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High pressure low heat rate phosphoric acid fuel cell stack

  • US 4,678,723 A
  • Filed: 11/03/1986
  • Issued: 07/07/1987
  • Est. Priority Date: 11/03/1986
  • Status: Expired due to Fees
First Claim
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1. A high pressure phosphoric acid fuel cell stack assembly comprising:

  • (a) a stack of fuel cells for producing electricity, said stack including cathode means, anode means, and heat exchange means;

    (b) means for delivering pressurized air to said cathode means;

    (c) means for delivering a hydrogen rich fuel gas to said anode means for electrochemically reacting with oxygen in the pressurized air to produce electricity and water;

    (d) first conduit means connected to said cathode means for exhausting a mixture of oxygen-depleted air and reaction water from said cathode means;

    (e) second conduit means connected to said first conduit means for delivering a water fog to said first conduit means for entrainment in said mixture of oxygen-depleted air and reaction water to form a two phase coolant having a gaseous air phase and an entrained water droplet phase;

    (f) means for circulating said coolant to said heat exchange means to cool said stack solely through vaporization of said water droplet phase in said heat exchange means whereby a mixed gas exhaust of air and water vapor is exhausted from said heat exchange means; and

    (g) means for heating said mixed gas exhaust and delivering the heated mixed gas exhaust at reformer reaction temperatures to an autothermal reformer in said stack assembly for autothermal reaction with a raw fuel to form said hydrogen rich fuel.

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