Proton exchange membrane (PEM) fuel cell system and process of operating same
AssigneeXcellsis GmbH
InventorGerald Hornburg
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A proton exchange membrane fuel cell system includes a proton exchange membrane fuel cell; a first compressor for compressing the process air supplied to the fuel cell; a first expander coupled with compressor for driving the first compressor; and a catalytic burner as the heat source. The cathode offgas from the fuel cell is fed to the catalytic burner as an air supply and the expander is operated by the exhaust air from the catalytic burner. A portion of the gas from the burner is expanded in a second expander, which is coupled to a second compressor which further compresses the air from the first compressor.
Claims10
A method for operating a proton exchange membrane fuel cell system, comprising:
- generating a combustion gas comprising hydrogen and carbon monoxide in a gas-generating system;
- guiding the hydrogen into a proton membrane fuel cell;
- compressing air with a first compressor;
- supplying the compressed air to the proton exchange member fuel cell, thereby producing a cathode offgas and anode offgas;
- supplying the cathode offgas to a catalytic burner as an air supply, thereby producing exhaust air;
- expanding the exhaust air with a first expander;
- using energy generated from said first expander to drive said first compressor;
- expanding a portion of the combustion gas with a second expander operatively coupled to a second compressor;
- and
- further compressing the compressed air from the first compressor with the second compressor.
A proton exchange membrane fuel cell system, comprising:
- a proton exchange membrane fuel cell;
- a high-pressure gas-generating system for generating combustion gas for the proton exchange membrane fuel cell;
- a first compressor;
- a second compressor that compresses air from the first compressor to supply compressed air to the fuel cell;
- an first expander coupled with the first compressor for driving the first compressor;
- a catalytic burner as a heat source;
- a line connecting the fuel cell and the catalytic burner for supplying cathode offgas from fuel cell to the catalytic burner as an air supply;
- a line connecting the catalytic burner to the first expander for supplying exhaust air from the catalytic burner to the first expander;
- a second expander operatively coupled to the second compressor;
- and
- a line connecting the gas-generating system to the second expander, wherein gas from the generating system is supplied to the second expander.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.