THOMAS G HUGHES
Engineers in State College, PA

5867978, Feb 9, 1999

May 9, 1997

8/853284

Martin Klanchar - State College PA
Thomas G. Hughes - State College PA

The Penn State Research Foundation - University Park PA

F02C 600

60 39182

A process and apparatus are disclosed for generating hydrogen gas from a charge of fuel selected from the group consisting of lithium and alloys of lithium and aluminum. The charge of fuel is placed into an enclosed vessel, then heated until it is molten. A reactant consisting of water is introduced into the vessel, as by spraying from a nozzle, for reaction with the charge of fuel resulting in the production of hydrogen gas and heat which are withdrawn from the vessel. Prior to initiation of the process, an inert gas atmosphere, such as argon, may be imparted to the interior of the vessel. A sufficiently large mass flow of the reactant through the nozzle is maintained to assure that there be no diminution of flow resulting from the formation on the nozzle of fuel and chemical compounds of the fuel. Optimum charges of the fuel are application specific and the ranges of the constituents are dependent upon the particular use of the system. The process and apparatus of the invention may be incorporated into a Rankine cycle engine or into a hydrogen oxygen fuel cell system.

5634341, Jun 3, 1997

Dec 4, 1995

8/566486

Martin Klanchar - State College PA
Thomas G. Hughes - State College PA

The Penn State Research Foundation - University Park PA

C01B 308, F01K 2506

60673

A process and apparatus are disclosed for generating hydrogen gas from a charge of fuel selected from the group consisting of lithium and alloys of lithium and aluminum. The charge of fuel is placed into an enclosed vessel, then heated until it is molten. A reactant consisting of water is introduced into the vessel, as by spraying from a nozzle, for reaction with the charge of fuel resulting in the production of hydrogen gas and heat which are withdrawn from the vessel. Prior to initiation of the process, an inert gas atmosphere, such as argon, may be imparted to the interior of the vessel. A sufficiently large mass flow of the reactant through the nozzle is maintained to assure that there be no diminution of flow resulting from the formation on the nozzle of fuel and chemical compounds of the fuel. Optimum charges of the fuel are application specific and the ranges of the constituents are dependent upon the particular use of the system. The process and apparatus of the invention may be incorporated into a Rankine cycle engine or into a hydrogen oxygen fuel cell system.

5376352, Dec 27, 1994

Oct 5, 1993

8/132021

Jonathan A. Peters - State College PA
Martin Klanchar - State College PA
Thomas G. Hughes - State College PA
James C. Mankin - Port Matilda PA

The Penn State Research Foundation - University Park PA

C01B 1302, A62B 2100

423579

A method and apparatus for storing and retrieving oxygen are provided on a steady flow basis. The temperature of a storage vessel containing lithium perchlorate (LiClO. sub. 4) in the solid state is raised until a molten bath of the LiClO. sub. 4 is formed. The molten bath of LiClO. sub. 4 is maintained at a setpoint temperature which is less than the temperature at which substantial decomposition of the LiClO. sub. 4 occurs. The molten LiClO. sub. 4 is then caused to flow from the storage vessel to a reaction vessel whose temperature is raised sufficiently to assure essentially instantaneous and complete decomposition of the LiClO. sub. 4. Specifically, within the reaction vessel, a spray of the molten LiClO. sub. 4 is directed toward an internal target surface, upon the impingement with which decomposition of the molten LiClO. sub. 4 into LiCl and O. sub. 2 occurs.