Patent ID: 6416893
Filing Date: 2002-07-09
Classification: B60L,H01M,Y02E,Y02T

Abstract:
A method for controlling the temperature of a combustor used to heat a fuel processor in a fuel cell apparatus in which the fuel processor generates hydrogen and the fuel cell discharges hydrogen containing anode effluent and oxygen containing cathode effluent, the method comprising the steps of:connecting a cathode effluent outlet of a fuel cell to the combustor; connecting an air flow path through the fuel cell and an air flow path through the combustor in series with an air supply; supplying an excess quantity of air from the air supply to the fuel cell and the combustor, which excess quantity of air is in excess of the air consumed by the fuel cell and the combustor during operation; providing an air flow bypass path in an air flow path to the combustor; and controlling the amount of the excess quantity of air which bypasses the combustor to control the temperature of the combustor under all load conditions.