Power generation system using molten carbonate fuel cells

A power generation system comprising:

• molten carbonate fuel cells, each fuel cell having an anode chamber and a cathode chamber and power generation being caused by anode gas supplied to the anode chamber and cathode gas supplied to the cathode chamber;
• a reformer having a reforming section and a heating section, raw material being reformed to the anode gas by the reforming section and the reforming section being heated by the heating section;
• means for feeding raw material to be reformed, to the reforming section of the reformer;
• an anode gas feeding line for feeding the anode gas, which is the gas reformed by the reformer, into the anode chamber;
• means for feeding the cathode gas into the cathode chamber, the cathode gas including air;
• an anode exhaust gas line for discharging anode exhaust gas from the anode chamber;
• and
• a cathode exhaust gas line for discharging cathode exhaust gas from the cathode chamber;
• characterized in that the reformer has a reforming chamber and a heating chamber, the raw material being reformed by the reforming chamber and the reforming chamber being heated by the heating chamber;
• and
• the system further comprises:
• a catalyst combustor for combusting combustible components among the anode exhaust gas, the combustor being connected with the anode exhaust gas line and the cathode exhaust gas line, and the combustor having an exit;
• and
• a sensible heat utilization line for connecting the exit of the catalyst combustor with the heating chamber of the reformer for feeding exhaust gas of the catalyst combustor to the heating chamber;
• and
• wherein the cathode gas feeding means includes:
• an air line for feeding preheated air to the cathode chamber;
• and
• a recirculation line branched from the cathode exhaust gas line for feeding the cathode exhaust gas to the cathode chamber via the air line.

A power generation system comprising:

• molten carbonate fuel cells, each fuel cell having an anode chamber and a cathode chamber and power generation being caused by anode gas supplied to the anode chamber and cathode gas supplied to the cathode chamber;
• a reformer having a reforming section and a heating section, raw material being reformed to the anode gas by the reforming section and the reforming section being heated by the heating section;
• means for feeding raw material to be reformed, to the reforming section of the reformer;
• an anode gas feeding line for feeding the anode gas, which is the gas reformed by the reformer, into the anode chamber;
• means for feeding the cathode gas into the cathode chamber, the cathode gas including air;
• an anode exhaust gas line for discharging anode exhaust gas from the anode chamber;
• and
• a cathode exhaust gas line for discharging cathode exhaust gas from the cathode chamber;
• characterized in that the reformer has a reforming chamber and a heating chamber, the raw material being reformed by the reforming chamber and the reforming chamber being heated by the heating chamber;
• and
• the system further comprises:
• a catalyst combustor for combusting combustible components among the anode exhaust gas, the combustor being connected with the anode exhaust gas line and the cathode exhaust gas line, and the combustor having an exit;
• and
• a sensible heat utilization line for connecting the exit of the catalyst combustor with the heating chamber of the reformer for feeding exhaust gas of the catalyst combustor to the heating chamber;
• wherein a heat exchanger is provided on the anode gas feeding line, steam is generated upon heat exchange with exhaust gas discharged from the heating chamber of the reformer, the raw material includes natural gas and the steam, and the raw material feeding means leads the raw material in a manner such that the raw material is heat-exchanged with reformed gas at the heat exchanger on the anode gas feeding line and then fed to the reforming section;
• and
• wherein the raw material in the reforming chamber of the reformer is heated and reformed by combustion exhaust gas fed to the heating chamber from the catalyst combustor, so that an exit temperature of the heating chamber becomes lower than a cathode exhaust gas temperature and an anode exhaust gas temperature entering the catalyst combustor, and combustible components of the anode exhaust gas entering the catalyst combustor and an oxygen concentration of the cathode exhaust are both low such that a mixture of these gases is combusted without explosion.

A power generation system comprising:

• molten carbonate fuel cells, each fuel cell having an anode chamber and a cathode chamber and power generation being caused by anode gas supplied to the anode chamber and cathode gas supplied to the cathode chamber;
• a reformer having a reforming section and a heating section, raw material being reformed to the anode gas by the reforming section and the reforming section being heated by the heating section;
• means for feeding raw material to be reformed, to the reforming section of the reformer;
• an anode gas feeding line for feeding the anode gas, which is the gas reformed by the reformer, into the anode chamber;
• an air feeding line for feeding preheated air into the cathode chamber;
• an anode exhaust gas line for discharging anode exhaust gas from the anode chamber;
• and
• a cathode exhaust gas line for discharging cathode exhaust gas from the cathode chamber;
• characterized in that the reformer has a reforming chamber and a heating chamber the raw material being reformed by the reforming chamber and the reforming chamber being heated by the heating chamber;
• and
• the system further comprising:
• a sensible heat utilization line branched from the cathode exhaust gas line for feeding cathode exhaust gas directly to the heating chamber of the reformer;
• a catalyst combustor for combusting combusible components among of the anode exhaust gas, the combustor being connected with the anode exhaust gas line and the cathode exhaust gas line of the heating chamber of the reformer, and the combustor having an exit;
• and
• a recirculation line for connecting the exit of the catalyst combustor with the air line so as to recirculate exhaust gas of the catalyst combustor to the cathode chamber.

A power generation system comprising:

• molten carbonate fuel cells, each fuel cell having an anode chamber and a cathode chamber and power generation being caused by anode gas supplied to the anode chamber and cathode gas supplied to the cathode chamber;
• a reformer having a reforming section and a heating section, raw material being reformed to the anode gas by the reforming section and the reforming section being heated by the heating section;
• means for feeding raw material to be reformed, to the reforming section of the reformer;
• an anode gas feeding line for feeding the anode gas, which is the gas reformed by the reformer, into the anode chamber;
• an air feeding line for feeding preheated air into the cathode chamber;
• an anode exhaust gas line for discharging anode exhaust gas from the anode chamber;
• and
• a cathode exhaust gas line for discharging cathode exhaust gas from the cathode chamber;
• characterized in that the reformer has a reforming chamber, a first heating chamber and a second heating chamber, the raw material being reformed by the reforming chamber, the reforming chamber having a longitudinal direction, an entrance and an exit, the reforming chamber being heated by the first and second heating chambers, the first heating chamber being separated from the second heating chamber, the first and second heating chambers extending in the longitudinal direction of the reforming chamber along the reforming chamber but the first heating chamber extending from the entrance of the reforming chamber and the second heating chamber extending from the exit of the reforming chamber;
• and
• the system further comprises:
• a first sensible heat utilization line branched from the cathode exhaust gas line for feeding the cathode exhaust gas to the first heating chamber of the reformer;
• a catalyst combustor for combusting combusible components among the anode exhaust gas, the combustor being connected with the anode exhaust gas line and the cathode exhaust gas line, the combustor having an exit;
• a second sensible heat utilization line for connecting the exit of the catalyst combustor with the second heating chamber so as to feed exhaust gas of the catalyst combustor to the second heating chamber;
• and
• a recirculation line for feeding exit gas of the second heating chamber to the cathode chamber.

A power generation system comprising:

• molten carbonate fuel cells, each fuel cell having an anode chamber and a cathode chamber and power generation being caused by anode gas supplied to the anode chamber and cathode gas supplied to the cathode chamber;
• a reformer having a reforming section and a heating section, raw material being reformed to the anode gas by the reforming section and the reforming section being heated by the heating section;
• means for feeding raw material to the reforming section of the reformer;
• an anode gas feed line for feeding the anode gas, which is the gas reformed by the reformer, into the anode chamber;
• an air feed line for feeding preheated air into the cathode chamber;
• an anode exhaust gas line for discharging anode exhaust gas from the anode chamber;
• and
• a cathode exhaust gas line for discharging cathode exhaust gas from the cathode chamber;
• characterized in that the reformer has a reforming chamber and a heating chamber, the raw material being reformed by the reforming chamber, the reforming chamber being heated by the heating chamber, the heating chamber having an exit;
• and
• the system further comprises:
• a catalyst combustor for combusting combustible components among the anode exhaust gas, the combustor being connected with the anode exhaust gas line and the cathode exhaust gas line, the combustor having an exit;
• a sensible heat utilization line for connecting the exit of the catalyst combustor with the heating chamber so as to feed exhaust gas of the catalyst combustor to the heating chamber;
• and
• a recirculation line for connecting the exit of the heating chamber with the air line so as to feed exhaust gas of the heating chamber to the cathode chamber.

A power generation system comprising:

• molten carbonate fuel cells, each fuel cell having an anode chamber and a cathode chamber and power generation being caused by anode gas supplied to the anode chamber and cathode gas supplied to the cathode chamber;
• a reformer having a reforming section and a heating section, raw material being reformed to the anode gas by the reforming section and the reforming section being heated by the heating section;
• means for feeding raw material to the reforming section of the reformer;
• an anode gas feed line for feeding the anode gas, which is the gas reformed by the reformer, into the anode chamber;
• an air feed line for feeding preheated air into the cathode chamber;
• an anode exhaust gas line for discharging anode exhaust gas from the anode chamber;
• and
• a cathode exhaust gas line for discharging cathode exhaust gas from the cathode chamber;
• characterized in that the reformer has a reforming chamber and a heating chamber, the raw material being reformed by the reforming chamber, the reforming chamber being heated by the heating chamber, the heating chamber having an exit;
• and
• the system further comprises:
• a cathode gas sensible heat utilization line branched from the cathode exhaust gas line for feeding the cathode exhaust gas directly to the heating chamber of the reformer;
• an anode gas recirculation line branched from the anode exhaust gas line for feeding the anode exhaust gas to the reforming chamber together with the raw material;
• a catalyst combustor connected with the anode exhaust gas and the cathode exhaust gas line of the heating chamber of the reformer for combusting combustible components among the anode exhaust gas;
• and
• a recirculation line for connecting the exit of the heating chamber with the air line so as to feed exhaust gas of the catalyst combustor to the cathode chamber.

A power generation system comprising:

• molten carbonate fuel cells, each fuel cell having an anode chamber and a cathode chamber and power generation being caused by anode gas supplied to the anode chamber and cathode gas supplied to the cathode chamber;
• a reformer having a reforming section and a heating section, raw material being reformed to the anode gas by the reforming section and the reforming section being heated by the heating section;
• means for feeding raw material to the reforming section of the reformer;
• an anode gas feed line for feeding the anode gas, which is the gas reformed by the reformer, into the anode chamber;
• an air feed line for feeding preheated air into the cathode chamber;
• an anode exhaust gas line for discharging anode exhaust gas from the anode chamber;
• and
• a cathode exhaust gas line for discharging cathode exhaust gas from the cathode chamber;
• characterized in that the reformer has a reforming chamber, a first heating chamber and a second heating chamber, the raw material being reformed by the reforming chamber, the reforming chamber having a longitudinal direction, an entrance and an exit, the reforming chamber being heated by the first and second heating chambers, the first and second heating chambers extending in the longitudinal direction of the reforming chamber along the reforming chamber but the first heating chamber extending from the entrance of the reforming chamber and the second heating chamber extending from the exit of the reforming chamber, the first heating chamber being separated from the second heating chamber;
• and
• the system further comprises:
• a first sensible heat utilization line branched from the cathode exhaust gas line for feeding the cathode exhaust gas to the first heating chamber of the reformer;
• a catalyst combustor connected with the anode exhaust gas line and the cathode exhaust gas line for combusting combusible components among the anode exhaust gas, the combustor having an exit;
• a second sensible heat utilization line for connecting the exit of the catalyst combustor with the second heating chamber so as to feed exhaust gas of the catalyst combustor to the second heating chamber;
• a recirculation line for feeding exit gas of the second heating chamber to the cathode chamber;
• and
• a third anode gas recirculation line branched from the anode exhaust gas line for feeding the anode exhaust gas to the reforming chamber together with the raw material.

A power generation system comprising:

• molten carbonate fuel cells, each fuel cell having an anode chamber and a cathode chamber and power generation being caused by anode gas supplied to the anode chamber and cathode gas supplied to the cathode chamber;
• a reformer having a reforming section and a heating section, raw material being reformed to the anode gas by the reforming section and the reforming section being heated by the heating section;
• means for feeding raw material to the reforming section of the reformer;
• an anode gas feed line for feeding the anode gas, which is the gas reformed by the reformer, into the anode chamber;
• an air feed line for feeding preheated air into the cathode chamber;
• an anode exhaust gas line for discharging anode exhaust gas from the anode chamber;
• and
• a cathode exhaust gas line for discharging cathode exhaust gas from the cathode chamber;
• characterized in that the reformer has a reforming chamber and a heating chamber, the raw material being reformed by the reforming chamber, the reforming chamber being heated by the heating chamber, the heating chamber having an exit;
• and
• the system further comprises:
• a catalyst combustor connected with the anode exhaust gas line and the cathode exhaust gas line for combusting combustible components among the anode exhaust gas, the combustor having an exit;
• a first exhaust gas sensible heat utilization line for connecting the exit of the catalyst combustor with the heating chamber of the reformer so as to feed exhaust gas of the catalyst combustor to the heating chamber;
• a recirculation line for connecting the exit of the heating chamber with the air line so as to feed exhaust gas of the heating chamber to the cathode chamber;
• and
• a second anode gas recirculation line branched from the anode exhaust gas line for feeding the anode exhaust gas to the reforming chamber together with the raw material.

A power generation system comprising:

• molten carbonate fuel cells, each fuel cell having an anode chamber and a cathode chamber and power generation being caused by anode gas supplied to the anode chamber and cathode gas supplied to the cathode chamber;
• a reformer having a reforming section and a heating section, raw material being reformed to the anode gas by the reforming section and the reforming section being heated by the heating section;
• means for feeding natural gas to the reforming section of the reformer;
• an anode gas feed line for feeding the anode gas, which is the gas reformed by the reformer, into the anode chamber;
• an air feed line for feeding preheated air into the cathode chamber;
• an anode exhaust gas line for discharging anode exhaust gas from the anode chamber;
• and
• a cathode exhaust gas line for discharging cathode exhaust gas from the cathode chamber;
• characterized in that the reformer has a reforming chamber and a heating chamber, the raw material being reformed by the reforming chamber, the reforming chamber being heated by the heating chamber, the heating chamber having an exit;
• and
• the system further comprises:
• a first cathode gas sensible heat utilization line branched from the cathode exhaust gas line for feeding the cathode exhaust gas directly to the heating chamber of the reformer;
• a gas-liquid separating means connected with the anode exhaust gas line for separating gas components of the anode exhaust gas from moisture components of the anose exhaust gas;
• a second sensible heat utilization line for heating the moisture components separated by the gas-liquid separating means, by the anode exhaust gas of the anode exhaust gas line so as to change the moisture to steam and further for feeding the steam with natural gas as the raw material to the reforming chamber;
• a catalyst combustor for introducing to itself the gas components separated by the gas-liquid separator and the cathode exhaust gas of the heating chamber of the reformer so as to combust combusible combusible components among this mixture of gases;
• and
• a recirculation line for connecting the exit of the catalyst combustor with the air line so as to feed exhaust gas of the catalyst combustor to the cathode chamber.