Patent ID: 8029753

Claim:
An ammonia contact scrubber system ( 10 ) for removing ammonia from a fuel stream for a fuel cell ( 16 ), the system ( 10 ) comprising: a. a contact scrubber ( 12 ) including a scrubber fuel inlet ( 14 ) configured to receive a hydrogen rich fuel for the fuel cell ( 16 ), a scrubber fuel exhaust ( 20 ) configured to direct flow of the hydrogen rich fuel from the scrubber ( 12 ) into the fuel cell ( 16 ), the contact scrubber ( 12 ) housing a support material ( 24 ) and configured to direct flow of the fuel from the scrubber fuel inlet ( 14 ) through the support material ( 24 ) to the scrubber fuel exhaust ( 20 ); and, b. an acid circulating loop ( 26 ) including an acid holding tank ( 28 ) configured to hold a liquid acid solution ( 30 ), an acid feed line ( 32 ) secured in fluid communication between an acid holding tank outlet ( 34 ) of the holding tank ( 28 ) and a scrubber acid inlet ( 36 ) of the contact scrubber ( 12 ), an acid return ( 38 ) secured in fluid communication between a scrubber acid outlet ( 40 ) of the contact scrubber ( 12 ) and the acid holding tank ( 28 ), and an acid circulation means ( 42 ) secured in fluid communication with the acid feed line ( 32 ) and configured to pump the acid solution ( 30 ) through the acid circulating loop ( 32 ).