Hydrocarbon fueled solid polymer fuel cell electric power generation system

An integrated fuel cell electric power generation system comprising:

• a fuel processing subsystem for catalytically converting an inlet fuel stream comprising hydrocarbons to a processed fuel stream comprising hydrogen, said fuel processing subsystem comprising an evaporator for vaporizing water to humidify said inlet fuel stream, and a reformer comprising a reformer burner fed by at least one reactant exhaust stream, said reformer producing said processed fuel stream and said reformer burner producing a burner exhaust stream;
• an electric power generation subsystem comprising at least one fuel cell and at least one reactant exhaust stream, said at least one fuel cell comprising a cathode, an anode, and an ion exchange membrane disposed therebetween, said anode having a catalyst associated therewith for producing cations from said processed fuel stream, said cathode having a catalyst associated therewith for promoting the reaction of oxygen from a pressurized oxidant stream to form electricity, water and heat, said at least one reactant exhaust stream comprising unreacted hydrogen or unreacted oxygen or both;
• an air pressurization subsystem comprising a compressor operably connected to a turbine, said turbine being powered by a heated gas stream, said compressor pressurizing an oxidant stream for feeding said electric power generation subsystem;
• and
• a water recovery subsystem for recycling the water produced in said fuel cell stack, said water recovery subsystem comprising means for producing a separated water stream by removing water from said reactant exhaust stream, means for supplying a first portion of said separated water stream to said evaporator in said fuel processing subsystem, and means for supplying a second portion of said separated water stream to humidify said pressurized oxidant stream.