Patent ID: 6924053

Claim:
A solid oxide fuel cell system, comprising: a solid oxide fuel cell stack; a fuel supply inlet conduit adapted to provide a hydrocarbon fuel inlet stream toward the solid oxide fuel cell stack; a fuel exhaust outlet conduit adapted to remove a fuel exhaust stream from the solid oxide fuel cell stack; a water vapor and enthalpy recovery unit either directly connected or indirectly connected via a water supply conduit to the fuel supply inlet conduit and to the fuel exhaust outlet conduit, wherein the water vapor and enthalpy recovery unit is adapted to selectively transfer at least a portion of water vapor and heat from the fuel exhaust stream to the hydrocarbon fuel inlet stream; and a hydrogen recovery unit connected to the fuel supply inlet conduit and to the fuel exhaust outlet conduit, wherein the hydrogen recovery unit is adapted to selectively transfer at least a portion of hydrogen from the fuel exhaust stream to the hydrocarbon fuel inlet stream.