Flame stabilized mixer-eductor-oxidizer for high temperature fuel cells

A fuel cell system comprising:

• a fuel cell stack having an anode-side and a cathode-side, said anode-side being configured to receive fuel and output anode exhaust gas and said cathode-side being configured to receive oxidant gas and output oxidant exhaust gas;
• and
• a mixer/eductor assembly for mixing said anode exhaust gas output from the anode-side and an oxidant supply gas, said mixer/eductor comprising:
• a mixer/eductor housing that encloses:
• a first area configured to receive and mix a first portion of the anode exhaust gas and a first portion of the oxidant supply gas to form a first mixture, the first area being configured to initiate a combustion reaction in the first mixture;
• a first area housing that encloses the first area;
• and
• a second area coupled with the first area, the second area being configured to receive and mix a second portion of the anode exhaust gas and a second portion of the oxidant supply gas to form a second mixture;
• wherein an oxidant to fuel ratio of the first mixture is smaller than an oxidant to fuel ratio of the second mixture;
• wherein the first area is smaller than the second area, and the second area surrounds and at least partially encloses the first area;
• and
• wherein the first area is configured to serve as an ignition source that promotes continuous combustion of the second mixture in the second area.