Hydrocarbon reformer performance sensing system
First Claim
1. A system for monitoring the performance of a hydrocarbon reformer, said reformer producing a reformate output, said system comprising:
- a) a quantitative hydrocarbon sensor; and
b) a slipstream for providing a sample of the reformate output of said reformer; and
c) a source of air for combining with said sample of the reformate output to form a mixture, wherein said mixture is provided to said quantitative hydrocarbon sensor for measuring hydrocarbon content of said reformate.
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Accused Products
Abstract
In a fuel cell system, a reformer supplies reformate to a fuel cell stack. A portion of the reformate flow is diverted for analysis by a hydrocarbon analysis system. Residual hydrocarbons in the reformate may damage the anodes of the fuel cell stack. Although incompletely-reformed reformate may include a variety of hydrocarbon compounds, the invention simply measures methane as an indicator of the overall performance level of the reformer. A currently preferred embodiment includes a catalytic combustion methane sensor. Combustion air and reformate are delivered in a fixed ratio to the sensor via positive displacement pumps. The system can provide alarm means or optionally a shut-off means to protect a fuel cell stack from elevated levels of hydrocarbons in the reformate stream.
20 Citations
14 Claims
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1. A system for monitoring the performance of a hydrocarbon reformer, said reformer producing a reformate output, said system comprising:
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a) a quantitative hydrocarbon sensor; and b) a slipstream for providing a sample of the reformate output of said reformer; and c) a source of air for combining with said sample of the reformate output to form a mixture, wherein said mixture is provided to said quantitative hydrocarbon sensor for measuring hydrocarbon content of said reformate. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
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9. A fuel cell system, comprising:
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a) a fuel cell stack; b) a hydrocarbon reformer for supplying gaseous fuel in the form of reformate to said stack; c) a quantitative hydrocarbon sensor; d) a slipstream for providing a sample of said reformate ; and e) a source of air for combining with said sample of the reformate output to form a mixture, wherein said mixture is provided to said guantitative hydrocarbon sensor for measuring hydrocarbon content of said reformate. - View Dependent Claims (10)
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11. A system for monitoring the performance of a hydrocarbon reformer, said reformer producing a reformate output, said system comprising:
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a) a quantitative hydrocarbon sensor; b) a slipstream for providing a sample of said reformate output of said reformer to said sensor; c) a source of air for providing air to said sensor; and d) a control for combining said air and said reformate sample so that a lower explosive limit of 4 percent hydrogen is not exceeded.
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12. A system for monitoring the performance of a hydrocarbon reformer, said reformer producing a reformate output, said system comprising:
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a) a guantitative hydrocarbon sensor; b) a slipstream for providing a samle of said reformate output of said reformer to said sensor; c) a source of air for providing air to said sensor; and d) a control for combining said air and said reformate sample in a fixed and predetermined ratio. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14)
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Specification