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US 11,444,303 B2Granted
System and method for producing hydrogen using high temperature fuel cells
AssigneeFuelCell Energy, Inc.
InventorsFred C. Jahnke, Matthew Lambrech
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A steam methane reformer-integrated fuel cell system includes at least one fuel cell having an anode, a cathode, and an electrolyte matrix separating the anode and the cathode. The system further includes a steam methane reformer configured to react methane with steam to produce a first product stream including hydrogen (H2), carbon dioxide (CO2), and carbon monoxide (CO).
Claims15
A steam methane reformer-integrated fuel cell system, comprising:
- at least one fuel cell comprising:
- an anode;
- a cathode;
- and
- an electrolyte matrix separating the anode and the cathode;
- a flash gas apparatus configured to receive rich solvent from an absorber column and configured to produce a first CO2-rich flashed gas stream;
- an anode gas oxidizer (AGO) configured to receive a mixture of anode exhaust gas from the at least one fuel cell, a preheated air stream, and the first CO2-rich flashed gas stream, such that the anode exhaust gas reacts with the preheated air stream to produce a high-temperature exhaust stream, and configured to provide the high-temperature exhaust stream to the cathode of the at least one fuel cell;
- and
- a steam methane reformer configured to utilize heat from the high-temperature exhaust stream output from the AGO and to react methane with steam to produce a first product stream including hydrogen (H2), carbon dioxide (CO2), and carbon monoxide (CO).
6 more elements
A steam methane reformer-integrated fuel cell system, comprising:
- at least one fuel cell comprising:
- an anode;
- a cathode;
- and
- an electrolyte matrix separating the anode and the cathode;
- a steam methane reformer configured to react methane with steam to produce a first product stream including a first concentration of hydrogen (H2), carbon dioxide (CO2), and carbon monoxide (CO);
- a water-gas shift reactor configured to react CO in the first product stream with steam to produce an outlet stream having a second concentration of hydrogen which is greater than the first concentration of hydrogen;
- an absorber column configured to reduce a concentration of CO2 in the outlet stream such that a second product stream of the absorber column has a third concentration of hydrogen which is greater than the second concentration of hydrogen;
- a pressure swing adsorption (PSA) system configured to purify the second product stream such that a third product stream of the PSA purification system has a fourth concentration of hydrogen which is greater than the third concentration of hydrogen;
- and
- a stripper column connected to the absorber column;
- wherein:
- the stripper column is configured to receive a PSA tail gas from the PSA purification system and a solvent from the absorber column;
- and
- the stripper column is configured to strip CO2 from the solvent using the PSA tail gas and output a CO2-stripped solvent.
12 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.