Patent ID: 6868677

Claim:
A combined fuel cell and fuel combustion power generation system, comprising in combination: a source of a first fuel, the first fuel containing hydrogen; a source of oxygen; a fuel cell downstream from said source of fuel and said source of oxygen, said fuel cell having a discharge for at least fuel cell products produced within said fuel cell including water, said fuel cell having an output for electrical power, and said fuel cell adapted to convert at least a portion of the first fuel and the oxygen into the fuel cell products while releasing electrical power from said output; a combustor downstream from said fuel cell discharge, said combustor adapted to combust a second fuel with oxygen in the presence of the fuel cell products from said discharge, the second fuel including hydrogen, said combustor adapted to produce elevated temperature and elevated pressure combustion products including water, said combustor including an exhaust for a mixture of the combustion products and the fuel cell products, the mixture including water; an expander downstream from said combustor exhaust, said expander having a power outlet, said expander adapted to produce power by expanding the mixture of the combustion products and the fuel cell products, and release the power through said power outlet; and wherein said source of oxygen includes an air separation unit having an air inlet and an oxygen enriched air outlet, said air separation unit adapted to separate at least a portion of nitrogen out of the air entering said air separation unit from said air inlet, such that fluids at said oxygen enriched air outlet have a greater amount of oxygen therein than is present in the air at said air inlet.