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US 2002/0160239 A1Published application
Integrated high temperature PEM fuel cell system
AssigneePlug Power Inc.
InventorsRichard H. Cutright, Wayne W. Huang, Jeffrey E. Ingraham, Kerry J. Jameson
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A simplified PEM fuel cell system is integrated with a fuel processor and an exhaust gas oxidizer to ensure clean emissions. The fuel cell can have an operating temperature of 120-200° C. Cathode exhaust of a PEM fuel cell is used to provide steam and oxygen to a fuel processing reactor to convert a hydrocarbon fuel to hydrogen, wherein the hydrogen is provided to a fuel cell.
Claims31
A fuel cell system, comprising:
- a PEM fuel cell having an operating temperature of at least 120° C., the fuel cell having a cathode inlet and a cathode outlet;
- a cathode blower having an electrical connection to a controller, the cathode blower being adapted to vary a flow of air through the fuel cell from the cathode inlet to the cathode outlet according to a first control signal from the controller;
- a fuel processing reactor having an inlet and an outlet, the inlet and outlet being in fluid communication with a catalyst suitable for converting a hydrocarbon into a gas containing hydrogen and carbon monoxide, the outlet being in fluid communication with an anode chamber of the fuel cell;
- a fuel blower having an electrical connection to the controller, the fuel blower being adapted to vary a flow of fuel through the reactor according to a second control signal form the controller;
- and
- wherein the cathode outlet is in fluid communication with the fuel processor reactor inlet.
3 more elements
A method of operating a fuel cell system, comprising:
- operating a first blower according to a first control signal to vary a flow of air through a cathode chamber of a PEM fuel cell;
- reacting a portion of the air in the fuel cell to produce electricity;
- exhausting a remaining portion of the air from the fuel cell, wherein the remaining portion of air contains water vapor;
- mixing a portion of the exhausted air with a hydrocarbon gas to form a feed mixture;
- modulating the first control signal to maintain a predetermined amount of oxygen in the feed mixture;
- operating a second blower according to a second control signal to flow the feed mixture into a reactor where the feed mixture is contacted with a catalyst suitable for converting a portion of the hydrocarbon gas into a fuel gas containing hydrogen and carbon monoxide;
- flowing the fuel gas into an anode chamber of the fuel cell;
- and
- modulating the second control signal to maintain a predetermined amount of hydrogen in the fuel cell.
6 more elements
A method of operating a fuel cell system, comprising:
- operating a first blower according to a first control signal to vary a flow of ambient air through a cathode chamber of a PEM fuel cell;
- reacting a portion of the air in the fuel cell to produce electricity;
- exhausting a remaining portion of the air from the fuel cell, wherein the remaining portion of air contains water vapor;
- mixing a portion of the exhausted air with methane to form a feed mixture;
- modulating the first control signal to maintain a molar ratio of oxygen to methane in the feed mixture, the ratio being in the range 0.4-0.7;
- operating a second blower according to a second control signal to flow the hydrocarbon gas into a reactor where the feed mixture is contacted with a catalyst suitable for converting a portion of the hydrocarbon gas into a fuel gas containing hydrogen and carbon monoxide;
- flowing the fuel gas into an anode chamber of the fuel cell;
- and
- modulating the second control signal to prevent hydrogen starvation in the fuel cell.
6 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.