Integrated contaminant6 separator and water-control loop for a fuel reactant stream

An integrated contaminant separator and water-control loop (10) for a fuel reactant stream of a fuel cell (12), comprising:

• a. a separator scrubber (58) secured in fluid communication with a fuel reactant inlet line (26) of the fuel cell (12), the separator scrubber (58) including an ammonia dissolving means (61) disposed within a scrubber container (64) of the separator scrubber (58) for dissolving ammonia from the fuel reactant stream into a separated contaminant stream within the separator scrubber (58);
• a water discharge (66) secured adjacent the ammonia dissolving means (61) and configured to discharge water to flow through the ammonia dissolving means (61);
• a fuel reactant discharge (60) secured adjacent the ammonia dissolving means (61) and configured to discharge the fuel reactant stream to flow through the ammonia dissolving means (61);
• an accumulator (68) secured in fluid communication with the ammonia dissolving means (61) and configured to receive and accumulate the separated contaminant stream;
• ion exchange material (69) integrated within the accumulator (68), the ion exchange material (69) configured to remove contaminants from the separated contaminant stream;
• a particle filter (71) secured within the accumulator adjacent a water outlet (82) and configured to prohibit passage of particles of the ion exchange material from passing through the filter (71);
• a scrubber fuel outlet (98) secured within the scrubber container (64) and configured to direct flow of the fuel reactant from the ammonia dissolving means (61) and from the separator scrubber (5.8) back into the fuel reactant inlet line (26);
• b. a fuel-control heat exchanger (95) secured in heat exchange relationship with the fuel reactant stream upstream of the separator scrubber (58) for adding thermal energy to or removing thermal energy from the fuel reactant stream entering the separator scrubber (58);
• and,
• c. a water-control loop (78) secured in fluid communication with the separator scrubber (58), the water-control loop (78) including a loop conduit (80) configured to direct a water stream out of the accumulator (68) from the water outlet (82);
• a water-control loop pump means (84) secured in fluid communication with the loop conduit (80) for pumping the water stream through the loop conduit (80);
• and, a loop conduit return line (90) secured in fluid communication between the water-control loop pump (84) and the water discharge (66) within the separator scrubber (58) configured to direct flow of the water stream from the pump (84) back into the separator scrubber (58).

A method of decontaminating a fuel reactant stream for a fuel cell (12), comprising the steps of:

• a. flowing the fuel reactant stream through an ammonia dissolving means (61) for dissolving ammonia from the fuel reactant stream within a separator scrubber (58) while simultaneously flowing water through the ammonia dissolving means (61) to separate contaminants from the fuel reactant stream into a separated contaminant water stream;
• b. accumulating the separated contaminant stream from the packed bed within an accumulator (68);
• c. removing contaminants from the separated contaminant water stream onto particles of an ion exchange material (69) integrated within the accumulator (68);
• d. circulating a de-contaminated water stream from the accumulator (68) through a water-control loop (78);
• e. circulating the decontaminated water stream from the water-control loop (78) back through the ammonia dissolving means (61);
• and,
• f. controlling a temperature of one of the water flowing through the water control loop (78) or the fuel reactant stream upstream of the separator scrubber (58) to produce a predetermined temperature of the fuel reactant stream passing through the separator scrubber (58).