Condensate recovery for reversible solid oxide fuel cells

A method for condensate recovery in a Reversible Solid Oxide Fuel Cell (RSOFC) system, the method comprising:

• supplying hydrogen gas from a hydrogen storage system of the RSOFC system to a RSOFC of the RSOFC system, wherein the RSOFC is configured to operate in a fuel cell mode and an electrolysis mode, wherein the RSOFC generates electrical power and water vapor by consuming hydrogen in the fuel cell mode, and consumes electrical power and water to generate the hydrogen in the electrolysis mode;
• generating the electrical power and the water vapor at the RSOFC;
• condensing the water vapor to water;
• directing the water to a condensate tank of the RSOFC system;
• reducing electrical power supplied by the RSOFC to zero;
• directing the water from the condensate tank to the RSOFC;
• supplying electrical power to the RSOFC;
• and
• electrolyzing the water at the RSOFC to generate the hydrogen gas.

An apparatus comprising:

• a Reversible Solid Oxide Fuel Cell (RSOFC) configured to operate in a fuel cell mode and an electrolysis mode, wherein the RSOFC generates electrical power and water vapor by consuming hydrogen gas in the fuel cell mode, and consumes electrical power and water to generate the hydrogen gas in the electrolysis mode;
• a hydrogen storage configured to supply the hydrogen gas to the RSOFC;
• a hydrogen compressor configured to compress hydrogen gas generated by the RSOFC, and to provide the compressed hydrogen gas to the hydrogen storage;
• a condensate tank;
• a condenser configured, responsive to the RSOFC being in the fuel cell mode, to condense the water vapor into water, and to direct the water to the condensate tank;
• the condenser configured, responsive to the RSOFC being in the electrolysis mode, to direct the hydrogen gas generated by the RSOFC to the hydrogen compressor;
• and
• a controller, responsive to operating the RSOFC in fuel cell mode, configured to supply the hydrogen gas from the hydrogen storage to the RSOFC to generate the electrical power and the water vapor;
• the controller, responsive to operating the RSOFC in electrolysis mode, is configured to reduce power supplied by the RSOFC to zero, to supply the water from the condensate tank to the RSOFC, and to supply the electrical power to the RSOFC to electrolyze the water and to generate the hydrogen gas;
• the controller configured to operate the hydrogen compressor to compress and provide the hydrogen gas generated by the RSOFC to the hydrogen storage.