Fuel cell anode exhaust fuel recovery by adsorption
First Claim
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1. A method of operating a fuel cell system, comprising:
- (1) providing a fuel inlet stream into a fuel cell stack;
(2) operating the fuel cell stack to generate electricity and a hydrogen containing fuel exhaust stream;
(3) separating at least a portion of hydrogen contained in the fuel exhaust stream, the step of separating comprising;
(a) a first feed/purge step comprising;
providing a feed gas inlet stream comprising at least a portion of the fuel exhaust stream into a first adsorbent bed;
collecting a feed gas outlet stream comprising at least one separated component of the feed gas at a first output;
providing a purge gas inlet stream into a second adsorbent bed; and
collecting a purge gas outlet stream at a second output;
(b) a first flush step, conducted after the first feed/purge step, the first flush step comprising;
providing the purge gas inlet stream into the first adsorbent bed;
collecting the purge gas outlet stream, which comprises at least one component of the feed gas that was trapped in a void volume of the first adsorbent bed, at the first output, wherein the first output is the same output as the first output in the first feed/purge step;
providing the feed gas inlet stream into the second adsorbent bed; and
collecting the feed gas outlet stream, which comprises a portion of the purge gas that was trapped in a void volume of the second bed, at the second output;
(c) a second feed/purge step, conducted after the first flush step, the second feed/purge step comprising;
providing the feed gas inlet stream into the second adsorbent bed;
collecting the feed gas outlet stream comprising at least one separated component of the feed gas at the first output;
providing the purge gas inlet stream into the first adsorbent bed; and
collecting the purge gas outlet stream at the second output; and
(d) a second flush step, conducted after the second feed/purge step, the second flush step comprising;
providing the purge gas inlet stream into the second adsorbent bed;
collecting the purge gas outlet stream, which comprises at least one component of the feed gas that was trapped in a void volume of the second adsorbent bed, at the first output;
providing the feed gas inlet stream into the first adsorbent bed; and
collecting a feed gas outlet stream, which comprises a portion of the purge gas that was trapped in a void volume of the first bed, at the second output; and
(4) providing the hydrogen separated from the fuel exhaust stream into the fuel inlet stream.
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Abstract
A method of operating a fuel cell system includes providing a fuel inlet stream into a fuel cell stack, operating the fuel cell stack to generate electricity and a hydrogen containing fuel exhaust stream, separating at least a portion of hydrogen contained in the fuel exhaust stream using partial pressure swing adsorption, and providing the hydrogen separated from the fuel exhaust stream into the fuel inlet stream.
86 Citations
18 Claims
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1. A method of operating a fuel cell system, comprising:
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(1) providing a fuel inlet stream into a fuel cell stack; (2) operating the fuel cell stack to generate electricity and a hydrogen containing fuel exhaust stream; (3) separating at least a portion of hydrogen contained in the fuel exhaust stream, the step of separating comprising; (a) a first feed/purge step comprising; providing a feed gas inlet stream comprising at least a portion of the fuel exhaust stream into a first adsorbent bed; collecting a feed gas outlet stream comprising at least one separated component of the feed gas at a first output; providing a purge gas inlet stream into a second adsorbent bed; and collecting a purge gas outlet stream at a second output; (b) a first flush step, conducted after the first feed/purge step, the first flush step comprising; providing the purge gas inlet stream into the first adsorbent bed; collecting the purge gas outlet stream, which comprises at least one component of the feed gas that was trapped in a void volume of the first adsorbent bed, at the first output, wherein the first output is the same output as the first output in the first feed/purge step; providing the feed gas inlet stream into the second adsorbent bed; and collecting the feed gas outlet stream, which comprises a portion of the purge gas that was trapped in a void volume of the second bed, at the second output; (c) a second feed/purge step, conducted after the first flush step, the second feed/purge step comprising; providing the feed gas inlet stream into the second adsorbent bed; collecting the feed gas outlet stream comprising at least one separated component of the feed gas at the first output; providing the purge gas inlet stream into the first adsorbent bed; and collecting the purge gas outlet stream at the second output; and (d) a second flush step, conducted after the second feed/purge step, the second flush step comprising; providing the purge gas inlet stream into the second adsorbent bed; collecting the purge gas outlet stream, which comprises at least one component of the feed gas that was trapped in a void volume of the second adsorbent bed, at the first output; providing the feed gas inlet stream into the first adsorbent bed; and collecting a feed gas outlet stream, which comprises a portion of the purge gas that was trapped in a void volume of the first bed, at the second output; and (4) providing the hydrogen separated from the fuel exhaust stream into the fuel inlet stream. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
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10. A fuel cell system, comprising:
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a fuel cell stack; a partial pressure swing adsorption unit comprising a first adsorbent bed and a second adsorbent bed; a first conduit which operatively connects a fuel exhaust outlet of the fuel cell stack to a first inlet of the partial pressure swing adsorption unit; a second conduit which operatively connects a purge gas source to a second inlet of the partial pressure swing adsorption unit; a third conduit which operatively connects an outlet of the partial pressure swing adsorption unit to a fuel inlet of the fuel cell stack; and in operation, the first adsorbent bed performs the following functions; (a) receives the feed gas inlet stream comprising at least a portion of the fuel cell stack fuel exhaust stream from the first conduit and provides at least one separated component of the feed gas to the third conduit in a first feed/purge step; (b) receives the purge gas inlet stream from the second conduit and provides a purge gas outlet stream, which comprises at least one component of the feed gas that was trapped in a void volume of the first bed to the third conduit in a first flush step, conducted after the first feed/purge step, wherein the third conduit is the same conduit as the third conduit in the first feed/purge step; (c) receives a purge gas inlet stream from the second conduit and provides a purge gas outlet stream to an output different from the third conduit in a second feed/purge step, conducted after the first flush step; and (d) receives the feed gas inlet stream from the first conduit and provides a feed gas outlet stream, which comprises a portion of the purge gas that was trapped in a void volume of the first bed, to at an output different from the third conduit in a second flush step, conducted after the second feed/purge step; and in operation, the second bed performs the following functions; (a) receives a purge gas inlet stream from the second conduit and provides a purge gas outlet stream to at an output different from the third conduit in a first feed/purge step; (b) receives the feed gas inlet stream from the first conduit and provides the feed gas outlet stream, which comprises a portion of the purge gas that was trapped in a void volume of the second bed, to an output different from the third conduit in a first flush step, conducted after the first feed/purge step; (c) receives the feed gas inlet stream from the first conduit and provides the feed gas outlet stream comprising at least one separated component of the feed gas to the third conduit in a second feed/purge step, conducted after the first flush step; and (d) receives the purge gas inlet stream from the second conduit and provides the purge gas outlet stream, which comprises at least one component of the feed gas that was trapped in a void volume of the second bed to the third conduit in a second flush step, conducted after the second feed/purge step. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
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17. A fuel cell system, comprising:
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a fuel cell stack; a separation means for separating at least a portion of hydrogen contained in a fuel cell stack fuel exhaust stream using partial pressure swing adsorption and for providing the hydrogen separated from the fuel exhaust stream into a fuel cell stack fuel inlet stream; a first means for providing a feed gas inlet stream comprising at least a portion of the fuel cell stack fuel exhaust stream; a second means for providing a purge gas inlet stream; a third means for collecting at least one separated component of the feed gas; a fourth means for; (a) receiving the feed gas inlet stream from the first means and for providing at least one separated component of the feed gas to the third means in a first feed/purge step; (b) receiving the purge gas inlet stream from the second means and for providing a purge gas outlet stream, which comprises at least one component of the feed gas that was trapped in a void volume of the fourth means to the third means in a first flush step, conducted after the first feed/purge step, wherein the third means is the same means as the third means in the first feed/purge step; (c) receiving a purge gas inlet stream from the second means and for providing a purge gas outlet stream to an output different from the third means in a second feed/purge step, conducted after the first flush step; and (d) receiving the feed gas inlet stream from the first means and for providing a feed gas outlet stream, which comprises a portion of the purge gas that was trapped in a void volume of the fourth means, to at an output different from the third means, in a second flush step, conducted after the second feed/purge step; and a fifth means for; (a) receiving a purge gas inlet stream from the second means and for providing a purge gas outlet stream to at an output different from the third means in a first feed/purge step; (b) receiving the feed gas inlet stream from the first means and for providing the feed gas outlet stream, which comprises a portion of the purge gas that was trapped in a void volume of the fifth means, to an output different from the third means in a first flush step, conducted after the first feed/purge step; (c) receiving the feed gas inlet stream from the first means and for providing the feed gas outlet stream comprising at least one separated component of the feed gas to the third means in a second feed/purge step, conducted after the first flush step; and (d) receiving the purge gas inlet stream from the second means and for providing the purge gas outlet stream, which comprises at least one component of the feed gas that was trapped in a void volume of the fifth means to the third means in a second flush step, conducted after the second feed/purge step. - View Dependent Claims (18)
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Specification