Patent ID: 8343256

Claim:
A method of decontaminating a fuel reactant stream for a fuel cell ( 12 ), comprising the steps of: a. flowing the fuel reactant stream through an ammonia dissolving means ( 61 ) for dissolving ammonia from the fuel reactant stream within a separator scrubber ( 58 ) while simultaneously flowing water through the ammonia dissolving means ( 61 ) to separate contaminants from the fuel reactant stream into a separated contaminant water stream; b. accumulating the separated contaminant stream from the packed bed within an accumulator ( 68 ); c. removing contaminants from the separated contaminant water stream onto particles of an ion exchange material ( 69 ) integrated within the accumulator ( 68 ); d. circulating a de-contaminated water stream from the accumulator ( 68 ) through a water-control loop ( 78 ); e. circulating the decontaminated water stream from the water-control loop ( 78 ) back through the ammonia dissolving means ( 61 ); and, f. controlling a temperature of one of the water flowing through the water control loop ( 78 ) or the fuel reactant stream upstream of the separator scrubber ( 58 ) to produce a predetermined temperature of the fuel reactant stream passing through the separator scrubber ( 58 ).