The present invention provides a hydrocarbon fuel reformer systems that improve the recovery and utilization of the water vapor and/or the heat energy within the reformer system. In a preferred embodiment, the present invention utilizes a desiccant matrix maintained in a water transfer assembly to c
The present invention provides a hydrocarbon fuel reformer systems that improve the recovery and utilization of the water vapor and/or the heat energy within the reformer system. In a preferred embodiment, the present invention utilizes a desiccant matrix maintained in a water transfer assembly to collect, in a continuous manner, water from a process stream and transfer the water to a reactivation stream to return the water vapor to the reformer, with or without the use of a heat exchanger, and without requiring the collection and evaporation of liquid water.
대표청구항▼
What is claimed is: 1. A hydrocarbon fuel cell plant comprising: a hydrocarbon fuel source, an oxidant source; a reformer receiving a fuel stream of hydrocarbon fuel from the hydrocarbon fuel source and a first oxidant stream from the oxidant source and therein reacting the fuel stream and the firs
What is claimed is: 1. A hydrocarbon fuel cell plant comprising: a hydrocarbon fuel source, an oxidant source; a reformer receiving a fuel stream of hydrocarbon fuel from the hydrocarbon fuel source and a first oxidant stream from the oxidant source and therein reacting the fuel stream and the first oxidant stream to produce a reformate stream; a fuel cell receiving and reacting the reformate stream from the reformer and a second oxidant stream from the oxidant source to produce a fuel cell exhaust stream; a combustor receiving and combusting the fuel cell exhaust stream to produce a combustor exhaust stream having water vapor therein; and a water transfer assembly configured to repeatedly expose a dry portion of a desiccant matrix to the combustor exhaust stream, thereby absorbing a portion of the water vapor from the combustor exhaust stream to form a wet portion in the desiccant matrix, and further configured to subsequently expose the wet portion to the first oxidant stream and release water vapor from the wet portion into the first oxidant stream and recover the dry portion of the desiccant, without any external source of water vapor being introduced to the first oxidant stream. 2. A hydrocarbon fuel cell plant according to claim 1, further comprising: a heat exchanger receiving the combustor exhaust stream and the first oxidant stream and transferring heat energy from the combustor exhaust stream to the first oxidant stream, thereby cooling the combustor exhaust stream and heating the first oxidant stream, wherein the transfer of heat energy occurs before the combustor exhaust stream and the first oxidant stream enter the water transfer assembly. 3. A hydrocarbon fuel cell plant according to claim 2, wherein the water transfer assembly further comprises: a desiccant matrix having a high surface area to volume material on which a desiccant is provided, a desiccant face adjacent the casing, and a plurality of gas channels through the desiccant matrix; a casing segregating the desiccant face into a process zone and a reactivation zone, the process zone configured to receive the combustor exhaust stream and the reactivation zone configured to receive the first oxidant stream; a rotor being arranged and configured to contain the desiccant matrix; and a rotor drive configured and arranged to move the rotor at a predetermined interval to expose a portion of the desiccant face sequentially to the process zone and the reactivation zone. 4. A hydrocarbon fuel cell plant according to claim 3, wherein: the desiccant comprises a silica gel provided on a substrate. 5. A hydrocarbon fuel cell plant according to claim 3, wherein: at least 85% of the water vapor from the combustion exhaust stream is transferred to the first oxidant stream within the water transfer assembly. 6. A hydrocarbon fuel cell plant according to claim 3, wherein: the rotor drive may be adjusted to move the rotor assembly at a predetermined rate between a first rate and a second rate. 7. A hydrocarbon fuel cell plant according to claim 2, wherein the heat exchanger directly receives the combustor exhaust stream from the combustor. 8. A hydrocarbon fuel cell plant according to claim 1, wherein: the reformer is selected from a group consisting of a steam reformer, an autothermal reformer, and a quasi-autothermal reformer. 9. A hydrocarbon fuel cell plant according to claim 1, wherein: the reformer is an autothermal reformer having a primary reactor, a water/gas shift reactor, and a preferential oxidizer reactor. 10. A hydrocarbon fuel cell plant according to claim 1, wherein: the reformer is a quasi-autothermal reactor having a thermal combustor, a catalytic combustor, a fuel/steam/air mixer, and a catalytic reformer. 11. A hydrocarbon fuel cell plant according to claim 1, wherein the combustor is in direct communication with the water transfer assembly. 12. A hydrocarbon fuel cell plant comprising: a hydrocarbon fuel source, an oxidant source; a reformer receiving a fuel stream of hydrocarbon fuel from the hydrocarbon fuel source and a first oxidant stream from the oxidant source and therein reacting the fuel stream and the first oxidant stream to produce a reformate stream; a fuel cell receiving and reacting the reformate stream from the reformer and a second oxidant stream from the oxidant source to produce a fuel cell exhaust stream; a combustor receiving and combusting the fuel cell exhaust stream to produce a combustor exhaust stream having water vapor therein; a water transfer assembly configured to repeatedly expose a dry portion of a desiccant matrix to the combustor exhaust stream, thereby absorbing a portion of the water vapor from the combustor exhaust stream to form a wet portion in the desiccant matrix, and further configured to subsequently expose the wet portion to the first oxidant stream and release water vapor from the wet portion into the first oxidant stream and recover the dry portion of the desiccant; a heat exchanger receiving the combustor exhaust stream and the first oxidant stream and transferring heat energy from the combustor exhaust stream to the first oxidant stream, thereby cooling the combustor exhaust stream and heating the first oxidant stream, wherein the transfer of heat energy occurs before the combustor exhaust stream and the first oxidant stream enter the water transfer assembly; wherein the water transfer assembly further comprises: a desiccant matrix having a high surface area to volume material on which a desiccant is provided, a desiccant face adjacent the casing, and a plurality of gas channels through the desiccant matrix; a casing segregating the desiccant face into a process zone and a reactivation zone, the process zone configured to receive the combustor exhaust stream and the reactivation zone configured to receive the first oxidant stream; a rotor being arranged and configured to contain the desiccant matrix; and a rotor drive configured and arranged to move the rotor at a predetermined interval to expose a portion of the desiccant face sequentially to the process zone and the reactivation zone, wherein: the process zone is characterized by an area that may be adjusted in size between a first process zone area and a second process zone area; and the reactivation zone is characterized by an area that may be adjusted in size between a first reactivation zone area and a second reactivation zone area. 13. A hydrocarbon fuel cell plant according to claim 12, wherein: the desiccant face is characterized by a desiccant face area substantially equal to the sum of the process zone area and the reactivation zone area. 14. A hydrocarbon fuel cell plant according to claim 13, wherein: the ratio of the process zone area to the reactivation zone area are within a range of about 3:1 to 1:3. 15. A hydrocarbon fuel cell plant comprising: a hydrocarbon fuel source, an oxidant source; a reformer receiving and reacting a fuel stream of hydrocarbon fuel from the hydrocarbon fuel source and a first oxidant stream from the oxidant source to produce a reformate stream; a fuel cell receiving and reacting the reformate stream from the reformer and a second oxidant stream from the oxidant source to produce an anode exhaust stream and a cathode exhaust stream; a combustor receiving and combusting the anode exhaust stream to produce a combustor exhaust stream having water vapor; a first water transfer assembly configured to expose a dry desiccant of the first water transfer assembly to the combustor exhaust stream, thereby absorbing at least a portion of the water vapor from the combustor exhaust stream to form a wet desiccant, and subsequently to expose the wet desiccant to the first oxidant stream to release water vapor from the wet desiccant into the first oxidant stream and recover the dry desiccant, without any external source of water vapor being introduced to the first oxidant stream; and a second water transfer assembly configured to expose a dry desiccant of the second water transfer assembly to the cathode exhaust stream, thereby absorbing at least a portion of the water vapor from the cathode exhaust stream to form a wet desiccant, and further configured to subsequently expose the wet desiccant to the second oxidant stream to release water vapor from the wet desiccant into the second oxidant stream and recover the dry desiccant. 16. A hydrocarbon fuel cell plant according to claim 15, further comprising: a heat exchanger receiving the combustor exhaust stream and the first oxidant stream and therein transferring heat energy from the combustor exhaust stream to the first oxidant stream, thereby cooling the combustor exhaust stream and heating the first oxidant stream, wherein the transfer of heat energy occurs before the combustor exhaust stream and the first oxidant stream enter the first water transfer assembly. 17. A hydrocarbon fuel cell plant comprising: a hydrocarbon fuel source, an oxidant source; a reformer receiving and reacting a fuel stream of hydrocarbon fuel from the hydrocarbon fuel source and a first oxidant stream from the oxidant source to produce a reformate stream; a fuel cell receiving and reacting the reformate stream from the reformer and a second oxidant stream from the oxidant source to an anode exhaust stream and a cathode exhaust stream; a condensing heat exchanger receiving at least one of the anode exhaust stream and the cathode exhaust stream and characterized by a dew point, cooling the exhaust stream to a temperature below a dew point and collecting a condensate; a water reservoir receiving and holding the condensate from the condensing heat exchanger; a humidifier receiving the second oxidant stream and a humidifying stream from the water reservoir to humidify the second oxidant stream before the second oxidant stream enters the fuel cell; a combustor receiving and combusting at least the anode exhaust stream to produce a combustor exhaust stream; and a water transfer assembly configured to expose a dry desiccant of the water transfer assembly to the combustor exhaust stream, thereby absorbing at least a portion of the water vapor from the combustor exhaust stream to form a wet desiccant, and further configured to subsequently expose the wet desiccant to the first oxidant stream to release water vapor from the wet desiccant into the first oxidant stream and recover the dry desiccant, without any external source of water vapor being introduced to the first oxidant stream. 18. A hydrocarbon fuel cell plant according to claim 17, further comprising: a combustor fuel feed providing a hydrocarbon fuel to the combustor. 19. A hydrocarbon fuel cell plant according to claim 17, further comprising: a heat exchanger receiving the combustor exhaust stream and the first oxidant stream and transferring heat energy from the combustor exhaust stream to the first oxidant stream, thereby cooling the combustor exhaust stream and heating the first oxidant stream, wherein the transfer of heat energy occurs before the combustor exhaust stream and the first oxidant stream enter the water transfer assembly. 20. A hydrocarbon fuel cell plant comprising: a hydrocarbon fuel source; an oxidant source; a reformer receiving a fuel stream of hydrocarbon fuel from the hydrocarbon fuel source and a first oxidant stream from the oxidant source and therein reacting the fuel stream and the first oxidant stream to produce a reformate stream; and a water transfer assembly configured to repeatedly expose a dry portion of a desiccant matrix to the reformate stream, thereby absorbing a portion of the water vapor from the reformate stream to form a wet portion in the desiccant matrix, and further configured to subsequently expose the wet portion to the first oxidant stream and release water vapor from the wet portion into the first oxidant stream and recover the dry portion of the desiccant.
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