Internal reforming fuel cell system requiring no recirculated cooling and providing a high fuel process gas utilization

A system comprising:

• a high temperature fuel cell including:
• an anode passage comprising an anode electrode, said anode passage being adapted to receive fuel process gas;
• a cathode passage comprising a cathode electrode, said cathode passage being adapted to receive an oxidant process gas;
• an electrolyte in communication with said anode and cathode electrodes;
• catalyst means in said fuel cell for reforming hydrocarbon fuel from a fuel supply to produce fuel process gas including hydrogen for said anode passage;
• the fuel process gas and the oxidant process gas at said anode and cathode electrodes in the presence of said electrolyte undergoing electrochemical conversion to produce electrical energy;
• and
• the reforming of said hydrocarbon fuel being such as to absorb heat produced by said electrochemical conversion in an amount to maintain the temperature of said fuel cell substantially at a preselected temperature;
• and means for receiving the gas exhausted from said anode passage and utilizing the fuel process gas in said exhausted gas such that the net utilization of fuel process gas by said fuel cell and said utilization device exceeds about 50%.