Patent ID: 7100376
Filing Date: 2006-09-05
Classification: F01K,H01M,Y02E,Y10S

Abstract:
1. A fuel cell and heat recovery system comprising: a plurality of fuel cells interspersed with a plurality of cooler plates in a stack; a coolant pump providing single phase coolant through said plurality of cooler plates at a pressure above the saturation pressure of the coolant at the temperature of the coolant within said cooler plates; a hydrocarbon fuel reforming system for providing reformate fuel to said fuel cell stack; a steam generator for providing steam to said reforming system, said steam generator comprising a steam drum and a flow restriction at the inlet of said steam drum which flashes water into steam; heat recovery and utilization apparatus; and means for dividing the outflow of coolant exiting from said cooler plates to direct sufficient coolant to said steam generator so as to provide adequate steam to said fuel reforming system to generate sufficient reformate fuel for said fuel cell stack, the remainder of the outflow of coolant from said cooler plates being applied directly to said heat recovery and utilization apparatus.