Fuel cell system with thermally integrated combustor and corrugated foil reformer

• US 7,524,572 B2
• Filed: 04/07/2005
• Issued: 04/28/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 04/07/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Bloom Energy Corporation
• Original Assignee: Bloom Energy Corporation
• Inventors: Whittenberger, William, Lyle, William David, Perry, Martin, Venkataraman, Swaminathan
• Primary Examiner(s): Cantelmo; Gregg
• Application Number:
  US11/100,489
• Publication Number:
  US 20060228598A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,482 Days
• Field of Search: 429/26, 429/20
• US Class Current: 429/441
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 2008/1293 Fuel cells with solid oxide electrolytes
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 8/04022 Heating by combustion
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 8/04268 Heating of fuel cells during the start-up of the fuel cells
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 8/0625 in a modular combined reactor/fuel cell structure
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/50 Fuel cells

Abstract

A fuel cell system includes a fuel cell stack, a reformer which is thermally integrated with the fuel cell stack. The system may also include a combustor which is thermally integrated with the reformer. The reformer is a reformation catalyst containing channel bounded by at least one corrugated foil wall. The reformer is adapted to reform a hydrocarbon fuel to a hydrogen containing reaction product and to provide the reaction product to the fuel cell stack.

Claims

1. A fuel cell system, comprising:

a fuel cell stack; and

a reformer which is thermally integrated with the fuel cell stack by being located adjacent to the fuel cell stack;

wherein;

the reformer is adapted to reform a hydrocarbon fuel to a hydrogen containing reaction product and to provide the reaction product to the fuel cell stack; and

the reformer comprises a reformation catalyst coated corrugated foil located in a reformer channel bounded by one or more walls of the reformer such that the hydrocarbon fuel is forced to make a zig-zag path through the reformer channel.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the reformer channel is separated from the fuel cell stack by a first corrugated foil.

3. The system of claim 2, further comprising a combustor which is thermally integrated with the reformer, wherein the reformer is located between the fuel cell stack and the combustor.

4. The system of claim 3, wherein:

the fuel cell stack comprises a solid oxide fuel cell stack; and

the fuel cell stack, the combustor and the reformer are located in a manifold housing.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein:

the fuel cell stack comprises a solid oxide fuel cell stack; and

the fuel cell stack, the combustor and the reformer are located in a manifold housing.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the one or more walls of the reformer are not corrugated.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the one or more walls of the reformer are corrugated.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein a straight line path does not exist from an inlet of the reformer to an outlet of the reformer through the reformer channel.

9. A fuel cell system, comprising:

a fuel cell stack;

a reformer which is thermally integrated with the fuel cell stack by being located adjacent to the fuel cell stack; and

a combustor which is thermally integrated with the reformer;

wherein;

the reformer is located between the fuel cell stack and the combustor;

the reformer is adapted to reform a hydrocarbon fuel to a hydrogen containing reaction product and to provide the reaction product to the fuel cell stack;

the reformer comprises a reformation catalyst containing foil located in a reformer channel bounded by one or more walls of the reformer;

the reformer channel is separated from the fuel cell stack by a first corrugated foil;

a second corrugated foil separates the reformer from the combustor; and

the reformation catalyst containing foil comprises a corrugated foil which is located between the first and the second corrugated foils, such that the hydrocarbon fuel is forced to make a zig-zag path through the reformer channel.