Abstract: An ejector receives steam at a primary inlet and natural gas at a secondary inlet. A computer responds to a signal indicating current in the load of a fuel cell as well as a signal indicating temperature of a steam reformer to move a linear actuator to control a needle that adjusts the size of the steam orifice. Reformate is fed to a separator scrubber which cools the reformate to its dew point indicated by a sensor. From that, a controller generates the fuel/carbon ratio for display and to bias a signal on a line regulating the amount of steam passing through an ejector to the inlet of the reformer. Alternatively, the reformate may be cooled to its dew point by a controllable heat exchanger in response to pressure and temperature signals.

Abstract: An ejector receives steam at a primary inlet and natural gas at a secondary inlet. A computer responds to a signal indicating current in the load of a fuel cell as well as a signal indicating temperature of a steam reformer to move a linear actuator to control a needle that adjusts the size of the steam orifice. Reformate is fed to a separator scrubber which cools the reformate to its dew point indicated by a sensor. From that, a controller generates the fuel/carbon ratio for display and to bias a signal on a line regulating the amount of steam passing through an ejector to the inlet of the reformer. Alternatively, the reformate may be cooled to its dew point by a controllable heat exchanger in response to pressure and temperature signals.

Abstract: An example method of decontaminating a fuel reactant stream for a fuel cell flows the fuel reactant stream through a fluidized ammonia dissolving media, while simultaneously flowing water through the fluidized ammonia dissolving media to separate contaminants from the fuel reactant stream into a separated contaminant and water stream. The separated contaminant and water stream from the fluidized bed is accumulated within an accumulator, circulated through a water-control loop, and decontaminated by flowing the stream through an ion exchange bed secured in fluid communication with the water-control loop. A decontaminated water stream from the ion exchange bed is circulated back through the ammonia dissolving media. A temperature of the fuel reactant stream is controlled upstream of the fuel reactant stream entering the separator scrubber to produce a predetermined temperature of the fuel reactant stream passing through the separator scrubber.

Abstract: A reformer system (11) having a hydrodesulfurizer (12) provides desulfurized natural gas feedstock to a catalytic steam reformer (16), the outflow of which is treated by a water gas shift reactor (20) and optionally a preferential CO oxidizer (58) to provide reformate gas (28, 28a) having high hydrogen and moderate carbon dioxide content. To avoid damage to the hydrodesulfurizer from overheating, any deleterious hydrogen reactants, such as the oxygen in peak shave gas or olefins, in the non-desulfurized natural gas feedstock (35) are reacted (38) with hydrogen (28, 28a; 71) to convert them to alkanes (e.g., ethylene and propylene to ethane and propane) and to convert oxygen to water in a catalytic reactor (38) having no sulfide sorbent, and cooled (46), below a temperature which would damage the reactor, by evaporative cooling with pressurized hot water (42). Hydrogen for the desulfurizer and the hydrogen reactions may be provided as recycle reformate (28, 28a) or from a mini-CPO (67), or from other sources.

Abstract: An example method of decontaminating a fuel reactant stream for a fuel cell flows the fuel reactant stream through a fluidized ammonia dissolving media, while simultaneously flowing water through the fluidized ammonia dissolving media to separate contaminants from the fuel reactant stream into a separated contaminant and water stream. The separated contaminant and water stream from the fluidized bed is accumulated within an accumulator, circulated through a water-control loop, and decontaminated by flowing the stream through an ion exchange bed secured in fluid communication with the water-control loop. A decontaminated water stream from the ion exchange bed is circulated back through the ammonia dissolving media. A temperature of the fuel reactant stream is controlled upstream of the fuel reactant stream entering the separator scrubber to produce a predetermined temperature of the fuel reactant stream passing through the separator scrubber.

Abstract: A fluidized contaminant separator and water-control loop (10) decontaminates a fuel reactant stream of a fuel cell (12). Water passes over surfaces of an ammonia dissolving media (61) within a fluidized bed (62) while the fuel reactant stream simultaneously passes over the surfaces to dissolve contaminants from the fuel reactant stream into a separated contaminant and water stream. A fuel-control heat exchanger (57) upstream from the scrubber (58) removes heat from the fuel stream. A water-control loop (78) directs flow of the separated contaminants and water stream from an accumulator (68) through an ion exchange bed (88) which removes contaminants from the stream. Decontaminated water is directed back into the scrubber (58) to flow through the fluidized bed (62). Separating contaminants from the fuel reactant stream and then isolating and concentrating the separated contaminants within the ion exchange material (88) minimizes costs and maintenance requirements.

Abstract: A system and method for operating fuel cell power plant 10 includes enclosing fuel bearing components, such as fuel cell stack 28 and reformer 24, into a fuel compartment 12 separate from motorized components in a motor compartment 14, and consuming leaked fuel in the fuel compartment 12 using a fuel bearing component such as cell stack 28 and/or burner 26, thereby reducing fuel emissions from the plant.

Abstract: A sodium chloride electrolysis cell (9) receives a portion of its electrical power (47, 48: 50, 51) from a phosphoric acid fuel cell (44) which receives fuel at its anode inlet (43) from a water cooled catalytic reactor (26) that converts oxygen in the byproduct output (19) of the sodium chlorate electrolysis cell to hydrogen and water. A utility grid (53) may provide through a converter (55) power to support the electrochemical process in the sodium chlorate electrolysis cell. Temperature of the water cooled catalytic reactor is determined by the vaporization of pressurized hot water, the pressure of which may be adjusted by a controller (36) and a valve (38) in response to temperature (40).

Abstract: Fuel processing by a reformer (42) and a shift reactor (44) converts hydrocarbon feedstock (12) and steam (36) to hydrogen-rich reformate (11), such as for use in a fuel cell power plant (47). Some of the reformate is recycled through a restriction (18) to the inlet (15) of a feedstock pump (14), thereby increasing its pressure sufficiently to cause recycle flow through a hydrodesulfurizer (21) and the secondary inlet (26) of an ejector (28) driven by the steam (36). Recycle pressure (48) is maintained by steam pressure through a valve (34) regulated by a controller (17).

Abstract: Steam is provided to the primary inlet (16) of an ejector (13), which also receives natural gas at a secondary inlet (28). A computer responds to a signal (37) indicating current in the load of a fuel cell as well as a signal (43) indicating temperature of a steam reformer (10) to move a linear actuator (23) to control a needle (21) that adjusts the size of the steam orifice. Reformate is fed to a separator scrubber (48) which cools the reformate to its dew point indicated by a sensor (71). From that, a controller (25) generates the fuel/carbon ratio for display (84) and to bias a signal on a line (24) regulating the amount of steam passing through an ejector (13) to the inlet (11) of the reformer. Alternatively, the reformate may be cooled to its dew point by a controllable heat exchanger (58a) in response to pressure (94) and temperature (71) signals.

Abstract: An integrated contaminant separator and water-control loop (10) decontaminates a fuel reactant stream of a fuel cell (12). Water passes over surfaces of an ammonia dissolving means (61) within a separator scrubber (58) while the fuel reactant stream simultaneously passes over the surfaces to dissolve contaminants from the fuel reactant stream into the water. An accumulator (68) collects the separated contaminant stream, and ion exchange material (69) integrated within the accumulator removes contaminants from the stream. A water-control pump (84) directs flow of a de-contaminated water stream from the accumulator (68) through a water-control loop (78) having a heat exchanger (86) and back onto the scrubber (58) to flow over the packed bed (62). Separating contaminants from the fuel reactant stream and then isolating and concentrating the separated contaminants within the ion exchange material (69) minimizes cost and maintenance requirements.

Abstract: A reformer system (11) having a hydrodesulfurizer (12) provides desulfurized natural gas feedstock to a catalytic steam reformer (16), the outflow of which is treated by a water gas shift reactor (20) and optionally a preferential CO oxidizer (58) to provide reformate gas (28, 28a) having high hydrogen and moderate carbon dioxide content. To avoid damage to the hydrodesulfurizer from overheating, any deleterious hydrogen reactants, such as the oxygen in peak shave gas or olefins, in the non-desulfurized natural gas feedstock (35) are reacted (38) with hydrogen (28, 28a; 71) to convert them to alkanes (e.g., ethylene and propylene to ethane and propane) and to convert oxygen to water in a catalytic reactor (38) having no sulfide sorbent, and cooled (46), below a temperature which would damage the reactor, by evaporative cooling with pressurized hot water (42). Hydrogen for the desulfurizer and the hydrogen reactions may be provided as recycle reformate (28, 28a) or from a mini-CPO (67), or from other sources.

Abstract: A separator scrubber (58) and isolation loop (78) decontaminates a fuel reactant stream of a fuel cell (12). Water passes over surfaces of an ammonia dissolving means (61) within the scrubber (58) while the fuel reactant stream simultaneously passes over the surfaces to remove contaminants from the fuel reactant into the water. An accumulator (68) collects the separated contaminants and water, and an isolation loop pump (84) directs flow of the separated contaminant stream through the isolation loop (78). A heat exchanger (86) and an ion exchange bed (88) modify the heat of, and remove contaminants from, the separated contaminant stream, and the isolation loop (78) directs the decontaminated stream back onto the packed bed (62)-. Separating contaminants from the fuel reactant stream and then isolating and concentrating the separated contaminants within the ion exchange bed (88) minimizes cost and maintenance requirements.

Abstract: Reformation of natural gas without excessive production of ammonia, even if the natural gas includes as much as 14% nitrogen, is achieved in reformers including tubes (75) having outer chambers (78) with catalysts therein, a first stage (80) of catalyst having between about 10% and about 25% nickel, a second stage (81) of catalyst having less than 10% nickel, and a final stage (82) having 2% or less rhodium catalyst of a low concentration.

Abstract: A fluidized contaminant separator and water-control loop (10) decontaminates a fuel reactant stream of a fuel cell (12). Water passes over surfaces of an ammonia dissolving media (61) within a fluidized bed (62) while the fuel reactant stream simultaneously passes over the surfaces to dissolve contaminants from the fuel reactant stream into a separated contaminant and water stream. A fuel-control heat exchanger (57) upstream from the scrubber (58) removes heat from the fuel stream. A water-control loop (78) directs flow of the separated contaminants and water stream from an accumulator (68) through an ion exchange bed (88) which removes contaminants from the stream. Decontaminated water is directed back into the scrubber (58) to flow through the fluidized bed (62). Separating contaminants from the fuel reactant stream and then isolating and concentrating the separated contaminants within the ion exchange material (88) minimizes costs and maintenance requirements.

Abstract: A system and method for operating fuel cell power plant 10 includes enclosing fuel bearing components, such as fuel cell stack 28 and reformer 24, into a fuel compartment 12 separate from motorized components in a motor compartment 14, and consuming leaked fuel in the fuel compartment 12 using a fuel bearing component such as cell stack 28 and/or burner 26, thereby reducing fuel emissions from the plant.

Abstract: A sodium chlorate electrolysis cell (9) receives a portion of its electrical power (47, 48; 50, 51) from a phosphoric acid fuel cell (45) which receives fuel at its anode inlet (43) from a water cooled catalytic reactor (26) that converts oxygen in the byproduct output (21) of the sodium chlorate electrolysis cell to hydrogen and water. A utility grid (53) may provide through a converter (55) power to support the electrochemical process in the sodium chlorate electrolysis cell. Temperature of the water cooled catalytic reactor is determined by the vaporization of pressurized hot water, the pressure of which may be adjusted by a controller (36) and a valve (38) in response to temperature (40).

Abstract: Fuel processing by a reformer (42) and a shift reactor (44) converts hydrocarbon feedstock (12) and steam (36) to hydrogen-rich reformate (11), such as for use in a fuel cell power plant (47). Some of the reformate is recycled through a restriction (18) to the inlet (15) of a feedstock pump (14), thereby increasing its pressure sufficiently to cause recycle flow through a hydrodesulfurizer (21) and the secondary inlet (26) of an ejector (28) driven by the steam (36). Recycle pressure (48) is maintained by steam pressure through a valve (34) regulated by a controller (17).

Abstract: An integrated contaminant separator and water-control loop (10) decontaminates a fuel reactant stream of a fuel cell (12). Water passes over surfaces of an ammonia dissolving means (61) within a separator scrubber (58) while the fuel reactant stream simultaneously passes over the surfaces to dissolve contaminants from the fuel reactant stream into the water. An accumulator (68) collects the separated contaminant stream, and ion exchange material (69) integrated within the accumulator removes contaminants from the stream. A water-control pump (84) directs flow of a de-contaminated water stream from the accumulator (68) through a water-control loop (78) having a heat exchanger (86) and back onto the scrubber (58) to flow over the packed bed (62). Separating contaminants from the fuel reactant stream and then isolating and concentrating the separated contaminants within the ion exchange material (69) minimizes cost and maintenance requirements.

Abstract: Reformation of natural gas without excessive production of ammonia, even if the natural gas includes as much as 14% nitrogen, is achieved in reformers including tubes (75) having outer chambers (78) with catalysts therein, a first stage (80) of catalyst having between about 10% and about 25% nickel, a second stage (81) of catalyst having less than 10% nickel, and a final stage (82) having 2% or less rhodium catalyst of a low concentration.