Abstract: A fuel cell system includes a fuel cell having an anode configured to receive anode feed gas and output anode exhaust, and a cathode configured to receive cathode feed gas and output cathode exhaust. The system further includes a pressurizing assembly downstream from the anode and an oxidizer downstream from the anode. The cathode feed gas is the anode exhaust that has been compressed in the pressurizing assembly and reacted with air in the oxidizer.

Abstract: A fuel cell system for generating electrical power and high level heat comprising at least one high temperature fuel cell stack having an anode side and a cathode side and adapted to generate electrical power, and a gas oxidizer/high level heat recovery assembly comprising an oxidizer adapted to oxidize one or more of exhaust output from the at least one high temperature fuel cell stack and a gas derived from the exhaust, and to generate high level heat, and a high level heat recovery system adapted to recover the high level heat generated in the oxidizer.

Abstract: An electrolyte matrix for use with molten carbonate fuel cells having an enhanced stability and lifetime is provided. The electrolyte matrix includes lithium aluminate as a support material and a coarsening inhibitor. The coarsening inhibitor may be in the form of discrete particles or a dopant present in the support material. The coarsening inhibitor may include MnO2, Mn2O3, TiO2, ZrO2, Fe2O3, LiFe2O3, or mixtures thereof. The coarsening inhibitor prevents the formation of large pores in the electrolyte matrix during operation of the fuel cell, increasing the performance and the service lifetime of the electrolyte matrix.

Abstract: An energy storage system includes a power plant configured to generate an exhaust gas comprising carbon dioxide. The energy storage system further includes a first fuel cell configured to operate in reverse as an electrolyzer. The first fuel cell is configured to receive at least a portion of the exhaust gas from the power plant. An anode is configured to receive carbon dioxide via the exhaust gas and methane from a separate feed, and the anode is configured to output a hydrogen-containing gas mixture. The energy storage system further includes a reformer configured to methanate the hydrogen-containing gas mixture to convert substantially all of the carbon monoxide in the hydrogen-containing gas mixture to methane. The energy storage system further includes a second fuel cell operating in reverse as a hydrogen pump, the second fuel cell configured to separate hydrogen from a gas mixture output by the reformer.

Abstract: A power producing system adapted to be integrated with a flue gas generating assembly, the flue gas generating assembly including one or more of a fossil fueled installation, a fossil fueled facility, a fossil fueled device, a fossil fueled power plant, a boiler, a combustor, a furnace and a kiln in a cement factory, and the power producing system utilizing flue gas containing carbon dioxide and oxygen output by the flue gas generating assembly and comprising: a fuel cell comprising an anode section and a cathode section, wherein inlet oxidant gas to the cathode section of the fuel cell contains the flue gas output from the flue gas generating assembly; and a gas separation assembly receiving anode exhaust output from the anode section of the fuel cell and including a chiller assembly for cooling the anode exhaust to a predetermined temperature so as to liquefy carbon dioxide in the anode exhaust, wherein waste heat produced by the fuel cell is utilized to drive the chiller assembly.

Abstract: A system for producing liquid fuel including a hydrocarbon source, a fuel cell unit configured to output anode exhaust gas containing a predetermined amount of C02, and a reformer configured to receive a first hydrocarbon feed portion from the hydrocarbon source and the anode exhaust gas from the fuel cell unit, such that the reformer is configured to output a syngas having a first H2/CO ratio of at most 2:1.

Abstract: A carbon dioxide capture system for capturing carbon dioxide from an exhaust stream. The system may include a fuel cell configured to output a first exhaust stream comprising carbon dioxide and water. The system may further include an electrolyzer cell configured to receive a first portion of the first exhaust stream and output a second exhaust stream comprising oxygen and carbon dioxide. The fuel cell may be a solid oxide fuel cell. The electrolyzer cell may be a molten carbonate electrolysis cell.

Abstract: A load-following fuel cell system for a grid system operating with a high penetration of intermittent renewable energy sources includes a baseload power generation module and a load-following power generation module. The baseload power generation module provides a baseload power to the grid system and includes a high-efficiency fuel cell system. The high-efficiency fuel cell system includes a topping module and a bottoming module. The topping module and the bottoming module are connected in series and the topping module provides an exhaust stream to the bottoming module. The load-following power generation module provides a load-following power to the grid system and includes an energy storage system that separates and stores hydrogen contained in the exhaust stream and a power generation system having one or more fuel cells. The power generation system receives the hydrogen from the energy storage system to provide the load-following power.

Abstract: A carbon dioxide capture system includes a fuel cell assembly comprising an anode section and a cathode section; an electrochemical hydrogen separator (EHS) configured to receive an anode exhaust stream from the anode section of the fuel cell assembly, and generate a first EHS output stream comprising hydrogen, and a second EHS output stream comprising concentrated carbon dioxide; and a liquid-vapor separator (LVS) configured to receive the second EHS output stream, and separate the second EHS output stream into a first LVS output stream comprising liquid carbon dioxide, and a second LVS output stream comprising non-condensable gases in the second EHS output stream and carbon dioxide vapor.

Abstract: A fuel cell system includes a fuel cell having an anode and a cathode, a water recovery system configured to recycle water from exhaust from the anode, a heat exchanger configured to transfer heat between exhaust from the cathode and water from the water recovery system, and a saturator having an upper section and a lower section separated by a divider defining an opening configured to allow fuel and steam to pass from the lower section to the upper section. The lower section receives fuel from a fuel source and water from the water recovery unit and the upper section receives fuel from the lower section and water from the heat exchanger.

Abstract: An energy storage system for an electrical grid running on a renewable energy source includes a baseload power module, a waste converter module, and a load-following power module. The baseload power module includes a first fuel cell system configured to provide a baseload power to the electrical grid. The waste converter module is configured to extract and store hydrogen from an exhaust stream produced by the first fuel cell system. The load-following power module includes a second fuel cell system configured to receive hydrogen from the waste converter module and convert the hydrogen to electrical energy to support the electrical grid.

Abstract: A carbon dioxide removal system includes: an absorption system including a first absorption stage and a second absorption stage. The first absorption stage includes: a first compressor configured to receive and compress a first carbon dioxide-containing exhaust stream from an anode of a fuel cell, and a first direct contact absorption cooling tower configured to absorb carbon dioxide from the compressed first exhaust stream and lower a temperature of the compressed first exhaust stream using a first solvent stream containing a physical solvent, to generate a second exhaust stream. The second absorption stage includes: a second compressor configured to receive and compress the second exhaust stream from the first absorption stage, and a second direct contact absorption cooling tower configured to absorb carbon dioxide from the compressed second exhaust stream and lower a temperature of the compressed second exhaust stream using a second solvent stream containing a physical solvent.

Abstract: A fuel cell system includes at least one fuel cell module and at least one relational water seal configured to limit a magnitude of a pressure differential in the fuel cell system in an anode under-pressurization situation in which the second pressure exceeds the first pressure by at least a first predetermined amount. The fuel cell module includes a fuel cell assembly having one or more fuel cells arranged in a stack configuration, an anode inlet manifold, an anode outlet manifold having a first pressure, a cathode inlet manifold having a second pressure, and a cathode outlet manifold.

Abstract: A system for producing at least one of hydrogen or carbon monoxide includes at least one fuel cell, including an anode and a cathode separated by an electrolyte matrix. The at least one fuel cell further includes a power supply for applying a reverse voltage to the at least one fuel cell to operate the fuel cell in reverse as an electrolyzer. The anode is configured to receive a partially-reformed fuel and output a gas comprising hydrogen. The cathode is configured to output a gas comprising carbon dioxide and oxygen. The system further includes at least one oxidizer configured to receive the carbon dioxide and oxygen from the cathode and fuel from a fuel supply, the at least one oxidizer configured to output a partially-oxidized fuel comprising carbon monoxide, carbon dioxide, and hydrogen.

Abstract: A mixer/eductor assembly for use with a fuel cell stack having an anode-side and a cathode-side, said mixer/eductor assembly mixing and at least partially combusting anode exhaust gas output from the anode-side and an oxidant supply gas, said mixer/eductor assembly comprising: a first area receiving and mixing a first portion of the anode exhaust gas and a first portion of the oxidant supply gas to form a first mixture, the first area being configured so as to initiate a combustion reaction in the first mixture; a second area coupled with the first area, the second area receiving to and mixing a second portion of the anode exhaust gas and a second portion of the oxidant supply gas to form a second mixture, wherein: the first mixture has a predetermined oxidant to fuel ratio smaller than the oxidant to fuel ratio of the second mixture; and the first area provides an ignition source to promote continuous combustion of the second mixture in the second area.

Abstract: A carbon dioxide removal system includes: an absorption system including a first absorption stage and a second absorption stage. The first absorption stage includes: a first compressor configured to receive and compress a first carbon dioxide-containing exhaust stream from an anode of a fuel cell, and a first direct contact absorption cooling tower configured to absorb carbon dioxide from the compressed first exhaust stream and lower a temperature of the compressed first exhaust stream using a first solvent stream containing a physical solvent, to generate a second exhaust stream. The second absorption stage includes: a second compressor configured to receive and compress the second exhaust stream from the first absorption stage, and a second direct contact absorption cooling tower configured to absorb carbon dioxide from the compressed second exhaust stream and lower a temperature of the compressed second exhaust stream using a second solvent stream containing a physical solvent.

Abstract: A fuel cell system includes at least one topping fuel cell module including a topping anode portion configured to output a topping anode exhaust, and a topping cathode portion configured to output a topping cathode exhaust; at least one bottoming fuel cell module including a bottoming anode portion configured to output a bottoming anode exhaust, and a bottoming cathode portion configured to output a bottoming cathode exhaust; and an electrochemical hydrogen separation unit configured to receive at least a portion of the topping anode exhaust, to output a hydrogen-rich stream, and to output a CO2-rich stream. The bottoming anode portion is configured to receive the CO2-rich stream from the electrochemical hydrogen separation unit.

Abstract: A fuel cell system includes a fuel cell assembly configured to generate a direct current (DC) signal. The fuel cell system also includes one or more inverters coupled to the fuel cell assembly by way of one or more first bus lines. The fuel cell system also includes a variable frequency drive (VFD) coupled to an output of the one or more inverters and configured to receive AC power from the one or more inverters. The VFD is configured to convert the AC power to DC power and to provide the DC power to at least one auxiliary component during a normal operating condition. The fuel cell system further includes one or more second bus lines configured to receive the DC signal via the one or more first bus lines and to provide the DC signal to the VFD to power the at least one auxiliary component during a low voltage ride through condition.

Abstract: A composition for use in forming a fuel cell matrix includes a support material, an electrolyte material, and an additive material that includes a plurality of flakes having an average length in a range of 5 to 40 micrometers and an average thickness of less than 1 micrometer.

Abstract: A high efficiency fuel cell system includes a topping fuel cell assembly that includes a topping cathode portion and a topping anode portion, as well as a bottoming fuel cell assembly that includes a bottoming cathode portion and a bottoming anode portion. The assembly also includes a flue gas generating device configured to provide flue gas to the topping cathode portion and/or the bottoming cathode portion, and an oxidizer assembly configured to (i) oxidize anode exhaust output from the bottoming anode portion with air and/or oxygen to generate carbon dioxide-containing exhaust and (ii) generate waste heat for heating the flue gas before the flue gas is provided to the topping cathode portion and/or the bottoming cathode portion. A separation assembly is configured to receive the carbon dioxide-containing exhaust from the oxidizer assembly and to separate carbon dioxide from the carbon dioxide-containing exhaust.