Fuel cell waste energy recovery combustor
AssigneeDelphi Technologies, Inc.
InventorKarl Jacob Haltiner, Jr.
Life of this patent
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Abstract
The waste energy recovery assembly for a fuel cell system comprises: a cathode exhaust passage in fluid communication with a mixing zone through a collection chamber; an anode exhaust passage in fluid communication with said mixing zone by way of an anode exhaust gas orifice disposed in a direction capable of forming an anode exhaust gas flow entering said mixing zone at an angle of about 45° to about 135° to a combined gas flow entering said mixing zone from said collection chamber; a thermal exchange structure in fluid communication with said mixing zone; and an exhaust gas passage in fluid communication with said thermal exchange structure.
Claims26
A waste energy recovery assembly for a fuel cell system, comprising:
- a cathode exhaust passage in fluid communication with a mixing zone through a collection chamber;
- an anode exhaust passage in fluid communication with said mixing zone by way of an anode exhaust gas orifice disposed in a direction capable of forming an anode exhaust gas flow entering said mixing zone at an angle of about 45° to about 135° to a combined gas flow entering said mixing zone from said collection chamber, said combined gas flow comprising cathode exhaust gas;
- a thermal exchange structure in fluid communication with said mixing zone;
- and
- an exhaust passage in fluid communication with said thermal exchange structure.
A method of using a waste energy recovery assembly for a fuel cell system, comprising:
- supplying reformate and supply air to said waste energy recovery assembly;
- directing said supply air and said reformate through a thermal exchange structure in said waste energy recovery assembly, wherein said supply air is separated from said reformate;
- introducing cathode exhaust gas to a mixing zone;
- introducing anode exhaust gas to said mixing zone at an angle of about 45° to about 135° a combined gas flow direction to form composite gases, wherein said combined gas flow comprises cathode exhaust gas;
- combusting said composite gases;
- and
- flowing said combusted composite gases through said thermal exchange structure in thermal communication with said reformate and said supply air.
A fuel cell waste energy recovery assembly comprising:
- a means for supplying reformate and supply air to said waste energy recovery assembly;
- a means for directing said supply air and said reformate through a thermal exchange structure in said waste energy recovery assembly, wherein said supply air is separated from said reformate;
- a means for introducing cathode exhaust gas to a mixing zone;
- a means for introducing anode exhaust gas to said mixing zone at an angle of about 45° to about 135° a combined gas flow direction to form composite gases, wherein said combined gas flow comprises cathode exhaust gas;
- a means for combusting said composite gases;
- and
- a means for flowing said combusted composite gases through said thermal exchange structure in thermal communication with said reformate and said supply air.
A waste energy recovery assembly for a fuel cell system, comprising:
- a cathode exhaust passage, cooling air passage and purge air passage in fluid communication with a collection chamber, said collection clamber in fluid communication with a mixing zone;
- an anode exhaust passage in fluid communication with said mixing zone by way of an anode exhaust gas orifice disposed in a direction capable of forming an anode exhaust gas flow entering said mixing zone at an angle of about 45° to about 135° to a combined gas flow entering said mixing zone from said collection chamber, said combined gas flow comprising cathode exhaust;
- an igniter in operable communication with said mixing zone;
- a thermal exchange structure in fluid communication with said mixing zone;
- and
- an exhaust gas passage in fluid communication with said thermal exchange structure.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.