Patent ID: 8206490

Claim:
A contaminant separator and isolation loop ( 10 ) for a fuel reactant stream of a fuel cell ( 12 ), comprising: a. a separator scrubber ( 58 ) secured in fluid communication with a fuel reactant inlet line ( 26 ) of the fuel cell ( 12 ), the separator scrubber ( 58 ) including an ammonia dissolving means ( 61 ) disposed within a scrubber container ( 64 ) of the separator scrubber ( 58 ) for dissolving ammonia from the fuel reactant stream into a liquid separated contaminant stream within the separator scrubber ( 58 ); a water discharge ( 66 ) secured adjacent the ammonia dissolving means ( 61 ) and configured to discharge water to flow through the ammonia dissolving means ( 61 ); a fuel reactant discharge ( 60 ) secured adjacent the ammonia dissolving means ( 61 ) and configured to discharge the fuel reactant to flow through the ammonia dissolving means ( 61 ); an accumulator ( 68 ) secured in fluid communication with the ammonia dissolving means ( 61 ); a scrubber fuel outlet ( 98 ) secured within the scrubber container ( 64 ) and configured to direct flow of the fuel reactant from the ammonia dissolving means ( 61 ) and from the scrubber separator ( 58 ) back into the fuel reactant inlet line ( 26 ); b. an isolation loop ( 78 ) secured in fluid communication with the separator scrubber ( 58 ), the isolation loop ( 78 ) including a loop conduit ( 80 ) configured to direct a separated contaminant stream out of the accumulator ( 68 ); an isolation loop pump means ( 84 ) secured in fluid communication with the loop conduit ( 80 ) for pumping the separated contaminant stream through the loop conduit ( 80 ); an isolation loop heat exchanger ( 86 ) secured in heat exchange relationship with the loop conduit ( 80 ) configured to transfer thermal energy with the separated contaminant stream within the loop conduit ( 80 ); an ion exchange bed ( 88 ) secured in fluid communication with the loop conduit ( 80 ) configured to remove contaminants from the separated contaminant stream within the loop conduit ( 80 ); and a loop conduit return line ( 90 ) secured in fluid communication between an outlet ( 92 ) of the ion exchange bed ( 88 ) and the water discharge ( 66 ) within the separator scrubber ( 58 ) configured to direct flow of the de-contaminated stream from the ion exchange bed ( 88 ) back into the separator scrubber ( 58 ); c. an overflow vent ( 76 ) secured in fluid communication with the scrubber container ( 64 ) configured to selectively direct excess water out of the scrubber ( 58 ); and, d. a carbon dioxide vent bypass line ( 104 ) secured between an outlet ( 92 ) of the ion exchange bed ( 88 ) and the loop conduit return line ( 90 ) configured to selectively vent carbon dioxide out of the ion exchange bed ( 88 ).