High performance fuel processing system for fuel cell power plant
First Claim
1. In a fuel processing system (FPS) (110) for a fuel cell power plant (115) including a fuel cell stack assembly (CSA) (56), the FPS (110) including at least a water gas shift (WGS) reaction section (12, 120) for receiving hydrocarbon reformate containing CO and reducing the concentration of CO in the reformate via the shift reaction, and at least a preferential oxidation (PROX) section (40) for further reducing the concentration of CO in the reformate to a concentration acceptable for operating the CSA (56), the improvement wherein:
- the WGS section (12, 120) includes a low temperature reactor (124) with a high activity catalyst therein for reducing the concentration of CO in the reformate to a relatively low level, thereby relatively reducing the structural volume of the FPS (110), said high activity catalyst comprises a noble-metal-on-ceria based, nanophase-structure catalyst in the low temperature reactor (124) of the WGS section (120) being active at temperatures as low as 250°
C.
4 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A fuel processing system (FPS) (110) is provided for a fuel cell power plant (115) having a fuel cell stack assembly (CSA) (56). A water gas shift (WGS) reaction section (12, 120) of the FPS (110) reduces the concentration of carbon monoxide (CO) in the supplied hydrocarbon reformate, and a preferred oxidation (PROX) section (40) further reduces the CO concentration to an acceptable level. The WGS section (12, 120) includes a reactor (124) with a high activity catalyst for reducing the reformate Co concentration to a relatively low level, e.g., 2,000 ppmv or less, thereby relatively reducing the structural volume of the FPS (110). The high activity catalyst is active at temperatures as low as 250° C., and may be a noble-metal-on-ceria catalyst of Pt and Re on a nanocrystaline, cerium oxide-based support. Then only a low temperature PROX reactor (46) is required for preferential oxidation in the FPS (110).
72 Citations
18 Claims
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1. In a fuel processing system (FPS) (110) for a fuel cell power plant (115) including a fuel cell stack assembly (CSA) (56), the FPS (110) including at least a water gas shift (WGS) reaction section (12, 120) for receiving hydrocarbon reformate containing CO and reducing the concentration of CO in the reformate via the shift reaction, and at least a preferential oxidation (PROX) section (40) for further reducing the concentration of CO in the reformate to a concentration acceptable for operating the CSA (56), the improvement wherein:
the WGS section (12, 120) includes a low temperature reactor (124) with a high activity catalyst therein for reducing the concentration of CO in the reformate to a relatively low level, thereby relatively reducing the structural volume of the FPS (110), said high activity catalyst comprises a noble-metal-on-ceria based, nanophase-structure catalyst in the low temperature reactor (124) of the WGS section (120) being active at temperatures as low as 250°
C.- View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
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9. In a fuel processing system (FPS) (110) for a fuel cell power plant (115) including a fuel cell stack assembly (CSA) (56), the FPS (110) including at least a water gas shift (WGS) reaction section (12, 120) for receiving hydrocarbon reformate containing CO and reducing the concentration of CO in the reformate via the shift reaction, and at least a preferential oxidation (PROX) section (40) for further reducing the concentration of CO in the reformate to a concentration acceptable for operating the CSA (56), the improvement wherein:
the WGS section (12, 120) includes a low temperature reactor (124) with a high activity catalyst for reducing the concentration of CO in the reformate to a relatively low level, thereby relatively reducing the structural volume of the FPS (110), said high activity catalyst in the low temperature reactor (124) of the WGS section (120) comprising a noble-metal-on-ceria-based, nanophase-structured catalyst comprising platinum (Pt) and rhenium (Re) mixed metal on a nanocrystaline, cerium oxide-based support. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12)
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13. In a fuel processing system (FPS) (110) for a fuel cell power plant (115) including a fuel cell stack assembly (GSA) (56), the FPS (110) including at least a water gas shift (WGS) reaction section (12, 120) for receiving hydrocarbon reformate containing CO and reducing the concentration of CO in the reformate via the shift reaction, and at least a preferential oxidation (PROX) section (40) for further reducing the concentration of CO in the reformate to a concentration acceptable for operating the CSA (56), the improvement wherein:
the WGS section (12, 120) includes a low temperature reactor (124) with a high activity catalyst for reducing the concentration of CO in the reformate to a relatively low level, thereby relatively reducing the structural volume of the FPS (110), said high activity catalyst in the low temperature reactor (124) of the WGS section (120) including at least platinum and having a catalyst activity of at least 0.18 moles of CO per moles of Pt per sec. (moles CO/moles Pt-sec.) at 250°
C. for a gas composition of 1.5%-2.5% CO, 25%-35% H2O, 30-50% H2, 10-14% CO2, balance N2, a CO reaction order in the range of 0.0 to 0.10 and an activation energy of up to about 20 Kcal/mole CO.- View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16, 17, 18)
Specification