Hydrogen distribution system comprising fuel cells and methods of using the same

A hydrogen distribution system comprising:

• an air source;
• a plurality of fuel cells, each fuel cell comprising:
• an anode;
• a cathode;
• an electrolyte membrane between the anode and the cathode;
• an anode-side syngas inlet configured to introduce a syngas to the anode from a hydrocarbon fuel reformer (HR);
• a cathode-side hydrogen outlet configured to output a purified hydrogen from the cathode and coupled to a hydrogen exhaust line having a first valve;
• an anode-side hydrogen inlet configured to introduce purified hydrogen from the hydrogen exhaust line to the anode and coupled to a second valve;
• a cathode-side air inlet configured to introduce air from the air source to the cathode and coupled to a third valve;
• an anode-side syngas outlet configured to output a hydrogen-depleted syngas to a HR burner;
• a cathode-side water exhaust outlet configured to output water from the cathode and coupled to a fourth valve;
• and
• an electronic control unit configured to electrically control the first valve, the second valve, the third valve, and the fourth valve,
• wherein the anode-side syngas outlet recycles hydrogen-depleted syngas, via an anode outlet line, to a HR burner used in the production of the syngas.