Methanol hydrogen fuel cell system
First Claim
1. An electro chemical electric power generating apparatus comprising first and second electro chemical fuel cells including spaced anodes and cathodes, electrolytes between the anodes and cathodes, and external electric circuits connecting the anodes and cathodes, a steam-methane reformer which operates to reform steam and methane gas into a hydrogen rich gas fuel, the cathode and anode fuels of the first fuel cells are methanol and hydrogen and the byproducts of chemical reaction thereof are water and methane gas, the cathode and anode fuels of the second fuel cell are oxygen and hydrogen and the byproduct of chemical reaction thereof is water, the methane gas byproduct of the first fuel cell and the water byproduct of the first and second fuel cells are conducted to the steam-methane reformer and reformed thereby into hydrogen rich fuel gas, the hydrogen rich fuel gas reformed by the steam-methane reformer is conducted to and feeds the anodes of the fuel cells.
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Abstract
An electro-chemical electric power generating apparatus characterized by first and second electro-chemical fuel cells. Each cell includes a case containing spaced anode and cathode plates, an electrolyte between the plates and an external electric circuit connected therebetween. The apparatus next includes a steam-methane reformer to reform steam and methane to hydrogen enriched gas fuel. The cathode and anode fuels of the first cell are methanol and hydrogen and the byproducts of chemical reaction thereof are water and methane gas. The cathode and anode fuels of the second cell are oxygen and hydrogen and the byproduct of chemical reaction thereof is water. The methane gas byproduct of the first cell and the water byproduct of both cells are conducted to the steam-methane reformer and are reformed thereby into hydrogen enriched fuel gas which is conducted to and feeds the anodes of both of the cells.
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Citations
8 Claims
- 1. An electro chemical electric power generating apparatus comprising first and second electro chemical fuel cells including spaced anodes and cathodes, electrolytes between the anodes and cathodes, and external electric circuits connecting the anodes and cathodes, a steam-methane reformer which operates to reform steam and methane gas into a hydrogen rich gas fuel, the cathode and anode fuels of the first fuel cells are methanol and hydrogen and the byproducts of chemical reaction thereof are water and methane gas, the cathode and anode fuels of the second fuel cell are oxygen and hydrogen and the byproduct of chemical reaction thereof is water, the methane gas byproduct of the first fuel cell and the water byproduct of the first and second fuel cells are conducted to the steam-methane reformer and reformed thereby into hydrogen rich fuel gas, the hydrogen rich fuel gas reformed by the steam-methane reformer is conducted to and feeds the anodes of the fuel cells.
Specification