SEALANTS FOR HIGH PRESSURE HYDROGEN GAS STORAGE AND TRANSPORTATION (iEdison No. 0685901-23-0249)
Rubber sealant formulations made of ethylene propylene diene monomer (EPDM), thermally conductive, hydrogen barrier, and reinforcing fillers, as well as liquid rubber, antioxidant, and abrasion resistance additives have been explored. The formulations can be peroxide cured to produce thermosetting elastomers with excellent thermomechanical properties, very low equilibrium hydrogen concentrations, as low as 2.2 wt ppm/mm3, and a high thermal conductivity. No chemical or mechanical failures were observed under high hydrogen pressure up to 90 MPa and during the rapid decompression process. The densities and the chemical structures (FTIR) of all formulations are the same with no significant changes before and after the thermal desorption analysis (TDA). In addition, the in-situ swelling during rapid decompression rate of 15 MP/min from high hydrogen pressure of 90 MPa was approximately 39 ± 2% compared to 80 to 250% for other EPDM formulations reported previously. All the invented formulations have extremely low equilibrium hydrogen concentrations and low swealing% under high hydrogen pressure compared to the commercially available sealants currently used in hydrogen storage and transportation infrastructure (2.2-2.9 compared to 6 to 50 wt ppm/mm3). The invented formulations can be used as outstanding and cost-effective alternatives to the sealants currently used in the manufacture of hydrogen storage vessels, tanks, and fuel stations.
METHOD AND SYSTEM EMBODIMENTS FOR CONVERTING ETHANOL TO PARA-XYLENE AND ORTHO-XYLENE (iEdison No. 0685901-19-0012)
In collaboration with LanzaTech we have developed a chemistry to generate p-xylene from ethanol. The innovation involves the conversion of ethanol derived acetaldehyde to p-methylbenzaldehyde over mixed oxide catalyst followed by the conversion to p-xylene via hydrogenolysis (ethanol → acetaldehyde → p-methyl benzaldehyde → p-xylene). Among aromatics, the production distribution contains only p-xylene, o-xylene and benzene. Typical p-xylene synthesis (both conventional and renewable) process contains range of aromatics (e.g. benzene, toluene, o-xylene, ethyl benzene, m-xylene, p-xylene etc.) that needs to be purified via the expensive separation process. The simple aromatic stream provides to major advantages over the conventional and other renewable technologies. 1) The aromatic mixture to p-xylene separation/purification steps become simpler and cheaper 2) Enables to build a modular plant to meet the local renewable feedstock availability and reduces the feedstock transportation cost
Controller for Hybrid Energy Storage
A controller is disclosed for hybrid systems providing power to an electrical power grid. The controller reduces wear on hybrid systems by having only a fast unit tuned to track fluctuations of a regulation signal in a normal mode of operation. By contrast, the slow unit does not track fluctuations in the regulation signal in the normal mode of operation, which reduces wear on the slow unit. The normal mode of operation is defined by an energy range of the fast unit. Energy band parameters associated with the energy range can be dynamically modified in order to optimize the efficiency of the hybrid system.
Thermal Energy Storage Apparatus, Controllers and Thermal Energy Storage Control Methods
An algorithm and hardware were designed built and tested in a laboratory setting to show effective frequency regulation using a conventional electric water heater that has been retrofitted with a water heater controller that was protected separately.
SYSTEM AND METHOD EMBODIMENTS FOR COMBINED ELECTROCHEMICAL CARBON DIOXIDE REDUCTION AND METHANOL OXIDATION (iEdison No. 0685901-21-0139)
We developed an electrochemical concept that converts carbon dioxide to ethylene glycol through the reduction of carbon dioxide to carbon monoxide on a cathode and oxidation of methanol to formaldehyde on an anode using a single electrochemical reactor.
SYSTEM AND PROCESS FOR ELECTROCHEMICAL UPGRADING OF BIO-OILS AND BIOCRUDES
A system and process are disclosed for electrochemically upgrading bio-oils and bio-crudes that enhance yields of selected reduction products for subsequent production of bio-based fuels.
CONVERTING ACRYLIC FIBERS TO AMIDOXIME-CARBOXYLATE CONTAINING POLYMER ADSORBENTS FOR SEQUESTERING URANIUM AND OTHER ELEMENTS FROM WATER
A fiber comprising a carbon chain backbone and amidoxime, carboxylate, and nitrile pendant groups. The fiber may be used for removing uranium from seawater and toxic metals from drinking water.
HIGHLY STABLE PHENAZINE DERIVATIVES FOR AQUEOUS REDOX FLOW BATTERIES
In this report, rationally functionalized, highly water-soluble phenazine derivatives are disclosed as a new class of redox-active anolyte material for aqueous redox flow batteries. These compounds are compatible with basic electrolytes leading to relatively high rate performance. They have sufficiently low redox potential (-1V vs Ag/AgCl) in basic electrolytes, which can enable high voltage flow batteries systems. In addition, they have two electron transfers and this is very helpful to improve their energy density by double. When coupled with potassium ferrocyanide, the flow cell exhibited a relatively stable cycling for ~300 cycles at 20 mA/cm2. The great cyclability indicate that these compounds and their charged species are chemically very stable, promising for highly durable flow battery systems. Moreover, these compounds can be synthesized from very inexpensive precursors through simple one-step synthesis. This feature allows easy molecular engineering to enable high solubilities and can lead to high cost-effectiveness redox materials. Therefore, the organic phenazine derivative compounds are expected to be promising material candidates to achieve competitive aqueous redox flow batteries that have high voltage, high energy density, good power density, long durability, and low cost.