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AssigneeGeneral Motors Corporation
InventorsBruce J. Clingerman, Kenneth D. Mowery, Eugene V. Ripley
Estimating the term…
A method for controlling the heat output of a combustor in a fuel cell apparatus to a fuel processor where the combustor has dual air inlet streams including atmospheric air and fuel cell cathode effluent containing oxygen depleted air. In all operating modes, an enthalpy balance is provided by regulating the quantity of the air flow stream to the combustor to support fuel cell processor heat requirements. A control provides a quick fast forward change in an air valve orifice cross section in response to a calculated predetermined air flow, the molar constituents of the air stream to the combustor, the pressure drop across the air valve, and a look up table of the orifice cross sectional area and valve steps. A feedback loop fine tunes any error between the measured air flow to the combustor and the predetermined air flow.
A method of operating a combustor to heat a fuel processor in a fuel cell apparatus in which the fuel processor generates hydrogen from hydrocarbon fuel for supplying a fuel cell, the fuel cell discharging oxygen containing cathode effluent, the method comprising the steps of:
A method of operating a combustor to heat a fuel processor in a fuel cell apparatus in which the fuel processor generates hydrogen from hydrocarbon fuel for supplying a fuel cell, the fuel cell discharging oxygen containing cathode effluent, the method comprising the steps of:
A method of operating a combustor to heal a fuel processor in a fuel cell apparatus in which the fuel processor generates hydrogen from hydrocarbon fuel for supplying a fuel cell, the fuel cell discharging oxygen containing cathode effluent, the method comprising the steps of:
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.