combinations thereof.
Methods for both coating a substrate with aluminum oxide and infusing the substrate with elemental aluminum
Methods of aluminizing the surface of a metal substrate. The methods of the present invention do not require establishment of a vacuum or a reducing atmosphere, as is typically necessary. Accordingly, aluminization can occur in the presence of oxygen, which greatly simplifies and reduces processing costs by allowing deposition of the aluminum coating to be performed, for example, in air. Embodiments of the present invention can be characterized by applying a slurry that includes a binder and powder granules containing aluminum to the metal substrate surface. Then, in a combined step, a portion of the aluminum is diffused into the substrate and a portion of the aluminum is oxidized by heating the slurry to a temperature greater than the melting point of the aluminum in an oxygen-containing atmosphere.
Copper Substituted Perovskite Compositions for Solid Oxide Fuel Cell Cathodes and Oxygen Reduction Electrodes in other Electrochemical Devices
A new material, copper doped Lanthanum Strontium Ferrite, was developed that shows superior kinetics in the electro-reduction of oxygen. The generic formulation is La1-xSrxCu1-yFeyO3 (LSCuF) where x ranges from 0 to .5 and y varies from 0 to .5. Lal-xSrxFeO3 (LSF) without copper doping represents the current state of the art in oxygen reduction cathodes for use in solid oxide fuel cells. Doping with copper substantially improves the electrocatalytic activity. In addition to relatively low overpotentials for oxygen reduction, the new materials show minimal decrease in activity with decrease in temperature. The LSCuF materials have potential applications in solid oxide fuel cells, oxygen sensors, active electrolytic oxygen pumps, passive mixed conductor oxygen pumps, and nitrous oxide sensors.