Solid oxide fuel cell steam reforming power system

Abstract

The present invention is a Solid Oxide Fuel Cell Reforming Power System that utilizes adiabatic reforming of reformate within this system. By utilizing adiabatic reforming of reformate within the system the system operates at a significantly higher efficiency than other Solid Oxide Reforming Power Systems that exist in the prior art. This is because energy is not lost while materials are cooled and reheated; instead the device operates at a higher temperature. This allows efficiencies higher than 65%.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A Solid Oxide Fuel Cell (SOFC) reforming system comprising:
 a. a first SOFC stack for receiving an anode feed gas on an anode side of the first SOFC stack to generate a first anode effluent, wherein the first anode effluent is mixed with a hydrocarbon fuel to generate a first reformer feed stream; and   b. a first adiabatic reforming reactor, containing a steam-reforming catalyst, that receives the first reformer feed stream and produces a first reformate gas.   
     
     
         2 . The SOFC reforming system of  claim 1  wherein the reformate gas is fed back to the first SOFC stack. 
     
     
         3 . The SOFC reforming system of  claim 2  wherein a blower is used to feed back the reformate gas to the first SOFC stack. 
     
     
         4 . The SOFC reforming system of  claim 3  wherein the reformate gas is reheated by a recuperator before being fed back to the first SOFC stack. 
     
     
         5 . The SOFC reforming system of  claim 1  further comprising a recuperator for cooling the reform:ate gas. 
     
     
         6 . The SOFC reforming system of  claim 5  further comprising a water-gas-shift (WGS) catalyst for converting a portion of carbon monoxide in the cooled reformate gas to carbon dioxide. 
     
     
         7 . The SOFC reforming system of  claim 6  further comprising a condenser for cooling the reformate gas, wherein a portion of water vapor is condensed and removed. 
     
     
         8 . The SOFC reforming system of  claim 7  further comprising a separation device for removing carbon dioxide from the cooled reformate gas. 
     
     
         9 . The SOFC reforming system of  claim 8  wherein the cooled reformate gas leaving the separation device is reheated by the recuperator and fed back to the first SOFC stack. 
     
     
         10 . The SOFC reforming system of  claim 2  wherein a portion of the first anode effluent is purged from the system. 
     
     
         11 . The SOFC reforming system of  claim 10  wherein heat from the purge stream is used to heat the anode feed gas in a recuperator. 
     
     
         12 . The SOFC reforming system of  claim 11  wherein water and CO 2  are removed from the purge stream, and a portion of H 2 , CO, and CH 4  are returned to the anode feed gas. 
     
     
         13 . The SOFC reforming system of  claim 8  wherein the separation device is a microporous, gas absorption membrane. 
     
     
         14 . The SOFC reforming system of  claim 1  wherein no oxygen is added to the anode effluent before entering the first adiabatic reforming reactor. 
     
     
         15 . The SOFC reforming system of  claim 1  further comprising a second SOFC stack for receiving the first reformate gas and generating a second anode effluent, wherein the second anode effluent mixes with the hydrocarbon fuel to generate a second reformer feed stream. 
     
     
         16 . The SOFC reforming system of  claim 15  further comprising a second adiabatic reforming reactor, containing a steam-reforming catalyst, that receives the second reformer feed steam and produces a second reformate gas. 
     
     
         17 . The SOFC reforming system of  claim 16  wherein the second reformate gas is fed back to the first SOFC stack. 
     
     
         18 . The SOFC reforming system of  claim 17  wherein a blower is used to feed back the second reformate gas to the first SOFC stack. 
     
     
         19 . The SOFC reforming system of  claim 18  wherein the second reformate gas is reheated by a recuperator before being fed back to the first SOFC stack. 
     
     
         20 . The SOFC reforming system of  claim 15  further comprising a recuperator for cooling the second reformate gas. 
     
     
         21 . The SOFC reforming system of  claim 20  further comprising a WGS catalyst for converting a portion of carbon monoxide in the cooled reformate gas to carbon dioxide. 
     
     
         22 . The SOFC reforming system of  claim 21  further comprising a condenser for cooling the second reformate gas, wherein a portion of water vapor is condensed and removed. 
     
     
         23 . The SOFC reforming system of  claim 22  further comprising a separation device for removing carbon dioxide from the cooled reformate gas. 
     
     
         24 . The SOFC reforming system of  claim 23  wherein the cooled reformate gas leaving the separation device is reheated by the recuperator and fed back to the first SOFC stack. 
     
     
         25 . The SOFC reforming system of  claim 24  wherein a portion of the second anode effluent is purged from the system. 
     
     
         26 . The SOFC reforming system of  claim 25  wherein heat from the purge stream is used to heat the anode feed gas in a recuperator. 
     
     
         27 . The SOFC reforming system of  claim 26  wherein water and CO 2  are removed from the purge stream, and a portion of H 2 , CO, and CH 4  are returned to the anode feed gas. 
     
     
         28 . The SOFC reforming system of  claim 23  wherein the separation device is a microporous gas absorption membrane. 
     
     
         29 . The SOFC reforming system of  claim 16  wherein no oxygen is added to the second anode effluent before entering the second adiabatic reforming system. 
     
     
         30 . The SOFC reforming system of  claim 16  further comprising a third SOFC stack for receiving the second reformate gas and generating a third anode effluent, wherein the third anode effluent mixes with the hydrocarbon fuel to generate a third reformer feed stream. 
     
     
         31 . The SOFC reforming system of  claim 30  further comprising a third adiabatic reforming reactor, containing a steam-reforming catalyst, that receives the third reformer feed stream and produces a third reformate gas. 
     
     
         32 . The SOFC reforming system of  claim 31  wherein the third reformate gas is fed back to the first SOFC stack. 
     
     
         33 . A SOFC reforming system comprising
 a. a SOFC stack for receiving an anode feed gas on an anode side of the SOFC stack to generate an anode effluent, wherein the anode effluent is mixed with a hydrocarbon fuel to generate a reformer feed stream; and   b. an adiabatic reforming reactor, containing a steam-reforming catalyst, that receives the reformer feed stream and produces a reformate gas;   c. a recuperator for cooling the reformate gas;   d. a WGS catalyst for converting a portion of carbon monoxide in the cooled reformate gas to carbon dioxide;   e. a condenser for cooling the reformate gas, wherein a portion of water vapor is condensed and removed; and   
       a microporous, gas absorption membrane for removing carbon dioxide from the cooled gas, wherein the cooled reformate gas is reheated by the recuperator and fed back to the SOFC stack.