Patent ID: 7867299

Claim:
A fuel cell system comprising: an autothermal reactor for producing hydrogen gas from a fuel, said autothermal reactor comprising: a reactant mixture inlet for a reactant mixture comprising a hydrocarbon fuel, oxygen, and steam and a product gas outlet; a first reforming reaction zone for reacting said reactant mixture to produce said hydrogen gas, said first reforming reaction zone proximate to said reactant mixture inlet, said first reforming reaction zone including an upstream reforming catalyst disposed therein, said upstream reforming catalyst comprising a platinum group metal on a support material, wherein said support material comprises an oxidic support, a promoter comprising ceria and zirconia, and a stabilizing material comprising lanthanum, neodymium, and combinations thereof, said platinum group metal consisting essentially of platinum and rhodium in a platinum-to-rhodium ratio sufficient to lower a light-off temperature of said upstream reforming catalyst below that of a substantially platinum-free rhodium based catalyst; and a second reforming reaction zone for reacting said reactant mixture to produce said hydrogen gas, said second reforming reaction zone downstream from said first reforming reaction zone, said second reforming reaction zone proximate to said first reforming reaction zone, and said second reforming reaction zone proximate to said product gas outlet, said second reforming reaction zone including a downstream reforming catalyst disposed therein, said downstream reforming catalyst comprising a platinum group metal on an oxidic support material and a first promoter comprising at least one Group I, manganese, or iron metal and a second promoter comprising ceria zirconia, said platinum group metal consisting essentially of rhodium, said upstream reforming catalyst having a faster light-off ability than said downstream reforming catalyst, said first reforming reaction zone at a higher temperature than said second reforming reaction zone, wherein said hydrogen gas, carbon dioxide, and carbon monoxide from said first and second reforming reaction zones exit through said product gas outlet; a water-gas shift reactor positioned after said autothermal reactor, said hydrogen gas, carbon dioxide, and carbon monoxide from said product gas outlet being a feed stream for said water-gas shift reactor, a portion of said carbon monoxide being converted into carbon dioxide in said water-gas shift reactor forming a carbon monoxide purged product stream containing said hydrogen; and a fuel cell stack positioned after said water-gas shift reactor, said carbon monoxide purged product stream containing said hydrogen being a feed stream for said fuel cell stack.