Patent ID: 6921596
Filing Date: 2005-07-26
Classification: C01B,H01M,Y02E,Y02P,Y02T

Abstract:
1. A fuel cell system for generating electric power by combination of oxygen with hydrogen-containing fuel, comprising: a) a plurality of individual fuel cells organized into at least one fuel cell stack assembly including a plurality of cathodes and anodes; b) manifold means having passageways for conveying said fuel and said oxygen in the form of air to said stack assembly and for returning spent cathode air and tail gas fuel from said stack assembly; and c) an integrating reformer unit connected to said manifold means for reforming hydrocarbons to provide said fuel to said stack assembly, said reformer unit including, a mixing chamber for mixing liquid hydrocarbon fuel to form a fuel/air mixture, means for injecting liquid hydrocarbon fuel into said mixing chamber, means for entering reforming air into said mixing chamber, a multiple-plate reformer downstream of said mixing chamber for producing reformed hydrocarbon fuel from said vaporized fuel/air mixture, means for conveying said reformed fuel within said reformer unit to said manifold, combustor means for receiving and burning tail gas and spent cathode air from said stack assembly via said manifold, heat exchanging means between said combustor means and said reformer, and means for conveying exhaust from said combustor means through said reformer unit and into said manifold means.