Fuel cell system and corresponding operating method
AssigneeEberspächer Climate Control Systems GmbH & Co. KG
InventorAndreas Kaupert
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A fuel cell system (1), especially in a motor vehicle, includes at least one fuel cell (2) for generating electricity, at least one reformer (3) for generating a reformat gas, a fuel supply means (13) for feeding fuel to the reformer (3), a recycling means (83), which has a recycling line (31) connected to the reformer (3) for feeding anode waste gas of the fuel cell (2) to the reformer (3), and an air supply means (17), which has an air line (18) connected to the reformer (3) separately from the recycling line (31) for feeding air to the reformer (3). To increase performance, the fuel supply means (13) may be designed such that fuel can be introduced with it into the recycling line (31).
Claims19
A fuel cell system, comprising:
- a fuel cell for generating electricity;
- a reformer for generating a reformat gas;
- a fuel supply means for feeding fuel to the reformer;
- a recycling means, which has a recycling line connected to the reformer for feeding uncombusted anode waste gas of the fuel cell to the reformer;
- an air supply means with an air line connected to the reformer separately from the recycling line for feeding air to the reformer, wherein the fuel supply means introduces fuel into the recycling line.
A method for operating a fuel cell system, the method comprising:
- providing a fuel cell system with a fuel cell for generating electricity, a reformer for generating a reformat gas a fuel supply means for feeding fuel to the reformer, a recycling means, which has a recycling line connected to the reformer for feeding uncombusted anode waste gas of the fuel cell to the reformer and an air supply means with an air line connected to the reformer separately from the recycling line for feeding air to the reformer, wherein the fuel supply means introduces fuel into the recycling line;
- feeding fuel exclusively directly to the reformer for reformer operation up to a predetermined performance limit;
- and
- feeding fuel to the reformer additionally or exclusively via recycled anode waste gas for reformer operation at a performance exceeding the predetermined performance limit.
A method for operating a fuel cell system, the method comprising:
- providing a fuel cell system with a fuel cell for generating electricity, a reformer for generating a reformat gas a fuel supply means for feeding fuel to the reformer, a recycling means, which has a recycling line connected to the reformer for feeding chemically unprocessed anode waste gas of the fuel cell to the reformer and an air supply means with an air line connected to the reformer separately from the recycling line for feeding air to the reformer, wherein the fuel supply means introduces fuel into the recycling line;
- feeding fuel exclusively directly to the reformer for reformer operation up to a predetermined performance limit;
- and
- feeding fuel to the reformer additionally or exclusively via recycled anode waste gas for reformer operation at a performance exceeding the predetermined performance limit.
A method for operating a fuel cell system, the method comprising:
- providing a fuel cell system with a fuel cell for generating electricity, a reformer for generating a reformat gas a fuel supply means for feeding fuel to the reformer, a recycling means, which has a recycling line connected to the reformer for feeding anode waste gas of the fuel cell to the reformer and an air supply means with an air line connected to the reformer separately from the recycling line for feeding air to the reformer, wherein the fuel supply means introduces fuel into the recycling line;
- feeding said anode waste gas in a continuous gaseous form from said fuel cell to said reformer;
- feeding fuel exclusively directly to the reformer for reformer operation up to a predetermined performance limit;
- and
- feeding fuel to the reformer additionally or exclusively via recycled anode waste gas for reformer operation at a performance exceeding the predetermined performance limit.
A fuel cell system, comprising:
- a fuel cell for generating electricity;
- a reformer for generating a reformat gas;
- a fuel supply means for feeding fuel to the reformer;
- a recycling means, which has a recycling line connected to the reformer for feeding chemically unprocessed anode waste gas of the fuel cell to the reformer;
- an air supply means with an air line connected to the reformer separately from the recycling line for feeding air to the reformer, wherein the fuel supply means introduces fuel into the recycling line.
A fuel cell system, comprising:
- a fuel cell for generating electricity;
- a reformer for generating a reformat gas;
- a fuel supply means for feeding fuel to the reformer;
- a recycling means, which has a recycling line connected to the reformer for feeding anode waste gas of the fuel cell to the reformer, said anode waste gas being in continuous gaseous form from said fuel cell to said reformer;
- an air supply means with an air line connected to the reformer separately from the recycling line for feeding air to the reformer, wherein the fuel supply means introduces fuel into the recycling line.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.