Fuel cell system with independent reformer temperature control
First Claim
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1. A fuel cell system, comprising:
- a plurality of fuel cell stacks;
a plurality of reformers, wherein each reformer is adapted to reform a hydrocarbon fuel to a hydrogen containing reaction product and to provide the reaction product to at least one of the plurality of the fuel cell stacks;
a plurality of combustors, wherein each combustor is thermally integrated with at least one of the plurality of the reformers;
an independent fuel feed conduit provided into each combustor; and
one or more control devices adapted to independently control an amount of fuel being provided to each combustor through each fuel feed conduit to independently control a temperature of each combustor.
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Abstract
A fuel cell system includes a plurality of fuel cell stacks, a plurality of reformers, and a plurality of combustors. Each reformer is adapted to reform a hydrocarbon fuel to a hydrogen containing reaction product and to provide the reaction product to at least one of the plurality of the fuel cell stacks. Each combustor is thermally integrated with at least one of the plurality of the reformers. The system also includes an independent fuel feed conduit provided into each combustor and one or more control devices adapted to independently control an amount of fuel being provided to each combustor through each fuel feed conduit to independently control a temperature of each combustor.
131 Citations
38 Claims
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1. A fuel cell system, comprising:
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a plurality of fuel cell stacks;
a plurality of reformers, wherein each reformer is adapted to reform a hydrocarbon fuel to a hydrogen containing reaction product and to provide the reaction product to at least one of the plurality of the fuel cell stacks;
a plurality of combustors, wherein each combustor is thermally integrated with at least one of the plurality of the reformers;
an independent fuel feed conduit provided into each combustor; and
one or more control devices adapted to independently control an amount of fuel being provided to each combustor through each fuel feed conduit to independently control a temperature of each combustor. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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15. A fuel cell system, comprising:
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a plurality of fuel cell stacks;
a plurality of reformers, wherein each reformer is adapted to reform a hydrocarbon fuel to a hydrogen containing reaction product and to provide the reaction product to at least one of the plurality of the fuel cell stacks;
a plurality of combustors, wherein each combustor is thermally integrated with at least one of the plurality of the reformers;
an independent fuel feed conduit provided into each combustor; and
a first means for independently controlling an amount of fuel provided to each combustor through each fuel feed conduit to independently control a temperature of each combustor. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25)
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26. A method of operating a fuel cell system, comprising:
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providing a hydrocarbon fuel to a plurality of reformers;
reforming the hydrocarbon fuel to a hydrogen containing reaction product in each of the plurality of reformers;
providing the reaction product from each reformer to one least one of a plurality of the fuel cell stacks;
providing a fuel and an oxidizer to a plurality of combustors to generate heat in the combustors;
providing the heat from each combustor to at least one of the plurality of reformers; and
independently controlling an amount of fuel provided to each combustor to independently control a temperature of each combustor. - View Dependent Claims (27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38)
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Specification