Pressurized fuel cell power plant with single reactant gas stream
First Claim
1. A power plant for generating electricity comprising:
- a fuel cell stack including a plurality of fuel cells connected electrically in series through a load, each cell comprising a cathode electrode, an anode electrode, an electrolyte disposed therebetween, a cathode gas space on the nonelectrolyte side of said cathode electrode and an anode gas space on the nonelectrolyte side of said anode electrode;
compressor means including a compressor operably connected to turbine means;
means for delivering air at a pressure of at least two atmospheres from said compressor into said cathode gas space;
fuel conditioning apparatus including an autothermal reactor;
means for delivering effluent gases from said cathode gas space and pressurized hydrogen containing fuel into said autothermal reactor;
means for delivering pressurized hydrogen from said fuel conditioning apparatus into said anode gas space;
means for delivering anode gas space effluent gases into said turbine means for powering said turbine means and driving said compressor; and
means disposed downstream of said anode gas space for increasing the temperature of the anode gas space effluent gases before they are delivered into said turbine means, including a burner and means for delivering anode gas space effluent gases into said burner to provide fuel therefor.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A fuel cell power plant for producing electricity uses pressurized air and fuel in the cells. The power plant includes an autothermal reactor for processing the fuel and a compressor driven by a turbine for compressing the air used by the fuel cells. Pressurized effluent gases from the cathode side of the cell and pressurized fuel is delivered into the autothermal reactor and from the reactor passes into the anode side of the cells. Effluent gases from the anode side of the cells is delivered into the turbine thereby driving the compressor. A burner is used to increase the temperature of the gases entering the turbine. The burner is run on air and unburned fuel in the effluent gases from the anode side of the cells.
92 Citations
14 Claims
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1. A power plant for generating electricity comprising:
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a fuel cell stack including a plurality of fuel cells connected electrically in series through a load, each cell comprising a cathode electrode, an anode electrode, an electrolyte disposed therebetween, a cathode gas space on the nonelectrolyte side of said cathode electrode and an anode gas space on the nonelectrolyte side of said anode electrode; compressor means including a compressor operably connected to turbine means; means for delivering air at a pressure of at least two atmospheres from said compressor into said cathode gas space; fuel conditioning apparatus including an autothermal reactor; means for delivering effluent gases from said cathode gas space and pressurized hydrogen containing fuel into said autothermal reactor; means for delivering pressurized hydrogen from said fuel conditioning apparatus into said anode gas space; means for delivering anode gas space effluent gases into said turbine means for powering said turbine means and driving said compressor; and means disposed downstream of said anode gas space for increasing the temperature of the anode gas space effluent gases before they are delivered into said turbine means, including a burner and means for delivering anode gas space effluent gases into said burner to provide fuel therefor. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
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9. In the process of generating electricity in a power plant comprising a compressor operably connected to turbine means, autothermal reactor means, and a fuel cell stack including a plurality of full cells connected electrically in series through a load, each cell comprising a cathode electrode, an anode electrode, an electrolyte disposed therebetween, a cathode gas space on the nonelectrolyte side of said cathode electrode and an anode gas space on the nonelectrolyte side of said anode electrode, the steps of:
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compressing air to greater than two atomspheres pressure in said compressor; delivering said compressed air at greater than two atmospheres pressure from said compressor into said cathode gas space; delivering cathode gas space effluent into said autothermal reactor; delivering pressurized hydrogen containing fuel into said autothermal reactor; delivering the effluent gases from said autothermal reactor into said gas space; delivering the effluent gases from said anode gas space into said turbine means for powering said turbine means and driving said compressor; increasing the temperature of said anode gas space effluent gases prior to delivering them into said turbine means comprising burning the anode effluent gases in a burner. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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Specification