Patent ID: 8202638

Claim:
A method for generating electricity using a solid oxide fuel cell stack in combination with a methanation reactor, comprising the steps of: (a) supplying a feed stream comprising ethanol to a methanation reactor containing catalytic material active in the decomposition and methanation of ethanol, wherein the methanation of ethanol takes place according to the formulas: CH 3 CH 2 OH CH 4 +CO+H 2 , CO+H 2 O CO 2 +H 2 , and CO+3H 2 CH 4 +H 2 O; (b) converting the feed stream comprising ethanol in the methanation reactor under adiabatic conditions to produce an effluent fuel comprising methane, carbon monoxide, carbon dioxide, hydrogen and water and to produce a temperature increase across the methanation reactor; (c) transferring the effluent fuel comprising methane, carbon monoxide, carbon dioxide, hydrogen and water to the anode of a solid oxide fuel cell stack comprising at least one solid oxide fuel cell; (d) providing the cathode of the solid oxide fuel cell stack with an oxygen-containing gas; and (e) converting the fuel comprising methane, carbon monoxide, carbon dioxide, hydrogen and water and the oxygen-containing gas to electricity in the solid oxide fuel cell stack.