High efficiency solid oxide fuel cell—internal combustion engine hybrid power system

A method of generating power, comprising:

• providing at least one fuel cell having an electrolyte layer and an interconnect layer positioned between an anode and a cathode;
• reacting a fuel at said anode to produce a modified fuel with a composition that is different than said fuel;
• reacting a pressurized first oxidizer at said cathode to produce a modified first oxidizer with a composition that is different than said pressurized first oxidizer;
• generating electric power, by said fuel cell, based on said reactions at said anode and said cathode and based on a resulting ion migration through said electrolyte layer;
• providing an internal combustion engine having an intake downstream from the fuel cell;
• conveying said modified fuel from said anode to said internal combustion engine;
• generating mechanical power, by said internal combustion engine, by combusting said modified fuel and a second oxidizer;
• pressurizing, by a compressor, a first oxidizer to said pressurized first oxidizer, wherein said compressor is powered by said internal combustion engine;
• conveying said modified first oxidizer from said cathode to an oxidizer heat exchanger;
• and
• heating, at said oxidizer heat exchanger, said pressurized first oxidizer at a location upstream of said fuel cell using said modified first oxidizer.

A hybrid power generator system, comprising:

• a fuel cell having an anode, an electrolyte layer, an interconnect layer, and a cathode;
• a fuel line connected to said anode of said fuel cell, wherein said fuel line carries a fuel to said anode, wherein said fuel reacts at said anode and produces a modified fuel with a composition that is different than said fuel;
• an oxidizer line connected to said cathode of said fuel cell, wherein said oxidizer line carries a pressurized first oxidizer to said cathode, wherein said pressurized first oxidizer at said cathode reacts and produces a modified first oxidizer with a composition that is different than said pressurized first oxidizer, and said fuel cell generates electric power from said reactions at said anode and cathode and from a resulting ion migration through said electrolyte layer;
• an internal combustion engine having an intake;
• an anode exit line connecting said anode of said fuel cell to said intake of said internal combustion engine, wherein said anode exit line carries said modified fuel from said fuel cell to said intake, and said internal combustion engine combusts a combination of said modified fuel and a second oxidizer to generate mechanical power;
• a compressor powered by said internal combustion engine, wherein said compressor intakes a first oxidizer and exhausts said pressurized first oxidizer at a higher pressure;
• a fuel heat exchanger connected to said fuel line and to said anode exit line, wherein said modified fuel in said anode exit line transfers heat to said fuel in said fuel line within said fuel heat exchanger, and said fuel enters said fuel heat exchanger at a first temperature and exits said fuel heat exchanger at a higher second temperature;
• a cathode exit line connected to said cathode of said fuel cell;
• an oxidizer heat exchanger connected to said oxidizer line and to said cathode exit line, wherein said cathode exit line carries said modified first oxidizer from said fuel cell to said oxidizer heat exchanger, wherein said modified first oxidizer in said cathode exit line transfers heat to said pressurized first oxidizer in said oxidizer line within said oxidizer heat exchanger, and said pressurized first oxidizer enters said oxidizer heat exchanger at a first temperature and exits said oxidizer heat exchanger at a higher second temperature;
• and
• a combining element comprising a blower and a mixing valve or an expander, connected to said cathode exit line, wherein said modified first oxidizer enters said combining element at a first pressure and exits said combining element at a lower second pressure to generate a pressure differential, and wherein said combining element produces mechanical energy from said pressure differential of said modified first oxidizer, wherein said compressor is at least partially powered by said combining element.