Trapping method and system for energy conversion devices

Abstract

A trap for an energy conversion device comprises a trapping system comprising a filter element and a trap element, and fluidly coupled to a reforming system. The trapping system is monitored by a combination of devices including an on-board diagnostic system, a temperature sensor, and a pressure differential sensor, which can individually or in combination determine when to regenerate the trapping system. The method for trapping sulfur and particulate matter using the trapping system comprises dispensing fuel into the energy conversion device. The fuel is processed in a reformer system to produce a reformate. The reformate is introduced into the trapping system and filtered to remove particulate matter and sulfur.

1 . (canceled)  
   
   
       2 . (canceled)  
   
   
       3 . (canceled)  
   
   
       4 . (canceled)  
   
   
       5 . (canceled)  
   
   
       6 . (canceled)  
   
   
       7 . (canceled)  
   
   
       8 . (canceled)  
   
   
       9 . (canceled)  
   
   
       10 . (canceled)  
   
   
       11 . (canceled)  
   
   
       12 . (canceled)  
   
   
       13 . (canceled)  
   
   
       14 . (canceled)  
   
   
       15 . (canceled)  
   
   
       16 . (canceled)  
   
   
       17 . (canceled)  
   
   
       18 . (canceled)  
   
   
       19 . (canceled)  
   
   
       20 . A method for trapping particulate matter and sulfur in an energy conversion device, comprising: 
 dispensing a fuel into the energy conversion device;    processing said fuel in a reformer system to produce a reformate;    coupling said reformer to a trapping system;    filtering said reformate using said trapping system; and    regenerating said trapping system.    
   
   
       21 . The method of  claim 20 , wherein said processing said fuel is via an exothermic reaction.  
   
   
       22 . The method of  claim 20 , wherein said processing said fuel is via catalytic oxidation.  
   
   
       23 . The method of  claim 20 , further comprising fluidly coupling a reformate control valve to said trapping system.  
   
   
       24 . The method of  claim 23 , further comprising fluidly coupling a solid oxide fuel cell to said reformate control valve.  
   
   
       25 . The method of  claim 23 , further comprising fluidly coupling a waste energy recovery burner to said reformate control valve.  
   
   
       26 . The method of  claim 20 , further comprising fluidly coupling a temperature sensor to said trapping system.  
   
   
       27 . The method of  claim 20 , further comprising fluidly coupling a pressure differential sensor to said trapping system.  
   
   
       28 . The method of  claim 20 , further comprising fluidly coupling a waste energy burner device to a solid oxide fuel cell, wherein said solid oxide fuel cell is fluid coupled to a reformate control valve, wherein said reformate control valve is fluidly coupled to said trapping system.  
   
   
       29 . The method of  claim 20 , further comprising monitoring said trapping system using a temperature sensor.  
   
   
       30 . The method of  claim 20 , further comprising monitoring said trapping system using a pressure differential sensor.  
   
   
       31 . The method of  claim 20 , further comprising monitoring said trapping system using an on-board diagnostic system.  
   
   
       32 . The method of  claim 20 , further comprising monitoring said trapping system using a device selected from the group consisting of an on-board diagnostic system, temperature sensor, pressure differential sensor, and combinations comprising at least one of the foregoing devices.  
   
   
       33 . The method of  claim 20 , wherein said regenerating further comprises elevating an operating temperature of said energy recovery device to trigger regeneration of said trapping system.  
   
   
       34 . The method of  claim 33 , wherein said elevating said operating temperature further comprises diverting a reformate flow to a waste energy recovery burner system using a reformate control valve, wherein said waste energy recovery burner system burns said reformate to elevate said operating temperature of said energy recovery device.  
   
   
       35 . The method of  claim 34 , wherein said elevating said operating temperature further comprises heating a reformate flow in a reformer using a heating element or a heating device.  
   
   
       36 . The method of  claim 20 , wherein said regenerating further comprises introducing an oxidizing reformate mixture into said energy conversion device to trigger regeneration of said trapping system.  
   
   
       37 . The method of  claim 20 , wherein said regenerating further comprises introducing a reducing reformate mixture into said energy conversion device to trigger regeneration of said trapping system.  
   
   
       38 . A trap for use with energy conversion devices comprising: 
 a trapping system comprising a filter element and a trap element, said filter element including a catalyst, said trap element including a sulfur adsorber material;    a reforming system; and    wherein said reforming system is fluidly coupled to said trapping system, with said trapping system positioned after said reforming system.    
   
   
       39 . The trap as in  claim 38 , wherein said catalyst further comprises a catalyst material selected from the group consisting of platinum, palladium, rhodium, nickel, iron, cobalt, molybdenum, tungsten, vanadium, niobium, tantalum, their oxides and sulfides, and combinations comprising at least one of the foregoing catalyst materials.  
   
   
       40 . The trap as in  claim 38 , wherein said sulfur adsorber material selected from the group consisting of nickel, iron, zinc, copper, molybdenum, manganese, vanadium, niobium, cobalt, their alloys and oxides, and combinations comprising at least one of the foregoing sulfur adsorber materials.