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System for adding sulfur to a fuel cell stack system for improved fuel cell stability

Patent ·
OSTI ID:1039892

A system for adding sulfur to a fuel cell stack, having a reformer adapted to reform a hydrocarbon fuel stream containing sulfur contaminants, thereby providing a reformate stream having sulfur; a sulfur trap fluidly coupled downstream of the reformer for removing sulfur from the reformate stream, thereby providing a desulfurized reformate stream; and a metering device in fluid communication with the reformate stream upstream of the sulfur trap and with the desulfurized reformate stream downstream of the sulfur trap. The metering device is adapted to bypass a portion of the reformate stream to mix with the desulfurized reformate stream, thereby producing a conditioned reformate stream having a predetermined sulfur concentration that gives an acceptable balance of minimal drop in initial power with the desired maximum stability of operation over prolonged periods for the fuel cell stack.

Research Organization:
National Energy Technology Laboratory (NETL), Pittsburgh, PA, and Morgantown, WV (United States)
Sponsoring Organization:
USDOE
DOE Contract Number:
FC26-02NT41246
Assignee:
Delphi Technologies, Inc. (Troy, MI)
Patent Number(s):
8,129,054
Application Number:
13/074,589
OSTI ID:
1039892
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English

References (2)

Solid Oxide Fuel Cells, History book January 2014
Thermodynamics and Kinetics of the Interaction of Carbon and Sulfur with Solid Oxide fuel Cell Anodes journal April 2009

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