Integrated power generation and chemical production using fuel cells
AssigneeExxonMobil Research and Engineering Company
InventorsPaul J. Berlowitz, Timothy Andrew Barckholtz, Frank H. Hershkowitz
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Abstract
In various aspects, systems and methods are provided for operating a molten carbonate fuel cell with an excess of reformable fuel relative to the amount of oxidation performed in the anode of the fuel cell. Instead of selecting the operating conditions of a fuel cell to improve or maximize the electrical efficiency of the fuel cell, an excess of reformable fuel can be passed into the anode of the fuel cell to increase the chemical energy output of the fuel cell. This can lead to an increase in the total efficiency of the fuel cell based on the combined electrical efficiency and chemical efficiency of the fuel cell.
Claims21
A method for producing electricity, and hydrogen or syngas, using a molten carbonate fuel cell comprising an anode and cathode, the method comprising:
- introducing an anode fuel stream comprising a reformable fuel into the anode of the molten carbonate fuel cell, an internal reforming element associated with the anode of the molten carbonate fuel cell, or a combination thereof;
- introducing a cathode inlet stream comprising CO2 and O2 into the cathode of the molten carbonate fuel cell;
- generating electricity within the molten carbonate fuel cell;
- generating an anode exhaust from an anode outlet of the molten carbonate fuel cell;
- and
- separating from the anode exhaust a H2-containing stream, a syngas-containing stream, or a combination thereof,
- wherein an amount of the reformable fuel introduced into the anode of the molten carbonate fuel cell, the internal reforming element associated with the anode of the molten carbonate fuel cell, or the combination thereof, provides a reformable fuel surplus ratio of at least about 2.0.
A method for producing electricity, and hydrogen or syngas, using a molten carbonate fuel cell comprising an anode and a cathode, the method comprising:
- introducing an anode fuel stream comprising a reformable fuel into the anode of the molten carbonate fuel cell, an internal reforming element associated with the anode of the molten carbonate fuel cell, or a combination thereof;
- introducing a cathode inlet stream comprising CO2 and O2 into the cathode of the molten carbonate fuel cell;
- generating electricity within the molten carbonate fuel cell;
- generating an anode exhaust from an anode outlet of the molten carbonate fuel cell;
- and
- separating from the anode exhaust a H2-containing stream, a syngas-containing stream, or a combination thereof,
- wherein the anode fuel stream has a reformable hydrogen content that is at least 50% greater than an amount of H2 oxidized in the anode of the molten carbonate fuel cell to generate electricity.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.