Patent ID: 9099708
Filing Date: 2015-08-04
Classification: H01M,Y02E

Abstract:
1. A process for starting a fuel cell system, the process comprising the steps of: providing a reformer comprising a reformer mixing chamber and a reformer catalyst for generating hydrogen-containing synthesis gas; providing at least one fuel cell arranged downstream of the reformer and in fluid connection with the reformer for receiving gas exiting the reformer; bringing the reformer catalyst to a predetermined operating temperature during a first fuel cell heat-up phase in a high-temperature combustion operation by means of combustion of a fuel/air mixture in the reformer mixing chamber of the reformer with the gas exiting the reformer from the high-temperature combustion operation being used to heat up the at least one fuel cell; stopping the high-temperature combustion of the fuel/air mixture in the reformer mixing chamber at the end of the first heat-up phase; operating the reformer at a beginning of a second fuel cell heat-up phase in a catalytic combustion operation by the catalytic combustion of a superstoichiometric fuel/air mixture in the reformer catalyst with the gas exiting the reformer from the catalytic combustion operation being used to heat up the at least one fuel cell; and changing over operation of the reformer from fuel cell heat up, provided by the first heat up phase and the second heat up phase, to reforming operation with a substoichiometric fuel/air mixture converted by the reformer to synthesis gas for an anode of the fuel cell.