IPC분류정보
국가/구분 |
United States(US) Patent
등록
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국제특허분류(IPC7판) |
|
출원번호 |
US-0077471
(2002-02-15)
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발명자
/ 주소 |
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출원인 / 주소 |
- General Motors Corporation
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인용정보 |
피인용 횟수 :
5 인용 특허 :
5 |
초록
▼
A fuel cell system including a fuel reforming processor having a catalyst therein constructed and arranged to produce a reformate stream including hydrogen and carbon monoxide, a water gas shift reactor downstream of the fuel reforming processor and wherein the water gas shift reactor includes a cat
A fuel cell system including a fuel reforming processor having a catalyst therein constructed and arranged to produce a reformate stream including hydrogen and carbon monoxide, a water gas shift reactor downstream of the fuel reforming processor and wherein the water gas shift reactor includes a catalyst therein constructed and arranged to reduce the amount of carbon monoxide in the reformate stream, a preferential oxidation reactor downstream of the water gas shift reactor and wherein the preferential oxidation reactor includes a catalyst therein constructed and arranged to preferentially oxidize carbon monoxide into carbon dioxide and to produce a hydrogen-rich stream, and a fuel cell stack downstream of the preferential oxidation reactor constructed and arranged to produce electricity from the hydrogen-rich stream, a first direct water vaporizing combustor constructed and arranged to combust fuel producing a high-temperature fuel combustion byproducts exhaust and to produce steam from water sprayed into the combustion byproduct exhaust and wherein the first direct water vaporizing combustor is plumbed to the fuel reforming reactor to charge steam therein, and a second direct water vaporizing combustor constructed and arranged to combust fuel to produce a high-temperature fuel combustion byproduct exhaust and to produce steam from water sprayed into the fuel combustion byproduct exhaust and wherein the second direct water vaporizing combustor is plumbed to the water gas shift reactor to charge steam therein.
대표청구항
▼
What is claimed is: 1. A process comprising: providing a fuel cell system including a fuel reforming processor having a catalyst therein constructed and arranged to produce a reformate stream including hydrogen and carbon monoxide, a water gas shift reactor downstream of the fuel reforming processo
What is claimed is: 1. A process comprising: providing a fuel cell system including a fuel reforming processor having a catalyst therein constructed and arranged to produce a reformate stream including hydrogen and carbon monoxide, a water gas shift reactor downstream of the fuel reforming processor and wherein the water gas shift reactor includes a catalyst therein constructed and arranged to reduce the amount of carbon monoxide in the reformate stream, a preferential oxidation reactor downstream of the water gas shift reactor and wherein the preferential oxidation reactor includes a catalyst therein constructed and arranged to preferentially oxidize carbon monoxide into carbon dioxide and to produce a hydrogen-rich stream, and a fuel cell stack downstream of the preferential oxidation reactor constructed and arranged to produce electricity from the hydrogen-rich stream, a first direct water vaporizing combustor constructed and arranged to combust fuel producing a first high-temperature fuel combustion byproduct exhaust and producing steam from water sprayed into the combustion byproduct exhaust and wherein the first direct water vaporizing combustor is plumbed to the fuel reforming reactor to charge steam therein, and a second direct water vaporizing combustor constructed and arranged to combust a fuel to produce a second high-temperature fuel combustion byproduct exhaust and producing steam from water sprayed into the fuel combustion byproduct exhaust and wherein the second direct water vaporizing combustor is plumbed to the water gas shift reactor to charge steam therein; flowing air into the first direct water vaporizing combustor and onward into the fuel reforming reactor; flowing air into the second direct water vaporizing combustor; delivering combustible fuel into the first and second direct water vaporizing combustors and igniting the combustible fuel and air in each combustor to produce the first and second high-temperature fuel combustion byproduct exhaust in each combustor; spraying water into each of the first and second high-temperature fuel combustion byproduct exhaust to produce a combustor effluent stream from each combustor including fuel combustion byproducts and steam, and charging the fuel reforming reactor with the first combustor effluent stream and charging the water gas shift reactor with the second combustor effluent stream; charging the fuel reforming processor with a hydrogen-rich stream; delivering air to the preferential oxidation reactor and to the fuel cell stack; determining when the catalysts in the fuel reforming reactor, water gas shift reactor and preferential oxidation reactor are above their respective light off temperatures, and after the catalysts have reached the respective light off temperatures, then turning off the hydrogen-rich stream being charged to the fuel reforming reactor and delivering a reformable fuel to the fuel reforming reactor; and drawing current from the fuel cell stack when available. 2. A process as set forth in claim 1 wherein the fuel cell system further comprises a heat exchanger system having a first heat exchanger constructed and arranged to receive the effluent stream from the first direct water vaporizing combustor and having a heat exchanger in a water tank, and wherein water for spraying into the first and second direct water vaporizing combustors is carried in the water tank, and the heat exchanger system further including a heat exchange fluid circulating between the first heat exchanger and the heat exchanger in the water tank, and if the water in the water tank is frozen then heating the heat exchange fluid with the effluent stream from the first direct water vaporizing combustor until the water in the tank is thawed, and thereafter bypassing the first heat exchanger. 3. A process as set forth in claim 1 wherein the fuel cell system further comprises a second heat exchanger positioned between the fuel reforming reactor and the water gas shift reactor, and wherein the first direct water vaporizing combustor is plumbed to the second heat exchanger to heat the reformate stream exiting the fuel reforming processor. 4. A process as set forth in claim 3 wherein the fuel cell system further comprises a third heat exchanger in the preferential oxidation reactor and the third heat exchanger being plumbed to the second heat exchanger and flowing water into the third heat exchanger to be heated by the preferential oxidation reactor and to produce steam, and wherein the third heat exchanger is plumbed to charge the steam produce therein into the fuel reforming reactor. 5. A process as set forth in claim 4 wherein after the catalysts have reached their respective light off temperatures and steam is produced in the third heat exchanger, stopping the fuel and water being delivered to the first and second direct water vaporizing combustors, and reducing the amount of air flowing to each of the first and second direct water vaporizing combustors to maintain a desired reaction temperature in the fuel reforming reactor and the water gas shift reactor. 6. A process as set forth in claim 1 further comprising a catalytic combustor downstream of the fuel cell stack for combusting anode and cathode exhaust streams from the fuel cell stack. 7. A process as set forth in claim 1 wherein the flowing of air into the second direct water vaporizing combustor is an amount in excess of that needed to combust the fuel so that air is charged into the water gas shift reactor to produce a partial oxidation reaction of the reformate and to generate heat to warm the water gas shift reactor when the water gas shift reactor catalyst is below a desired operating temperature. 8. A process as set forth in claim 1 further comprising delivering additional amounts of fuel, air and water to at least one of the first and second direct water vaporizing combustors to produce additional steam in response to the increase in the current demand on the fuel cell stack. 9. A process comprising: providing a fuel cell system including a fuel reforming processor having a catalyst therein constructed and arranged to produce a reformate stream including hydrogen and carbon monoxide, a water gas shift reactor downstream of the fuel reforming processor and wherein the water gas shift reactor includes a catalyst therein constructed and arranged to reduce the amount of carbon monoxide in the reformate stream, a preferential oxidation reactor downstream of the water gas shift reactor and wherein the preferential oxidation reactor includes a catalyst therein constructed and arranged to preferentially oxidize carbon monoxide into carbon dioxide and to produce a hydrogen-rich stream, and a fuel cell stack downstream of the preferential oxidation reactor constructed and arranged to produce electricity from the hydrogen-rich stream, a first direct water vaporizing combustor constructed and arranged to combust fuel producing a first high-temperature fuel combustion byproduct exhaust and produce steam from water sprayed into the first combustion byproduct exhaust and wherein the first direct water vaporizing combustor is plumbed to the fuel reforming reactor to charge steam therein, and a second direct water vaporizing combustor constructed and arranged to combust fuel to produce a second high-temperature fuel combustion byproduct exhaust to produce steam from water sprayed into the second fuel combustion byproduct exhaust, and wherein the second direct water vaporizing combustor is plumbed to the water gas shift reactor to charge steam therein; flowing air into the first direct water vaporizing combustor and onward to the fuel reforming reactor; flowing air into the second direct water vaporizing combustor; delivering combustible fuel into the first direct water vaporizing combustor in an amount sufficient to run the combustor in a slightly fuel rich condition; delivering combustible fuel into the second direct water vaporizing combustor; igniting the combustible fuel and air in each combustor to produce the first and second high-temperature fuel combustion byproduct exhaust in each combustor; spraying water into each of the first and second high-temperature fuel combustion byproduct exhaust to produce a combustor effluent stream from each combustor including fuel combustion byproducts and steam so that the combustor effluent stream from the first direct water vaporizing combustor is charged into the fuel reforming reactor, and so that the combustor effluent stream from the second direct water vaporizing combustor is charged into the water gas shift reactor; delivering air to the preferential oxidation reactor and to the fuel cell stack; determining wherein the catalysts in the fuel reforming reactor, water gas shift reactor and preferential oxidation reactor are above their respective light off temperatures, and after the catalysts have reached their respective light off temperatures delivering reformable fuel to the fuel reforming reactor; and drawing current from the fuel cell stack when available. 10. A process as set forth in claim 9 wherein the fuel cell system further comprises a heat exchanger system having a first heat exchanger constructed and arranged to receive the effluent stream from the first direct water vaporizing combustor and having a heat exchanger in a water tank, and wherein water for spraying into the first and second exhaust is carried in the water tank, and the heat exchanger system further including a heat transfer fluid circulating between the first heat exchanger and the heat exchanger in the water tank, and if the water in the water tank is frozen then heating the heat transfer fluid with the effluent stream from the first direct water vaporizing combustor until the water in the tank is thawed, and thereafter bypassing the first heat exchanger. 11. A process as set forth in claim 9 wherein the fuel cell system further comprises a second heat exchanger positioned between the fuel reforming reactor and the water gas shift reactor, and further comprises a third heat exchanger in the preferential oxidation reactor and the third heat exchanger being plumbed to the second heat exchanger and flowing water into the third heat exchanger to be heated by the preferential oxidation reactor to produce steam, and wherein the third heat exchanger is plumbed to charge the steam produce therein into the fuel reforming reactor. 12. A process as set forth in claim 11 wherein after the catalysts have reached their respective light off temperatures and steam is produced in the third heat exchanger, stopping the fuel and water being delivered to the first and second direct water vaporizing combustors, and reducing the amount of air flowing to each of the first and second direct water vaporizing combustors to maintain a desired reaction temperature in the fuel reforming reactor and the water gas shift reactor. 13. A process as set forth in claim 12 wherein after the catalysts have reached their respective light off temperatures further comprising injecting air into the second heat exchanger positioned between the fuel reforming reactor and the water gas shift reactor so that the air injected into the second heat exchanger this heated to an elevated temperature, and wherein the second heat exchanger is plumbed to charge the air heated to an elevated temperature into the fuel reforming reactor. 14. A process as set forth in claim 9 wherein the flowing of air into the second direct water vaporizing combustor is an amount in excess of that needed to combust the fuel so that air is charged into the water gas shift reactor to produce a partial oxidation reaction of the reformate and to generate heat to warm the water gas shift reactor when the water gas shift reactor catalyst is below a desired operating temperature. 15. A process as set forth in claim 9 further comprising a catalytic combustor downstream of the fuel cell stack for combusting anode and cathode exhaust from the fuel cell stack. 16. A process as set forth in claim 9 further comprising delivering additional amounts of fuel, air and water to at least one of the first and second direct water vaporizing combustors to produce additional steam in response to the increase in the current demand on the fuel cell stack.
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