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 ▼

What is claimed is: 1. A method for removing water-soluble contaminants from a stream of inlet oxidant (38) to a hydrogen generator (34), comprising the steps of: a. passing (138) the stream of inlet oxidant through a scrubber (142, 46) and contacting a stream of water flowing through the scrubber

What is claimed is: 1. A method for removing water-soluble contaminants from a stream of inlet oxidant (38) to a hydrogen generator (34), comprising the steps of: a. passing (138) the stream of inlet oxidant through a scrubber (142, 46) and contacting a stream of water flowing through the scrubber for dissolving the water-soluble contaminants and removing the dissolved contaminants from the stream of oxidant to cleanse the stream of oxidant; and b. subsequently passing (138') the cleansed stream of inlet oxidant to the hydrogen generator. 2. The method of claim 1 wherein the contaminants include sulfur, including sulfur compounds. 3. A method for removing water soluble contaminants from a stream of inlet oxidant (38) to a catalytic hydrogen generator ( 34) for a fuel cell assembly (CSA) (12) in a fuel cell power plant (110), the fuel cell power plant including a coolant loop (116) having coolant flowing through an accumulator/degasifier ( 142, 46), comprising the steps of: a. passing (138) the stream of inlet oxidant through the accumulator/degasifier and contacting the coolant therein for dissolving the water-soluble contaminants and removing the dissolved contaminants from the stream of oxidant to cleanse the stream of oxidant; and b. subsequently passing (138') the cleansed stream of inlet oxidant to the catalytic hydrogen generator. 4. The method of claim 3 wherein the fuel cell power plant further includes a water recovery device (118), the CSA receives said cleansed stream of oxidant (138', 37) and discharges spent oxidant (144) containing moisture, and including the further step of: passing the spent oxidant (144) and the stream of inlet oxidant (38) in counter-current relation through the water recovery device to transfer moisture from the spent oxidant to the stream of inlet oxidant to facilitate the dissolution of water-soluble contaminants therein prior to passing the inlet stream of oxidant to the accumulator/degasifier. 5. The method of claim 4, including the further step of directly injecting water (70) into the stream of inlet oxidant to provide moisture to enhance the dissolution therein of water-soluble contaminants from the inlet oxidant. 6. The method of claim 3 wherein the contaminants include sulfur, including sulfur compounds.