High performance fuel processing system for fuel cell power plant
First Claim
1. In a fuel processing system (FPS)(110) for a fuel cell power plant (115) including a fuel cell stack assembly (CSA) (56), the FPS (110) including at least a water gas shift (WGS) reaction section (12, 120) for receiving hydrocarbon reformate containing CO and reducing the concentration of CO in the reformate via the shift reaction, and at least a preferential oxidation (PROX) section (40) for further reducing the concentration of CO in the reformate to a concentration acceptable for operating the CSA (56), the improvement wherein:
- the WGS section (12, 120) includes a reactor (124) with a high activity catalyst for reducing the concentration of CO in the reformate to a relatively low level, thereby relatively reducing the structural volume of the FPS (110).
4 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A fuel processing system (FPS) (110) is provided for a fuel cell power plant (115) havinf a fuel cell stack assembly (CSA0 (56). The FPS (110) includes a water gas shift (WGS) reaction section (12, 120) for receiving hydrocarbon reformate containing carbon monoxide (CO) and reducing the concentration of CO in the reformate via the shift reaction, and a preferred oxidation (PROX) section (40) for further reducing the concentration of CO to a level acceptable for operating the CSA (56). The FPS (1110) is improved by the WGS section (12, 120) including a reactor (124) with a high activity catalyst for reducing the reformate CO concentration to a relatively low level, thereby relatively reducing the structural volume of the FPS (110). The high activity catalyst is active at temperatures as low as 250° C., and may be a noble-metal-on-ceria catalyst of Pt and Re on a nanocrystaline, cerium oxide-based support. Use of the catalyst in the WGS reactor (124) reduces the concentration of CO in the reformate to 2,000 ppmv, or less, and requires only a low temperature PROX reactor (46) for preferential oxidation in the FPS (110).
73 Citations
18 Claims
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1. In a fuel processing system (FPS)(110) for a fuel cell power plant (115) including a fuel cell stack assembly (CSA) (56), the FPS (110) including at least a water gas shift (WGS) reaction section (12, 120) for receiving hydrocarbon reformate containing CO and reducing the concentration of CO in the reformate via the shift reaction, and at least a preferential oxidation (PROX) section (40) for further reducing the concentration of CO in the reformate to a concentration acceptable for operating the CSA (56), the improvement wherein:
the WGS section (12, 120) includes a reactor (124) with a high activity catalyst for reducing the concentration of CO in the reformate to a relatively low level, thereby relatively reducing the structural volume of the FPS (110). - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18)
Specification