Ammonia or hydrazine injection into fuel cell systems
원문보기
IPC분류정보
국가/구분
United States(US) Patent
등록
국제특허분류(IPC7판)
H01M-008/04
H01M-008/06
H01M-008/22
출원번호
US-0603581
(2012-09-05)
등록번호
US-9240599
(2016-01-19)
발명자
/ 주소
McElroy, James
Ballantine, Arne
출원인 / 주소
BLOOM ENERGY CORPORATION
대리인 / 주소
The Marbury Law Group PLLC
인용정보
피인용 횟수 :
0인용 특허 :
4
초록▼
A fuel cell system includes a controller, a fuel cell stack, a fuel inlet conduit operatively connected to the fuel cell stack, the fuel inlet conduit adapted to receive fuel from a fuel supply, a recycling conduit operatively connecting the fuel cell stack to the fuel inlet conduit, the recycling c
A fuel cell system includes a controller, a fuel cell stack, a fuel inlet conduit operatively connected to the fuel cell stack, the fuel inlet conduit adapted to receive fuel from a fuel supply, a recycling conduit operatively connecting the fuel cell stack to the fuel inlet conduit, the recycling conduit adapted to recycle a portion of a fuel exhaust stream from the fuel cell stack to the fuel inlet conduit, and an ammonia or hydrazine storage vessel operatively connected to the fuel inlet conduit via a valve coupled to the controller. The controller is configured to control the operation of the valve to provide ammonia or hydrazine from the ammonia or hydrazine storage vessel into the fuel inlet conduit upon detecting a change in the fuel from the fuel supply.
대표청구항▼
1. A fuel cell system, comprising: a controller;a fuel cell stack;a fuel inlet conduit operatively connected to the fuel cell stack, the fuel inlet conduit adapted to receive fuel from a fuel supply;a recycling conduit operatively connecting the fuel cell stack to the fuel inlet conduit, the recycli
1. A fuel cell system, comprising: a controller;a fuel cell stack;a fuel inlet conduit operatively connected to the fuel cell stack, the fuel inlet conduit adapted to receive fuel from a fuel supply;a recycling conduit operatively connecting the fuel cell stack to the fuel inlet conduit, the recycling conduit adapted to recycle a portion of a fuel exhaust stream from the fuel cell stack to the fuel inlet conduit;a composition sensor configured to detect a change in the composition of the fuel provided to the fuel inlet conduit; andan ammonia or hydrazine storage vessel operatively connected to the fuel inlet conduit via a valve coupled to the controller,wherein the controller is configured to control the operation of the valve to mix ammonia or hydrazine from the ammonia or hydrazine storage vessel with the fuel in the fuel inlet conduit, when the composition sensor detects a change in the composition of the fuel from the fuel supply. 2. The fuel cell system of claim 1, wherein fuel cell stack comprises a solid oxide fuel cell stack, the fuel supply is a natural gas pipeline and the fuel comprises natural gas. 3. The fuel cell system of claim 2, wherein the composition sensor is configured to detect whether the natural gas has a standard mixture or a peak shaving mixture. 4. The fuel cell system of claim 3, wherein: the controller is configured to control the operation of the valve to provide no ammonia or hydrazine from the ammonia or hydrazine storage vessel into the fuel inlet conduit, when the composition sensor detects the standard mixture; andthe controller is configured to control the operation of the valve to provide a non-zero amount of ammonia or hydrazine into the fuel inlet conduit, when the composition sensor detects the peak shaving mixture. 5. The fuel cell system of claim 3, wherein the peak shaving mixture has 5 to 30 volume percent less methane than the standard mixture. 6. The fuel cell system of claim 3, wherein the fuel cell system further comprises a flow rate sensor configured to detect a flow rate of the fuel provided to the fuel inlet conduit. 7. The fuel cell system of claim 6, wherein the controller is configured to provide an auxiliary fuel from an auxiliary fuel vessel to the fuel inlet conduit when the flow rate sensor detects a decrease or interruption in the flow rate of the fuel is detected. 8. The fuel cell system of claim 7, wherein the auxiliary fuel vessel comprises a methanol vessel and the auxiliary fuel comprises methanol. 9. The fuel cell system of claim 1, further comprising a fuel flow rate sensor which is in communication with the controller and which is located in at least one of the fuel inlet conduit and a conduit which connects the fuel supply to the fuel inlet conduit. 10. A method of operating a fuel cell system, comprising: providing a fuel inlet stream into a fuel inlet of a fuel cell stack;providing air into an air inlet of the fuel cell stack;operating the fuel cell stack to generate electricity and a fuel exhaust stream;recycling the fuel exhaust stream to the fuel inlet; andproviding ammonia or hydrazine in addition to the fuel inlet stream into the fuel inlet upon detecting a change in composition of the fuel inlet stream. 11. The method of claim 10, wherein fuel cell stack comprises a solid oxide fuel cell stack, and the fuel inlet stream comprises natural gas. 12. The method of claim 11, wherein the detecting of the change in the composition of the fuel inlet stream comprises detecting whether the natural gas has a standard mixture or a peak shaving mixture. 13. The method of claim 12, wherein: no ammonia or hydrazine is provided into the fuel inlet when the natural gas is detected to have the standard mixture during steady state operation of the fuel cell stack; anda non-zero amount of ammonia or hydrazine is provided into the fuel inlet upon detecting the change in composition of the fuel inlet stream from the standard mixture to the peak shaving mixture. 14. The method of claim 12, wherein the peak shaving mixture has 5 to 30 volume percent less methane than the standard mixture, and providing the ammonia or hydrazine in addition to the fuel inlet stream into the fuel inlet comprises injecting ammonia or hydrazine into the peak shaving gas mixture. 15. The method of claim 12, further comprising detecting a flow rate of the fuel provided to the fuel inlet. 16. The method of claim 15, further comprising providing an auxiliary fuel to the fuel inlet when a decrease or interruption in the flow rate of the fuel inlet stream is detected. 17. The method of claim 16, wherein the auxiliary fuel comprises methanol. 18. The method of claim 11, wherein the change in the fuel inlet stream composition comprises an increase in ethane or olefin content in the natural gas inlet stream. 19. The method of claim 10, wherein detecting a change in the composition of the fuel inlet stream-comprises using a composition sensor to sense the change in composition of the fuel inlet stream. 20. The method of claim 10, wherein providing ammonia or hydrazine comprises providing the ammonia. 21. The method of claim 10, wherein providing ammonia or hydrazine comprises providing the hydrazine.
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이 특허에 인용된 특허 (4)
Ballantine, Arne Watson; McElroy, James F., Fuel cell system with greater than 95% fuel utilization.
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