System and method for controlling the operation of a fuel processing system
First Claim
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1. A fuel processing system, comprising:
- a feed assembly adapted to deliver water and a carbon-containing feedstock to a fuel processor;
a fuel processor adapted to receive a feed stream containing the carbon-containing feedstock and water, wherein the fuel processor comprises;
a reforming region, in which a reformate stream containing hydrogen gas and other gases is produced by reforming the feed stream; and
a separation region that includes at least one hydrogen-selective membrane and in which a product hydrogen stream is formed from a portion of the reformate stream that passes through the at least one hydrogen-selective membrane;
a fuel cell stack that is adapted to receive an oxygen-containing stream and at least a portion of the product hydrogen stream and to produce an electric current therefrom; and
a control system that is adapted to regulate and control the operation of the fuel processing system responsive at least in part to inputs from a sensor assembly that includes at least one sensor adapted to measure an operating parameter of the fuel processing system, wherein the control system is adapted to automatically transition the fuel processing system between selected ones of a plurality of operating states responsive at least in part to inputs from the sensor assembly, and further wherein the plurality of operating states includes a running state in which the product hydrogen stream is produced by the fuel processor and at least a portion of the product hydrogen stream is delivered to the fuel cell stack, and an idle state in which the fuel processor is maintained at an operating temperature and an operating pressure for reforming the feed stream, but no more of the product hydrogen stream is delivered to the fuel cell stack than is required to operate the fuel processing system in the idle state.
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Abstract
A control system and method for a fuel processing system. The control system automates the operation of a fuel processing system by monitoring operating parameters and automatically controlling the operation of the system responsive to the monitored parameters, predefined subroutines and/or user inputs.
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Citations
42 Claims
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1. A fuel processing system, comprising:
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a feed assembly adapted to deliver water and a carbon-containing feedstock to a fuel processor;
a fuel processor adapted to receive a feed stream containing the carbon-containing feedstock and water, wherein the fuel processor comprises;
a reforming region, in which a reformate stream containing hydrogen gas and other gases is produced by reforming the feed stream; and
a separation region that includes at least one hydrogen-selective membrane and in which a product hydrogen stream is formed from a portion of the reformate stream that passes through the at least one hydrogen-selective membrane;
a fuel cell stack that is adapted to receive an oxygen-containing stream and at least a portion of the product hydrogen stream and to produce an electric current therefrom; and
a control system that is adapted to regulate and control the operation of the fuel processing system responsive at least in part to inputs from a sensor assembly that includes at least one sensor adapted to measure an operating parameter of the fuel processing system, wherein the control system is adapted to automatically transition the fuel processing system between selected ones of a plurality of operating states responsive at least in part to inputs from the sensor assembly, and further wherein the plurality of operating states includes a running state in which the product hydrogen stream is produced by the fuel processor and at least a portion of the product hydrogen stream is delivered to the fuel cell stack, and an idle state in which the fuel processor is maintained at an operating temperature and an operating pressure for reforming the feed stream, but no more of the product hydrogen stream is delivered to the fuel cell stack than is required to operate the fuel processing system in the idle state. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19)
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20. A fuel processing system, comprising:
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a feed assembly adapted to deliver water and a carbon-containing feedstock to a fuel processor;
a fuel processor adapted to receive a feed stream containing the carbon-containing feedstock and water, wherein the fuel processor comprises;
a reforming region, in which a reformate stream containing hydrogen gas and other gases is produced by reforming the feed stream; and
a separation region that includes at least one hydrogen-selective membrane and in which a product hydrogen stream is formed from a portion of the reformate stream that passes through the at least one hydrogen-selective membrane;
a fuel cell stack that is adapted to receive an oxygen-containing stream and at least a portion of the product hydrogen stream and to produce an electric current therefrom; and
a control system that is adapted to regulate and control the operation of the fuel processing system responsive at least in part to inputs from a sensor assembly that includes at least one sensor adapted to measure an operating parameter of the fuel processing system and responsive to which an input is generated, wherein the control system includes a memory portion containing at least one threshold value that corresponds to a predetermined threshold operating parameter for each of the operating parameters, wherein the control system is adapted to compare the input to the at least one threshold value to determine if the fuel processing system is operating at an operating parameter that exceeds the predetermined threshold operating parameter, and further wherein upon determination that the input exceeds one or more of the at least one threshold value, the control system is adapted to automatically transition the fuel processing system from a running state, in which the product hydrogen stream is produced by the fuel processor and at least a portion of the product hydrogen stream is delivered to the fuel cell stack, to a faulted state in which no feed stream is delivered to the fuel processor and the product hydrogen stream is not delivered to the fuel cell stack, and further wherein from the faulted state the control system is adapted to transition the fuel processing system to either an off state or a standby state, in which the fuel processor is maintained at an operating temperature and an operating pressure for reforming the feed stream, but no more of the product hydrogen stream is delivered to the fuel cell stack than is required to operate the fuel processing system in the standby state. - View Dependent Claims (21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42)
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Specification