# US 9,040,206 B2 · Indirect internal reforming solid oxide fuel cell and method for shutting down the same

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- Number: US 9,040,206 B2
- Document ID: US9040206B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 14/282,337
- Filed: 2014-05-20
- Published: 2014-09-11
- Granted: 2015-05-26
- Earliest claimed: 2008-01-28
- Assignees: Jx Nippon Oil & Energy Corporation
- Applicants: Jx Nippon Oil & Energy Corporation
- Inventors: Susumu Hatada
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US9040206B2

## CPC

- H01M 8/04089: of gaseous reactants
- C01B 3/38: using catalysts
- C01B 3/382: Processes with two or more reaction steps, of which at least one is catalytic, e.g. steam reforming and partial oxidation
- C01B 3/386: Catalytic partial combustion
- H01M 8/04223: during start-up or shut-down; Depolarisation or activation, e.g. purging; Means for short-circuiting defective fuel cells
- H01M 8/04228: during shut-down
- H01M 8/04303: applied during shut-down
- H01M 8/0432: Temperature; Ambient temperature
- H01M 8/04328: {of anode reactants at the inlet or inside the fuel cell}
- H01M 8/04388: {of anode reactants at the inlet or inside the fuel cell}
- H01M 8/04425: {at auxiliary devices, e.g. reformers, compressors, burners}
- H01M 8/04776: {at auxiliary devices, e.g. reformer, compressor, burner}
- H01M 8/04955: Shut-off or shut-down of fuel cells
- H01M 8/0618: {Reforming processes, e.g. autothermal, partial oxidation or steam reforming}
- H01M 8/12: operating at high temperature, e.g. with stabilised ZrO2 electrolyte
- C01B 2203/0233: the reforming step being a steam reforming step
- C01B 2203/0244: the reforming step being an autothermal reforming step, e.g. secondary reforming processes
- C01B 2203/0261: containing a catalytic partial oxidation step [CPO]
- C01B 2203/066: with fuel cells
- C01B 2203/1058: Nickel catalysts
- C01B 2203/1064: Platinum group metal catalysts
- C01B 2203/107: Platinum catalysts
- C01B 2203/1609: Shutting down the process
- H01M 2008/1293: {Fuel cells with solid oxide electrolytes}
- Y02E 60/50: Fuel cells
- Y02P 70/50: Manufacturing or production processes characterised by the final manufactured product
- H01M: PROCESSES OR MEANS, e.g. BATTERIES, FOR THE DIRECT CONVERSION OF CHEMICAL ENERGY INTO ELECTRICAL ENERGY
- C01B: NON-METALLIC ELEMENTS; COMPOUNDS THEREOF; {METALLOIDS OR COMPOUNDS THEREOF NOT COVERED BY SUBCLASS C01C}
- Y02E: REDUCTION OF GREENHOUSE GAS [GHG] EMISSIONS, RELATED TO ENERGY GENERATION, TRANSMISSION OR DISTRIBUTION
- Y02P: CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION TECHNOLOGIES IN THE PRODUCTION OR PROCESSING OF GOODS

## Abstract

Provided is a method for shutting down an indirect internal reforming SOFC, in which a hydrocarbon-based fuel is reliably reformed, and the oxidative degradation of the anode can be prevented by a reformed gas. A method for shutting down an indirect internal reforming SOFC including a reformer; an SOFC; a combustion region for combusting the anode off-gas of the SOFC; and an enclosure for housing the reformer, the SOFC, and the combustion region, wherein the method includes causing the flow rate of a fuel supplied to the reformer to become FE from FS; and stopping the supply of the fuel to the reformer when an anode temperature becomes lower than the oxidative degradation temperature, where FE represents a flow rate of the fuel supplied to the reformer in a state in which the anode temperature is steady and lower than the oxidative degradation temperature, in which in the reformer the fuel is reformed and a reformed gas with a composition suitable to be supplied to an anode is produced, and in which an amount of the reformed gas produced is equal to or more than the requisite minimum flow rate for preventing the oxidative degradation of the anode when the anode temperature is a temperature equal to or higher than the oxidative degradation temperature, and FS represents a flow rate of the fuel supplied to the reformer at the start of the shutdown method. Also provided is an indirect internal reforming SOFC appropriate for this method.

## Claims

### Claim 1

An indirect internal reforming solid oxide fuel cell comprising:
a reformer having a reforming catalyst layer, for reforming a hydrocarbon-based fuel to produce a reformed gas;
a solid oxide fuel cell for generating electric power using the reformed gas;
a combustion region for combusting an anode off-gas discharged from the solid oxide fuel cell; and
an enclosure for housing the reformer, the solid oxide fuel cell, and the combustion region,
wherein the indirect internal reforming solid oxide fuel cell further comprises:
I) means for causing a flow rate of the hydrocarbon-based fuel supplied to the reformer to become FE from FS; and
II) means for stopping supply of the hydrocarbon-based fuel to the reformer when an anode temperature becomes lower than an oxidative degradation temperature,
where FE represents a flow rate of the hydrocarbon-based fuel supplied to the reformer in a state in which the following conditions i to iv are all satisfied,
i) the anode temperature of the solid oxide fuel cell is steady,
ii) the anode temperature is lower than the oxidative degradation temperature,
iii) in the reformer, the hydrocarbon-based fuel is reformed, and a reformed gas with a composition suitable to be supplied to an anode is produced, and
iv) an amount of the reformed gas produced is equal to or more than the requisite minimum flow rate for preventing oxidative degradation of the anode when the anode temperature of the solid oxide fuel cell is a temperature equal to or higher than the oxidative degradation temperature, and
FS represents a flow rate of the hydrocarbon-based fuel supplied to the reformer at a point of time of start of the shutdown method.