Patent · US Expired

Fuel cell power plant

US4622275A · kind A · utility

67Cited by
5References
6Claims
0Family size

Assignees

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateJul 31, 1985
Grant dateNov 11, 1986
Priority date
Expiry dateJul 31, 2005

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC Y)Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
  • CPC primaryY02E60/50
  • WIPO fieldEngines, pumps, turbines
  • WIPO sectorMechanical engineering

Abstract

A fuel cell power plant comprising a fuel cell employing a molten carbonate as an electrolyte, a reformer for reforming fuel into a reactive gas to be supplied into the anode of the cell, an expansion turbine connected to a compressor, a combustor for burning a gas exhausted from the anode and introducing the combustion gas into the cathode of the fuel cell along with a gas compressed by the compressor, and a waste heat recovery system. The power plant is characterized by the provision of another combustor on the passage through which cathode exhaust gas is sent from the cathode to the turbine and a passage for leading a part of the anode exhaust gas to the combustor, whereby unburned gas, included in the anode exhaust gas, is burned with the cathode exhaust gas supplied as oxygen source so that the temperature of the turbine driving gas is raised, as a result, the overall thermal efficiency of the power plant increases.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.