Abstract: A feedstock mixing apparatus for fuel processing systems, and fuel processing and fuel cell systems incorporating the same. A fuel processing system according to the present invention includes one or more fuel processors adapted to produce a product hydrogen stream from a feed stream containing water and a carbon-containing feedstock. The fuel processing system further includes a feedstock delivery system adapted to mix the components of the feed stream at a determined mix ratio and to deliver this feed stream to the fuel processor(s). The fuel processing system may also include one or more fuel cell stacks that are adapted to produce an electric current from the product hydrogen stream produced by the fuel processing system. When the fuel processing system includes at least one fuel cell stack, it may be referred to as a fuel cell system.

Abstract: Systems and methods for recovering thermal energy from a fuel processing system comprising a fuel processor and a fuel cell stack in communication with a household that is adapted to apply at least electrical loads, and optionally electrical and thermal loads, to the fuel processing system. The systems further include a thermal energy recovery system that is adapted to recover thermal energy from the fuel processing system and which includes a plurality of thermal energy reservoirs. The recovery system includes a delivery system that is adapted to selectively deliver heat exchange fluid from at least one of the plurality of thermal energy reservoirs into thermal communication with the fuel processing system to recover thermal energy therefrom. In some embodiments, at least one of the thermal energy reservoirs forms at least a portion of a potable hot water supply for the household.

Abstract: A fuel cell system having partial and/or total redundancy of at least one operational component, such as a redundancy of fuel cell stacks and/or fuel processors. In some embodiments, the fuel cell system includes a plurality of fuel cell stacks adapted to deliver the same maximum rated power output as a comparative fuel cell system having only a single fuel cell stack. In some embodiments, the fuel cell system includes a plurality of fuel cell stacks adapted to deliver more than the maximum rated power output of the comparative fuel cell system. In some embodiments, the fuel cell system includes a plurality of fuel cell stacks having at least n+1 (or total) redundancy compared to a fuel cell system having only a single fuel cell stack. In some embodiments, the fuel cell system includes a control system and/or structure adapted to limit the applied load to the system.