Patent ID: 7520916
Filing Date: 2009-04-21
Classification: B01D,C01B,H01M,Y02C,Y02E,Y02P

Abstract:
1. A method of operating a fuel cell system, comprising: providing a fuel inlet stream into a fuel cell stack; operating the fuel cell stack to generate electricity and a hydrogen containing fuel exhaust stream; separating at least a portion of hydrogen contained in the fuel exhaust stream using partial pressure swing adsorption; and providing the hydrogen separated from the fuel exhaust stream to a hydrogen storage vessel or to a hydrogen using device; wherein the step of separating comprises: (a) a first feed/purge step comprising: (b) a first flush step, conducted after the first feed/purge step, the first flush step comprising: (c) a second feed/purge step, conducted after the first flush step, the second feed/purge step comprising: (d) a second flush step, conducted after the second feed/purge step, the second flush step comprising: