Heat exchanger for fuel cell power plant reformer

Patent · Fri Jan 01 00:00:00 EST 1988

OSTI ID:866757

Misage, Robert ^[1]; Scheffler, Glenn W ^[2]; Setzer, Herbert J ^[3]; Margiott, Paul R ^[1]

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1. Manchester, CT
2. Tolland, CT
3. Ellington, CT

A heat exchanger uses the heat from processed fuel gas from a reformer for a fuel cell to superheat steam, to preheat raw fuel prior to entering the reformer and to heat a water-steam coolant mixture from the fuel cells. The processed fuel gas temperature is thus lowered to a level useful in the fuel cell reaction. The four temperature adjustments are accomplished in a single heat exchanger with only three heat transfer cores. The heat exchanger is preheated by circulating coolant and purge steam from the power section during startup of the latter.

• Assignee: International Fuel Cells Corporation (South Windsor, CT)
• Patent Number(s): US 4781241
• OSTI ID: 866757
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

heat
exchanger
fuel
cell
power
plant
reformer
processed
gas
superheat
steam
preheat
raw
prior
entering
water-steam
coolant
mixture
cells
temperature
lowered
level
useful
reaction
adjustments
accomplished
single
transfer
cores
preheated
circulating
purge
section
startup
latter
gas temperature
fuel cell
cell power
fuel gas
fuel cells
heat exchange
heat exchanger
heat transfer
power plant
circulating coolant
steam coolant
fuel prior
cell reaction
temperature adjustment
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