Patent ID: 6156084
Filing Date: 2000-12-05
Classification: B60K,C01B,C10G,H01M,Y02E,Y02T

Abstract:
A mobile wheeled land vehicle assemblage comprising:a) an onboard electric motor for providing at least partial motive power for the vehicle assemblage;b) an onboard fuel cell stack assembly for providing at least a portion of electricity for operating the electric motor; andc) an onboard fuel processing system for desulfurizing an undiluted hydrocarbon fuel stream so as to convert the hydrocarbon fuel stream into a hydrogen-rich gas, which hydrogen-rich gas is suitable for use in the cell stack assembly, said fuel processing system comprising:i) a nickel desulfurization station containing a nickel reactant which is operative to convert sulfur contained in organic sulfur compounds found in the fuel stream to nickel sulfide;ii) means for introducing the undiluted hydrocarbon fuel stream into said nickel desulfurization station; andii) means for maintaining said nickel desulfurization station at an operating temperature in the range of about 250.degree. F. to about 525.degree. F. during operation of said system.