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US 7,465,510 B1Granted
Turbocompressor impelling fuel recycle in fuel cell power plant
AssigneeUTC Power Corporation
InventorsHenry G. Johnson, Michael L. Perry
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A fuel cell power plant (7, 7a) has a stack (8) fed hydrogen-rich fuel gas from a source (14, 14a) with fuel recycle (30, 34) through a compressor (20) of a turbocompressor (19) having a turbine (17, 17a) driven either by high pressure hydrogen (14) or air exhaust (41).
Claims7
A fuel cell power plant, comprising:
- a plurality of fuel cells, each cell having an anode, a cathode and a proton exchange membrane disposed between the anode and the cathode;
- fuel reactant flow fields on an anode side of said membrane and oxidant reactant flow fields on a cathode side of said membrane, each of said flow fields having an inlet and an outlet;
- a source of hydrogen-rich fuel gas, said hydrogen-rich fuel gas being applied to said fuel reactant flow fields;
- a source providing oxidant reactant gas to said oxidant flow fields;
- an impeller connected to at least some of said fuel flow field outlets for pumping partially depleted fuel to at least some of said fuel flow field inlets;
- said impeller comprising a compressor of a turbocompressor, a turbine of which is driven by said hydrogen-rich fuel gas.
3 more elements
A fuel cell power plant, comprising:
- a plurality of fuel cells, each cell having an anode, a cathode and a proton exchange membrane disposed between the anode and the cathode;
- fuel reactant flow fields on an anode side of said membrane and oxidant reactant flow fields on a cathode side of said membrane, each of said flow fields having an inlet and an outlet;
- a source of hydrogen-rich fuel gas, said hydrogen-rich fuel gas being applied to said fuel reactant flow fields;
- a source providing oxidant reactant gas to said oxidant flow fields;
- an impeller connected to at least some of said fuel flow field outlets for pumping partially depleted fuel to at least some of said fuel flow field inlets;
- said impeller comprising a compressor of a turbocompressor, a turbine of which is driven by oxidant reactant gas flowing from said oxidant flow field outlets.
3 more elements
A fuel cell power plant, comprising:
- a plurality of fuel cells, each cell having an anode, a cathode and a proton exchange membrane disposed between the anode and the cathode;
- fuel reactant flow fields on an anode side of said membrane and oxidant reactant flow fields on a cathode side of said membrane, each of said flow fields having an inlet and an outlet;
- a source of hydrogen-rich fuel gas, said hydrogen-rich fuel gas being applied to said fuel reactant flow fields;
- a source providing oxidant reactant gas to said oxidant flow fields;
- an impeller connected to at least some of said fuel flow field outlets for pumping partially depleted fuel to at least some of said fuel flow field inlets;
- said impeller comprising a compressor of a turbocompressor, a turbine of which is driven directly by said hydrogen-rich fuel gas.
3 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.