Abstract: A method of operating a fuel cell system includes providing a fuel to a fuel cell system, purifying the fuel to generate a purified fuel, detecting a fuel composition of purified fuel, determining a fuel mass flow rate of the purified fuel based on the detected fuel composition, and providing the purified fuel to a stack of fuel cells at the determined mass flow rate.

Abstract: A fuel cell system includes a hotbox, a stack of fuel cells located in the hotbox and configured to generate power and an anode exhaust, an anode tail gas oxidizer (ATO) located in the hotbox and configured to oxidize a portion of the anode exhaust, a recycling conduit located outside of the hotbox and configured to receive the anode exhaust output from the hotbox, a fuel conduit assembly configured to provide fuel to the stack, and an ATO conduit assembly concentrically surrounding the fuel conduit assembly and configured to receive a first portion of the anode exhaust diverted from the recycling conduit and to provide the first portion of the anode exhaust to the ATO.

Abstract: A fuel cell system and method for using a peak shaving gas, the system including: a fuel inlet configured to receive fuel from a fuel source; a catalytic partial oxidation (CPOx) reactor configured to at least partially oxidize the fuel during startup of the system; a blower configured to provide air to the CPOx reactor; a gas analyzer configured to determine a composition of fuel provided to the CPOx reactor from the fuel inlet; an oxidation catalyst configured to reduce an O2 content of fuel received from the CPOx reactor; a reforming catalyst configured to partially reform fuel received from the oxidation catalyst; and a stack of fuel cells configured to generate electricity using fuel received from the reforming catalyst.

Abstract: An electrochemical cell system includes a stack of electrochemical cells, and a fluid ejector configured to mix a first fluid stream and a second fluid stream to form a mixed fluid stream that is provided to the stack. The fluid ejector includes a suction chamber having a secondary inlet configured to receive the second fluid stream, an inlet nozzle configured to inject the first fluid stream into the suction chamber, a mixing chamber fluidly connected to the suction chamber and configured to mix the first fluid stream and the second fluid stream to form the mixed fluid stream, and a diffusion chamber fluidly connected to the mixing chamber and having an outlet that is fluidly connected to the stack.

Abstract: A fuel cell system and method, the system including a hotbox, a fuel cell stack disposed in the hotbox, an anode tail gas oxidizer (ATO) disposed in the hotbox, and a fuel exhaust processor fluidly connected to the hotbox. The fuel exhaust processor includes a first hydrogen pump configured to extract hydrogen from the anode exhaust received from the fuel cell stack and to output the hydrogen to a first hydrogen stream provided to the fuel cell stack, a second hydrogen pump configured to extract hydrogen from anode exhaust output from the first hydrogen pump and to output the hydrogen to the first hydrogen stream, and a third hydrogen pump configured to extract hydrogen from anode exhaust output from the second hydrogen pump and to output the hydrogen to a second hydrogen stream provided to the ATO.

Abstract: A method of operating an electrolyzer module includes providing a first air stream and steam into a stack of electrolyzer cells located in a hotbox and outputting a product stream containing hydrogen and steam, and an oxygen exhaust stream, providing the product stream to an internal product cooler (IPC) heat exchanger located in the hotbox to reduce the temperature of the product stream by transferring heat to the first air stream, and providing the product stream from the IPC to an external product cooler (EPC) heat exchanger located outside of the hotbox and inside of a cabinet housing the hotbox to further reduce the temperature of the product stream by transferring heat to a fluid stream.

Abstract: A method of operating an electrolyzer module includes providing a first air stream and steam into a stack of electrolyzer cells located in a hotbox and outputting a product stream containing hydrogen and steam, and an oxygen exhaust stream, providing the product stream to an internal product cooler (IPC) heat exchanger located in the hotbox to reduce the temperature of the product stream by transferring heat to the first air stream, and providing the product stream from the IPC to an external product cooler (EPC) heat exchanger located outside of the hotbox and inside of a cabinet housing the hotbox to further reduce the temperature of the product stream by transferring heat to a fluid stream.

Abstract: A fuel cell system includes a housing, a hotbox disposed in the housing, a stack of fuel cells disposed in the hotbox and configured to generate an anode exhaust, and an anode recycle cooler (ARC) heat exchanger disposed in the housing outside the hotbox and configured to cool the anode exhaust received from the stack by transferring heat from the anode exhaust to air in the housing.

Abstract: A method for operating a fuel cell system includes drawing a base level DC electric energy from a first fuel cell of a first type to a combined DC bus, measuring a DC voltage at the combined DC bus, determining whether the DC voltage at the combined DC bus falls short of a DC voltage threshold, and drawing a variable DC electric energy from a second fuel cell of a second type different from the first type in response to determining that the DC voltage at the combined DC bus falls short of the DC voltage threshold.

Abstract: A fuel cell system and method for using a peak shaving gas, the system including: a fuel inlet configured to receive fuel from a fuel source; a catalytic partial oxidation (CPOx) reactor configured to at least partially oxidize the fuel during startup of the system; a blower configured to provide air to the CPOx reactor; a gas analyzer configured to determine a composition of fuel provided to the CPOx reactor from the fuel inlet; an oxidation catalyst configured to reduce an O2 content of fuel received from the CPOx reactor; a reforming catalyst configured to partially reform fuel received from the oxidation catalyst; and a stack of fuel cells configured to generate electricity using fuel received from the reforming catalyst.

Abstract: A fuel cell system and method for using a peak shaving gas, the system including: a fuel inlet configured to receive fuel from a fuel source; a catalytic partial oxidation (CPOx) reactor configured to at least partially oxidize the fuel during startup of the system; a blower configured to provide air to the CPOx reactor; a gas analyzer configured to determine a composition of fuel provided to the CPOx reactor from the fuel inlet; an oxidation catalyst configured to reduce an O2 content of fuel received from the CPOx reactor; a reforming catalyst configured to partially reform fuel received from the oxidation catalyst; and a stack of fuel cells configured to generate electricity using fuel received from the reforming catalyst.

Abstract: A method of operating a fuel cell power system includes providing a fresh hydrogen fuel to power modules that each contain a heater and a stack of fuel cells, providing a fuel exhaust containing hydrogen and water from the stack to a condenser, removing water from the fuel exhaust to generate a recycled fuel containing dewatered hydrogen, and pressurizing and recycling the recycled fuel output from the condenser to the power modules. The removed water may be vaporized in a stack cathode exhaust.

Abstract: A fuel cell system includes at least one of plural electrochemical pump separators to separate carbon dioxide from a fuel exhaust stream or a combination of a gas separator and a fuel exhaust cooler located outside a hotbox.

Abstract: A fuel cell system and method, the system including a hotbox, a fuel cell stack disposed in the hotbox, an anode tail gas oxidizer (ATO) disposed in the hotbox, and a fuel exhaust processor fluidly connected to the hotbox. The fuel exhaust processor includes a first hydrogen pump configured to extract hydrogen from the anode exhaust received from the fuel cell stack and to output the hydrogen to a first hydrogen stream provided to the fuel cell stack, a second hydrogen pump configured to extract hydrogen from anode exhaust output from the first hydrogen pump and to output the hydrogen to the first hydrogen stream, and a third hydrogen pump configured to extract hydrogen from anode exhaust output from the second hydrogen pump and to output the hydrogen to a second hydrogen stream provided to the ATO.

Abstract: A method for operating a fuel cell system includes drawing a base level DC electric energy from a first fuel cell of a first type to a combined DC bus, measuring a DC voltage at the combined DC bus, determining whether the DC voltage at the combined DC bus falls short of a DC voltage threshold, and drawing a variable DC electric energy from a second fuel cell of a second type different from the first type in response to determining that the DC voltage at the combined DC bus falls short of the DC voltage threshold.

Abstract: A fuel cell system includes at least one of plural electrochemical pump separators to separate carbon dioxide from a fuel exhaust stream or a combination of a gas separator and a fuel exhaust cooler located outside a hotbox.

Abstract: A fuel cell system and method for using a peak shaving gas, the system including: a fuel inlet configured to receive fuel from a fuel source; a catalytic partial oxidation (CPOx) reactor configured to at least partially oxidize the fuel during startup of the system; a blower configured to provide air to the CPOx reactor; a gas analyzer configured to determine a composition of fuel provided to the CPOx reactor from the fuel inlet; an oxidation catalyst configured to reduce an O2 content of fuel received from the CPOx reactor; a reforming catalyst configured to partially reform fuel received from the oxidation catalyst; and a stack of fuel cells configured to generate electricity using fuel received from the reforming catalyst.

Abstract: An integrated power generation and exhaust processing system includes a fuel cell system configured to generate power and to separate CO2 included in exhaust output from the fuel cell system, and an exhaust processing system configured to at least one of sequester or densify CO2 separated from the exhaust output from the fuel cell system.

Abstract: A fuel cell system and method for using a peak shaving gas, the system including: a fuel inlet configured to receive fuel from a fuel source; a catalytic partial oxidation (CPOx) reactor configured to at least partially oxidize the fuel during startup of the system; a blower configured to provide air to the CPOx reactor; a gas analyzer configured to determine a composition of fuel provided to the CPOx reactor from the fuel inlet; an oxidation catalyst configured to reduce an O2 content of fuel received from the CPOx reactor; a reforming catalyst configured to partially reform fuel received from the oxidation catalyst; and a stack of fuel cells configured to generate electricity using fuel received from the reforming catalyst.

Abstract: A fuel cell system includes at least one of plural electrochemical pump separators to separate carbon dioxide from a fuel exhaust stream or a combination of a gas separator and a fuel exhaust cooler located outside a hotbox.