초록 ▼

Method and apparatus are provided for removing contaminants from a hydrogen processor feed stream, as in a fuel cell power plant (110). Inlet oxidant (38), typically air, required by a catalytic hydrogen processor (34) in a fuel processor (14) for a fuel cell stack assembly (12) in the power plant (

Method and apparatus are provided for removing contaminants from a hydrogen processor feed stream, as in a fuel cell power plant (110). Inlet oxidant (38), typically air, required by a catalytic hydrogen processor (34) in a fuel processor (14) for a fuel cell stack assembly (12) in the power plant (110), may contain contaminants such as SO2 and the like. A cleansing arrangement, which includes an accumulator/degasifier (142, 46) acting as a scrubber, and possibly also a water transfer device (118), receives the inlet oxidant and provides the desired cleansing of contaminants. Water in the water transfer device and in the accumulator/degasifier serves to dissolve the water-soluble contaminants and cleanse them from the oxidant stream. The cleansed oxidant stream (138′) is then delivered to the hydrogen processor and to the fuel cell assembly, with minimal inclusion of detrimental contaminants such as sulfur.

대표청구항 ▼

1. A contaminant removal system for a fuel processing system (14) having a hydrogen generator (34) for converting a fuel stream (33) to a hydrogen-containing stream (28), a supply of oxidant (38) for connection to the hydrogen generator to assist in converting the fuel stream to the hydrogen-contain

1. A contaminant removal system for a fuel processing system (14) having a hydrogen generator (34) for converting a fuel stream (33) to a hydrogen-containing stream (28), a supply of oxidant (38) for connection to the hydrogen generator to assist in converting the fuel stream to the hydrogen-containing stream, the supply of oxidant potentially containing at least one water-soluble contaminant that is deleterious in one or more of the hydrogen generator and the hydrogen-containing stream, the contaminant removal system comprising:a cleansing arrangement (116, 142, 46, 118) connected intermediate the supply of oxidant (38) and the hydrogen generator (34) for reducing the level of the at least one water-soluble contaminant in the supply of oxidant prior to admission of the oxidant to the hydrogen generator, the cleansing arrangement comprising a scrubbing apparatus (142, 46) having a water supply flowing therethrough, said supply of oxidant is inlet air, and said inlet air is operatively connected (138) to said scrubbing apparatus for intimate contact with the water flowing therethrough, thereby to dissolve and remove the at least one water-soluble contaminant from said inlet air for said hydrogen generator.2. The contaminant removal system of claim 1 wherein the at least one water-soluble contaminant includes sulfur, including sulfur compounds.3. A contaminant removal system for a fuel cell power plant (110) having a fuel cell stack assembly (CSA) (12) and a fuel processing system (FPS) (14) including a hydrogen generator (34) and a shift reactor (41) for converting a hydrocarbon fuel stream (33) to provide a hydrogen-rich stream (28) for use as a reducing agent in the CSA, a supply of oxidant (38) for connection to the hydrogen generator for converting some of the fuel stream to a hydrogen-containing stream, the supply of oxidant containing at least one water-soluble contaminant deleterious to one or more of the FPS and the CSA, the fuel cell power plant (110) including a water management/treatment system (116) having coolant flowing therethrough, the water management/treatment system (116) including a degasifying apparatus (142, 46) for removing dissolved gas from the coolant circulated therethrough, and the contaminant removal system comprising:a cleansing arrangement (116, 142, 46, 118) connected intermediate the supply of oxidant (38) and the hydrogen generator (34) for reducing the level of the at least one water-soluble contaminant in the supply of oxidant prior to admission of the oxidant to the hydrogen generator, said supply of oxidant being inlet air, said inlet air being operatively connected (138) to said degasifying apparatus (142, 46) for removal therein of the at least one water-soluble contaminant from said inlet air to provide cleansed air, and said degasifying apparatus having an outlet operatively connected (138′) to said hydrogen generator for supplying said cleansed air.4. The contaminant removal system of claim 3 wherein the degasifying apparatus (142, 46) is structured such that the inlet air admitted thereto is, on a time and area basis, in intimate contact with the water coolant circulating therethrough, thereby to dissolve a water-soluble contaminant from the inlet air.5. The contaminant removal system of claim 3 wherein the at least one water-soluble contaminant includes sulfur, including sulfur compounds.6. The contaminant removal system of claim 3 wherein a supply of oxidant reactant is required for the CSA, and the cleansed air is operatively connected (138′, 37) to the CSA to supply said oxidant reactant.7. The contaminant removal system of claim 3 wherein the CSA produces humid reactant exhausts of cathode exhaust air and reducing agent, and the cleansing arrangement further including a mass transfer device (118), the inlet air (38) being connected to flow through the mass transfer device and to the degasifying apparatus, and one or more of the reactant exhausts being connected (144) to flow through the mass transfer device counter to the flow of the inlet air to enhance the dissolution therein of a water-soluble contaminant from the inlet air.8. The contaminant removal system of claim 7 wherein the at least one water-soluble contaminant includes sulfur, including sulfur compounds.9. The contaminant removal system of claim 7, further including a water injection device (70) disposed to inject water into the flow of inlet air to provide moisture to enhance the dissolution therein of a water-soluble contaminant from the inlet air.10. A contaminant removal system for a fuel cell power plant (110) having a fuel cell stack assembly (CSA) (12) and a fuel processing system (FPS) (14) including a hydrogen generator (34) and a shift reactor (41) for converting a hydrocarbon fuel stream (33) to provide a hydrogen-rich stream (28) for use as a reducing agent in the CSA, humid reactant exhausts of cathode exhaust air and reducing agent being produced by the CSA, a supply of oxidant (38) for connection to the hydrogen generator for converting some of the fuel stream to a hydrogen-containing stream, the supply of oxidant containing at least one water-soluble contaminant deleterious to one or more of the FPS and the CSA, the contaminant removal system comprising:a cleansing arrangement (116, 142, 46, 118) connected intermediate the supply of oxidant (38) and the hydrogen generator (34) for reducing the level of the at least one water-soluble contaminant in the supply of oxidant prior to admission of the oxidant to the hydrogen generator, the cleansing arrangement comprising a mass transfer device (118), the supply of oxidant (38) being inlet air and being connected (144) to flow first through the mass transfer device and subsequently to the hydrogen generator, one or more of the reactant exhausts being connected (144) to flow through the mass transfer device counter to the flow of the inlet air, and further including a water injection device (70) being disposed to inject water into the flow of inlet air into the mass transfer device to enhance the dissolution of water-soluble contaminants from the inlet air.11. The contaminant removal system of claim 10 wherein the at least one water-soluble contaminant includes sulfur, including sulfur compounds.