Pressurized fuel cell power plant with steam powered compressor. [binary-fluid system]

Patent · Tue Sep 28 04:00:00 EDT 1976

OSTI ID:7251994

Bloomfield, D P

A fuel cell power plant for producing electricity uses pressurized air and fuel in the cells. A compressor is driven by a turbine operably connected thereto and provides compressed air to the cells. The turbine is driven by a working fluid in a hot, pressurized, vapor state. Energy to convert the working fluid into this state is waste energy produced by the power plant, such as stack waste heat. In one embodiment the power plant includes a steam reforming reactor and a reactor burner. Effluent gases from the anode side of the cell are used in the reactor burner. The working fluid is water and the turbine is driven by steam which is condensed to the liquid state after passing through the turbine. The liquid water is reconverted to steam by passing it into heat exchange relationship with the stack and it is then delivered again into the turbine. Part of the steam may be used in the steam reforming reactor. Preferably the effluent gases from the reactor burner and the effluent gases from the cathode side of the cells is delivered into an air turbine for generating electrical power in addition to the electrical power produced in the fuel cells.

• Assignee: United Technologies Corp.
• Patent Number(s): US 3982962
• OSTI ID: 7251994
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

20 FOSSIL-FUELED POWER PLANTS
200102 -- Fossil-Fueled Power Plants-- Power Cycles
30 DIRECT ENERGY CONVERSION
300501* -- Fuel Cells-- Design & Development
ALKANES
BINARY-FLUID SYSTEMS
CHEMICAL REACTIONS
CHEMICAL REACTORS
COAL TAR OILS
COMPRESSORS
CRYOGENIC FLUIDS
DESIGN
DIRECT ENERGY CONVERTERS
DISTILLATES
ELECTROCHEMICAL CELLS
ENERGY
ENERGY SOURCES
FLUIDS
FOSSIL FUELS
FUEL CELL POWER PLANTS
FUEL CELLS
FUELS
HEAT
HEAT EXCHANGERS
HYDROCARBONS
HYDROGEN FUEL CELLS
HYDROGEN GENERATORS
METHANE
NAPHTHA
OILS
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
OTHER ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
PETROLEUM
PETROLEUM DISTILLATES
PETROLEUM FRACTIONS
POWER PLANTS
RANKINE CYCLE POWER SYSTEMS
REFORMER PROCESSES
STEAM REFORMER PROCESSES
STEAM TURBINES
TURBINES
TURBOMACHINERY
WASTE HEAT
WASTES