Method and device for generating electric energy
AssigneeDiehl Aerospace GmbH
InventorsFranz Tichy, Bernd Speth, Eduard Harwardt
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A method for generating electrical energy by a fuel cell system operated with a reformate gas is provided. According to this method, a fuel cell system is provided. The fuel cell system has a first reactor and a second reactor. A gas separation unit is also provided. A portion of a first fuel gas is fed to the gas separation unit. A target gas including N2 or CO2 is separated by the gas separation unit. The separated target gas is fed into a protective housing of the fuel cell system. An H2-enriched tail gas formed in the gas separation unit is fed as a second fuel gas for operation of the fuel cell.
Claims27
A method of generating electrical energy through a fuel cell system operated with a reformate gas, comprising:
- providing a fuel cell system having a first reactor for conversion of a fuel to a first fuel gas and a second reactor connected downstream of the first reactor, wherein the second reactor forms a fuel cell for generation of electrical energy with formation of a cathode offgas and an anode offgas, and wherein at least the second reactor is surrounded by a protective housing,
- providing a gas separation unit, wherein the gas separation unit is configured to separate a target gas from the first fuel gas or a further gas mixture formed from the first fuel gas, wherein the target gas comprises at least one of CO2, N2 and a partial gas mixture comprising CO2 and N2,
- feeding a portion of the first fuel gas or the further gas mixture to the gas separation unit, wherein the remaining portion of the first fuel gas or further gas mixture is led to the second reactor,
- separating the target gas from the first fuel gas or the further gas mixture,
- feeding the separated target gas as an inert gas into the protective housing, and
- feeding an H2-enriched tail gas formed in the gas separation unit as a second fuel gas to the fuel cell.
A fuel cell system comprising:
- a first reactor for conversion of a fuel to a first fuel gas,
- a second reactor connected downstream of the first reactor, wherein the second reactor forms a fuel cell for generation of electrical energy using a cathode offgas and an anode offgas,
- and wherein at least the second reactor is surrounded by a protective housing,
- a gas separation unit configured to separate a target gas from the first fuel gas or a further gas mixture formed, wherein the target gas comprises at least one of CO2, N2 and a partial gas mixture comprising CO2 and N2,
- a first feed unit for feeding a portion of the first fuel gas or the further gas mixture to the gas separation unit, wherein the remaining portion of the first fuel gas or further gas mixture is led to the second reactor,
- a second feed unit for feeding the target gas separated by the gas separation unit as an inert gas into the protective housing, and
- a third feed unit for feeding an H2-enriched tail gas formed in the gas separation unit as a second fuel gas to the second reactor or to a sixth reactor comprising a further fuel cell.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.