Power generation system and method
First Claim
1. A method for operating a power generation system, comprising:
- (a) supplying at least a first portion of fuel and a first portion of air to an engine, wherein said engine is configured to produce a hydrogen rich engine exhaust;
(b) reacting said first portion of fuel and said first portion of air in said engine to produce a hydrogen rich engine exhaust;
(c) introducing said hydrogen rich engine exhaust to a fuel intake of an SOFC, said SOFC having an air side having an air intake;
(d) introducing a second portion of air to said air intake of said SOFC; and
(e) ionizing oxygen in the second portion of air such that the ionized oxygen migrates from the air side to the fuel side of the SOFC where it reacts with said hydrogen rich engine exhaust produce to produce an SOFC effluent.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A power generation system and method providing an engine configured to produce hydrogen rich reformate to feed a solid oxide fuel cell includes an engine having an intake and an exhaust; an air supply in fluid communication with the engine intake; a fuel supply in fluid communication with the engine intake; at least one solid oxide fuel cell having an air intake in fluid communication with an air supply, a fuel intake in fluid communication with the engine exhaust, a solid oxide fuel cell effluent and an air effluent. Engines include a free piston gas generator with rich homogenous charge compression, a rich internal combustion engine cylinder system with an oxygen generator, and a rich inlet turbo-generator system with exhaust heat recovery. Oxygen enrichment devices to enhance production of hydrogen rich engine exhaust include pressure swing absorption with oxygen selective materials, and oxygen separators such as an solid oxide fuel cell oxygen separator and a ceramic membrane oxygen separator.
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Citations
19 Claims
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1. A method for operating a power generation system, comprising:
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(a) supplying at least a first portion of fuel and a first portion of air to an engine, wherein said engine is configured to produce a hydrogen rich engine exhaust;
(b) reacting said first portion of fuel and said first portion of air in said engine to produce a hydrogen rich engine exhaust;
(c) introducing said hydrogen rich engine exhaust to a fuel intake of an SOFC, said SOFC having an air side having an air intake;
(d) introducing a second portion of air to said air intake of said SOFC; and
(e) ionizing oxygen in the second portion of air such that the ionized oxygen migrates from the air side to the fuel side of the SOFC where it reacts with said hydrogen rich engine exhaust produce to produce an SOFC effluent. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
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17. A method for operating a power generation system comprising:
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supplying at least a first portion of fuel and a first portion of air to an engine configured to produce a hydrogen rich engine exhaust;
reacting said first portion of fuel and said first portion of air in said engine to produce a hydrogen rich engine exhaust;
introducing said hydrogen rich engine exhaust, an alternate SOFC fuel, or a combination thereof, to a fuel intake of a SOFC, said SOFC having an air side having an air intake;
introducing a second portion of air to said air intake of said SOFC;
ionizing oxygen in the second portion of air such that the ionized oxygen migrates from the air side to the fuel side of said SOFC where it reacts with said hydrogen rich engine exhaust, said alternate SOFC fuel, or a combination thereof, to product an SOFC effluent, an oxygen depleted air stream, and electricity;
utilizing said SOFC electricity to operate a base load of electrical accessories, provide traction power, recharge electrical sources, or a combination thereof, while said engine provides limited traction power. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19)
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Specification