Source: http://www.google.com/patents/US6162556?dq=7,328,163
Timestamp: 2014-03-09 19:44:10
Document Index: 551490351

Matched Legal Cases: ['art 20', 'art 20', 'art 20', 'art 20', 'art 20', 'art 20', 'art 20']

Patent US6162556 - Method for operating a high-temperature fuel cell installation, and a high ... - Google PatentsSearch Images Maps Play YouTube News Gmail Drive More »Sign inAdvanced Patent SearchPatentsThe invention relates a method for operating a high-temperature fuel cell installation having a high-temperature fuel cell module. The method includes the step of producing a combustion gas having a combustion gas power for an electrochemical reaction in a high-temperature fuel cell module by a reformation...http://www.google.com/patents/US6162556?utm_source=gb-gplus-sharePatent US6162556 - Method for operating a high-temperature fuel cell installation, and a high-temperature fuel cell installationAdvanced Patent SearchPublication numberUS6162556 APublication typeGrantApplication numberUS 09/090,560Publication dateDec 19, 2000Filing dateJun 4, 1998Priority dateDec 4, 1995Fee statusPaidPublication number090560, 09090560, US 6162556 A, US 6162556A, US-A-6162556, US6162556 A, US6162556AInventorsHeiner Edelmann, Christoph Nolscher, Wolfgang Schrepfer, Horst VollmarOriginal AssigneeSiemens AktiengesellschaftExport CitationBiBTeX, EndNote, RefManPatent Citations (15), Non-Patent Citations (10), Referenced by (10), Classifications (21), Legal Events (4) External Links: USPTO, USPTO Assignment, EspacenetMethod for operating a high-temperature fuel cell installation, and a high-temperature fuel cell installationUS 6162556 AAbstract The invention relates a method for operating a high-temperature fuel cell installation having a high-temperature fuel cell module. The method includes the step of producing a combustion gas having a combustion gas power for an electrochemical reaction in a high-temperature fuel cell module by a reformation process using a heat content from the electrochemical reaction in the high-temperature fuel cell module for reforming the combustion gas. The method includes the step of producing excess hydrogen that is not consumed during the electrochemical reaction in the high-temperature fuel cell module. There is the step of operating cells of the high-temperature fuel cell module with a cell voltage of less than about 0.7 V. Finally, there is the step of storing the excess hydrogen that was not consumed in the electrochemical reaction outside of the high-temperature fuel cell module. In this manner, one optimizes the effectiveness of the high-temperature fuel cell installation. In addition, the invention relates a high-temperature fuel cell installation.
We claim: 1. A method for operating a high-temperature fuel cell installation having a high-temperature fuel cell module with fuel cells, which comprises:producing a combustion gas having a combustion gas power for an electrochemical reaction in a high-temperature fuel cell module by a reformation process using a heat content from the electrochemical reaction in the high-temperature fuel cell module and producing more hydrogen than being consumed in the electrochemical reaction; operating cells of the high-temperature fuel cell module with a cell voltage of less than about 0.8 V; storing unconsumed, excess hydrogen that was not consumed in the electrochemical reaction outside of the high-temperature fuel cell module; and using at least 30% of the combustion gas power to produce the unconsumed, excess hydrogen. 2. The method according to claim 1, which comprises reforming the combustion gas within the high-temperature fuel cell module.
4. A high-temperature fuel cell installation, comprising:at least one high-temperature fuel cell module having an anode part and a cathode part; a reformer for reforming the combustion gases for the electrochemical reaction; a hydrogen separation apparatus in the discharge path of the anode part separating the hydrogen from the combustion gas; a heat conduit for conducting enough heat produced in the high-temperature fuel cell to the reformer to use at least 30% of the combustion gas power to produce excess hydrogen not used for the electrochemical reaction. 5. The high-temperature fuel cell installation according to claim 4, wherein said reformer is disposed within said at least one high-temperature fuel cell module for reforming combustion gas for use in an electrochemical reaction in said at least one high-temperature fuel cell module.
16. A method for operating a high-temperature fuel cell installation having a high-temperature fuel cell module with fuel cells, which comprises:producing a combustion gas having a combustion gas power for an electrochemical reaction in a high-temperature fuel cell module by a reformation process using enough heat content from the electrochemical reaction in the high-temperature fuel cell module for producing the combustion gas and producing more hydrogen than being consumed in the electrochemical reaction; operating cells of the high-temperature fuel cell module with a cell voltage of less than about 0.8 V; and storing unconsumed, excess hydrogen that was not consumed in the electrochemical reaction outside of the high-temperature fuel cell module. 17. The method according to claim 16, which comprises reforming the combustion gas within the high-temperature fuel cell module.
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION This application is a continuation of International application Ser. No. PCT/DE96/02237, filed Nov. 21, 1996, which designated the United States.
After being moistened, the fuels containing hydrocarbons pass through a reformation process during which CO, H.sub.2, CO.sub.2 and H.sub.2 O are produced as gaseous reformation products. The gaseous reformation products, which are also called reformate, now form a suitable combustion gas for the operation of the high-temperature fuel cell module.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is accordingly an object of the invention to provide a method for operating a high-temperature fuel cell installation, and a high-temperature fuel cell installation, which overcome the above-mentioned disadvantages of the prior art devices and methods of this general type, and which provide a method for operating a high-temperature fuel cell installation in which the effectiveness of a high-temperature fuel cell installation is optimized. In addition, high-temperature fuel cell installations for carrying out the method will also be specified.
The combustion gas that is required for the electrochemical reaction is produced by a reformation process, with more hydrogen H.sub.2 being produced than is consumed during the electrochemical reaction in the high-temperature fuel cell module. The hydrogen H.sub.2 that is not consumed in the high-temperature fuel cell module is collected for further use outside of the high-temperature fuel cell module.
The excess hydrogen H.sub.2 which is produced directly from the reformation is supplied, using a storage apparatus or reservoir, for example to other mobile or stationary installations which require hydrogen H.sub.2 for operation. In addition, the hydrogen H.sub.2 can be fed directly to a hydrogen user, without using any additional storage reservoir. The consumer may be represented, for example, by any possible application in various fields of industry, for example in the chemical industry, in which hydrogen H.sub.2 is used. Since the high-temperature fuel cell installation includes the reservoir and the consumer within the configuration for efficiency, the effectiveness, that is to say in other words the efficiency of the entire high-temperature fuel cell installation is improved.
In accordance with an added feature of the invention, there is the step of using at least 30% of the combustion gas power to produce the excess, unconsumed hydrogen. At least 30% of the combustion gas power is preferably used to produce the unconsumed hydrogen H.sub.2. In particular, the heat content from the electrochemical combustion in the high-temperature fuel cell module is used for reforming the combustion gas.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a high-temperature fuel cell installation according to the invention; and
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Referring now to the figures of the drawing in detail and first, particularly, to FIG. 1 thereof, there is shown a high-temperature fuel cell installation 2 having a high-temperature fuel cell module 4 with a reformer 5 for reforming a combustion gas for the high-temperature fuel cell module 4.
During the reformation in the reformer 5, more combustion gas is reformed than is consumed during the electrochemical reaction in the high-temperature fuel cell module 4. Overall, at least 10 to 30% of the combustion gas power is converted into excess hydrogen H.sub.2, particularly at cell voltages of less than 0.8 V. The theoretical upper limit is, for example, 55 to 85% for the reformation of methane, with cell voltages of 0.5 to 0.8 V. Consequently, excess hydrogen H.sub.2 is produced, and is supplied via the discharge path 10 of the anode path 6 from the anode part 20 to an apparatus 70 for further use. The apparatus 70 may be a reservoir or a consumer of hydrogen which, in turn, may be, for example, part of the overall high-temperature fuel cell installation.
The anode exhaust gas in the discharge path 10 essentially contains carbon monoxide CO, hydrogen H.sub.2, water H.sub.2 O and carbon dioxide CO.sub.2. The proportion of carbon monoxide CO and of hydrogen H.sub.2 contained in the anode exhaust gas is typically at least between 10 to 30% of the calorific value of the hydrocarbons supplied to the high-temperature fuel cell module 4 with the fuel via the feed path 8.
A majority of the carbon monoxide CO is converted together with the water H.sub.2 O in the anode exhaust gas into carbon dioxide CO.sub.2 and hydrogen H.sub.2 in the shift reactor 30, which can preferably also be integrated in the adjacent heat exchangers 28, 32. A shift reaction for conversion of carbon monoxide CO and water H.sub.2 O into carbon dioxide CO.sub.2 and hydrogen H.sub.2 takes place not only in the shift reactor 30 but also, to some extent, over the entire length of the discharge path 10 from the anode part 20. Consequently, the entire discharge path 10 from the anode part 20 serves for enrichment of hydrogen H.sub.2 from the anode exhaust gas.
A proportion of the water is removed from the anode exhaust gas in the water extractor 34. The anode exhaust gas transfers a further portion of its heat content, in the heat exchanger 24, to the fuel in the feed path 8 for the anode part 20 of the high-temperature fuel cell module 4. All the components that are present in the anode exhaust gas, as well as the hydrogen H.sub.2, are separated in the hydrogen separating apparatus 36 so that essentially only the hydrogen H.sub.2 is still present in the last part of the discharge path 10 and is subsequently supplied to the apparatus 70.
The exhaust gas from the anode part 20 emits part of its heat content to the reformer 62 via the discharge path 10. An evaporator 64 is disposed downstream from the reformer 62 in the discharge path 10 from the anode part 20 and, in it, the exhaust gas transfers a further part of its heat content to the water vapor in order to moisten the fuel for the reformer 62. Subsequently, the exhaust gas from the anode part 20 passes through the hydrogen separating apparatus 36. The anode exhaust gas now contains only hydrogen H.sub.2 downstream from the hydrogen separating apparatus 36 and is supplied to the apparatus 70.
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