Application of fuel cells to power generation systems
First Claim
1. An electrical power generation system comprising:
- a supply of a hydrogen-containing fuel;
a reformer for reforming said hydrogen-containing fuel to obtain hydrogen;
a supply of oxygen;
a fuel cell for producing electrical power, said fuel cell being fed with reactants including the hydrogen and the oxygen;
a supply of material for producing an exothermic reaction;
means for feeding the hydrogen and means for feeding the oxygen to the fuel cell for producing electrical power;
means for disposing of waste products arising from the fuel cell and other parts of the electrical power generation system;
a control means for regulating components of the electrical power generation system and for regulating flow streams of the system; and
heat exchange means for substantially balancing the heating and cooling requirements within said system;
wherein the reformer comprises;
(i) a reforming chamber having an outer first wall, inlet means for feeding said hydrogen-containing fuel to the reforming chamber, and outlet means for removing hydrogen from the reforming chamber,(ii) a second chamber concentrically surrounding said reforming chamber and bounded on its inner side by said first wall and on its outer side by a second wall, said second chamber including inlet means for feeding said material for producing an exothermic reaction to the second chamber and outlet means for removing reaction products from the second chamber, and(iii) a preheating chamber concentrically surrounding the second chamber for preheating the hydrogen-containing fuel, said concentric preheating chamber being bounded on its inner side by said second wall and on its outer side by a third wall, and having an inlet means for feeding the hydrogen-containing fuel to the preheating chamber and an outlet means for removing preheated hydrogen-containing fuel from the preheating chamber and feeding the fuel to the reforming chamber;
said first wall including a plurality of first fins passing through said first wall and extending into the second chamber and into the reforming chamber, respectively, said first fins being operative to conduct heat from the second chamber to the reforming chamber, said second wall including a plurality of second fins passing through said second wall so as to extend into the preheating chamber and into the second chamber respectively, said second fins being operative to conduct heat from the second chamber to the preheating chamber;
and wherein the flow of material through the second chamber is co-current with respect to the flow of hydrogen-containing fuel through the reforming chamber and is counter-current with respect to the flow of hydrogen-containing fuel to be reformed passing through the preheating chamber.
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Accused Products
Abstract
The invention is drawn to an electrical power generation system and a method of electrical power generation. The system includes a supply of hydrogen-containing fuel and a reformer for obtaining hydrogen therefrom, a supply of oxygen and a material for producing an exothermic reaction. The system also includes a fuel cell and means for disposing of waste products arising from the fuel cell and other parts of the system, a control means and heat exchange means for regulating flow streams and balancing the heating and cooling requirements. The reformer comprises a reforming chamber, inlet and outlet for the fuel. Also the reformer includes a second chamber which surrounds the reforming chamber and a preheating chamber. Fins extend through a wall separating the reforming and surrounding chamber.
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Citations
38 Claims
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1. An electrical power generation system comprising:
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a supply of a hydrogen-containing fuel; a reformer for reforming said hydrogen-containing fuel to obtain hydrogen; a supply of oxygen; a fuel cell for producing electrical power, said fuel cell being fed with reactants including the hydrogen and the oxygen; a supply of material for producing an exothermic reaction; means for feeding the hydrogen and means for feeding the oxygen to the fuel cell for producing electrical power; means for disposing of waste products arising from the fuel cell and other parts of the electrical power generation system; a control means for regulating components of the electrical power generation system and for regulating flow streams of the system; and heat exchange means for substantially balancing the heating and cooling requirements within said system; wherein the reformer comprises; (i) a reforming chamber having an outer first wall, inlet means for feeding said hydrogen-containing fuel to the reforming chamber, and outlet means for removing hydrogen from the reforming chamber, (ii) a second chamber concentrically surrounding said reforming chamber and bounded on its inner side by said first wall and on its outer side by a second wall, said second chamber including inlet means for feeding said material for producing an exothermic reaction to the second chamber and outlet means for removing reaction products from the second chamber, and (iii) a preheating chamber concentrically surrounding the second chamber for preheating the hydrogen-containing fuel, said concentric preheating chamber being bounded on its inner side by said second wall and on its outer side by a third wall, and having an inlet means for feeding the hydrogen-containing fuel to the preheating chamber and an outlet means for removing preheated hydrogen-containing fuel from the preheating chamber and feeding the fuel to the reforming chamber; said first wall including a plurality of first fins passing through said first wall and extending into the second chamber and into the reforming chamber, respectively, said first fins being operative to conduct heat from the second chamber to the reforming chamber, said second wall including a plurality of second fins passing through said second wall so as to extend into the preheating chamber and into the second chamber respectively, said second fins being operative to conduct heat from the second chamber to the preheating chamber; and wherein the flow of material through the second chamber is co-current with respect to the flow of hydrogen-containing fuel through the reforming chamber and is counter-current with respect to the flow of hydrogen-containing fuel to be reformed passing through the preheating chamber. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31)
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32. A method of electrical power generation comprising the steps of:
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providing a hydrogen-containing fuel and a supply of oxygen; providing a fuel cell for producing electrical power when fed with hydrogen and oxygen; providing a reformer comprising a reforming chamber, a second chamber surrounding the reforming chamber and divided therefrom by a first common wall, and a preheating chamber surrounding said second chamber and divided therefrom by a second common wall; providing first fins extending through said first common wall into said reforming chamber and said second chamber; providing second fins extending through said second common wall into said preheating chamber and said second chamber; supplying a material for producing an exothermic reaction to said second chamber and reacting said material in said second chamber to generate heat; supplying said hydrogen-containing fuel to said preheating chamber and preheating said fuel by transferring heat to the preheating chamber through said second common wall and said second fins; supplying said preheated hydrogen containing fuel to said reforming chamber, transferring heat from said second chamber to said reforming chamber, through said first common wall and said first fins, and reforming said hydrogen containing fuel in said reforming chamber to produce hydrogen, whereby said flow of exothermically reacting material through the second chamber is co-current with respect to the flow of fuel through the reforming chamber, such that the amount of heat transferred to the reforming chamber is greater towards entry regions of said chambers than towards exit regions thereof, and said flow of exothermically reacting materials is counter-current with respect to the flow of fuel to be reformed passing through the preheating chamber; feeding said hydrogen and oxygen to said fuel cell to produce electrical power; disposing of waste products from the fuel cell and other parts of the power generation system; providing control means for monitoring the operating parameters of the power generation system as a whole and of individual components of the system and for regulating the same in accordance with the power demands on the system and regulating the flow of fuel, reactants and products between components of the system to substantially balance the heating requirements of one or more parts of the system with the cooling requirements of one or more other parts of the system. - View Dependent Claims (33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38)
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Specification