Abstract: A fuel cell system includes a fuel cell module comprising an anode section and a cathode section, a water gas shift reactor (WGSR) configured to receive an anode exhaust stream including carbon monoxide and steam and to output a WGSR exhaust stream comprising carbon dioxide and hydrogen, a condenser configured to receive the WGSR exhaust stream, to condense water in the WGSR exhaust stream, and to output a condensed water stream and a dried gas stream, a gas separation assembly configured to separate the dried gas stream into (i) a carbon dioxide stream comprising carbon dioxide and (ii) an output gas stream, and a cooling vessel coupled to the WGSR. The cooling vessel is configured to receive at least a portion of the condensed water and the carbon dioxide stream, to vaporize the condensed water stream using heat from the WGSR, and to output a humidified carbon dioxide stream.

Abstract: Disclosed here is a supported catalyst comprising a thermally stable core, wherein the thermally stable core comprises a metal oxide support and nickel disposed in the metal oxide support, wherein the metal oxide support comprises at least one base metal oxide and at least one transition metal oxide or rare earth metal oxide mixed with or dispersed in the base metal oxide. Optionally the supported catalyst can further comprise an electrolyte removing layer coating the thermally stable core and/or an electrolyte repelling layer coating the electrolyte removing layer, wherein the electrolyte removing layer comprises at least one metal oxide, and wherein the electrolyte repelling layer comprises at least one of graphite, metal carbide and metal nitride. Also disclosed is a molten carbonate fuel cell comprising the supported catalyst as a direct internal reforming catalyst.

Abstract: A fuel cell system includes: a fuel cell including: an anode, and a cathode configured to output cathode exhaust, wherein: the fuel cell is configured to generate waste heat; a reformer configured to partially reform a feed gas using the waste heat and output a hydrogen-containing stream; a reformer-electrolyzer-purifier (“REP”) including: an REP anode configured to receive a first portion of the hydrogen-containing stream, and an REP cathode; and an indirect reforming unit disposed on the anode, which is configured to further reform the hydrogen-containing stream and output a fuel turn gas.

Abstract: A humidity transfer assembly includes a pressure vessel and a humidity transfer device disposed in the pressure vessel. The humidity transfer device includes an enclosure, a first inlet line fluidly coupled to the enclosure and configured to supply anode exhaust thereto, a first outlet line fluidly coupled to the enclosure and configured to output anode exhaust therefrom, and a second inlet line fluidly coupled to the enclosure and configured to supply feed gas thereto. The humidity transfer device is configured to transfer steam from anode exhaust to feed gas and to output feed gas into the pressure vessel.

Abstract: A fuel cell system includes a fuel cell. The fuel cell includes an anode having an anode inlet configured to receive anode feed gas, and an anode outlet configured to output anode exhaust. The fuel cell further includes a cathode having a cathode inlet and a cathode outlet. The fuel cell system further includes an anode blower configured to receive the anode exhaust and output a higher-pressure anode exhaust. The fuel cell system further includes an anode blower recycle line configured to receive a portion of the higher-pressure anode exhaust downstream from the anode blower and to output the portion of the higher-pressure anode exhaust upstream from the anode blower. The fuel cell system further includes a first valve disposed in the blower recycle line, the first valve configured to open when the anode of the fuel cell is under-pressurized.

Abstract: A steam methane reformer-integrated fuel cell system includes: at least one fuel cell including: an anode, a cathode, and an electrolyte matrix separating the anode and the cathode; an anode gas oxidizer (AGO) configured to receive anode exhaust gas from the at least one fuel cell and a preheated air stream such that the anode exhaust gas reacts with the preheated air stream to produce a high-temperature exhaust stream, and configured to provide the high-temperature exhaust stream to the cathode of the at least one fuel cell; and a steam methane reformer configured to utilize heat from the high-temperature exhaust stream output from the AGO and to react methane with steam to produce a first product stream including hydrogen (H2), carbon dioxide (CO2), and carbon monoxide (CO).

Abstract: A molten carbonate fuel cell-powered system for capturing carbon dioxide produced by a steam methane reformer system. Tail gas from a pressure swing adsorption system is mixed with exhaust gas from the fuel cell anode, then pressurized and cooled to extract liquefied carbon dioxide. The residual low-CO2 gas is directed to an anode gas oxidizer, to the anode, to the reformer to be burned for fuel, and/or to the pressure swing adsorption system. Low-CO2 flue gas from the reformer can be vented to the atmosphere or directed to the anode gas oxidizer. Reduction in the amount of CO2 reaching the fuel cell allows the fuel cell to be sized according to the power demands of the system and eliminates the need to export additional power output.

Abstract: A fuel cell system includes: a first fuel cell including a first anode and a first cathode, wherein the first anode is configured to output a first anode exhaust gas; a first oxidizer configured to receive the first anode exhaust gas and air from a first air supply, to react the first anode exhaust gas and the air in a preferential oxidation reaction, and to output an oxidized gas; a second fuel cell configured to act as an electrochemical hydrogen separator, the second fuel cell including: a second anode configured to receive the oxidized gas from the first oxidizer and to output a second anode exhaust gas, and a second cathode configured to output a hydrogen stream; and a condenser configured to receive the second anode exhaust gas and to separate water and CO2.

Abstract: A fuel cell system includes a fuel cell stack having a plurality of fuel cells that each contain a plurality of fuel electrodes and air electrodes. The system includes a fuel receiving unit connected to the fuel cell stack, which receives a hydrocarbon fuel from a fuel supply. The system includes a fuel exhaust processing unit fluidly coupled to the fuel cell stack by a slip stream, where the fuel exhaust processing unit processes fuel exhaust from the fuel cell stack, and the slip stream is fluidly connected to an exhaust stream flowing from the fuel cell stack. The fuel processing unit removes a first portion of carbon dioxide (CO2) from fuel exhaust within the slip stream, outputs the first portion of CO2 in a first stream, and outputs a second portion of CO2 remaining from the fuel exhaust in the slip stream into a second stream, which includes hydrogen.

Abstract: Molten carbonate fuel cells (MCFCs) are operated to provide enhanced CO2 utilization. This can increase the effective amount of carbonate ion transport that is achieved. The enhanced CO2 utilization is enabled in part by operating an MCFC under conditions that cause transport of alternative ions across the electrolyte. The amount of alternative ion transport that occurs during enhanced CO2 utilization can be mitigated by using a more acidic electrolyte.

Abstract: A fuel cell system includes a fuel cell having an anode and a cathode configured to output cathode exhaust. The fuel cell is configured to generate waste heat. The fuel cell system further includes a reformer configured to partially reform a feed gas using the waste heat and output a hydrogen-containing stream. The fuel cell system further includes a reformer-electrolyzer-purifier (“REP”) having an REP anode configured to receive a first portion of the hydrogen-containing stream and an REP cathode.

Abstract: An energy storage system includes: a reformer configured to receive natural gas and steam and to output reformed natural gas; a combustion turbine configured to output heated sweep gas; and a molten carbonate electrolyzer cell (“MCEC”) including: an MCEC anode, and an MCEC cathode configured to receive the heated sweep gas from the combustion turbine. The energy storage system is configured such that: when no excess power is available, the combustion turbine receives the reformed natural gas from the reformer, and when excess power is available, the MCEC operates in a hydrogen-generation mode in which the MCEC anode receives the reformed natural gas from the reformer, and outputs MCEC anode exhaust that contains hydrogen.

Abstract: Disclosed here is a supported catalyst comprising a thermally stable core, wherein the thermally stable core comprises a metal oxide support and nickel disposed in the metal oxide support, wherein the metal oxide support comprises at least one base metal oxide and at least one transition metal oxide or rare earth metal oxide mixed with or dispersed in the base metal oxide. Optionally the supported catalyst can further comprise an electrolyte removing layer coating the thermally stable core and/or an electrolyte repelling layer coating the electrolyte removing layer, wherein the electrolyte removing layer comprises at least one metal oxide, and wherein the electrolyte repelling layer comprises at least one of graphite, metal carbide and metal nitride. Also disclosed is a molten carbonate fuel cell comprising the supported catalyst as a direct internal reforming catalyst.

Abstract: An EHS system includes a EHS cell having an anode, a cathode, and a cooling plate disposed proximate at least one of the anode or the cathode, the cooling plate configured to receive water and configured to output steam or a mixture of water and steam. The system further includes a liquid-vapor separator (LVS) configured to receive the steam or the mixture of water and steam from the cooling plate and to separate water and steam. The LVS is configured to output water to the cooling plate.

Abstract: A system for capturing carbon dioxide in flue gas includes a fuel cell assembly including at least one fuel cell including a cathode portion configured to receive, as cathode inlet gas, the flue gas generated by the flue gas generating device or a derivative thereof, and to output cathode exhaust gas and an anode portion configure to receive an anode inlet gas and to output anode exhaust gas, a fuel cell assembly voltage monitor configured to measure a voltage across the fuel cell assembly, and a controller configured to receive the measured voltage across the fuel cell assembly from the fuel cell assembly voltage monitor, determine an estimated carbon dioxide utilization of the fuel cell assembly based on the measured voltage across the fuel cell assembly, and reduce the carbon dioxide utilization of the fuel cell assembly when the determined estimated carbon dioxide utilization is above a predetermined threshold utilization.

Abstract: A power production system includes a flue gas generator configured to generate a flue gas that includes carbon dioxide and oxygen; a fuel supply; a fuel cell assembly that includes: a cathode section configured to receive the flue gas generated by the flue gas generator, and output cathode exhaust, and an anode section configured to receive fuel from the fuel supply, and output anode exhaust that contains hydrogen and carbon dioxide; a methanator configured to receive the anode exhaust, convert at least a portion of the hydrogen in the anode exhaust to methane, and output methanated anode exhaust; a chiller assembly configured to cool the methanated anode exhaust to a predetermined temperature so as to liquefy carbon dioxide in the methanated anode exhaust; and a gas separation assembly configured to receive the cooled methanated anode exhaust and separate the liquefied carbon dioxide from residual fuel gas.

Abstract: A fuel cell system includes a fuel cell having a cathode and an anode configured to receive a portion of a hhydrocarbon feed and to output an anode exhaust stream comprising carbon dioxide, hydrogen, and water; and an electrolyzer cell having a cathode and an anode. The anode of the electrolyzer cell is configured to receive a first portion of the anode exhaust stream and another portion of the hydrocarbon feed, and to generate a hydrogen stream.

Abstract: A molten carbonate fuel cell assembly includes a cathode electrode; an anode electrode; an electrolyte matrix disposed between the cathode electrode and the anode electrode; a cathode current collector abutting the cathode electrode; and a first electrolyte composition stored in the cathode electrode, the first electrolyte composition comprising a first mixture of a eutectic Li/Na carbonate electrolyte doped with one or more additive materials, wherein the one or more additive materials comprise one or more of SrO, BaCO3, BaO, SrCO3, and combinations thereof.

Abstract: A steam vaporizer assembly includes an internal steam generator having a vessel configured to hold water, a vaporizer unit having a heating element configured to heat the water to generate saturated steam; and a controller configured to: cause the heating element to heat the water to a stand-by temperature; and while maintaining a water level of the water in the vessel between two control points: maintain the water in the vessel at the stand-by temperature until steam generation is required, and when steam generation is required, heating the water in the vessel from the stand-by temperature to a temperature at or above a vaporization temperature of the water using a heating element, to generate the steam.

Abstract: A steam methane reformer-integrated fuel cell system includes at least one fuel cell having an anode, a cathode, and an electrolyte matrix separating the anode and the cathode. The system further includes a steam methane reformer configured to react methane with steam to produce a first product stream including hydrogen (H2), carbon dioxide (CO2), and carbon monoxide (CO).