Patent ID: 7713056

Claim:
A catalytic combustor comprising: a housing including an anode off gas inlet for receiving anode off gas discharged from an anode of a fuel cell, a cathode off gas inlet for receiving cathode off gas discharged from a cathode of the fuel cell, a ventilation air inlet receiving ventilation air from a space inside a case accommodating the fuel cell, the space formed between the case and the fuel cell, and an exhaust gas outlet for discharging combusted gas, the cathode off gas inlet being coupled to an upstream end face of the housing and the anode off gas inlet being coupled to a side face of the housing at a position downstream relative to the cathode off gas inlet; and a catalyst disposed inside the housing between the anode off gas and cathode off gas inlets and the exhaust gas outlet, the housing being configured to form a horizontally arranged gas flow passage that receives the anode off gas and cathode off gas flow in an upstream portion that directs the anode off gas and cathode off gas to the catalyst, the upstream portion including a divided section that is located directly upstream of the catalyst and divided into at least two vertically arranged flow paths.