Fuel cell system with thermally integrated combustor and corrugated foil reformer
View Patent ↗A fuel cell system includes a fuel cell stack, a reformer which is thermally integrated with the fuel cell stack. The system may also include a combustor which is thermally integrated with the reformer. The reformer is a reformation catalyst containing channel bounded by at least one corrugated foil wall. The reformer is adapted to reform a hydrocarbon fuel to a hydrogen containing reaction product and to provide the reaction product to the fuel cell stack.
1. A fuel cell system, comprising:
a fuel cell stack; and
a reformer which is thermally integrated with the fuel cell stack by being located adjacent to the fuel cell stack;
wherein:
the reformer is adapted to reform a hydrocarbon fuel to a hydrogen containing reaction product and to provide the reaction product to the fuel cell stack; and
the reformer comprises a reformation catalyst coated corrugated foil located in a reformer channel bounded by one or more walls of the reformer such that the hydrocarbon fuel is forced to make a zig-zag path through the reformer channel.
2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the reformer channel is separated from the fuel cell stack by a first corrugated foil.
3. The system of claim 2 , further comprising a combustor which is thermally integrated with the reformer, wherein the reformer is located between the fuel cell stack and the combustor.
4. The system of claim 3 , wherein:
the fuel cell stack comprises a solid oxide fuel cell stack; and
the fuel cell stack, the combustor and the reformer are located in a manifold housing.
5. The system of claim 1 , wherein:
the fuel cell stack comprises a solid oxide fuel cell stack; and
the fuel cell stack, the combustor and the reformer are located in a manifold housing.
6. The system of claim 1 , wherein the one or more walls of the reformer are not corrugated.
7. The system of claim 1 , wherein the one or more walls of the reformer are corrugated.
8. The system of claim 1 , wherein a straight line path does not exist from an inlet of the reformer to an outlet of the reformer through the reformer channel.
9. A fuel cell system, comprising:
a fuel cell stack;
a reformer which is thermally integrated with the fuel cell stack by being located adjacent to the fuel cell stack; and
a combustor which is thermally integrated with the reformer;
wherein:
the reformer is located between the fuel cell stack and the combustor;
the reformer is adapted to reform a hydrocarbon fuel to a hydrogen containing reaction product and to provide the reaction product to the fuel cell stack;
the reformer comprises a reformation catalyst containing foil located in a reformer channel bounded by one or more walls of the reformer;
the reformer channel is separated from the fuel cell stack by a first corrugated foil;
a second corrugated foil separates the reformer from the combustor; and
the reformation catalyst containing foil comprises a corrugated foil which is located between the first and the second corrugated foils, such that the hydrocarbon fuel is forced to make a zig-zag path through the reformer channel.