Patent ID: 7276309

Claim:
A fuel cell system comprising: a fluidization apparatus having therein metal particles and electrolyte; an electrochemical cell stack in fluid communication with the fluidization apparatus, the stack comprising an anode and a cathode; a fuel delivery pump controlling total flow rate of the metal particles and the electrolyte into the electrochemical cell stack; a fluidization pump varying the mass flow rate of the metal particles into the electrochemical cell stack independently of the total flow rate controlled by the fuel delivery pump, wherein the fluidization pump provides a stream comprising electrolyte to the fluidization apparatus at an orientation suitable for fluidizing at least a portion of the metal particles in the fluidization apparatus; a feed tube that passes through a surface of the fluidization apparatus providing a flow pathway for the fluidized metal particles and electrolyte out of the fluidization apparatus, wherein a portion of the fluidized metal particles and electrolyte can be delivered to the anode of the electrochemical cell stack by the fuel delivery pump; and a splitter element connected to the feed tube, the splitter element having a plurality of openings allowing fluidized metal particles and electrolyte to flow into the feed tube through multiple flow paths.