US 6,645,652 B2Granted

Fuel cell electric power generation system

AssigneeBallard Generation Systems Inc.

InventorsRyan Cownden, Michael Eiche, Craig Louie, David S. Watkins

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Abstract

A fuel cell electric power generation system includes an electric power generation subsystem, a fuel processing subsystem including a furnace, an oxidant subsystem, a water circulation subsystem, and a temperature control subsystem. Interactions between the subsystems are simplified and component integration improves thermal and electrical efficiency of the system. In one embodiment, a reformer, a fuel stream humidifier and a heat exchanger are disposed within the furnace, with the humidifier outlet fluidly connected to the reformer inlet and the heat exchanger outlet fluidly connected to a desulfurizer located outside of the furnace. The fuel processing subsystem can also include a shift reactor that exchanges heat with a cathode exhaust stream directed to the shift reactor from the power generation subsystem. After passing through the shift reactor, the cathode exhaust stream is preferably directed to the furnace burner.

A fuel cell electric power generation system comprising:

(A) an electric power generation subsystem comprising at least one fuel cell which comprises a cathode, an anode, and an ion exchange membrane disposed therebetween, said anode having a catalyst associated therewith for producing electrons and protons from a hydrogen-rich fuel stream, said cathode having a catalyst associated therewith for promoting the reaction of oxygen with said protons and electrons to form water and heat, and a cathode exhaust port associated with said cathode for exhausting a cathode exhaust stream comprising residual oxygen from said cathode;
(B) a fuel processing subsystem for converting an inlet fuel stream into said hydrogen-rich fuel stream and directing said hydrogen-rich fuel stream to said anode;
(C) an oxidant subsystem for pressurizing an inlet oxidant stream and directing a pressurized oxidant stream to said cathode;
(D) a water circulation subsystem for circulating water within said fuel cell electric power generation system, said water circulation subsystem comprising:
(1) a water reservoir for collecting recycled water and receiving makeup water;
(2) a feedwater pump fed for pumping a first portion of circulation water from said water reservoir to a fuel stream humidifier and a second portion of said circulation water to an oxidant stream humidifier;
(3) a first water recovery apparatus for recovering water from said oxidant stream humidifier;
(4) a second water recovery apparatus for recovering water from at least one of said cathode exhaust stream and an anode exhaust stream;
and
(E) a temperature control subsystem fluidly isolated from said water circulation subsystem, said temperature control subsystem comprising:
(1) a pump for circulating a temperature control fluid through said temperature control subsystem that comprises fluid passages within said electric power generation subsystem;
(2) an indirect heat exchanger for exchanging heat between said temperature control fluid and said second portion of said circulation water;
and
(3) a temperature control subsystem heat exchanger for dissipating excess heat from said temperature control subsystem.

11 more elements

Facts

Application

09/967,217Filed 28 Sep 2001 · division

Priority

13 Sep 1999

Published

US 2002/0015870 A17 Feb 2002

Granted

11 Nov 2003

Term ends

Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification36 codes

C01B 3/38
By reaction of hydrocarbons with gasifying agents: using catalysts
B01B 1/005
Boiling; Boiling apparatus for physical or chemical purposes ; Evaporation in general: evaporation for physical or chemical purposes; Evaporation…
C01B 3/384
Using catalysts: with external heating of the catalyst
H01M 8/04
Fuel cells; Manufacture thereof: auxiliary arrangements, e.g. for control of pressure or for circulation of fluids

Abstract

Claims7