Patent ID: 6110614
Filing Date: 2000-08-29
Classification: H01M,Y02E

Abstract:
An electric power generation system, comprisinga plurality of fuel cells electrically connected to one another, said fuel cells comprising anodes and cathodes,a plurality of first passageways associated with and defined at least in part by said anodes and having respective inlets,a plurality of second passageways associated with and defined at least in part by said cathodes and including respective inlets,third passageways connected to said inlets of said first passageways for said third passageways to supply said first passageways and said anodes with fuel gas,fourth passageways connected to said inlets of said second passageways to supply said second passageways and said cathodes with an oxidizing gas, wherein either;(i) anode exhaust gas from a first group of said first passageways is kept separate from anode exhaust gas from a second group formed by a plurality of said other of said first passageways and fifth passageways provided to convey said anode exhaust gas from said second group of said first passageways to the third passageways for supply said fuel gas to the inlets of said first passageways or(ii) cathode exhaust gas from a first group of said second passageways is kept separate from exhaust gas from a second group formed by a plurality of other said second passageways and sixth passageways being provided to convey said cathode exhaust gas from said second group of said second passageways to the fourth passageways for supplying said oxidizing gas to the inlets to said second passageways, or the arrangement being such that anode exhaust gas from a first group of said first passageways is kept separate from anode exhaust gas from a second group formed by a plurality of other of said first passageways and fifth passageways being provided to convey said anode exhaust gas from said second group of said first passageways to the third passageways for supply with said fuel gas to the inlets to said first passageways and cathode exhaust gas from a first group of said second passageways is kept separate from cathode exhaust gas from a second group formed by a plurality of other of said second passageways and sixth passageways being provided to convey said cathode exhaust gas from said second group of said second passageways to the fourth passageways for supply with said oxidizing gas to the inlets to said second passageway.