Water vapor transfer device for a fuel cell power plant

• US 6,630,260 B2
• Filed: 07/20/2001
• Issued: 10/07/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 07/20/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: General Motors Corporation (Motors Liquidation Co. GUC Trust)
• Original Assignee: General Motors Corporation (Motors Liquidation Co. GUC Trust)
• Inventors: Burch, Steven, Forte, Jameson R., Brundage, Mark A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Gulakowski, Randy
• Assistant Examiner(s): Crepeau, Jonathan
• Application Number:
  US09/910,331
• Publication Number:
  US 20030017373A1
• Time in Patent Office: 809 Days
• Field of Search: 429/12, 429/17, 429/19, 429/20, 429/26, 429/30, 48/61
• US Class Current: 429/420
• CPC Class Codes: C01B 2203/00 Integrated processes for the production of hydrogen or synthesis gas reactors or details thereof B01J2208/00 - B01J2219/00
• CPC Class Codes: C01B 2203/0244 the reforming step being an autothermal reforming step, e.g. secondary reforming processes
• CPC Class Codes: C01B 2203/0283 containing a CO-shift step, i.e. a water gas shift step
• CPC Class Codes: C01B 2203/0405 Purification by membrane separation
• CPC Class Codes: C01B 2203/044 Selective oxidation of carbon monoxide
• CPC Class Codes: C01B 2203/047 the impurity being carbon monoxide
• CPC Class Codes: C01B 2203/0495 the impurity being water
• CPC Class Codes: C01B 2203/066 with fuel cells
• CPC Class Codes: C01B 2203/0838 by heat exchange with exothermic reactions, other than by combustion of fuel
• CPC Class Codes: C01B 2203/0844 the non-combustive exothermic reaction being another reforming reaction as defined in groups C01B2203/02 - C01B2203/0294
• CPC Class Codes: C01B 2203/0866 by combination of different heating methods
• CPC Class Codes: C01B 2203/142 At least two reforming, decomposition or partial oxidation steps in series
• CPC Class Codes: C01B 2203/146 At least two purification steps in series
• CPC Class Codes: C01B 2203/148 involving a recycle stream to the feed of the process for making hydrogen or synthesis gas
• CPC Class Codes: C01B 2203/82 Several process steps of C01B2203/02 - C01B2203/08 integrated into a single apparatus
• CPC Class Codes: C01B 3/34 by reaction of hydrocarbons with gasifying agents
• CPC Class Codes: C01B 3/48 followed by reaction of water vapour with carbon monoxide
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 8/04119 with simultaneous supply or evacuation of electrolyte; Humidifying or dehumidifying
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 8/0612 from carbon-containing material
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/50 Fuel cells

Abstract

A fuel cell system that extracts water from the effluent of a fuel cell for supply to other components of the fuel cell system that require water. A preferred embodiment is a fuel cell system, for the production of electricity from hydrogen gas and an oxidant, comprising:

(a) a fuel cell comprising an anode input for a hydrogen-containing anode supply stream, a cathode input for an oxidant-containing cathode supply stream, and a cathode output for cathode effluent comprising water produced by said fuel cell; and

(b) a water transfer device, connected to said fuel cell, that transfers water from said cathode effluent to said anode supply stream.

Claims

1. A fuel cell power plant, comprising:

(a) a reactor having a reactant input for a reactor oxidant stream, and a reactor reformate output for a reformats supply stream; and

(b) a first water transfer device comprising (i) a first device reformats input connected to said reactor reformats output, (ii) a first device reformate output, (iii) a first device oxidant gas input, (iv) a first device oxidant gas output connected to said reactant input of the reactor, and (v) a water-transfer membrane, wherein said water transfer device transfers water from said reformate gas stream to said reactor oxidant stream;

(c) a fuel cell comprising an anode input for said reformate supply stream, a cathode input for a cathode oxidant stream, an anode output for an anode effluent stream; and

a cathode output for a cathode effluent stream; and

(d) a second water transfer device comprising (i) a second device reformats gas input connected to said first reformats gas output of the first water transfer device, (ii) a second device reformate gas output connected to said anode input of the fuel cell stack, (iii) a second device effluent input connected to one or both of said effluent outputs of the fuel cell stack, (iv) a second device effluent output, and (v) a water transfer membrane;

wherein said second water transfer device transfers water from one or both of said effluent streams to said reformats supply stream.

2. A fuel processor according to claim 1, wherein said water transfer membrane comprises poly[perfluorosulfonic]acid.

3. A fuel cell power plant according to claim 1, wherein said reactor oxidant stream comprises air.

4. A fuel cell power plant according to claim 3, wherein the temperature of said reactor oxidant stream is less than about 50°

C.

5. A fuel cell power plant according to claim 1, wherein said reactor comprises an autothermal reactor.

6. A fuel cell power plant according to claim 5, wherein said reactor additionally comprises a water-gas shift reactor and a preferential oxidation reactor, and wherein said autothermal reactor produces reformate which is supplied, in series, to said water-gas shift reactor and to said preferential oxidation reactor, and wherein said first water transfer device transfers water from said reformate stream after said reformate exits said water-gas shift reactor and before said reformate enters said preferential oxidation reactor.

7. A fuel cell power plant according to claim 5, wherein said reactor additionally comprises a water-gas shift reactor and a preferential oxidation reactor, and wherein said autothermal reactor produces reformate which is supplied, in series, to said water-gas shift reactor and to said preferential oxidation reactor, and wherein said first water transfer device transfers water from said reformate stream after said reformats exits said preferential oxidation reactor.

8. A fuel cell power plant according to claim 1, additionally comprising an air moving device connected to said cathode input, wherein an air supply stream flows through said air moving device before entering said cathode input, and wherein said second water transfer device is connected to the input of said compressor and transfers water to said supply stream prior to the entry of said stream into said air moving device.

9. A fuel cell power plant, comprising:

(a) a reactor having a reactant input for a reactor oxidant stream, and a reactor reformats output for a reformate supply stream; and

(b) a first water transfer device comprising (i) a first device reformate input connected to said reactor reformats output, (ii) a first device reformats output;

(iii) a first device oxidant gas input for a first oxidant supply stream;

(iv) a first device oxidant gas output connected to said reactant input of the reactor; and

(v) a water-transfer membrane;

(c) a fuel cell comprising an anode input for said reformats supply stream, a cathode input for a cathode oxidant stream, an anode output for an anode effluent stream; and

a cathode output for a cathode effluent stream; and

(d) a second water transfer device comprising (i) a second device cathode effluent input connected to said cathode output of the fuel cell, (ii) a second device cathode effluent output, (iii) a second device oxidant gas input for a second oxidant supply stream, (iv) a second device oxidant gas output, connected to said first device oxidant gas input, and (v) a water transfer membrane;

wherein said first water transfer device transfers water from said reformate stream to said reactor oxidant stream, and wherein said second water transfer device transfers water from said cathode effluent to said first oxidant supply stream and to said cathode oxidant stream.

10. A fuel processor according to claim 9, wherein said water transfer membrane comprises poly[perfluorosulfonic]acid.

11. A fuel cell power plant according to claim 9, wherein said reactor oxidant stream comprises air.

12. A fuel cell power plant according to claim 9, wherein said reactor comprises an autothermal reactor.

13. A fuel cell power plant according to claim 12, wherein said reactor additionally comprises a water-gas shift reactor and a preferential oxidation reactor, and wherein autothermal reactor produces reformats which is supplied, in series, to said water-gas shift reactor and to said preferential oxidation reactor, and wherein said first water transfer device transfers water from said reformate stream after said reformats exits said water-gas shift reactor and before said reformats enters said preferential oxidation reactor.

15. A fuel cell power plant according to claim 9, additionally comprising an air moving device connected to said second device oxidant gas input, wherein said second oxidant supply stream flows through said air moving device before entering said second device oxidant gas input.

14. A fuel cell power plant according to claim wherein said reactor additionally comprises a water-gas shift reactor and a preferential oxidation reactor, and wherein autothermal reactor produces reformate which is supplied, in series, to said water-gas shift reactor and to said preferential oxidation reactor, and wherein said first water transfer device transfers water from said reformats stream after said reformate exits said preferential oxidation reactor.

16. A fuel cell power plant comprising:

(a) a reactor for the production of a reformate supply stream using a reactant stream comprising a reactor oxidant stream and a reactor hydrocarbon fuel stream, wherein said reformate supply stream comprises water;

(b) a first water transfer device that transfers water from said reformate supply stream to a one or both of said reactant streams, comprising a water-transfer membrane;

(c) a fuel cell comprising an anode input for said reformate supply stream, a cathode input for a cathode oxidant supply stream, an anode output for an anode effluent stream, a cathode output for an cathode effluent stream, wherein either or both of said anode effluent and said cathode effluent comprise water produced by said fuel cell;

(d) a second water transfer device, connected to said fuel cell, that transfers water from one or both of said effluent streams to said reactor oxidant stream comprising air, and optionally to one or more of said reformate supply stream and said cathode oxidant supply stream; and

(e) wherein said second water transfer device is connected to said reactor through said first water transfer device for transferring water to said reactor oxidant stream.

17. A fuel cell power plant according to claim 16, wherein said air is at a temperature less than about 50°

C.

18. A fuel processor according to claim 17, wherein said air is at about ambient temperature.

19. A fuel cell power plant comprising:

(a) a reactor for the production of a reformate supply stream using a reactant stream comprising a reactor oxidant stream and a reactor hydrocarbon fuel stream, wherein said reformate supply stream comprises water;

(b) a first water transfer device that transfers water from said reformate supply stream to a one or both of said reactant streams, comprising a water-transfer membrane;

(c) a fuel cell comprising an anode input for said reformate supply stream, a cathode input for a cathode oxidant supply stream, an anode output for an anode effluent stream, a cathode output for an cathode effluent stream, wherein either or both of said anode effluent and said cathode effluent comprise water produced by said fuel cell;

(d) a second water transfer device, connected to said fuel cell, that transfers water from one or both of said effluent streams to one or more of said reactor oxidant stream, said reformate supply stream, and said cathode oxidant supply stream; and

(e) wherein said reactor comprises an autothermal reformer, a water-gas shift reactor and a preferential oxidation reactor, and wherein said autothermal reactor produces reformats which is supplied, in series, to said water-gas shift reactor and to said preferential oxidation reactor, and wherein said first water transfer device transfers water from said reformate supply stream after said reformats exits said water-gas shift reactor and before said reformate enters said preferential oxidation reactor.

20. A fuel cell power plant comprising;

(a) a reactor for the production of a reformats supply stream using a reactant stream comprising a reactor oxidant stream and a reactor hydrocarbon fuel stream, wherein said reformate supply stream comprises water;

(b) a first water transfer device that transfers water from said reformate supply stream to a one or both of said reactant streams, comprising a water-transfer membrane;

(c) a fuel cell comprising an anode input for said reformats supply stream, a cathode input for a cathode oxidant supply stream, an anode output for an anode effluent stream, a cathode output for an cathode effluent stream, wherein either or both of said anode effluent and said cathode effluent comprise water produced by said fuel cell;

(d) a second water transfer device, connected to said fuel cell, that transfers water from one or both of said effluent streams to one or more of said reactor oxidant stream, said reformats supply stream, and said cathode oxidant supply stream; and

(e) wherein said reactor comprises an autothermal reformer, a water-gas shift reactor and a preferential oxidation reactor, and wherein said autothermal reactor produces reformate which is supplied, in series, to said water-gas shift reactor and to said preferential oxidation reactor, and wherein said first water transfer device transfers water from said reformate supply stream after said reformate exits said preferential oxidation reactor.