Patent ID: 7781086
Filing Date: 2010-08-24
Classification: C01B,H01M,Y02E,Y02P

Abstract:
1. A fuel processing system comprising: a fuel processor having a fuel processor inlet and a fuel processor outlet; a combustor having a combustor inlet in fluid communication with said fuel processor outlet and a combustor outlet; a recirculation loop including a first valve for selectively providing fluid communication between said fuel processor outlet and said fuel processor inlet, wherein said recirculation loop provides fluid communication from said fuel processor outlet through said combustor to said fuel processor inlet, and a fuel cell having an anode inlet in fluid communication with the fuel processor outlet and an anode outlet; wherein the recirculation loop includes an anode bypass valve operably disposed directly between the fuel processor outlet and the anode inlet for selectively providing fluid communication between the fuel processor outlet and either the anode inlet or the combustor inlet, thereby bypassing the fuel cell; and a pressure regulator operably disposed directly between the combustor inlet and one of the anode outlet or the anode bypass valve.