Patent ID: 8778545

Claim:
A fuel cell recirculation complex comprising: a fuel cell comprising an anode configured to generate a hot anode exhaust stream, the anode comprising an inlet and an outlet; a waste heat recovery cycle configured to generate power from cooling the hot anode exhaust stream; a compressor configured to compress the exhaust gas cooled via the waste heat recovery cycle; an expander configured to expand and cool the compressed exhaust gas; and a heat exchanger system configured to receive at least a portion of the expanded gas and to pre-cool the compressed waste heat recovery cycle exhaust gas prior to cooling via the expander, and further configured to remove by phase change water (H2O) and carbon dioxide (CO2) from the exhaust gas passing through the waste heat recovery cycle, and further configured to generate a stream of fuel that is returned to the inlet of the fuel cell anode with a higher molar concentration of carbon monoxide (CO) and hydrogen (H2) fuel than was initially present in the fuel cell anode exhaust gas prior to entering the waste heat recovery cycle.