Jud W. Virden

Compact plasmatron-boosted hydrogen generation technology for vehicular applications

Abstract Onboard hydrogen generation using compact plasmatron devices could provide important new possibilities for reducing pollution from motor vehicles, making use of alternative fuels, and increasing engine efficiency. These improvements would involve the use of the plasmatron as a very small, rugged, rapid response and highly flexible means of electrical heating of gases. Plasmatron heating could be used to facilitate conversion of a wide range of hydrocarbon fuels into hydrogen-rich gas onboard a vehicle. Use of combinations of fuels is possible through potential transformation of a variety of fuels into hydrogen-rich gas. Another advantage of use of onboard plasmatron generation of hydrogen is that it could be used only when required and could be readily turned on and off. Preliminary experimental studies of plasmatron conversion of difficult-to-use alternative fuels (biofuels), iso-octane (representative of gasoline), and diesel fuel are described. Concepts for application to trucks and other heavy duty vehicles, sport utility vehicles and automobiles are discussed.

Compact plasmatron-boosted hydrogen generation technology for vehicular applicationsfn2

Abstract Onboard hydrogen generation using compact plasmatron devices could provide important new possibilities for reducing pollution from motor vehicles, making use of alternative fuels, and increasing engine efficiency. These improvements would involve the use of the plasmatron as a very small, rugged, rapid response and highly flexible means of electrical heating of gases. Plasmatron heating could be used to facilitate conversion of a wide range of hydrocarbon fuels into hydrogen-rich gas onboard a vehicle. Use of combinations of fuels is possible through potential transformation of a variety of fuels into hydrogen-rich gas. Another advantage of use of onboard plasmatron generation of hydrogen is that it could be used only when required and could be readily turned on and off. Preliminary experimental studies of plasmatron conversion of difficult-to-use alternative fuels (biofuels), iso-octane (representative of gasoline), and diesel fuel are described. Concepts for application to trucks and other heavy duty vehicles, sport utility vehicles and automobiles are discussed.

The steric stabilization of small unilamellar vesicles

Abstract Steric stabilization of small unilamellar vesicles composed of dipalmitoyl phosphatidylglycerol (DPPG) is achieved by the incorporation of nonylphenol poly(ethylene oxide) ethers at varying mol%. Nonylphenol poly(ethylene oxide) ethers with an average of either 10.8 (NP 10 or 50 (NP 50 ethylene oxide groups are incorporated into vesicles at between 2.5 and 10 mol%. Vesicle aggregation is induced by the addition of either NaCl or CaCl 2 with the effective diameter of the vesicle dispersion measured as a function of time using photon correlation spectroscopy. The addition of between 5 and 20 mol% NP 10 to DPPG vesicles increases dispersion stability 10-fold in the presence of NaCl but only 2-fold in the presence of CaCl 2 . Dispersion stability is increased 100-fold with the addition of 10–20 mol% NP 50 in NaCl and 1000-fold in the presence of CaCl 2 . Vesicle aggregation is found to be reversible with 5 mol% added NP 50 in NaCl but only partially reversible in the presence of CaCl 2 . The hydrophobic nonylphenol moiety of NP 50 is found to be critical for imparting dispersion stability when compared to the addition of pure poly(ethylene oxide) to vesicles.

Preparation of mesoporous spherulites in surfactant solutions

A new mesoporous structure, silicate spherulite, has been produced in dilute surfactant and silicate solutions. The spherulites were formed from radially arranged rod-like micelles. The surfactant molecules in the rod-like micelles can be removed by heat treatment to leave a unique mesoporous material with radially arranged channels for easy access. Although the spherulite morphology has been observed in the nucleation and growth of polymeric crystals for a long time, it has not been reported in surfactant solutions. Similar to the polymeric materials, the surfactant spherulites are most likely the fingerprints of the early nucleation process in the preparation of ordered mesophase silicates.

A Feasibility Evaluation of a Thermal Plasma Fuel Reformer for Supplemental Hydrogen Addition to Internal Combustion Engines

This paper reports on a mass and energy balance model that has been developed to evaluate the overall system efficiencies of a thermal reformer-heat exchanger system capable of delivering hydrogen to the air intake of a gasoline engine. The mass and energy balance model is utilized to evaluate the conditions where energy losses associated with fuel reformation may be offset by increases in engine efficiencies.

Heterogeneous nucleation of ordered mesoporous materials

Recently we proposed that heterogenous nucleation is an important phenomenon for the preparation of ordered mesoporous materials. In this paper we further investigate the effect of colloidal particles on the nucleation process of mesoporous materials. Based on the change of the electrical mobilities of the particles in the surfactant solution, we suggest that the adsorption and co-adsorption of surfactant and ceramic precursors changes local structural and chemistry on the particle surfaces, and favors the nucleation events within these regions.

Compact plasmatron-boosted hydrogen generation technology for vehicular applicationsfn2fn2Supported by Office of Heavy Vehicle Technologies, DoE.

Abstract Onboard hydrogen generation using compact plasmatron devices could provide important new possibilities for reducing pollution from motor vehicles, making use of alternative fuels, and increasing engine efficiency. These improvements would involve the use of the plasmatron as a very small, rugged, rapid response and highly flexible means of electrical heating of gases. Plasmatron heating could be used to facilitate conversion of a wide range of hydrocarbon fuels into hydrogen-rich gas onboard a vehicle. Use of combinations of fuels is possible through potential transformation of a variety of fuels into hydrogen-rich gas. Another advantage of use of onboard plasmatron generation of hydrogen is that it could be used only when required and could be readily turned on and off. Preliminary experimental studies of plasmatron conversion of difficult-to-use alternative fuels (biofuels), iso-octane (representative of gasoline), and diesel fuel are described. Concepts for application to trucks and other heavy duty vehicles, sport utility vehicles and automobiles are discussed.