Multiple port catalytic combustion device and method of operating same
AssigneeGeneral Motors Corporation
InventorWilliam H. Pettit
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A catalytic combustor contains multiple sections for catalytically combusting an anode effluent. The anode effluent is divided into a plurality of portions with each portion routed to a different section or stage of the combustor. The proportioning of the anode effluent allows the combustor to be operated so that the flows combusted do not autoignite and various heat loads placed on the different stages of the combustor can be met. Additionally, the proportioning of the anode effluent allows the temperature within the various components of the combustor to be controlled so that a useful life of the combustor can be increased.
Claims19
A catalytic combustion device for use with a fuel cell comprising:
- a first section that receives an oxidant feed stream and a first portion of an anode effluent stream from said fuel cell, said oxidant feed stream and said first portion of said anode effluent stream mixing together in said first section to form a first stage flow stream;
- a second section downstream from said first section, said second section having a first main catalyst, said second section receiving said first stage flow stream from said first section and directing said first stage flow stream through said first main catalyst;
- a third section downstream from said second section, said third section receiving said first stage flow stream from said second section, and a second portion of said anode effluent stream from said fuel cell, said first stage flow stream mixing with said second portion of said anode effluent stream in said third section to form a second stage flow stream;
- and
- a fourth section downstream from said third section, said forth section having a second main catalyst, said forth section receiving said second stage flow stream from said third section and directing said second stage flow stream through said second main catalyst.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.