Patent ID: 7368194

Claim:
A fuel cell system, comprising: a fuel processor having a reforming region adapted to produce a stream comprising hydrogen gas as a majority component from a feed stream comprising water and a carbon-containing feedstock; a feedstock delivery system adapted to deliver the feed stream containing a predetermined mix ratio of feedstock components to the fuel processor, the feedstock delivery system comprising: a water delivery assembly adapted to provide a stream comprising liquid water; a carbon-containing feedstock delivery assembly adapted to provide a stream comprising a liquid carbon-containing feedstock; and a reservoir adapted to receive a volume of liquid water and a volume of liquid carbon-containing feedstock from the water and the carbon-containing feedstock delivery assemblies; a sensor assembly associated with the reservoir and adapted to detect at least one triggering event related to the gravimetric quantity of one or more of the feedstock components in the reservoir; and wherein the feedstock delivery system is adapted to regulate the flow of the streams comprising the liquid water and the liquid carbon-containing feedstock at least partially in response to the detection of the at least one triggering event by the sensor assembly to produce the feed stream containing a predetermined mix ratio of the liquid water and the liquid carbon-containing feedstock; a fuel cell stack adapted to produce at least a portion of the stream containing hydrogen gas and to produce an electric current therefrom.