Patent ID: 8313867

Claim:
A fuel cell system for the generation of electrical current and heat from liquid and gaseous fuels, said system comprising: a steam or autothermic reformer housed in a thermally insulated vessel, a fuel cell stack positioned externally of the thermally insulated vessel and operatively coupled to the steam or autothermic reformer for receiving hydrogen gas therefrom and for the generation of steam and electricity, first evaporation channels and second evaporation channels connected in fluid communication, the fuel cell stack having an operating temperature of about 120° C. or greater and adapted to provide exhaust heat that is utilized for supplying steam to the steam or autothermic reformer via the first evaporation channels and the second evaporation channels, the first evaporation channels in operative arrangement in direct thermal contact with the fuel cell stack for cooling the fuel cell stack to a desired temperature, a pressure-maintaining device in fluid communication with the outlet of the first evaporation channels and adapted to adjust the pressure in said first evaporation channels to a value that results in the desired stack temperature, and the steam or autothermic reformer connected in fluid communication with the pressure-maintaining device for receiving the generated steam from the fuel cell stack.