Patent ID: 8865357

Claim:
A fuel cell system comprising: a reformer for generating anode gas from oxidant gas and fuel; a fuel cell for generating electric current from the anode gas generated and from cathode gas; a residual gas burner for burning anode waste gas with cathode waste gas from said fuel cell, wherein said residual burner generates burner waste gas; and a recycling means for recycling burner waste gas to said reformer, said recycling means comprising a valve arrangement, said valve arrangement having an outlet side and an inlet side, said outlet side being connected to said reformer via at least one first return line section, said inlet side being connected to a burner waste gas tapping point via a second return line section and said inlet side being connected to an anode waste gas tapping point via a third return line section, said anode waste gas tapping point comprising two anode waste gas tapping portions, wherein one of said anode waste gas tapping portions supplies anode waste gas to said residual burner and another one of said anode waste gas tapping portions supplies anode waste gas to said reformer via at least said valve arrangement, said valve arrangement comprising one or more valves, said burner waste gas being transferred from said residual gas burner to said valve arrangement via said second return line section to define at least a portion of a burner waste gas flow path.