Patent ID: 6376114
Filing Date: 2002-04-23
Classification: H01M,Y02E

Abstract:
A reformate fuel treatment system for a fuel cell power plant, the system comprising:a. at least one fuel cell for generating electricity from reformate fuel and process oxidant reactant streams having an electrolyte secured between an anode catalyst and a cathode catalyst; b. fuel processing component means for processing a hydrocarbon fuel into the reformate fuel including a reformer means that receives the hydrocarbon fuel from a hydrocarbon fuel supply for reforming the hydrocarbon fuel into the reformate fuel; and, c. an ammonia scrubbing cool water bed in fluid communication with the reformer means that receives the reformate fuel and removes ammonia from the reformate fuel and then directs the reformate fuel into a fuel inlet in fluid communication with the fuel cell, a reformate treatment heat exchanger in fluid communication with the ammonia scrubbing cool water bed, an ammonia stripping warm water bed in fluid communication with the heat exchanger, and an ammonia removal coolant loop means for cycling a first cooling fluid including water through the cool water bed, reformate treatment heat exchanger, warm water bed and a first coolant heat exchanger so that the reformate heat exchanger heats the first coolant fluid including water before it enters the ammonia stripping warm water bed and the first coolant heat exchanger cools the first coolant fluid before it enters the ammonia scrubbing cool water bed, wherein the ammonia stripping warm water bed is in fluid communication with a stream of oxidant and directs the stream of oxidant to pass through the ammonia stripping warm water bed to strip ammonia from the first coolant fluid.