Patent ID: 6746789
Filing Date: 2004-06-08
Classification: F23C,H01M,Y02E

Abstract:
A fuel cell system, comprising:a plurality of fuel cells forming a fuel cell stack having a main fuel inlet, each fuel cell comprising: an inlet for a fuel, the fuel inlet of the fuel cell being connected to the main fuel inlet of the fuel cell stack; an anode having an anode catalyst associated therewith for producing cations from the fuel; a fuel manifold, connected between the main fuel inlet and the anode, for distributing the fuel to the anode; an oxidant inlet means for supplying an oxidant; a cathode having a cathode catalyst associated therewith and connected to the oxidant inlet means, for producing anions from the oxidant, said anions reacting with said cations to form water on said cathode; an ion exchange membrane deposed between said anode and said cathode, said membrane facilitating migration of cations from said anode to said cathode, while isolating the fuel and the oxidant from one another; and a catalytic reactor having a first inlet for the fuel and a second inlet for the oxidant, and an outlet for remaining gas that has been heated and humidified, the outlet of the catalytic reactor being connected by a first control valve to the main fuel inlet of the fuel cell stack and by a second control valve to the oxidant inlet means whereby, in use, the outlet of the catalytic reactor can be selectively connected to one of the main fuel inlet and the oxidant inlet means, with supply of the oxidant and the fuel to the catalytic reactor adjusted so that the heated and humidified gas at the outlet of the catalytic reactor includes an excess of gas corresponding to said one of the main fuel inlet and the oxidant inlet means.