# US 10,374,242 B2 · Energy generating unit comprising a high-temperature fuel cell stack and a vaporizing unit

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- Number: US 10,374,242 B2
- Document ID: US10374242B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 14/765,616
- Filed: 2014-02-04
- Published: 2016-01-07
- Granted: 2019-08-06
- Earliest claimed: 2013-02-04
- Assignees: AVL List GmbH
- Applicants: Avl List GmbH
- Inventors: Juergen Rechberger; Michael Reissig
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10374242B2

## CPC

- H01M 8/0618: {Reforming processes, e.g. autothermal, partial oxidation or steam reforming}
- C01B 3/32: by reaction of gaseous or liquid organic compounds with gasifying agents, e.g. water, carbon dioxide or air
- F22B 1/1853: {coming in direct contact with water in bulk or in sprays}
- F22B 37/60: specially adapted for steam boilers of instantaneous or flash type
- H01M 8/0625: {in a modular combined reactor/fuel cell structure}
- C01B 2203/0227: containing a catalytic reforming step
- C01B 2203/066: with fuel cells
- C01B 2203/1276: Mixing of different feed components
- C01B 2203/1288: Evaporation of one or more of the different feed components
- H01M 8/06: Combination of fuel cells with means for production of reactants or for treatment of residues (regenerative fuel cells H01M8/18)
- H01M 2008/1293: {Fuel cells with solid oxide electrolytes}
- H01M 2220/20: Batteries in motive systems, e.g. vehicle, ship, plane
- Y02E 60/10: Energy storage using batteries
- Y02E 60/50: Fuel cells
- H01M: PROCESSES OR MEANS, e.g. BATTERIES, FOR THE DIRECT CONVERSION OF CHEMICAL ENERGY INTO ELECTRICAL ENERGY
- C01B: NON-METALLIC ELEMENTS; COMPOUNDS THEREOF; {METALLOIDS OR COMPOUNDS THEREOF NOT COVERED BY SUBCLASS C01C}
- F22B: METHODS OF STEAM GENERATION; STEAM BOILERS
- Y02E: REDUCTION OF GREENHOUSE GAS [GHG] EMISSIONS, RELATED TO ENERGY GENERATION, TRANSMISSION OR DISTRIBUTION

## Abstract

The invention relates to an energy generation unit comprising a high-temperature fuel cell stack (10), which is operated with liquid fuel, and a reformer (11) connected upstream of the fuel cell stack for processing the fuel, a recirculation line (13) for at least partially feeding back the anode exhaust gas into the reformer (1) and a device for feeding the liquid fuel into the anode exhaust gas. In accordance with the invention, the invention for feeding the fuel is in the form of an evaporator device (20), comprising a housing (21) which has an evaporator nonwoven (23) in the region of the fuel feed line (22), wherein the hot anode exhaust gas can be applied to said evaporator nonwoven from the recirculation line (13).

## Claims

### Claim 1

An energy generating unit comprising:
a high-temperature fuel cell stack operated by liquid fuel,
a reformer connected upstream of the fuel cell stack for processing the fuel,
a recirculation line for at least partially recirculating anode exhaust gas into the reformer,
said recirculation line comprising a gas outlet line and a feeder line,
a compressor for supplying anode exhaust gas to the reformer via the feeder line, and
a feeder capable of providing liquid fuel into the anode exhaust gas, wherein the feeder vaporizes at least some fuel and includes an evaporator made of a nonwoven material that is adjacent a fuel feed line and the feeder has a housing arranged in an exhaust gas chamber of the energy generating unit, said exhaust gas chamber being capable of receiving hot exhaust gas of the energy generating unit, and wherein the gas outlet line is capable of guiding the anode exhaust gas out of the exhaust gas chamber to the compressor, wherein the feeder housing comprises a gas inlet for the anode exhaust gas leading substantially tangentially to a curved surface of the feeder housing thereinto and the feeder housing is distinct from and differently shaped or sized than the exhaust gas chamber.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The energy generating unit according to claim 1, wherein the housing of the feeder is cylindrical and comprises a central feed line capable of receiving the fuel on one end of the housing and a central gas outlet for gas consisting of anode exhaust gas and vaporized fuel on an opposite end of the housing.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The energy generating unit according to claim 1, wherein the evaporator is flat and disk-shaped and includes one of a metal or ceramic member.

### Claim 4 (depends on 3)

The energy generating unit according to claim 3, wherein the feeder housing is cylindrical and comprised of thin-walled sheet metal components, wherein an end of the feeder housing proximate the evaporator is formed by a portion of a wall of the exhaust gas chamber.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The energy generating unit according to claim 1, wherein the housing comprises a heating element dedicated to the evaporator and includes an electrically heated heating element.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The energy generating unit according to claim 1, wherein the feeder housing is distinct from the reformer.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The energy generating unit according to claim 1, wherein the feeder housing is cylindrical with a curved surface and a covering side on one end, and wherein the evaporator is flat and positioned on an end of the feeder housing opposite the covering side.

### Claim 8 (depends on 1)

The energy generating unit according to claim 1, wherein the feeder housing and the exhaust gas chamber at most share one wall.

### Claim 9

A vaporizing unit for producing an educt gas from a hot carrier gas and a liquid fuel for operating a high-temperature fuel cell stack having an upstream reformer, the vaporizing unit comprising a cylindrical housing having a central feed line for the liquid fuel and an evaporator made of a nonwoven material on one end and a central gas outlet capable of receiving the educt gas on an opposite end, and the cylindrical housing being provided with a gas inlet arranged between the one end and the opposite end and being capable of receiving a hot carrier gas and leading the hot carrier gas substantially tangentially to a curved surface of the cylindrical housing thereinto, wherein the vaporizing unit is a separate and distinct unit from the upstream reformer.

### Claim 10 (depends on 9)

The vaporizing unit according to claim 9, wherein at least sections of the evaporator are comprised of a metal or ceramic.

### Claim 11 (depends on 9)

The vaporizing unit according to claim 9, wherein the vaporizing unit comprises a heating element, the evaporator and an electrically heated heating element.