US 6,915,869 B2 · Power generation system and method

Abstract

A power generation system and method providing an engine configured to produce hydrogen rich reformate to feed a solid oxide fuel cell includes an engine having an intake and an exhaust; an air supply in fluid communication with the engine intake; a fuel supply in fluid communication with the engine intake; at least one solid oxide fuel cell having an air intake in fluid communication with an air supply, a fuel intake in fluid communication with the engine exhaust, a solid oxide fuel cell effluent and an air effluent. Engines include a free piston gas generator with rich homogenous charge compression, a rich internal combustion engine cylinder system with an oxygen generator, and a rich inlet turbo-generator system with exhaust heat recovery. Oxygen enrichment devices to enhance production of hydrogen rich engine exhaust include pressure swing absorption with oxygen selective materials, and oxygen separators such as an solid oxide fuel cell oxygen separator and a ceramic membrane oxygen separator.

Claims19

Dependent claims

A method for operating a power generation system, comprising:

(a) supplying at least a first portion of fuel and a first portion of air to an engine, wherein said engine is configured to produce a hydrogen rich engine exhaust;
(b) reacting said first portion of fuel and said first portion of air in said engine to produce a hydrogen rich engine exhaust;
(c) introducing said hydrogen rich engine exhaust to a fuel intake of an SOFC, said SOFC having an air side having an air intake;
(d) introducing a second portion of air to said air intake of said SOFC;
and
(e) ionizing oxygen in the second portion of air such that the ionized oxygen migrates from the air side to the fuel side of the SOFC where it reacts with said hydrogen rich engine exhaust produce to produce an SOFC effluent.

3 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Power generation system and method

Life of this patent

Power generation system and method

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims19