×

Hybrid fuel heat exchanger—pre-reformer in SOFC systems

  • US 8,920,997 B2
  • Filed: 09/27/2007
  • Issued: 12/30/2014
  • Est. Priority Date: 07/26/2007
  • Status: Active Grant
First Claim
Patent Images

1. A fuel cell system, comprising:

  • at least one fuel cell stack;

    a fuel inlet conduit;

    a fuel exhaust conduit;

    a fuel exhaust recycling conduit;

    an anode tail gas oxidizer (ATO);

    a splitter; and

    a fuel heat exchanger containing a fuel reformation catalyst, wherein;

    the fuel heat exchanger is connected to the fuel inlet conduit and to the fuel exhaust conduit which in operation provides a high temperature exhaust stream from the fuel cell stack to the fuel heat exchanger;

    the fuel heat exchanger is fluidly connected to the splitter which is connected to the fuel exhaust recycling conduit which in operation recycles a first portion of the high temperature exhaust stream from the fuel heat exchanger via the splitter to the fuel inlet conduit;

    the splitter is fluidly connected to the ATO and provides a second portion of the high temperature exhaust stream to the ATO; and

    the first portion of the high temperature exhaust stream and the second portion of the high temperature exhaust stream have a same relative hydrogen content upon immediate output from the splitter.

View all claims
  • 3 Assignments
Timeline View
Assignment View
    ×
    ×