U.S. patent application number 13/718750 was filed with the patent office on 2013-07-11 for systems and processes of operating fuel cell systems.
This patent application is currently assigned to SHELL OIL COMPANY. The applicant listed for this patent is SHELL OIL COMPANY. Invention is credited to Jingyu CUI, Erik Edwin ENGWALL, John William JOHNSTON, Mahendra Ladharam JOSHI, Scott Lee WELLINGTON.
Application Number | 20130177824 13/718750 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 43356698 |
Filed Date | 2013-07-11 |
United States Patent
Application |
20130177824 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
CUI; Jingyu ; et
al. |
July 11, 2013 |
SYSTEMS AND PROCESSES OF OPERATING FUEL CELL SYSTEMS
Abstract
The present invention is directed to systems and processes for
operating molten carbonate fuel cell systems. A process for
operating the molten carbonate fuel cell includes providing a
hydrogen-containing stream comprising molecular hydrogen to a
molten carbonate fuel cell anode; heating a hydrocarbon stream, at
least a majority of which is comprised of hydrocarbons that are
liquid at 20.degree. C. and atmospheric pressure, with a heat
source comprising an anode exhaust from the molten carbonate fuel
cell anode; contacting at least a portion of the heated hydrocarbon
stream with a catalyst to produce a steam reforming feed comprising
gaseous hydrocarbons, hydrogen, and at least one carbon oxide;
separating at least a portion of the molecular hydrogen from the
steam reforming feed; and providing at least a portion of the
separated molecular hydrogen to the molten carbonate fuel cell
anode as at least a portion of the stream comprising molecular
hydrogen.
Inventors: |
CUI; Jingyu; (Katy, TX)
; ENGWALL; Erik Edwin; (Houston, TX) ; JOHNSTON;
John William; (Kingwood, TX) ; JOSHI; Mahendra
Ladharam; (Katy, TX) ; WELLINGTON; Scott Lee;
(Bellaire, TX) |
|
Applicant: |
Name |
City |
State |
Country |
Type |
SHELL OIL COMPANY; |
Houston |
TX |
US |
|
|
Assignee: |
SHELL OIL COMPANY
Houston
TX
|
Family ID: |
43356698 |
Appl. No.: |
13/718750 |
Filed: |
December 18, 2012 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
|
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12797538 |
Jun 9, 2010 |
|
|
|
13718750 |
|
|
|
|
61187550 |
Jun 16, 2009 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
429/411 |
Current CPC
Class: |
H01M 8/0662 20130101;
H01M 8/0618 20130101; Y02E 60/50 20130101; H01M 2008/147 20130101;
H01M 8/14 20130101; Y02E 60/526 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
429/411 |
International
Class: |
H01M 8/06 20060101
H01M008/06 |
Claims
1. A process of operating a molten carbonate fuel cell, including a
molten carbonate fuel cell anode, a molten carbonate fuel cell
cathode, and having interposed there-between an electrolyte layer,
wherein the process comprises: providing a hydrogen-containing
stream comprising molecular hydrogen, to the molten carbonate fuel
cell anode; heating a hydrocarbon stream, at least a majority of
which is comprised of hydrocarbons that are liquid at 20.degree. C.
and atmospheric pressure, with a heat source comprising an anode
exhaust from the molten carbonate fuel cell anode to yield a heated
hydrocarbon stream; contacting at least a portion of the heated
hydrocarbon stream with a catalyst to produce a steam reforming
feed comprising, hydrogen and at least one carbon oxide; separating
at least a portion of the molecular hydrogen from the steam
reforming feed to provide a separated hydrogen stream and an
oxidant-containing gas stream; and providing at least a portion of
the separated hydrogen stream to the molten carbonate fuel cell
anode as at least a portion of the hydrogen-containing stream.
2. The process of claim 1, wherein the hydrocarbon stream comprises
at least one hydrocarbon having a carbon number of from 4 to
25.
3. The process of claim 1, wherein the hydrocarbon stream comprises
diesel hydrocarbons.
4. The process of claim 1, wherein the separated hydrogen stream
contains at least about 0.6 mole fraction molecular hydrogen.
5. The process of claim 1, further comprising contacting at least a
portion of the steam forming feed with a second reforming catalyst
to produce a reformed product gas comprising molecular hydrogen and
carbon dioxide; separating the molecular hydrogen from the reformed
product gas; and providing the thus-separated molecular hydrogen to
the molten carbonate fuel cell anode as at least a portion of the
hydrogen-containing stream.
6. The process of claim 1, further comprising contacting at least a
portion of the steam reforming feed with a second reforming
catalyst to produce a reformed product gas comprising molecular
hydrogen and carbon dioxide; separating the carbon dioxide from the
reformed product gas and providing the thus-separated carbon
dioxide to the molten carbonate fuel cell cathode.
7. The process of claim 1, wherein the molecular hydrogen and water
provided to the molten carbonate fuel cell anode is at a rate such
that a molar ratio of water to molecular hydrogen in the anode
stream is at most 1.0.
8. The process of claim 1, further comprising the steps of: passing
the oxidant-containing gas stream to an oxidizing unit, wherein the
oxidant-containing gas stream comprises one or more gaseous
hydrocarbons and at least one carbon oxide; contacting within the
oxidizing unit at least a portion of the oxidant containing gas
stream with an oxidant to thereby produce a second
hydrogen-containing stream comprising hydrogen; and providing at
least a portion of the second hydrogen-containing stream to the
molten carbonate fuel cell anode.
9. The process of claim 1, wherein the molten carbonate fuel cell
generates electricity at an electrical power density of at least
0.1 W/cm.sup.2.
Description
[0001] This application is a division of application Ser. No.
12/797,538, filed Jun. 9, 2010, which application claims the
benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 61/187,550, filed Jun.
16, 2009, the disclosures of which are hereby incorporated by
reference.
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
[0002] The present invention relates to fuel cell systems and to
processes of operating fuel cells. In particular, the present
invention relates to systems and processes of operating molten
carbonate fuel cell systems.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0003] Molten carbonate fuel cells convert chemical energy into
electrical energy. Molten carbonate fuel cells are useful in that
they deliver high quality reliable electrical power, are clean
operating, and are relatively compact power generators. These
features make the use of molten carbonate fuel cells attractive as
power sources in urban areas, shipping vessels, or remote areas
with limited access to power supplies.
[0004] Molten carbonate fuel cells are formed of an anode, a
cathode, and an electrolytic layer sandwiched between the anode and
cathode. The electrolyte includes alkali carbonate salts,
alkaline-earth carbonate salts, molten alkali carbonate salts, or
mixtures thereof that may be suspended in a porous, insulating, and
chemically inert matrix. An oxidizable fuel gas, or a gas that may
be reformed in the fuel cell to an oxidizable fuel gas, is fed to
the anode. The oxidizable fuel gas fed to the anode is typically
syngas--a mixture of oxidizable components, molecular hydrogen,
carbon dioxide, and carbon monoxide. An oxidant-containing gas,
typically air and carbon dioxide, may be fed to the cathode to
provide the chemical reactants to produce carbonate anions. During
operation of the fuel cell, the carbonate anions are constantly
renewed.
[0005] The molten carbonate fuel cell is operated at a high
temperature, typically from 550.degree. C. to 700.degree. C., to
react oxygen in the oxidant-containing gas with carbon dioxide to
produce carbonate anions. The carbonate anions cross the
electrolyte to interact with hydrogen and/or carbon monoxide from
the fuel gas at the anode. Electrical power is generated by the
conversion of oxygen and carbon dioxide to carbonate ions at the
cathode and the chemical reaction of the carbonate ions with
hydrogen and/or carbon monoxide at the anode. The following
reactions describe the electrical electrochemical reactions in the
cell when no carbon monoxide is present:
CO.sub.2+0.5O.sub.2+2e.sup.-.fwdarw.CO.sub.3.sup..dbd. Cathode
charge transfer
CO.sub.3.sup..dbd.+H.sub.2.fwdarw.H.sub.2O+CO.sub.2+2e.sup.- and
Anode charge transfer
H.sub.2+0.5O.sub.2.fwdarw.H.sub.2O Overall reaction
[0006] If carbon monoxide is present in the fuel gas, the chemical
reactions below describe the electrochemical reactions in the
cell.
CO.sub.2+O.sub.2+4e.sup.-.fwdarw.2CO.sub.3.sup..dbd. Cathode charge
transfer
CO.sub.3.sup..dbd.+H.sub.2.fwdarw.H.sub.2O+CO.sub.2+2e.sup.-
and
CO.sub.3.sup..dbd.+CO.fwdarw.2CO.sub.2+2e.sup.- Anode charge
transfer
H.sub.2+CO+O.sub.2.fwdarw.H.sub.2O+CO.sub.2 Overall reaction
[0007] An electrical load or storage device may be connected
between the anode and the cathode to allow electrical current to
flow between the anode and cathode. The electrical current powers
the electrical load or provides electrical power to the storage
device.
[0008] Fuel gas is typically supplied to the anode by a steam
reformer that reforms a low molecular weight hydrocarbon and steam
into hydrogen and carbon oxides. Methane, for example, in natural
gas, is a preferred low molecular weight hydrocarbon used to
produce fuel gas for the fuel cell. Alternatively, the fuel cell
anode may be designed to internally effect a steam reforming
reaction on a low molecular weight hydrocarbon such as methane and
steam supplied to the anode of the fuel cell.
[0009] Methane steam reforming provides a fuel gas containing
hydrogen and carbon monoxide according to the following reaction:
CH.sub.4+H.sub.2O .revreaction.CO+3H.sub.2. Typically, the steam
reforming reaction is conducted at temperatures effective to
convert a substantial amount of methane and steam to hydrogen and
carbon monoxide. Further hydrogen production may be effected in a
steam reformer by conversion of steam and carbon monoxide to
hydrogen and carbon dioxide by a water-gas shift reaction of:
H.sub.2O+CO.revreaction.CO.sub.2+H.sub.2.
[0010] In a conventionally operated steam reformer used to supply
fuel gas to a molten carbonate fuel cell, however, little hydrogen
is produced by the water-gas shift reaction since the steam
reformer is operated at a temperature that energetically favors the
production of carbon monoxide and hydrogen by the steam reforming
reaction. Operating at such a temperature disfavors the production
of carbon dioxide and hydrogen by the water-gas shift reaction.
[0011] Since carbon monoxide may be oxidized in the fuel cell to
provide electrical energy while carbon dioxide cannot, conducting
the reforming reaction at temperatures favoring the reformation of
hydrocarbons and steam to hydrogen and carbon monoxide is typically
accepted as a preferred method of providing fuel for the fuel cell.
The fuel gas typically supplied to the anode by steam reforming,
either externally or internally, therefore, contains hydrogen,
carbon monoxide, and small amounts of carbon dioxide, unreacted
methane, and water as steam.
[0012] Fuel gases containing non-hydrogen compounds such as carbon
monoxide, however, are less efficient for producing electrical
power in a molten carbonate fuel cell than more pure hydrogen fuel
gas streams. At a given temperature, the electrical power that may
be generated in a molten carbonate fuel cell increases with
increasing hydrogen concentration. This is due to the
electrochemical oxidation potential of molecular hydrogen relative
to other compounds. For example, Watanabe et al. describe in
"Applicability of molten carbonate fuel cells to various fuels,"
Journal of Power Sources, 2006, pp. 868-871 that for a 10 kW molten
carbonate fuel cell stack using a feed containing 50% molecular
hydrogen and 50% water, and operated at 90% fuel utilization, a
pressure of 0.49 MPa, a current density of 1500 A/m.sup.2, can
produce an electrical power density of 0.12 W/cm.sup.2 and a cell
voltage of 0.792 volts while the same molten carbonate fuel cell
stack using a feed containing 50% carbon monoxide and 50% water and
operated at the same conditions can produce an electrical power
density of only 0.11 W/cm.sup.2 and a cell voltage of 0.763 volts.
Therefore, fuel gas streams containing significant amounts of
non-hydrogen compounds are not as efficient in producing electrical
power in a molten carbonate fuel cell as fuel gases containing
mostly hydrogen.
[0013] Molten carbonate fuel cells, however, are typically operated
commercially in a "hydrogen-lean" mode, where the conditions of the
production of the fuel gas, for example, by steam reforming, are
selected to limit the amount of hydrogen exiting the fuel cell in
the fuel gas. This is done to balance the electrical energy
potential of the hydrogen in the fuel gas with the potential energy
(electrochemical+thermal) lost by hydrogen leaving the cell without
being converted to electrical energy.
[0014] Certain measures have been taken to recapture the energy of
the hydrogen exiting the fuel cell, however, these are
significantly less energy efficient than if the hydrogen were
electrochemically reacted in the fuel cell. For example, the anode
exhaust produced from electrochemically reacting the fuel gas in
the fuel cell has been combusted to drive a turbine expander to
produce electricity. Doing so, however, is significantly less
efficient than capturing the electrochemical potential of the
hydrogen in the fuel cell since much of the thermal energy is lost
rather than converted by the expander to electrical energy. Fuel
gas exiting the fuel cell also has been combusted to provide
thermal energy for a variety of heat exchange applications. Almost
50% of the thermal energy, however, is lost in such heat exchange
applications after combustion. Hydrogen is an expensive gas to use
to fire a burner utilized in inefficient energy recovery systems
and, therefore, conventionally, the amount of hydrogen used in the
molten carbonate fuel cell is adjusted to utilize most of the
hydrogen provided to the fuel cell to produce electrical power and
minimize the amount of hydrogen exiting the fuel cell in the fuel
cell exhaust.
[0015] Other measures have been taken to produce more hydrogen from
the fuel gas that is present in the anode exhaust and/or recycle
hydrogen in the anode gas by providing the fuel gas to post
reformers and/or gas separation units. To recover the hydrogen
and/or carbon dioxide, the fuel gas present in the anode is
reformed in the post reformer to enrich the anode gas stream in
hydrogen and/or subjected to a water-gas shift reaction to form
hydrogen and carbon dioxide. Heat may be provided by the anode gas
stream.
[0016] Heat for inducing the methane steam reforming reaction in a
steam reformer and/or converting liquid fuel into feed for the
steam reformer has also been provided by burners. Burners that
combust an oxygen-containing gas with a fuel, typically a
hydrocarbon fuel such as natural gas, may be used to provide the
required heat to the steam reformer. Flameless combustion has also
been utilized to provide the heat for driving the steam reforming
reaction, where the flameless combustion is also driven by
providing a hydrocarbon fuel and an oxidant to a flameless
combustor in relative amounts that avoid inducing flammable
combustion. These methods for providing the heat necessary to drive
steam reforming reactions and/or water-gas shift reactions are
relatively inefficient energetically since a significant amount of
thermal energy provided by combustion is not captured and is
lost.
[0017] The hydrogen and carbon dioxide in the reformed gas stream
may be separated from the anode exhaust, for example, using
pressure swing adsorption units and/or membrane separation units.
The temperature of the anode exhaust is typically higher than the
temperatures required by commercial hydrogen and/or carbon dioxide
separation units. The stream may be cooled, for example, through a
heat exchanger, however, thermal energy may be lost in the cooling
process.
[0018] The separated hydrogen is fed to the anode portion of the
fuel cell. Recycling the hydrogen to the anode may enrich the fuel
gas entering the molten carbonate fuel cell with hydrogen. The
separated carbon dioxide is fed to the cathode portion of the fuel
cell. Recycling the carbon dioxide to the cathode may enrich the
air entering the molten carbonate fuel cell with carbon
dioxide.
[0019] U.S. Pat. No. 7,097,925 provides a fuel cell power
generation system that includes a molten carbonate fuel cell an
anode gas separation PSA unit co-operating with a combustor (which
may include a catalyst to ensure completeness of combustion) to
enrich hydrogen for anode recycle and to transfer carbon dioxide
from the anode side to the cathode side of the fuel cell, and an
integrated gas turbine unit for gas compression and expansion. A
portion of the feed is converted to generate hydrogen by internal
reforming within the anode. The feed gas is illustratively natural
gas. The anode gas mixture is withdrawn from the anode outlet.
Steam is added to the anode gas mixture and the mixture is
introduced to an optional post-reformer. The post reformer contains
a steam reforming catalyst to perform the endothermic steam
reforming reactions CH.sub.4+H.sub.2O .revreaction.CO+3H.sub.2 and
CH.sub.4+2H.sub.2O.revreaction.CO.sub.2+4H.sub.2. After reacting in
the post-reformer, the anode gas mixture is delivered to an inlet
of a first expander. After expansion in the expander, the
post-reformed anode gas is reheated with heat from a combustor and
conveyed to a second expander. The post-reformed anode gas stream
is expanded in the second expander to substantially lower the
working pressure and then conveyed to a water gas shift reactor.
The anode gas mixture is conveyed from the water gas shift reactor
through a heat recuperator for cooling, to a condenser to remove
water, and then to a pressure swing adsorption unit to separate
hydrogen from the anode gas mixture. Enriched hydrogen light
product gas from the pressure swing adsorption unit is mixed with
fuel and delivered to a pre-treatment unit and then to the anode
inlet of the fuel cell.
[0020] While more efficient than capturing thermal energy provided
by combustion, the process is still relatively thermally
inefficient since multiple heating, cooling, and/or separation
steps are required to produce hydrogen and/or carbon dioxide. In
addition, the reformers do not convert a liquid hydrocarbon
feedstock to a lower molecular weight feed for the steam reformer,
and insufficient heat is likely provided from the fuel cell to do
so.
[0021] Further improvement in the efficiency in operating molten
carbonate fuel cell systems for producing electricity and enhancing
power density of the molten carbonate fuel cell is desirable.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0022] The present invention is directed to a process of operating
a molten carbonate fuel cell system, comprising:
[0023] providing a hydrogen-containing stream comprising molecular
hydrogen to a molten carbonate fuel cell anode;
[0024] heating a hydrocarbon stream, at least a majority of which
is comprised of hydrocarbons that are liquid at 20.degree. C. and
atmospheric pressure, with a heat source comprising an anode
exhaust from the molten carbonate fuel cell anode;
[0025] contacting at least a portion of the heated hydrocarbon
stream with a catalyst to produce a steam reforming feed comprising
gaseous hydrocarbons, molecular hydrogen, and at least one carbon
oxide;
[0026] separating at least a portion of the molecular hydrogen from
the steam reforming feed; and
[0027] providing at least a portion of the separated molecular
hydrogen to the molten carbonate fuel cell anode as at least a
portion of the hydrogen-containing stream comprising molecular
hydrogen.
[0028] In another aspect of the invention, a molten carbonate fuel
cell system, comprises:
[0029] a molten carbonate fuel cell;
[0030] one or more reformers operatively coupled to the molten
carbonate fuel cell, at least one reformer being configured to
receive anode exhaust from the molten carbonate fuel cell and to
receive a hydrocarbon stream, at least a majority of which is
comprised of hydrocarbons that are liquid at 20.degree. C. and
atmospheric pressure, and to allow the anode exhaust to
sufficiently mix with a portion of the hydrocarbon stream to at
least partially reform some of the hydrocarbons to produce a
reformed product stream; and
[0031] a high temperature hydrogen-separation device that is part
of, or coupled to, at least one of the reformers and operatively
coupled to the molten carbonate fuel cell, wherein the high
temperature hydrogen-separation device comprises one or more high
temperature hydrogen-separating membranes and is configured to
receive a reformed product stream and to provide a stream
comprising molecular hydrogen to the molten carbonate fuel
cell.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0032] FIG. 1 is a schematic drawing of an embodiment of a system
that includes a first reformer and a high temperature
hydrogen-separation device in combination with a second reformer
for practicing a process described herein.
[0033] FIG. 2 is a schematic drawing of an embodiment of a system
that includes a first reformer with a heat exchanger, and a high
temperature hydrogen-separation device in combination with a second
reformer for practicing a process described herein.
[0034] FIG. 3 is a schematic drawing of an embodiment of a portion
of the system in which the high temperature hydrogen-separation
device is located exterior of a second reformer.
[0035] FIG. 4 depicts cell voltage (mV) versus current density
(mA/cm.sup.2) for embodiments of molten carbonate fuel cell systems
operated at 1 bara.
[0036] FIG. 5 depicts power density (W/cm.sup.2) versus current
density for embodiments of molten carbonate fuel cell systems
operated at 1 bara.
[0037] FIG. 6 depicts cell voltage (mV) versus current density
(mA/cm.sup.2) for embodiments of molten carbonate fuel cell systems
operated at 7 bara.
[0038] FIG. 7 depicts power density (W/cm.sup.2) versus current
density (mA/cm.sup.2) for embodiments of molten carbonate fuel cell
systems operated at 7 bara.
[0039] FIG. 8 depicts cell voltage (mV) versus current density
(mA/cm.sup.2) for embodiments of molten carbonate fuel cell systems
various fuels.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
[0040] The present invention described herein provides a highly
efficient process for operating a molten carbonate fuel cell to
generate electricity at a high electrical power density and a
system for performing such a process. First, the process as
described herein allows liquid fuel to be utilized. Heat supplied
from a heat source that includes anode exhaust from the molten
carbonate fuel cell allows the temperature of a first reformer to
be raised to or above adiabatic conditions. Raising the temperature
above adiabatic conditions allows efficient cracking and/or
reforming of fuels having a carbon number greater than 4. Use of
liquid fuel allows one fuel to be used for more than one power
source. For example, diesel fuel could be used on a vessel to power
a molten carbonate fuel cell and engines. Hydrogen is added to the
first reformer through mixing of the anode exhaust with the liquid
feed. Recycling of the hydrogen eliminates a need for a separate
hydrogen source for thermal cracking of the liquid feed. Although
some hydrogen is consumed, hydrogen is generated upon reformation
of the cracked hydrocarbons. The integration of the reformers and
high temperature hydrogen-separation device allows the system to
generate substantially all the hydrogen needed for the
processes.
[0041] Reforming and/or thermal cracking of liquid fuels generates
more carbon dioxide per mole of hydrogen produced because the
hydrogen to carbon ratio is lower for fuels having a carbon number
greater than 6 (for example, diesel and naphtha) than for fuels
having a carbon number less than 6 (for example, methane).
Generation of more carbon dioxide per mole of hydrogen produced
allows substantially all, or all, of the carbon dioxide needed for
the molten carbonate fuel cell to be generated from the liquid
fuel. Generation of carbon dioxide in this manner may eliminate or
reduce the need to use a portion of the anode gas and/or feed gas
as a fuel for thermally inefficient combustion burners to generate
carbon dioxide. In the process described herein, excess hydrogen is
produced which allows the hydrogen to be recycled through the
system.
[0042] The process described herein is more thermally and
energetically efficient than processes disclosed in the art.
Thermal energy from a fuel cell exhaust is transferred directly
into a first reformer. A portion of the transferred thermal energy
is subsequently transferred from the first reformer into a second
reformer. The transfer of thermal energy directly from the anode
exhaust of the fuel cell to the first reformer is highly efficient
since the transfer is effected by molecularly mixing a hot anode
exhaust stream from the fuel cell directly with a hydrocarbon
stream and steam in the first reformer. A hot feed is produced from
the first reformer and subsequently fed to a second reformer. The
transfer of thermal energy from the first reformer to the second
reformer is also highly efficient, since the thermal energy is
contained in the feed fed from the first reformer to the second
reformer.
[0043] The process as described herein is also more thermally
efficient than processes disclosed in the art since the heat from
the anode exhaust is used to produce hydrogen at lower temperatures
than typical steam reforming processes. In such processes described
herein, hydrogen may be separated from the reformed product gases
using a high temperature hydrogen-separating device, where the high
temperature hydrogen-separating device is a membrane separation
device. The high temperature hydrogen-separation device may be
operatively coupled to the second reformer such that the hydrogen
may be separated from the reformed gases as the reforming reaction
occurs in the second reformer. Separation of the hydrogen drives
the equilibrium towards production of hydrogen and lowers the
temperature required to produce hydrogen. Further, more hydrogen
may be produced at the lower reforming temperatures since the
equilibrium of the water-gas shift reaction
(H.sub.2O+CO.revreaction.CO.sub.2+H.sub.2) favors the production of
hydrogen at the lower reforming temperatures, whereas it is not
favored at conventional reforming reaction temperatures. A
substantial amount, or all, of the molecular hydrogen produced from
the second reformer is provided to the molten carbonate fuel
cell.
[0044] In the process described herein, the cathode of a molten
carbonate fuel cell is flooded with carbon dioxide over the entire
path length of the cathode such that the concentration of carbon
dioxide at the cathode electrode available for electrochemical
reaction is maintained at a high level over the entire cathode path
length. Thus, the electrical power density and/or cell voltage of
the fuel cell is maximized.
[0045] The process described herein also produces a higher
electrical power density than systems disclosed in the art by
utilizing a carbon dioxide rich oxidant gas containing stream and
operating the fuel cell such that the carbon dioxide partial
pressure in a majority, or all, of the cathode portion of the
molten carbonate fuel cell is higher than a partial pressure of
carbon dioxide in a majority of an anode portion of the molten
carbonate fuel cell.
[0046] The process described herein produces a higher electrical
power density in a molten carbonate fuel cell system than systems
disclosed in the art by utilizing a hydrogen-rich fuel and
minimizing rather than maximizing the per pass fuel utilization
rate of the fuel cell. Minimizing the per pass fuel utilization
rate of the fuel cell is achieved by separating and recycling
hydrogen captured from the fuel exhaust, for example anode exhaust,
of the fuel cell, and feeding the hydrogen from a feed and the
recycle stream at selected rates to minimize the per pass fuel
utilization.
[0047] In the process described herein, the anode of a molten
carbonate fuel cell is flooded with hydrogen over the entire path
length of the anode such that the concentration of hydrogen at the
anode electrode available for electrochemical reaction is
maintained at a high level over the entire anode path length. Thus,
the electrical power density of the fuel cell is maximized. Use of
a hydrogen-rich fuel that is primarily and preferably almost all
hydrogen in the process maximizes the electrical power density of
the fuel cell system since hydrogen has a significantly greater
electrochemical potential than other oxidizable compounds typically
used in molten carbonate fuel cell systems (for example, carbon
monoxide).
[0048] The process described herein also maximizes the electrical
power density of the fuel cell system by minimizing, rather than
maximizing, the per pass fuel utilization rate of the fuel in the
molten carbonate fuel cell. The per pass fuel utilization rate is
minimized to reduce the concentration of carbon dioxide and
oxidation products, particularly water, throughout the anode path
length of the fuel cell such that a high hydrogen concentration is
maintained throughout the anode path length. A high electrical
power density is provided by the fuel cell since an excess of
hydrogen is present for electrochemical reaction at the anode
electrode along the entire anode path length of the fuel cell. In a
process directed to achieving a high per pass fuel utilization
rate, for example, greater than 60% fuel utilization, the
concentration of carbon dioxide and oxidation products may comprise
greater than 40% of the fuel stream before the fuel has traveled
even halfway through the fuel cell, and may be several multiples of
the concentration of hydrogen in the fuel cell exhaust so that the
electrical power provided along the anode path may significantly
decrease as the fuel provided to the fuel cell progresses through
the anode. The process of the invention allows the molten carbonate
fuel cell to be operated at pressures of at or less than about 0.1
MPa (1 atm) and provides a power density of at least 0.12
W/cm.sup.2 and/or a cell voltage of at least 800 mV.
[0049] The process described herein is also highly efficient since
hydrogen and carbon dioxide not utilized to produce electricity in
the fuel cell are recycled continuously through the fuel cell
system. This enables production of a high electrical power density
relative to the lowest heating value of the fuel by eliminating the
problem associated with losing energy by hydrogen and/or carbon
dioxide leaving the cell without being converted to electrical
energy.
[0050] The system described herein allows for hydrogen rich and
carbon dioxide rich fuel streams to be provided to the molten
carbonate fuel cell while minimizing the amount of hydrocarbons
provided to the fuel cell as compared to conventional systems. The
system generates hydrogen rich streams that may be directly
introduced into the anode portion of the molten carbonate fuel
cell. The system does not require a reformer directly coupled to
the anode and/or positioned in the anode of the molten carbonate
fuel cell to ensure sufficient hydrogen production as fuel for the
anode of the fuel cell. Removing or eliminating a reformer or
reforming zone in the molten carbonate fuel cell allows the molten
carbonate fuel cell to be flooded with hydrogen while supplying a
majority of the heat from the anode exhaust to the first reformer.
Fuel cells already equipped with internal reforming zones may be
used in combination with the systems described herein. Such fuel
cells may be operated more economically and efficiently than
systems disclosed in the art.
[0051] Using the fuel cell system described in the invention allows
the molten carbonate fuel cell to be operated at about 0.1 MPa (1
atm) at a high power density. Typically, molten carbonate fuel
cells are operated at pressures from atmospheric to about 1 MPa (10
atm). Operating at pressures above atmospheric may affect the life
span of seals in various portions of the molten carbonate fuel
cells. Operating the molten carbonate fuel cell at or near
atmospheric pressures may extend the life span of seals in the
molten carbonate fuel cells while producing electricity with high
current densities for given cell voltages and/or power
densities.
[0052] In the process described herein, relatively little carbon
dioxide is generated per unit of electricity produced by the
process. The thermal integration of the first reformer, the second
reformer, and a high temperature hydrogen-separation device with
fuel cell, where the heat produced in the fuel cell is transferred
directly within the first reformer in the anode exhaust stream from
the fuel cell, and subsequently directly within the second reformer
in the feed from the first reformer and then to the high
temperature hydrogen-separation device, reduces, and preferably
eliminates, additional energy required to be provided to drive the
endothermic reforming reactions in one or both reformers. Such
thermal integration reduces the need to provide additional energy,
for example by combustion. Thus, the amount of carbon dioxide
produced in providing energy to drive the reforming reaction(s) is
reduced.
[0053] Recycling of the anode exhaust stream through the system and
provision of a carbon dioxide gas stream to the fuel cell, by
separating the carbon dioxide from the reformed gas product then
feeding the carbon dioxide containing gas stream to the fuel cell,
reduces the amount of carbon dioxide required to be produced by
combustion. Such recycling increases the electrical efficiency of
the process, and thereby reduces any carbon dioxide emissions.
[0054] Additionally, recycling the anode exhaust stream through the
system and provision of a hydrogen-containing gas stream rich in
molecular hydrogen to the fuel cell, by separating at least a
portion of the hydrogen-containing gas stream from the reformed gas
product, and then feeding the hydrogen containing gas stream to the
fuel cell, reduces the amount of hydrogen required to be produced
by the second reformer. Such recycling of the anode exhaust
increases the electrical efficiency of the process. Furthermore,
power density of the molten carbonate fuel cell is improved, thus
for the same amount of power generated, fuel cells having smaller
dimensions than conventional fuel cells may be used to generate
power.
[0055] As used herein, the term "hydrogen" refers to molecular
hydrogen unless specified otherwise.
[0056] As used herein, the term "hydrogen source" refers to a
compound from which free hydrogen may be generated. For example, a
hydrogen source may be a hydrocarbon such as methane, or mixtures
of such compounds, or a hydrocarbon containing mixture such as
natural gas.
[0057] As used herein, when two or more elements are described as
"operatively connected" or "operatively coupled," the elements are
defined to be directly or indirectly connected to allow direct or
indirect fluid flow between the elements. The term "fluid flow," as
used herein, refers to the flow of a gas or a fluid. As used in the
definition of "operatively connected" or "operatively coupled" the
term "indirect fluid flow" means that the flow of a fluid or a gas
between two defined elements may be directed through one or more
additional elements to change one or more aspects of the fluid or
gas as the fluid or gas flows between the two defined elements.
Aspects of a fluid or a gas that may be changed in indirect fluid
flow include physical characteristics, such as the temperature or
the pressure of a gas or a fluid, and/or the composition of the gas
or fluid. For example, by separating a component of the gas or
fluid, or by condensing water from a gas stream containing steam.
"Indirect fluid flow," as defined herein, excludes changing the
composition of the gas or fluid between the two defined elements by
chemical reaction, for example, oxidation, or reduction of one or
more elements of the fluid or gas.
[0058] As used herein, the term "selectively permeable to
hydrogen," is defined as permeable to molecular hydrogen or
elemental hydrogen and impermeable to other elements or compounds
such that at most 10%, or at most 5%, or at most 1% of the
non-hydrogen elements or compounds may permeate what is permeable
to the molecular or elemental hydrogen.
[0059] As used herein, the term "high temperature
hydrogen-separation device," is defined as a device or apparatus
effective for separating hydrogen, in molecular or elemental form,
from a gas stream at a temperature of at least 250.degree. C. (for
example, at temperatures from 300.degree. C. to 650.degree.
C.).
[0060] As used herein, "per pass hydrogen utilization," as
referring to the utilization of hydrogen in a fuel in a molten
carbonate fuel cell, is defined as the amount of hydrogen in a fuel
utilized to generate electricity in one pass through the molten
carbonate fuel cell relative to the total amount of hydrogen in a
fuel input into the fuel cell for that pass. The per pass hydrogen
utilization may be calculated by measuring the amount of hydrogen
in a fuel fed to the anode of a fuel cell, measuring the amount of
hydrogen in the anode exhaust of the fuel cell, subtracting the
measured amount of hydrogen in the anode exhaust of the fuel cell
from the measured amount of hydrogen in the fuel fed to the fuel
cell to determine the amount of hydrogen used in the fuel cell, and
dividing the calculated amount of hydrogen used in the fuel cell by
the measured amount of hydrogen in the fuel fed to the fuel cell.
The per pass hydrogen utilization may be expressed as a percent by
multiplying the calculated per pass hydrogen utilization by
100.
[0061] FIGS. 1-3 depict schematics of embodiments of systems of the
present invention for conducting processes in accordance with the
present invention for operating a molten carbonate fuel cell to
generate electricity. Fuel cell system 10 includes molten carbonate
fuel cell 12, first reformer 14, second reformer 16, high
temperature hydrogen-separation device 18, and oxidizing unit 20.
In a preferred embodiment, second reformer 16, high temperature
hydrogen-separation device 18, and oxidizing unit 20 are one unit.
In a preferred embodiment, oxidizing unit 20 is a catalytic partial
oxidation reformer. In an embodiment, high temperature
hydrogen-separation device 18 is a molecular hydrogen membrane
separation device. In an embodiment, second reformer 16 includes a
reforming zone, high temperature hydrogen-separation device 18,
catalytic partial oxidation reformer 20, and heat exchanger 22. The
thermally integrated system provides sufficient hydrogen and carbon
dioxide for continuous operation of the molten carbonate fuel cell
to generate electricity.
[0062] Molten carbonate fuel cell 12 includes anode 24, cathode 26,
and electrolyte 28. Electrolyte 28 is interposed between and
contacts anode 24 and cathode 26. Molten carbonate fuel cell 12 may
be a conventional molten carbonate fuel cell and may, preferably,
have a tubular or planar configuration. Molten carbonate fuel cell
12 may include a plurality of individual fuel cells stacked
together. The individual fuel cells may be joined electrically by
interconnects and operatively connected so that one or more gas
streams may flow through the anodes of the stacked fuel cells and
an oxidant-containing gas may flow through the cathodes of the
stacked fuel cells. As used herein, the term "molten carbonate fuel
cell" is defined as either a single molten carbonate fuel cell or a
plurality of operatively connected or stacked molten carbonate fuel
cells. Anode 24 of molten carbonate fuel cell 12 may be formed of
porous sintered nickel compounds, nickel-chromium alloys, nickel
with lithium-chromium oxide and/or nickel-copper alloys, or any
material suitable for use as anodes for molten carbonate fuel
cells. Cathode 26 of molten carbonate fuel cell 12 may be formed of
porous, sintered materials such as nickel oxide,
lithium-nickel-iron oxides, or any material suitable for use as a
cathode for molten carbonate fuel cells.
[0063] Gas streams are fed to the anode and cathode to provide the
reactants necessary to generate electricity in fuel cell 12.
Hydrogen-containing streams enter anode 24 and oxidant-containing
gas streams enter cathode 26. Electrolyte section 28 is positioned
in the fuel cell to prevent hydrogen-containing gas stream(s) from
entering the cathode and to prevent the oxidant-containing gas
stream(s)--oxygen and carbon dioxide streams--from entering the
anode. Oxidant-containing gas stream(s) include one or more streams
that contain oxygen and/or carbon dioxide.
[0064] Electrolyte section 28 conducts carbonate ions from the
cathode to the anode for electrochemical reaction with oxidizable
compounds in the anode gas stream such as hydrogen and, optionally,
carbon monoxide at the one or more anode electrodes. Electrolyte
section 28 may be formed of molten salts of alkali metal
carbonates, alkaline-earth metal carbonates, or combinations
thereof. Examples of electrolyte materials include porous materials
formed from lithium-sodium carbonate, lithium carbonate, sodium
carbonate, lithium-sodium-barium carbonate, lithium-sodium-calcium
carbonate, and lithium-potassium carbonate.
[0065] Fuel cell 12 is configured to allow hydrogen-containing gas
stream(s) to flow from anode inlet 30 through anode 24 and out
anode exhaust outlet 32. The hydrogen-containing gas stream
contacts one or more anode electrodes over the anode path length
from the anode inlet 30 to the anode exhaust outlet 32.
[0066] In an embodiment, a gas stream containing molecular
hydrogen, hereinafter, "a hydrogen-containing stream," or a
hydrogen source is fed though line 34 to anode inlet 30. Metering
valve 36 may be used to select and control the flow rate of the
hydrogen-containing stream to anode inlet 30. In a preferred
embodiment, hydrogen is fed from high temperature
hydrogen-separation device 18, where the high temperature
hydrogen-separation device is a membrane unit, to anode 24 of fuel
cell 12 as described in detail below. In an embodiment, the
hydrogen-containing gas stream may comprise at least 0.6, or at
least 0.7, or at least 0.8, or at least 0.9, or at least 0.95, or
at least 0.98 mole fraction hydrogen.
[0067] A gas fed to the cathode includes an oxidant. As referred to
herein, "oxidant" refers to a compound capable of being reduced by
interaction with molecular hydrogen. In some embodiments, the
oxidant-containing gas fed to the cathode includes oxygen, carbon
dioxide, inert gases, or mixtures thereof. In an embodiment, the
oxidant-containing gas is a combination of an oxygen-containing gas
stream and a carbon dioxide containing gas stream, or an
oxygen/carbon dioxide containing stream. In a preferred embodiment,
the oxidant-containing gas fed to the cathode is air or oxygen
enriched air that has been blended with enough carbon dioxide such
that the molar ratio of carbon dioxide to oxygen is at least 2 or
at least 2.5.
[0068] An oxidant-containing gas may flow from cathode inlet 38
through cathode 26 and then out through cathode exhaust outlet 40.
The oxidant-containing gas contacts one or more cathode electrodes
over the cathode path length from cathode inlet 38 to cathode
exhaust outlet 40. In one embodiment, an oxidant-containing gas may
flow counter current to the flow of a hydrogen-containing gas
flowing to anode 24 of fuel cell 12.
[0069] In an embodiment, the oxidant-containing gas stream is fed
from oxidant-containing gas source 42 to cathode inlet 38 through
line 44. Metering valve 46 may be used to select and control the
rate the gas stream is fed to cathode 26. In some embodiments, the
oxidant-containing gas is provided by an air compressor. The
oxidant-containing gas stream may be air. In one embodiment, the
oxidant-containing gas may be pure oxygen. In an embodiment, the
oxidant-containing gas stream may be oxygen and/or carbon dioxide
enriched air containing at least 13% by weight oxygen and/or at
least 26% by weight carbon dioxide. In a preferred embodiment, the
flow of air and/or carbon dioxide is controlled such that a molar
ratio of carbon dioxide to molecular oxygen in the air is at least
about 2 or at least 2.5.
[0070] In one embodiment, the oxidant-containing gas stream is
provided by a carbon dioxide containing gas stream and an
oxygen-containing gas stream. The carbon dioxide stream and the
oxygen-containing gas stream may come from two separate sources. In
a preferred embodiment, a majority or substantially all of the
carbon dioxide for molten carbonate fuel cell 12 is derived from
the hydrocarbon stream comprising hydrocarbons provided to first
reformer 14. The carbon dioxide containing gas stream is fed from a
carbon dioxide source to cathode inlet 38 through line 44. The
carbon dioxide containing gas stream provided to fuel cell 12 may
be fed to the same cathode inlet 38 as the oxygen-containing gas
stream, or may be mixed with an oxygen-containing gas stream prior
to being fed to cathode inlet 38. Alternatively, the carbon dioxide
containing gas stream may be provided to cathode 26 through a
separate cathode inlet.
[0071] In a preferred embodiment, the carbon dioxide stream is
provided to cathode 26 of fuel cell 12 from high temperature
hydrogen-separation device 18 via lines 48 and 44 as described
herein. Oxygen may be provided to cathode 26 of fuel cell 12 via
line 44.
[0072] Gases fed to the cathode and/or anode, whether one stream or
multiple streams, may be heated in heat exchanger 22 or other heat
exchangers prior to being fed to cathode 26 and/or anode 24,
preferably by exchanging heat with an oxygen-depleted cathode
exhaust stream exiting cathode exhaust 40 and connected to heat
exchanger 22 through line 50.
[0073] In the process of the invention, the hydrogen-containing gas
stream(s) are mixed with an oxidant at one or more of the anode
electrodes of molten carbonate fuel cell 12 to generate
electricity. The oxidant is preferably carbonate derived from the
reaction of carbon dioxide and oxygen flowing through cathode 26
and conducted across the electrolyte of the fuel cell. The
hydrogen-containing gas stream and the oxidant are mixed in the
anode at the one or more anode electrodes of fuel cell 12 by
feeding the hydrogen-containing gas stream and/or the
oxidant-containing gas stream to the fuel cell at selected
independent rates, as discussed in further detail below. The
hydrogen-containing gas stream and the oxidant are preferably mixed
at the one or more anode electrodes of the fuel cell to generate
electricity at an electrical power density of at least 0.1
W/cm.sup.2, or at least 0.15 W/cm.sup.2, or at least 0.2
W/cm.sup.2, or at least 0.3 W/cm.sup.2, or at least 0.6 W/cm.sup.2
at 1 bara. Higher power densities may be obtained at higher
pressures and/or by using enriched oxidant-containing gas streams
(for example, enriched air).
[0074] Molten carbonate fuel cell 12 is operated at a temperature
effective to enable carbonate to traverse the electrolyte portion
28 from cathode 26 to anode 24. Molten carbonate fuel cell 12 may
be operated at a temperature from 550.degree. C. to 700.degree. C.
or from 600.degree. C. to 650.degree. C. The oxidation of hydrogen
with carbonate at the one or more anode electrodes is an exothermic
reaction. The heat of reaction generates the heat required to
operate molten carbonate fuel cell 12.
[0075] The temperature at which the molten carbonate fuel cell is
operated may be controlled by several factors, including, but not
limited to, regulating the feed temperatures and feed flow of the
hydrogen-containing gas and the oxidant-containing gas. Since
hydrogen utilization is minimized, the excess hydrogen is fed to
the system and un-reacted hydrogen can partially cool the molten
carbonate fuel cell, by carrying excess heat to the first reformer.
Adjusting the flow of the carbon dioxide stream and/or
oxidant-containing stream to maintain the molar ratio of carbon
dioxide to molecular oxygen at about 2 requires enough
oxidant-containing gas to achieve an excess of molecular oxygen of
about 1.3 to 2.0 times the quantity need to react with the portion
of the hydrogen utilized in the anode. Thus, the excess of oxygen
depleted air or oxidant-containing gas, which exits in the cathode
exhaust, may carry significant heat from the molten carbonate fuel
cell. The temperature of a hydrogen-containing stream described
below provided to anode 24 of molten carbonate fuel cell 12 from
the high temperature hydrogen-separation device 18 may be reduced
by heat recovery (for example, through heat exchanger 22) prior to
being provided to the molten carbon fuel cell anode. The
temperature of a high-pressure carbon dioxide stream described
below provided to cathode 26 of molten carbonate fuel cell 12 from
the high temperature hydrogen-separation device 18 may be reduced
by heat recovery (for example, through heat exchanger 22) prior to
being provided to the molten carbon fuel cell cathode. The
temperature of a effluent stream produced from catalytic partial
oxidation reformer 20 may be reduced by heat recovery (for example,
through heat exchanger 22) prior to being provided to the molten
carbon fuel cell cathode. Waste heat from the fuel cell may be used
to heat one or more of the streams utilized in the system. If
necessary, any supplemental systems for cooling molten carbonate
fuels known in the art may be used to control the temperature of
the molten carbonate fuel cell.
[0076] In an embodiment, the temperature of a hydrogen-containing
gas stream is controlled to a temperature of at most 550.degree. C.
to maintain the operating temperature of the molten carbonate fuel
cell in a range from 550.degree. C. to 700.degree. C., and
preferably in a range from 600.degree. C. to 650.degree. C.
[0077] In an embodiment, the oxidant-containing gas stream(s) fed
to the cathode may be heated to a temperature of at least
150.degree. C. or from 150.degree. C. to 350.degree. C. prior to
being fed to cathode 26. In an embodiment, when an
oxygen-containing gas is used, the temperature of an
oxygen-containing gas stream is controlled to a temperature from
150.degree. C. to 350.degree. C.
[0078] To initiate operation of fuel cell 12, the fuel cell is
heated to its operating temperature--a temperature sufficient to
melt the electrolyte salts to allow flow of carbonate ions. As
shown in FIG. 1, operation of molten carbonate fuel cell 12 may be
initiated by generating a hydrogen-containing gas stream in
catalytic partial oxidation reformer 20 and feeding the
hydrogen-containing gas stream through lines 52 and 34 to anode 24
of the molten carbonate fuel cell.
[0079] A hydrogen-containing gas stream may be generated in
catalytic partial oxidation reformer 20 by combusting a portion of
a hydrocarbon stream comprising hydrocarbons described below, or a
different hydrocarbon stream, for example, a fuel stream enriched
in natural gas, and an oxidant-containing gas in catalytic partial
oxidation reformer 20 in the presence of a conventional partial
oxidation catalyst, where an amount of oxygen in the
oxidant-containing gas fed to catalytic partial oxidation reformer
20 is sub-stoichiometric relative to an amount of hydrocarbons in
the hydrocarbon stream. The flow of the hydrogen-containing gas
stream may be controlled by valve 60.
[0080] As shown in FIG. 2, the fuel cell is heated to its operating
temperature by generating the hydrogen-containing gas stream in
oxidizing unit 20 and feeding the hydrogen-containing gas stream
through lines 96, 104, and 34 to anode 24 of the molten carbonate
fuel cell. The rate at which the hydrogen-containing gas stream
from oxidizing unit 20 is fed to anode 24 via lines 96, 104, is
controlled by three way valve 102. A portion of the heat from
hydrogen-containing gas stream may be passed through heat exchanger
98 via line 96 to provide heat to first reformer 14 and/or the
hydrocarbon stream comprising hydrocarbons entering the first
reformer.
[0081] Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, the fuel fed to catalytic
partial oxidation reformer 20 may be a liquid or gaseous
hydrocarbon or mixtures of hydrocarbons, and preferably is the same
as the hydrocarbon stream comprising hydrocarbons provided to first
reformer 14. The fuel may be fed to catalytic partial oxidation
reformer 20 via line 62. In an embodiment, fuel fed to catalytic
partial oxidation reformer 20 is enriched in natural gas and/or
hydrogen from hydrogen source 64.
[0082] The oxidant fed to catalytic partial oxidation reformer 20
may be pure oxygen, air, or oxygen enriched air, hereinafter
"oxidant-containing gas." Preferably, the oxidant-containing gas is
air. The oxidant should be fed to the catalytic partial oxidation
reformer 20 such that an amount of oxygen in the oxidant is in
sub-stoichiometric amounts relative to the hydrocarbons fed to the
catalytic partial oxidation reforming. In a preferred embodiment,
the oxidant-containing gas is fed to catalytic partial oxidation
reformer 20 through line 56 from oxidant source 42. Valve 58 may
control the rate at which oxidant-containing gas (air) is fed to
catalytic partial oxidation reformer 20 and/or cathode 26 of fuel
cell 12. In an embodiment, the oxidant-containing gas entering
catalytic partial oxidation reformer 20 may be heated by exchanging
heat with an oxygen-depleted cathode exhaust stream exiting cathode
exhaust 40.
[0083] In catalytic partial oxidation reformer 20, a
hydrogen-containing gas stream is formed by combusting the
hydrocarbons and oxidant in the presence of a conventional partial
oxidation catalyst, where the oxidant is in a sub-stoichiometric
amount relative to the hydrocarbons. The hydrogen-containing gas
stream formed by contact of the hydrocarbons and the oxidant in
catalytic partial oxidation reformer 20 contains compounds that may
be oxidized in fuel cell anode 24 by contact with carbonate ions at
one or more of the anode electrodes. The hydrogen-containing gas
stream from catalytic partial oxidation reformer 20 preferably does
not contain compounds that oxidize the one or more anode electrodes
in anode 24 of fuel cell 12.
[0084] The hydrogen-containing gas stream formed in catalytic
partial oxidation reformer 20 is hot, and may have a temperature of
at least 700.degree. C., or from 700.degree. C. to 1100.degree. C.,
or from 800.degree. C. to 1000.degree. C. Use of the hot hydrogen
gas stream from catalytic partial oxidation reformer 20 to initiate
start up of molten carbonate fuel cell 12 is preferred in the
process of the invention since it enables the temperature of the
fuel cell to be raised to the operating temperature of the fuel
cell almost instantaneously. In an embodiment, heat may be
exchanged in heat exchanger 22 between the hot hydrogen-containing
gas from catalytic partial oxidation reformer 20 and an
oxidant-containing gas fed to cathode 26 when initiating operation
of the fuel cell.
[0085] Referring to FIG. 1, the flow of the hot hydrogen-containing
gas stream from the catalytic partial oxidation reformer 20 into
fuel cell 12 may be adjusted using valve 60, while feeding the
hydrogen-containing gas stream into the anode 24 by opening valve
36. Valve 60 may be closed after flow of a hydrogen-containing gas
stream from high temperature hydrogen-separation device 18 is
initiated while decreasing or stopping the flow of hydrocarbon feed
through line 62 and oxidant feed through line 56 to catalytic
partial oxidation reformer 20.
[0086] Referring to FIG. 2, the flow of the hot hydrogen-containing
gas stream from the catalytic partial oxidation reformer 20 into
fuel cell 12, by way of line 96, may be adjusted using valve 102,
while feeding the hydrogen-containing gas stream into the anode 24
by opening valve 36. Valve 102 may be closed after generating a
hydrogen-containing gas stream from high temperature
hydrogen-separation device 18 while decreasing or stopping the flow
of hydrocarbon feed through line 62 and oxidant feed through line
56 to catalytic partial oxidation reformer 20. Continuous operation
of the fuel cell may then be conducted according to the process of
the invention.
[0087] Three-way metering valve 102 controls the flow of effluent
from catalytic partial oxidation reformer 20 to anode 24 or cathode
26. During start-up, effluent from catalytic partial oxidation
reformer 20 is rich in hydrogen so the effluent is directed to
anode 24 via line 104 after passing through heat exchanger 98 via
line 96. After start-up is initiated and if catalytic partial
oxidation reformer 20 is used to produce carbon dioxide for cathode
26, metering valve 102 controls the flow of effluent from catalytic
partial oxidation reformer 20 to cathode 26 via line 96.
[0088] In another embodiment, operation of the fuel cell may be
initiated with a hydrogen start-up gas stream from hydrogen source
64 that may be passed through a start-up heater (not shown) to
bring the fuel cell up to its operating temperature prior to
introducing the hydrogen-containing gas stream via line 66 into
fuel cell 12, as shown in FIG. 1. Hydrogen source 64 may be a
storage tank capable of receiving hydrogen from the high
temperature hydrogen-separation device 18. The hydrogen source may
be operatively connected to the fuel cell to permit introduction of
the hydrogen start-up gas stream into the anode of the molten
carbonate fuel cell. The start-up heater may indirectly heat the
hydrogen start-up gas stream to a temperature from 750.degree. C.
to 1000.degree. C. Alternatively, the start-up heater may provide
hydrogen by incomplete burning of the hydrogen from hydrogen source
64 provided to the heater. The start-up heater may be an electrical
heater or may be a combustion heater. Upon reaching the operating
temperature of the fuel cell, the flow of the hydrogen start-up gas
stream into the fuel cell may be shut off by a valve, and the
hydrogen-containing gas stream may be introduced into the fuel cell
by opening a valve from the hydrogen generator to the anode of the
fuel cell to start the operation of the fuel cell.
[0089] In one embodiment, first reformer 14 includes a catalytic
partial oxidation reformer that is used to provide hydrogen to the
molten carbonate fuel cell on start-up. First reformer 14 may
include one or more catalyst beds that allow the first reformer to
be used for autothermal reforming and then for steam reforming once
the molten carbonate fuel cell has reached operating
temperature.
[0090] Once fuel cell 12 has started operating, both cathode 26 and
anode 24 emit exhaust. Exhaust from cathode 26 and anode 24 is hot
and the heat from the exhaust may be thermally integrated with
other units to produce a thermally integrated system that produces
all the fuel (hydrogen) and oxidant (carbonate ion) necessary for
the operation of the fuel cell.
[0091] As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the processes described herein
utilize a system that includes thermally integrated
hydrogen-separation separation device 18, molten carbonate fuel
cell 12, first reformer 14, and second reformer 16 and, in some
embodiments, catalytic partial oxidizing reformer 20. High
temperature hydrogen-separation device 18 comprises one or more
high temperature hydrogen-separating membranes 68 and is
operatively coupled to molten carbonate fuel cell 12. High
temperature hydrogen-separation device 18 provides a
hydrogen-containing gas stream containing primarily molecular
hydrogen to anode 24 of fuel cell 12, while the exhaust from the
anode of molten carbonate fuel cell 12 is provided to first
reformer 14. First reformer 14 and second reformer 16 may be one
unit or two units operatively coupled. First reformer 14 and second
reformer 16 may include one or more reforming zones. In an
embodiment, first reformer 14 and second reformer 16 are one unit
that includes a first reforming zone and a second reforming
zone.
[0092] A hydrocarbon stream comprising hydrocarbon is provided to
first reformer 14 via line 62 and the anode exhaust is mixed with
the hydrocarbons. The process is thermally integrated, where heat
to drive the endothermic reforming reactions in first reformer 14
may be provided from the anode exhaust of the exothermic molten
carbonate fuel cell 12 directly within the first reformer and/or
with the hydrocarbons in the hydrocarbon stream provided to the
first reformer. In an embodiment, a portion of the heat from the
anode exhaust is mixed with the hydrocarbons in a heat exchanger in
or operatively coupled to the first reformer. As shown in FIG. 2,
additional heat to first reformer 14 may be provided from a hot
effluent stream from catalytic partial oxidation reformer 20. In
first reformer 14, at least a portion of the hydrocarbons from the
hydrocarbon stream are cracked and/or reformed to produce a feed
stream that is provided to second reformer 16 via line 70.
[0093] Second reformer 16 is operatively coupled to high
temperature hydrogen-separation device 18 and the high temperature
hydrogen-separation device produces at least a portion, a majority,
at least 75% by volume, or at least 90% by volume, or substantially
all of the hydrogen-containing gas that enters anode 24 of molten
carbonate fuel cell 12. High temperature hydrogen-separation device
may be positioned after second reformer 16 and before of molten
carbonate fuel cell 12. In a preferred embodiment, high temperature
hydrogen-separation device 18 is a membrane separation unit that is
part of second reformer 16. The high temperature
hydrogen-separation device 18 separates hydrogen from the reformed
product. The separated hydrogen is provided to anode 24 of molten
carbonate fuel cell 12.
[0094] In an embodiment of the process, the hydrocarbon stream
contains one or more of any vaporizable hydrocarbon that is liquid
at 20.degree. C. at atmospheric pressure (optionally oxygenated)
that is vaporizable at temperatures up to 400.degree. C. at
atmospheric pressure. Such hydrocarbons may include, but are not
limited to, petroleum fractions such as naphtha, diesel, jet fuel,
gas oil, and kerosene having a boiling point range of 50.degree. C.
to 360.degree. C. The hydrocarbon stream may optionally contain
some hydrocarbons that are gaseous at 25.degree. C. such as
methane, ethane, propane, or other compounds containing from one to
four carbon atoms that are gaseous at 25.degree. C. In an
embodiment, the hydrocarbon stream contains hydrocarbons having a
carbon number ranging from five to twenty-five. The hydrocarbon
stream may be treated prior to being fed to first reformer 14
and/or heated in heat exchanger 72 to remove any materials that may
poison any catalyst used in the first reformer for the conversion
of higher molecular weight hydrocarbons to lower molecular weight
hydrocarbons. For example, the hydrocarbon stream may have
undergone a series of treatments to remove metals, sulfur, and/or
nitrogen compounds.
[0095] In a preferred embodiment, the hydrocarbon stream contains
at least 0.5, or at least 0.6, or at least 0.7, or at least 0.8
mole fraction of hydrocarbons containing at least five, or at least
six, or at least seven carbon atoms. In an embodiment, the
hydrocarbon stream is decane. In a preferred embodiment, the
hydrocarbon stream is diesel fuel.
[0096] In an embodiment of the process, the hydrocarbon stream is
mixed with natural gas that contains at least 20% by volume, or at
least 50% by volume, or at least 80% by volume carbon dioxide. If
necessary, the natural gas has been treated to remove hydrogen
sulfide. In an embodiment, a hydrocarbon stream that has at least
20% by volume of carbon dioxide, at least 50% by volume carbon
dioxide, or at least 70% by volume of carbon dioxide may be used as
a fuel source.
[0097] In an embodiment, the hydrocarbon stream may be provided to
first reformer 14 at a temperature of at least 150.degree. C.,
preferably from 200.degree. C. to 400.degree. C., where the
hydrocarbon stream may be heated to a desired temperature in heat
exchangers as described below. The temperature that the hydrocarbon
stream is fed to first reformer 14 may be selected to be as high as
possible to vaporize the hydrocarbons without producing coke. The
temperature of the hydrocarbon stream may range from 150.degree. C.
to 400.degree. C. Alternatively, but less preferred, the
hydrocarbon stream may be fed directly to first reformer 14 at a
temperature of less than 150.degree. C., for example without
heating the hydrocarbon stream, provided the sulfur content of the
hydrocarbon stream is low.
[0098] As shown in FIG. 1, the hydrocarbon stream may be passed
through one or more heat exchangers 72 to heat the feed. The
hydrocarbon stream, may be heated by exchanging heat with cathode
exhaust stream separated from cathode 26 of molten carbonate fuel
cell 12 and fed to heat exchanger 72 via line 74. The rate at which
the cathode exhaust stream is fed to heat exchangers 72 and 22 may
be controlled by adjusting metering valves 76 and 78.
[0099] In a preferred embodiment, separated anode exhaust stream is
fed into one or more reforming zones of first reformer 14 via line
80. The rate at which the anode exhaust stream is fed to the first
reformer 14 may be controlled by adjusting metering valve 82. The
temperature of the anode exhaust may range from about 500.degree.
C. to about 700.degree. C., and preferably is about 650.degree.
C.
[0100] The anode exhaust stream includes hydrogen, steam, and
reaction products from the oxidation of fuel fed to anode 24 of
fuel cell 12 and unreacted fuel. In an embodiment, the anode
exhaust stream contains at least 0.5, or at least 0.6, or at least
0.7 mole fraction hydrogen. The hydrogen in the anode exhaust
stream fed to first reformer 14 or a reforming zone of the first
reformer may help prevent the formation of coke in the first
reformer. In an embodiment, the anode exhaust stream contains from
0.0001 to about 0.3, or from 0.001 to about 0.25, or from 0.01 to
about 0.2 mole fraction water (as steam). In addition to hydrogen,
steam present in the anode exhaust stream fed to first reformer 14
or a reforming zone of the first reformer also may help prevent the
formation of coke in the first reformer. The anode exhaust stream
may contain enough hydrogen to inhibit coking and enough steam to
reform most of the hydrocarbons in the hydrocarbon stream to
methane, hydrogen, and carbon monoxide. Thus, less steam may be
needed for reforming hydrocarbons in the first reformer and/or
second reformer.
[0101] Optionally, steam may be fed to first reformer 14 or a
reforming zone of the first reformer via line 84 to be mixed with
the hydrocarbon stream in the first reformer or the reforming zone
of the first reformer. Steam may be fed to first reformer 14 or a
reforming zone of the first reformer to inhibit or prevent coke
formation in the first reformer and, optionally, to be utilized in
reforming reactions effected in the first reformer. In an
embodiment, steam is fed to first reformer 14 or reforming zone of
the first reformer at a rate where the molar ratio of total steam
added to the first reformer is at least twice, or at least three
times, the moles of carbon in the hydrocarbon stream added to the
first reformer. The total steam added to the first reformer may
include steam from the anode exhaust, steam from an external
source, for example, through line 84, or mixtures thereof.
Providing a molar ratio of at least 2:1, or at least 2.5:1, or at
least 3:1, or at least 3.5:1 of steam to carbon in the hydrocarbon
stream in first reformer 14 a or reforming zone of the first
reformer may be useful to inhibit coke formation in the first
reformer. Metering valve 86 may be used to control the rate that
steam is fed to first reformer 14 or a reforming zone of the first
reformer through line 84. Since the anode exhaust includes a
significant amount of hydrogen, less coking tends to occur during
reforming. Thus, the amount of optional steam fed to first reformer
14 may be significantly less than the amount of steam used for
conventional reforming units.
[0102] Steam may be fed to first reformer 14 at a temperature of at
least 125.degree. C., preferably from 150.degree. C. to 300.degree.
C., and may have a pressure from 0.1 MPa to 0.5 MPa, preferably
having a pressure equivalent to or below the pressure of the anode
exhaust stream fed to the first reformer as described herein. The
steam may be generated by heating high-pressure water, having a
pressure of at least 1.0 MPa, preferably 1.5 MPa to 2.0 MPa, by
passing the high-pressure water via line 88 through heat exchanger
90. The high-pressure water is heated to form high-pressure steam
by exchanging heat with cathode exhaust fed after cathode exhaust
feed has passed through heat exchanger 72 via line 74.
Alternatively, the cathode exhaust may be fed directly to heat
exchanger 90 (not shown) or to one or more heat exchangers. Upon
exiting heat exchanger 90 or the final heat exchanger if more than
one heat exchanger is utilized, the high-pressure steam may then be
fed to line 84 via line 92. The high-pressure steam may be
depressurized to the desired pressure by expanding the
high-pressure steam through an expander, then feeding to it to the
first reformer. Alternatively, steam may be generated for use in
the first reformer 14 by feeding low-pressure water through the one
or more heat exchangers 90 and passing the resulting steam into the
first reformer.
[0103] Optionally, high-pressure steam that is not utilized in
first reformer 14 or second reformer 16 may be expanded through
other power devices such as a turbine (not shown) together with any
non-utilized high-pressure carbon dioxide stream, or, optionally,
without the high-pressure carbon dioxide stream. Power sources may
be used to generate electricity and/or in addition to electricity
generated by the fuel cell 12. Power generated by the power sources
and/or the fuel cell may be used to power compressor 94 and/or any
other compressors used in the process of the invention.
[0104] The hydrocarbon stream, optional steam, and the anode
exhaust stream are mixed and contacted with a reforming catalyst in
first reformer 14 or a reforming zone of the first reformer at a
temperature effective to vaporize any hydrocarbons not in vapor
form and to crack the hydrocarbons to form the feed.
[0105] The reforming catalyst may be a conventional reforming
catalyst, and may be any known catalyst in the art. Typical
reforming catalysts, which can be used include, but are not limited
to, Group VIII transition metals, particularly nickel and a support
or substrate that is inert under high temperature reaction
conditions. Suitable inert compounds for use as a support for the
high temperature reforming/hydrocracking catalyst include, but are
not limited to, .alpha.-alumina and zirconia.
[0106] In a preferred embodiment, the hydrocarbon stream, the anode
exhaust, and optional steam are mixed and contacted with a catalyst
at a temperature from about 500.degree. C. to about 650.degree. C.
or from about 550.degree. C. to 600.degree. C. with all the heat
necessary for the reforming reaction supplied by the anode exhaust.
In an embodiment, the hydrocarbon stream, optional steam, and anode
exhaust stream are mixed and contacted with a catalyst at a
temperature of at least 400.degree. C., or in a range from
450.degree. C. to 650.degree. C., or from 500.degree. C. to
600.degree. C.
[0107] Heat supplied from the anode exhaust stream fed from the
exothermic molten carbonate fuel cell 12 to first reformer 14 or a
reforming zone of the first reformer drives the endothermic
cracking and reforming reactions in the first reformer. The anode
exhaust stream fed from molten carbonate fuel cell 12 to first
reformer 14 and/or a reforming zone of the first reformer is very
hot, having a temperature of at least 500.degree. C., typically
having a temperature from 550.degree. C. to 700.degree. C., or from
600.degree. C. to 650.degree. C. The transfer of thermal energy
from molten carbonate fuel cell 12 to first reformer 14 or a
reforming zone of the first reformer is extremely efficient since
thermal energy from the fuel cell is contained in the anode exhaust
stream, and is transferred to the mixture of hydrocarbon stream,
optional steam, and anode exhaust stream in first reformer 14 or a
reforming zone of the first reformer by directly mixing the anode
exhaust stream with the hydrocarbon stream and steam.
[0108] In a preferred embodiment of the process described herein,
the anode exhaust stream provides at least 99%, or substantially
all, of the heat required to produce the feed from the mixture of
the hydrocarbon stream, the optional steam, and the anode exhaust
stream. In a particularly preferred embodiment, no heat source
other than the anode exhaust stream is provided to first reformer
14 to convert the hydrocarbon stream to the feed.
[0109] In an embodiment, the pressure at which the anode exhaust
stream, the hydrocarbon stream, and the optional steam are
contacted with the reforming catalyst in first reformer 14 may
range from 0.07 MPa to 3.0 MPa. If high-pressure steam is not fed
to the first reformer 14, the anode exhaust stream, the hydrocarbon
stream, and optional low-pressure steam may be contacted with the
reforming catalyst in the first reformer at a pressure at the low
end of the range, typically from 0.07 MPa to 0.5 MPa, or from 0.1
MPa to 0.3 MPa. If high-pressure steam is fed to first reformer 14,
the anode exhaust stream, the hydrocarbon stream, and the steam may
be contacted with the reforming catalyst in at the higher end of
the pressure range, typically from 1.0 MPa to 3.0 MPa, or from 1.5
MPa to 2.0 MPa.
[0110] Referring to FIG. 2, first reformer 14 is heated to
temperatures higher than 630.degree. C. or from 650.degree. C. to
900.degree. C., or from 700.degree. C. to 800.degree. C. by
exchanging heat with effluent from catalytic partial oxidation
reformer 20 via line 96. Line 96 is operatively coupled to heat
exchanger 98. Heat exchanger 98 may be a part of line 96. Heat
exchanger 98 may be in first reformer 14 or connected to the first
reformer such that heat may be exchanged with the hydrocarbon
stream entering the first reformer. The rate at which the effluent
from catalytic partial oxidation reformer 20 is fed first reformer
14 may be controlled by adjusting metering valve 100 and three-way
metering valve 102.
[0111] Contacting the hydrocarbon stream, steam, catalyst, and the
anode exhaust stream in first reformer 14 at a temperature of at
least 500.degree. C., or from 550.degree. C. to 950.degree. C., or
from 600.degree. C. to 800.degree. C., or from 650.degree. C. to
750.degree. C., may crack and/or reform at least a portion of the
hydrocarbons and form the feed. Cracking and/or reforming of
hydrocarbons in the hydrocarbon stream reduces the number of carbon
atoms in hydrocarbon compounds in the hydrocarbon stream, thereby
producing hydrocarbon compounds having reduced molecular weight. In
an embodiment, the hydrocarbon stream may comprise hydrocarbons
containing at least 5, or at least 6, or at least 7 carbon atoms
that are converted to hydrocarbons useful as feed to second
reformer 16 containing at most 4, or at most 3, or at most 2 carbon
atoms. In an embodiment, the hydrocarbons in the hydrocarbon stream
may be reacted in first reformer 14 or a reforming zone of the
first reformer such that the feed produced from the first reformer
may be comprised of not more than 0.1, or not more than 0.05, or
not more than 0.01 mole fraction of hydrocarbons with four carbon
atoms or more. In an embodiment, hydrocarbons in the hydrocarbon
stream may be cracked and/or reformed such that at least 0.7, or at
least 0.8, or at least 0.9, or at least 0.95 mole fraction of the
resulting hydrocarbons in the feed produced from the hydrocarbons
in hydrocarbon stream is methane. In an embodiment, cracking and/or
reforming of the hydrocarbons in the hydrocarbon stream produces a
feed that has an average carbon number of hydrocarbons in the feed
is at most 1.3, at most 1.2, or at most 1.1.
[0112] As noted above, hydrogen and steam from the anode exhaust
stream and optional steam added to first reformer 14 inhibit the
formation of coke in the first reformer as hydrocarbons are cracked
to form the feed. In a preferred embodiment, the relative rates
that the anode exhaust stream, the hydrocarbon stream, and the
steam are fed to first reformer 14 are selected so the hydrogen and
steam in the anode exhaust stream and the steam added to the first
reformer via line 84 prevent the formation of coke in the first
reformer.
[0113] In an embodiment, contacting the hydrocarbon stream, steam,
and anode exhaust with the reforming catalyst in first reformer 14
at a temperature of at least 500.degree. C., or from 550.degree. C.
to 700.degree. C., or from 600.degree. C. to 650.degree. C., may
also effect at least some reforming of the hydrocarbons in the
hydrocarbon stream and feed produced within first reformer 14 to
produce hydrogen and carbon oxides, particularly carbon monoxide.
The amount of reforming may be substantial, where the feed
resulting from both cracking and reforming in first reformer 14 or
reforming zone of the first reformer may contain at least 0.05, or
at least 0.1, or at least 0.15 mole fraction carbon monoxide.
[0114] The temperature and pressure conditions in first reformer 14
or a reforming zone of the first reformer may be selected so the
feed produced in the first reformer comprises light hydrocarbons
that are gaseous at 20.degree. C., typically containing 1 to 4
carbon atoms. In a preferred embodiment, the hydrocarbons in the
feed produced by the first reformer hereinafter "steam reforming
feed," are comprised of at least 0.6, or at least 0.7, or at least
0.8, or at least 0.9 mole fraction methane. The steam reforming
feed also comprises hydrogen from the anode exhaust stream and, if
further reforming is effected in the first reformer, from reformed
hydrocarbons. The steam reforming feed also comprises steam from
the anode exhaust stream and, optionally, from the reformer steam
feed. If substantial reforming is effected in first reformer 14 or
a reforming zone of the first reformer, the steam reforming feed
produced from the first reformer, provided to second reformer 16
may comprise carbon monoxide in addition to carbon dioxide.
[0115] In the process of the invention, the steam reforming feed is
provided from first reformer 14 to second reformer 16, which is
operatively connected to the first reformer through line 70. The
steam reforming feed exiting first reformer 14 may have a
temperature from 500.degree. C. to 650.degree. C. or from
550.degree. C. to 600.degree. C. The temperature of the steam
reforming feed exiting first reformer 14 may be lowered prior to
being fed to second reformer 16 by exchanging heat in one or more
heat exchangers 90 prior to being fed to second reformer 16.
Optionally, the steam reforming feed is not cooled prior to
entering the second reformer. In embodiments when first reformer 14
is heated by other sources (for example as shown in FIG. 2, steam
and/or heat from catalytic partial oxidation reformer 20) the steam
reforming feed exiting the first reformer may have a temperature
from 650.degree. C. to 950.degree. C., or from 700.degree. C. to
900.degree. C., or from 750.degree. C. to 800.degree. C.
[0116] The steam reforming feed may be cooled by exchanging heat
with water fed into the system, cooling the steam reforming feed,
and producing steam that may be fed to the first reformer 14 as
described above. If more than one heat exchanger 90 is utilized,
the steam reforming feed and water/steam may be fed in series to
each of the heat exchanger, preferably in a countercurrent flow to
cool the steam reforming feed and to heat the water/steam. The
steam reforming feed may be cooled to a temperature from
150.degree. C. to 650.degree. C., or from 150.degree. C. to
300.degree. C., or from 400.degree. C. to 650.degree. C., or from
450.degree. C. to 550.degree. C.
[0117] The cooled steam reforming feed may be fed from heat
exchanger 90 to compressor 94, or, in another embodiment, may be
fed directly to second reformer 16. Alternatively, but less
preferably, the steam reforming feed exiting first reformer 14 or a
reforming zone of the first reformer may be fed to compressor 94 or
second reformer 16 without cooling. Compressor 94 is a compressor
capable of operating at high temperatures, and preferably is a
commercially available StarRotor compressor. The steam reforming
feed may have a pressure of at least 0.5 MPa and a temperature from
400.degree. C. to 800.degree. C., preferably from 400.degree. C. to
650.degree. C. The feed may be compressed by compressor 94 to a
pressure of at least 0.5 MPa, or at least 1.0 MPa, or at least 1.5
MPa, or at least 2 MPa, or at least 2.5 MPa, or at least 3 MPa, to
maintain sufficient pressure in reforming zone 108 of second
reformer 16. In an embodiment, the steam reforming feed is
compressed to a pressure from 0.5 MPa to 6.0 MPa prior to providing
the feed stream to the second reformer.
[0118] The optionally compressed, optionally cooled feed comprising
hydrogen, light hydrocarbons, steam, and, optionally, carbon
monoxide, is fed to second reformer 16. The steam reforming feed
may have a pressure of at least 0.5 MPa and a temperature from
400.degree. C. to 800.degree. C., preferably from 400.degree. C. to
650.degree. C. In an embodiment, temperature of the steam reforming
feed from first reformer 14 after exiting compressor 94 may be
increased, if necessary, by circulating a portion of the feed
through heat exchangers 90 and/or 72.
[0119] Optionally, additional steam may be added into reforming
zone 108 of the second reformer 16 for mixing with the steam
reforming feed, if necessary for reforming the feed. In a preferred
embodiment, the additional steam may be added by injecting
high-pressure water from the water inlet line 88 into compressor 94
through line 110 for mixing with the feed as the feed is compressed
in the compressor. In an embodiment (not shown), high-pressure
water may be injected into the feed by mixing the high-pressure
water and feed in heat exchanger 90. In another embodiment (not
shown), high-pressure water may be injected into the feed in line
110 either before or after passing the feed to heat exchanger 90 or
before or after passing the feed to the compressor 94. In an
embodiment, high-pressure water may be injected into line 70, or
into compressor 94 or in heat exchanger 90, where either the
compressor or the heat exchanger are not included in the
system.
[0120] The high-pressure water is heated to form steam by mixing
with the steam reforming feed, and the steam reforming feed is
cooled by mixing with the water. The cooling provided to the steam
reforming feed by the water injected therein may eliminate or
reduce the need for heat exchanger 90 preferably limiting the
number of heat exchangers used to cool the steam reforming feed to
at most one.
[0121] Alternatively, but less preferred, high-pressure steam may
be injected into reforming zone 108 of second reformer 16 or into
line 70 to the second reformer to be mixed with the steam reforming
feed. The high-pressure steam may be steam produced by heating
high-pressure water injected into the system through water inlet
line 88 in heat exchanger 90 by exchanging heat with the feed
exiting first reformer 14. The high-pressure steam may be fed to
second reformer 16 through line 112. Metering valve 114 may be used
to control the flow of steam to the second reformer. The
high-pressure steam may have a pressure similar to that of the feed
being fed to the second reformer. Alternatively, the high-pressure
steam may be fed to line 70 to be mixed with the feed prior to the
feed being fed to compressor 94 so the mixture of steam and feed
may be compressed together to a selected pressure. The
high-pressure steam may have a temperature from 200.degree. C. to
500.degree. C.
[0122] The rate at which the high-pressure water or high-pressure
steam is fed into the system may be selected and controlled to
provide an amount of steam to first reformer feed 14 and/or second
reformer 16 effective to optimize reactions in the reformers to
produce a hydrogen-containing gas stream. The rate at which steam,
other than steam in the anode exhaust stream, is provided to first
reformer 14 may be controlled by adjusting metering valves 116 and
118, which control the rate water is fed to the system, or by
adjusting metering valves 86, 120, and 114, which control the rates
at which steam is fed to first reformer 14 second reformer 16.
Steam may be supplied to additional components in the system such
as, for example, a turbine.
[0123] If high-pressure water is injected into second reformer 16,
metering valves 114 and 120 may be adjusted to control the rate the
water is injected into the second reformer through line 112. If
high-pressure steam is injected into second reformer 16 or into
line 70, metering valves 114, 116, and 118 may be adjusted to
control the rate the steam is injected into second reformer 16 or
into line 70. The flow of steam may be adjusted to provide a molar
ratio of at least 2:1, or at least 2.5:1, or at least 3:1, or at
least 3.5:1 of steam to carbon.
[0124] The steam reforming feed produced by the first reformer,
and, optionally, additional steam are fed into reforming zone 108
of second reformer 16. The reforming zone may, and preferably does,
contain a reforming catalyst therein. The reforming catalyst may be
a conventional steam reforming catalyst, and may be known in the
art. Typical steam reforming catalysts, which can be used include,
but are not limited to, Group VIII transition metals, particularly
nickel. It is often desirable to support the reforming catalysts on
a refractory substrate (or support). The support, if used, is
preferably an inert compound. Suitable inert compounds for use as a
support contain elements of Group III and IV of the Periodic Table,
such as, for example the oxides or carbides of Al, Si, Ti, Mg, Ce,
and Zr.
[0125] The steam reforming feed and, optionally additional steam,
are mixed and contacted with the reforming catalyst in the
reforming zone 108 at a temperature effective to form a reformed
product gas containing hydrogen and carbon oxides. The reformed
product gas may be formed by steam reforming the hydrocarbons in
the feed. The reformed product gas may also be formed by water-gas
shift reacting steam and carbon monoxide in the feed and/or
produced by steam reforming the feed. In an embodiment, second
reformer 16 may act more as a water-gas shift reactor if a
substantial amount of reforming was effected in first reformer 14
or a reforming zone of the first reformer and the steam reforming
feed contains substantial amounts of carbon monoxide. The reformed
product gas comprises hydrogen and at least one carbon oxide. In an
embodiment, the reformed product gas comprises gaseous
hydrocarbons, hydrogen and at least one carbon oxide. Carbon oxides
that may be in the reformed product gas include carbon monoxide and
carbon dioxide.
[0126] In an embodiment, heat from effluent from catalytic partial
oxidation reformer 20 may be heat exchanged with the steam
reforming feed being provided to and/or in reforming zone 108. A
temperature of the effluent from catalytic partial oxidation
reformer 20 may range from 750.degree. C. to 1050.degree. C., or
from 800.degree. C. to 1000.degree. C., or from 850.degree. C. to
900.degree. C. Heat from the effluent may heat reforming zone 108
of second reformer 16 to a temperature from about 500.degree. C. to
about 850.degree. C., or from about 550.degree. C. to 700.degree.
C. A temperature in reforming zone 108 of second reformer 16 may be
sufficient to reform substantially all or all of the feed from
first reformer 14 to produce a reformed product gas that comprises
hydrogen and at least one carbon oxide.
[0127] The reformed product gas may enter high temperature
hydrogen-separating device 18, which is operatively coupled to
second reformer 16. As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, high temperature
hydrogen-separating device 18 is part of second reformer 16. As
shown in FIG. 3, high temperature hydrogen-separating device 18 is
separate from second reformer 16 and is operatively coupled to
second reformer via line 122.
[0128] High temperature hydrogen-separating device 18 may include
one or more high temperature tubular hydrogen-separation membranes
68. Membranes 68 may be located in the reforming zone 108 of second
reformer 16 and positioned so that the feed and the reformed
product gas may contact the membranes 68. Hydrogen may pass through
membrane wall (not shown) of membranes 68 to hydrogen conduit 124
located within membranes 68. The membrane wall of each respective
membrane separates hydrogen conduit 124 from gaseous communication
with non-hydrogen compounds of the reformed product gas, feed, and
steam in reforming zone 108 of second reformer 16. The membrane
wall is selectively permeable to hydrogen, elemental and/or
molecular, so that hydrogen in reforming zone 108 may pass through
the membrane wall of membrane 68 to hydrogen conduit 124 while
other gases in the reforming zone are prevented from passing to the
hydrogen conduit by the membrane wall. Hydrogen flux across high
temperature hydrogen-separating device 18 may be increased or
decreased by adjusting the pressure in second reformer 16. The
pressure in second reformer 16 may be controlled by the rate at
which the anode exhaust stream is fed to first reformer 14.
[0129] Referring to FIG. 3, feed from second reformer 16 is fed to
high temperature hydrogen-separating device 18 via line 122. High
temperature hydrogen-separation device 18 may comprise a member
that is selectively permeable to hydrogen, either in molecular or
elemental form. In a preferred embodiment, the high temperature
hydrogen-separation device comprises a membrane that is selectively
permeable to hydrogen. In an embodiment, the high temperature
hydrogen-separation device comprises a tubular membrane coated with
palladium or a palladium alloy that is selectively permeable to
hydrogen.
[0130] The gas stream that enters high temperature
hydrogen-separation device 18 via line 122 may include hydrogen,
carbon oxides, and hydrocarbons. The gas stream may contact tubular
hydrogen-separation membrane(s) 68 and hydrogen may pass through a
membrane wall to hydrogen conduit 124 located within membranes 68.
The membrane wall separates hydrogen conduit 124 from gaseous
communication with non-hydrogen compounds, and is selectively
permeable to hydrogen, elemental and/or molecular, so that hydrogen
in the entering gas may pass through the membrane wall to hydrogen
conduit 124 while other gases are prevented by the membrane wall
from passing to the hydrogen conduit.
[0131] High temperature tubular hydrogen-separation membrane(s) 68
in FIGS. 1 and 2 may include a support coated with a thin layer of
a metal or alloy that is selectively permeable to hydrogen. The
support may be formed of a ceramic or metallic material that is
porous to hydrogen. Porous stainless steel or porous alumina is
preferred materials for the support of the membrane 68. The
hydrogen selective metal or alloy coated on the support may be
selected from metals of Group VIII, including, but not limited to
Pd, Pt, Ni, Ag, Ta, V, Y, Nb, Ce, In, Ho, La, Au, and Ru,
particularly in the form of alloys. Palladium and platinum alloys
are preferred. A particularly preferred membrane 68 used in the
present process has a very thin film of a palladium alloy having a
high surface area coating a porous stainless steel support.
Membranes of this type can be prepared using the methods disclosed
in U.S. Pat. No. 6,152,987. Thin films of platinum or platinum
alloys having a high surface area would also be suitable as the
hydrogen selective material.
[0132] Pressure within reforming zone 108 of second reformer 16 is
maintained at a level significantly above the pressure within the
hydrogen conduit 124 of tubular membrane 68 so that hydrogen is
forced through the membrane wall from reforming zone 108 of second
reformer 16 into hydrogen conduit 124. In an embodiment, hydrogen
conduit 124 is maintained at or near atmospheric pressure, and the
reforming zone 108 is maintained at a pressure of at least 0.5 MPa,
or at least 1.0 MPa, or at least 2 MPa, or at least 3 MPa. As noted
above, reforming zone 108 may be maintained at such elevated
pressures by compressing the feed from first reformer 14 with
compressor 94 and injecting the mixture of feed at high-pressure
into reforming zone 108. Alternatively, reforming zone 108 may be
maintained at such high-pressures by mixing high-pressure steam
with the feed as described above and injecting the high-pressure
mixture into reforming zone 108 of second reformer 16.
Alternatively, the reforming zone 108 may be maintained at such
high-pressures by mixing high-pressure steam with the hydrocarbon
stream in first reformer 14 or a reforming zone of the first
reformer and injecting a high-pressure feed produced in the first
reformer into second reformer 16 either directly or through one or
more heat exchangers 90. Reforming zone 108 of second reformer 16
may be maintained at a pressure of at least 0.5 MPa, or at least
1.0 MPa, or at least 2.0 MPa, or at least 3.0 MPa.
[0133] The temperature at which the steam reforming feed, and
optionally additional steam, is/are mixed and contacted with the
reforming catalyst in reforming zone 108 of second reformer 16 is
at least 400.degree. C., and preferably may range from 400.degree.
C. to 650.degree. C., most preferably in a range from 450.degree.
C. to 550.degree. C. Typical steam reformers are run at
temperatures of 750.degree. C. or higher to obtain equilibrium
conversions that sufficiently high. In the present process, the
reforming reaction is driven towards the production of hydrogen in
the reformer operating temperature range of 400.degree. C. to
650.degree. C. by continuous removal of hydrogen from reforming
zone 108 into hydrogen conduit 124 of membranes 68, and thence
removed from second reformer 16. In this way, the present process
may obtain nearly complete conversion of reactants to hydrogen
without equilibrium limitations. An operating temperature of
400.degree. C. to 650.degree. C. favors the shift reaction as well,
converting carbon monoxide and steam to more hydrogen, which is
then removed from reforming zone 108 into hydrogen conduit 124
through the membrane wall of the membrane(s). Nearly complete
conversion of hydrocarbons and carbon monoxide to hydrogen and
carbon dioxide by the reforming and water-gas shift reactions may
be achieved in second reformer 16 since equilibrium is never
reached due to the continuous removal of hydrogen from the second
reformer.
[0134] In an embodiment, the feed provided from first reformer 14
and/or a reforming zone of the first reformer to the second
reformer 16 supplies heat to drive the reactions in the second
reformer. The steam reforming feed produced from first reformer 14
and/or a reforming zone of the first reformer to second reformer 16
may contain sufficient thermal energy to drive the reactions in the
second reformer, and may have a temperature from 400.degree. C. to
950.degree. C. The thermal energy of the steam reforming feed
produced from first reformer 14 and/or a reforming zone of the
first reformer may be in excess of the thermal energy needed to
drive the reactions in second reformer 16, and, as described above,
the feed may be cooled to a temperature from 400.degree. C. to less
than 600.degree. C. in heat exchanger 90 and/or by injecting water
into the feed prior to the feed being fed to second reformer 16.
Having a feed at or near the temperatures required for second
reformer 16 may be preferable so that 1) temperature within second
reformer 16 may be adjusted to favor the production of hydrogen in
the water-gas shift reaction; 2) membrane(s) 68 life-span may be
extended; and 3) performance of compressor 94 is improved. The
transfer of thermal energy from first reformer 14 to second
reformer 16 is extremely efficient since thermal energy from the
first reformer is contained in the feed, which is intimately
involved in the reactions within the second reformer.
[0135] The hydrogen-containing gas stream, is formed from the
reformed product gas in high temperature hydrogen-separation device
18 by selectively passing hydrogen through the membrane wall of
hydrogen-separation membrane(s) 68 into the hydrogen conduit 124 to
separate the hydrogen-containing gas stream from the reformed
product gas. The hydrogen-containing gas stream may contain a very
high concentration of hydrogen, and may contain at least 0.9, or at
least 0.95, or at least 0.98 mole fraction hydrogen.
[0136] The hydrogen-containing gas stream may be separated from the
reformed product gas at a relatively high rate due to the high flux
of hydrogen through the hydrogen-separation membrane(s) 68. In an
embodiment, the temperature at which the hydrogen is separated from
the reformed product gas through the hydrogen-separation
membrane(s) 68 is at least 300.degree. C., or from about
350.degree. C. to about 600.degree. C., or from 400.degree. C. to
500.degree. C. Hydrogen is passed at a high flux rate through the
hydrogen-separation membrane(s) 68 since hydrogen is present in
second reformer 16 at a high partial pressure. The high partial
pressure of hydrogen in second reformer 16 is due to 1) significant
quantities of hydrogen in the anode exhaust stream fed to the first
reformer 14 and passed to the second reformer in the feed; 2)
hydrogen produced in the first reformer and fed to the second
reformer; and 3) hydrogen produced in the second reformer by the
reforming and shift reactions. No sweep gas is necessary to assist
removing hydrogen from hydrogen conduit 124 and out of high
temperature hydrogen-separation device 18 due to the high rate that
hydrogen is separated from the reformed product.
[0137] As shown in FIGS. 1-2, the hydrogen-containing gas stream
exits high temperature hydrogen-separation device 18 and enters
anode 24 of molten carbonate fuel cell 12 via hydrogen conduit 124
through lines 126 and 34 into anode inlet 30. Alternatively, the
hydrogen-containing gas is fed directly to anode inlet 30 via line
126. The hydrogen gas stream provides hydrogen to anode 24 for
electrochemical reaction with an oxidant at one or more anode
electrodes along the anode path length in fuel cell 12. A partial
pressure of the molecular hydrogen entering second reformer 16 is
higher than a partial pressure of the molecular hydrogen in the
hydrogen-containing gas stream exiting high temperature
hydrogen-separation device 18. The difference in partial pressure
between second reformer 16 and the partial pressure of the
molecular hydrogen in the hydrogen-containing gas stream exiting
high temperature hydrogen-separation device 18 drives the reforming
reaction and/or water-gas shift reactions to make more hydrogen. In
some embodiments, a sweep gas, for example steam, may be injected
into the hydrogen conduit to sweep hydrogen from the inner portion
of the membrane wall member into the hydrogen conduit, thereby
increasing the rate hydrogen may be separated from the reforming
zone by the hydrogen-separation membrane.
[0138] Prior to feeding the hydrogen-containing gas stream to the
anode 24, the hydrogen-containing gas stream, or a portion thereof,
may be fed to heat exchanger 72 to heat the hydrocarbon stream and
cool the hydrogen gas stream via line 128. The hydrogen-containing
gas stream may have a temperature from 400.degree. C. to
650.degree. C., typically a temperature from 450.degree. C. to
550.degree. C., upon exiting high temperature hydrogen-separation
device 18. The pressure of the hydrogen-containing gas exiting high
temperature hydrogen-separation device 18 may have a pressure of
about 0.1 MPa, or from 0.01 MPa to 0.5 MPa, or from 0.02 MPa to 0.4
MPa or from 0.3 to 0.1 MPa. In a preferred embodiment, a
hydrogen-containing gas stream exiting high temperature
hydrogen-separation device 18 has a temperature of about
450.degree. C. and a pressure of about 0.1 MPa. The pressure and
temperature of the hydrogen-containing gas stream exiting high
temperature hydrogen-separation device 18 may be suitable for
directly feeding the hydrogen-containing gas stream directly to
anode inlet 30 of molten carbonate fuel cell 12.
[0139] The hydrocarbon stream may optionally be heated by
exchanging heat with the hydrogen gas stream in heat exchanger 72,
and optionally by exchanging heat with the carbon dioxide gas
stream as described below. The hydrogen gas stream fed to anode 24
of molten carbonate fuel cell 12 may be cooled to a temperature of
at most 400.degree. C., or at most 300.degree. C., or at most
200.degree. C., or at most 150.degree. C., or temperatures from
20.degree. C. to 400.degree. C., or from 25.degree. C. to
250.degree. C. to control the operating temperature of the molten
carbonate fuel cell within a range from 600.degree. C. to
700.degree. C., in combination with selecting and controlling the
temperature of the oxidant-containing gas stream fed to cathode 26
of molten carbonate fuel cell 12. The hydrogen-containing gas
stream, or a portion thereof, may typically be cooled to a
temperature from 200.degree. C. to 400.degree. C. by exchanging
heat with the hydrocarbon stream in heat exchanger 72. Optionally,
the hydrogen gas stream, or a portion thereof, may be cooled
further by passing the hydrogen gas stream, or the portion thereof,
from heat exchanger 72 to one or more additional heat exchangers
(not shown) to exchange further heat with the hydrocarbon stream or
with a water stream in each of the one or more additional heat
exchangers. If additional heat exchangers are employed in the
system, the hydrogen gas stream, or the portion thereof, may be
cooled to a temperature from 20.degree. C. to 200.degree. C.,
preferably from 25.degree. C. to 100.degree. C. In an embodiment, a
portion of the hydrogen gas stream may be cooled in heat exchanger
72 and, optionally one or more additional heat exchangers, and a
portion of the hydrogen gas stream may be fed to anode 24 of molten
carbonate fuel cell 12 without being cooled in a heat exchanger,
where the combined portions of the hydrogen gas stream may be fed
to the anode of the fuel cell at a temperature of at most
400.degree. C., or at most 300.degree. C., or at most 200.degree.
C., or at most 150.degree. C., or temperatures from 20.degree. C.
to 400.degree. C., or from 25.degree. C. to 100.degree. C.
[0140] The flow rate of the hydrogen gas stream, or portion
thereof, to heat exchangers 72, 22, and, optionally to one or more
additional heat exchangers, may be selected and controlled to
control the temperature of the hydrogen gas stream fed to anode 24
of molten carbonate fuel cell 12. The flow rate of the hydrogen gas
stream, or a portion thereof, to heat exchanger 22, and the
optional additional heat exchanger(s) may be selected and
controlled by adjusting metering valves 36, 130, and 132. Metering
valves 36 and 130 may be adjusted to control the flow of the
hydrogen gas stream, or a portion thereof, to anode 24 of molten
carbonate fuel cell 12 through line 126 without cooling the
hydrogen gas stream, or the portion thereof. Metering valve 130 may
also control the flow of the hydrogen gas stream, or a portion
thereof, to heat exchanger 22. Metering valve 132 may be adjusted
to control the flow of the hydrogen gas stream, or a portion
thereof, to heat exchanger 72 and any optional additional heat
exchangers through line 128. Metering valves 130 and 132 may be
adjusted in coordination to provide the desired degree of cooling
to the hydrogen gas stream prior to feeding the hydrogen gas stream
to anode 24 of molten carbonate fuel cell 12. In an embodiment,
metering valves 130 and 132 may be adjusted in coordination
automatically in response to feedback measurements of the
temperature of the anode exhaust stream and/or the cathode exhaust
stream exiting fuel cell 12. The hydrogen gas stream provides
hydrogen to the anode 24 for electrochemical reaction with an
oxidant at one or more anode electrodes along the anode path length
in fuel cell 12. The rate the hydrogen gas stream is fed to anode
24 of molten carbonate fuel cell 12 may be selected by selecting
the rate that the feed is fed to second reformer 16, which in turn
may be selected by the rate that the hydrocarbon stream is fed to
first reformer 14, which may be controlled by adjusting the
hydrocarbon stream inlet valve 106.
[0141] Any portion of the hydrogen-containing gas stream fed to
heat exchanger 72, and optionally the additional heat exchanger(s),
may be fed from the heat exchanger, or through the last additional
heat exchanger used to cool the hydrogen-containing gas stream with
any portion of the hydrogen gas stream routed around the heat
exchangers to the anode of the molten carbonate fuel cell. In an
embodiment, the combined portions of the hydrogen-containing gas
stream or the hydrogen-containing gas stream exiting high
temperature hydrogen-separation device 18 may be compressed in a
compressor (not shown) to increase the pressure of the hydrogen gas
stream, and then the hydrogen gas stream may be fed to the anode.
In an embodiment, the hydrogen gas stream may be compressed to a
pressure from 0.15 MPa to 0.5 MPa, or from 0.2 MPa to 0.3 MPa, or
up to 0.7 MPa or up to 1 MPa. All or part of the energy required to
drive the compressor may be provided by expansion of a
high-pressure carbon dioxide stream, formed as described below,
and/or the high-pressure steam through one or more turbines.
[0142] Alternatively, the rate that the hydrogen gas stream is fed
to anode 24 of molten carbonate fuel cell 12 may be selected by
controlling metering valves 36 and 134 in a coordinated manner.
Metering valve 36 may be adjusted to increase or decrease the flow
of the hydrogen gas stream into anode 24. Metering valve 134 may be
adjusted to increase or decrease flow of the hydrogen gas stream to
hydrogen source 64. Metering valves 36 and 134 may be controlled in
a coordinated manner so that a selected rate of the hydrogen gas
stream may be fed to anode 24 of molten carbonate fuel cell 12
through line 34 while a portion of the hydrogen gas stream in
excess of the amount of hydrogen gas stream required to provide the
selected rate may be fed to the hydrogen source 64 through line
136.
[0143] A hydrogen-depleted reformed product gas stream may be
removed from high temperature hydrogen-separation device 18 via
line 48, where the hydrogen-depleted reformed product gas stream
may include unreacted feed and gaseous non-hydrogen reformed
products in the reformed product gas. The non-hydrogen reformed
products and unreacted feed may include carbon dioxide, water (as
steam), and small amounts of carbon monoxide and unreacted
hydrocarbons. Small amounts of hydrogen may also be contained in
the hydrogen-depleted reformed product gas stream as well.
[0144] In an embodiment, the hydrogen-depleted reformed product gas
stream exiting high temperature hydrogen-separation device 18 may
be a carbon dioxide gas stream containing at least 0.8, or at least
0.9, or at least 0.95, or at least 0.98 mole fraction carbon
dioxide on a dry basis. The carbon dioxide gas stream is a
high-pressure gas stream, having a pressure of at least 0.5 MPa, or
at least 1 MPa, or at least 2 MPa, or at least 2.5 MPa. Hereafter,
the hydrogen-depleted reformed product gas stream will be referred
to as the high-pressure carbon dioxide gas stream. The temperature
of the high-pressure carbon dioxide gas stream exiting
hydrogen-separation device 18 is at least 400.degree. C. or
typically between 425.degree. C. and 600.degree. C. or between
450.degree. C. and 550.degree. C.
[0145] The high-pressure carbon dioxide gas stream may exit high
temperature hydrogen-separation device 18 and be fed to cathode 26
of fuel cell 12 via lines 48 and 44. As shown, the high-pressure
carbon dioxide gas stream passes through heat exchanger 22 and may
be utilized to heat the oxidant gas stream. In an embodiment, a
portion of the carbon dioxide stream is mixed directly with the
oxidant gas stream entering cathode 26 via line 44.
[0146] In a preferred embodiment, the high-pressure carbon dioxide
gas stream is fed to catalytic partial oxidation reformer 20 via
line 48. In catalytic partial oxidation reformer 20, residual
hydrocarbons (for example, methane, ethane, propane) in the carbon
dioxide stream are combusted in the presence of oxygen or air fed
from oxidant source 42 via line 56 to form a hot effluent
combustion stream that passes through heat exchanger 22 via line
138 and is fed to cathode 26 via line 44. In an embodiment, the
combustion stream is fed directly to cathode 26 via lines 138 and
44. An amount of molecular oxygen in the oxidant-containing stream
fed to catalytic partial oxidation reformer 20 is at least 0.9
times but not more than 1.1 times the stoichiometric amount
required for complete combustion of hydrocarbons in the carbon
dioxide stream.
[0147] Hot combustion stream may include a substantial amount of
carbon dioxide, but may also include nitrogen gas and water. The
hot combustion stream exiting catalytic partial oxidation reformer
20 may have a temperature ranging from at least 750.degree. C. to
1050.degree. C., or from 800.degree. C. to 1000.degree. C., or from
850.degree. C. to 900.degree. C. Heat from the hot combustion gas
may be exchanged with hydrogen-containing gas stream in heat
exchanger 22 and/or oxidant-containing gas stream in the heat
exchanger. As shown in FIG. 2, at least a portion of the heat from
the combustion stream exiting catalytic partial oxidation reforming
20 may be exchanged with first reformer 14 in heat exchanger 98 via
line 96.
[0148] In an embodiment, hot combustion gas may be fed directly to
cathode exhaust inlet 38. A temperature of the oxidant-containing
gas may be adjusted so that a temperature of the cathode exhaust
stream exiting the fuel cell ranges from 550.degree. C. to
700.degree. C. The oxidant-containing gas temperature may be
adjusted to a temperature from 150.degree. C. to 450.degree. C.
through cooling and/or heating in heat exchanger 22. Flow of the
oxidant-containing gas stream from high temperature
hydrogen-separation device 18 to heat exchanger 22 and/or catalytic
partial oxidation reformer 20 may be controlled by adjusting
metering valves 46, 58, and 140.
[0149] The hot combustion gas stream may contain significant
amounts of water as steam as it exits catalytic partial oxidation
reforming 20. In an embodiment, the steam may be removed from the
hot combustion gas stream by cooling the hot combustion gas stream
in heat exchanger 22 and/or in heat exchanger 72 and, if necessary,
one or more additional heat exchangers (not shown) and condensing
water from the stream.
[0150] The high-pressure carbon dioxide gas stream from high
temperature hydrogen-separation device 18 may be utilized to heat
the hydrocarbon stream by passing the carbon dioxide containing gas
stream through line 142 to heat exchanger 72 while feeding the
hydrocarbon stream into the heat exchanger 72 through the
hydrocarbon stream line 62. Flow of the high-pressure carbon
dioxide stream from high temperature hydrogen-separation device 18
to heat exchanger 72 may be controlled by adjusting metering valve
144. Metering valve 144 may be adjusted to control the flow of the
carbon dioxide stream to heat exchanger 72 to heat the hydrocarbon
stream to a selected temperature. The hydrocarbon stream may be
heated to a temperature such that the hydrocarbon stream has a
temperature of at least 150.degree. C., or from 200.degree. C. to
500.degree. C. as the hydrocarbon stream is fed to first reformer
14.
[0151] Metering valves 46, 58, and 140, may be adjusted
automatically by a feedback mechanism, where the feedback mechanism
may measure the temperature of the cathode exhaust stream exiting
fuel cell 12 and/or the temperature of the hydrocarbon stream
entering first reformer 14 and adjust metering valves 46, 58, and
140 to maintain the temperature of the cathode exhaust stream
and/or the hydrocarbon stream entering first reformer 14 within set
limits while maintaining the internal pressure within second
reformer 16 and/or high temperature hydrogen-separation device 18
at a desired level.
[0152] The hydrogen gas stream and the oxidant
(carbonate)--generated by the reaction of oxygen and carbon dioxide
at the cathode--are preferably mixed at the one or more anode
electrodes of the fuel cell 12 as described above to generate
electricity at an electrical power density of at least 0.1
W/cm.sup.2, more preferably at least 0.15 W/cm.sup.2, or at least
0.2 W/cm.sup.2, or at least 0.3 W/cm.sup.2. Electricity may be
generated at such electrical power densities by selecting and
controlling the rate that the hydrogen gas stream is fed to anode
24 of fuel cell 12 and the rate that the oxidant-containing gas
stream is fed to cathode 26 of fuel cell 12. The flow rate of the
oxidant-containing gas stream to cathode 26 of fuel cell 12 may be
selected and controlled by adjusting oxidant gas inlet valve
46.
[0153] As described above, the flow rate of the hydrogen gas stream
to anode 24 of fuel cell 12 may be selected and controlled by
selecting and controlling the rate that the feed is fed to second
reformer 16, which in turn may be selected and controlled by the
rate that the hydrocarbon stream is fed to first reformer 14, which
may be selected and controlled by adjusting hydrocarbon stream
inlet valve 106. Alternatively, as described above, the rate that
the hydrogen gas stream is fed to anode 24 of fuel cell 12 may be
selected and controlled by controlling metering valves 36, 130,
132, and 134 in a coordinated manner. In an embodiment, metering
valves 36, 130, 132, and 134 may be automatically adjusted by a
feedback mechanism to maintain a selected flow rate of the hydrogen
gas stream to anode 24, where the feedback mechanism may operate
based upon measurements of hydrogen content in the anode exhaust
stream, or water content in the anode exhaust stream, or the ratio
of water formed in the fuel cell relative to hydrogen in the anode
exhaust stream.
[0154] In the process of the invention, mixing the hydrogen gas
stream and the oxidant at the one or more anode electrodes
generates water (as steam) by the oxidation of a portion of
hydrogen present in the hydrogen gas stream fed to fuel cell 12
with the oxidant. Water generated by the oxidation of hydrogen with
an oxidant is swept through anode 24 of fuel cell 12 by the
unreacted portion of the hydrogen gas stream to exit anode 24 as
part of the anode exhaust stream.
[0155] In an embodiment of the process of the invention, the flow
rate that the hydrogen gas stream is fed to anode 24 may be
selected and controlled so the ratio of amount of water formed in
fuel cell 12 per unit of time to the amount of hydrogen in the
anode exhaust per unit of time is at most 1.0, or at most 0.75, or
at most 0.67, or at most 0.43, or at most 0.25, or at most 0.11. In
an embodiment, the amount of water formed in fuel cell 12 and the
amount of hydrogen in the anode exhaust may be measured in moles so
that the ratio of the amount of water formed in the fuel cell per
unit of time to the amount of hydrogen in the anode exhaust per
unit of time in moles per unit of time is at most 1.0, or at most
0.75, or at most 0.67, or at most 0.43, or at most 0.25, or at most
0.11. In an embodiment, the flow rate that the hydrogen gas stream
is fed to anode 24 may be selected and controlled so the per pass
hydrogen utilization rate in fuel cell 12 is less than 50%, or at
most 45%, or at most 40%, or at most 30%, or at most 20%, or at
most 10%.
[0156] In another embodiment of the process of the invention, the
flow rate that the hydrogen gas stream is fed to anode 24 may be
selected and controlled so the anode exhaust stream contains at
least 0.6, or at least 0.7, or at least 0.8, or at least 0.9 mole
fraction hydrogen. In an another embodiment, the flow rate that the
hydrogen gas stream is fed to anode 24 may be selected and
controlled so the anode exhaust stream contains greater than 50%,
or at least 60%, or at least 70%, or at least 80%, or at least 90%
of the hydrogen in the hydrogen gas stream fed to anode 24.
EXAMPLES
[0157] Non-restrictive examples are set forth below. A UniSim.RTM.
simulation program (Honeywell) in combination with calculations for
cell potential was used to construct a detailed process simulation.
The UniSim program was used to obtain material balance and energy
balance data. The detailed process simulation was repeatedly solved
for the different values of hydrogen utilization, and other
relevant system parameters. The detailed process simulation output
included detailed composition data for all process streams entering
and exiting the MCFC. For high temperature fuel cells, activation
losses are small and the cell potential may be obtained over the
practical range of current densities by considering only ohmic and
electrode losses. As such, the cell potential (V) of a molten
carbonate fuel cell is the difference between the open circuit
voltage (E) and the losses (IR) as shown in Equation (1).
V=E-iR (1)
where V and E have units of volts or millivolts, i is the current
density (mA/cm.sup.2) and R (.OMEGA.cm.sup.2) is the combination of
Ohmic (R.sub.ohm), cathode (.eta..sub.c) and anode (.eta..sub.a)
resistance, combining electrolyte, cathode and anode together as
shown in Equation (2).
R=R.sub.ohm+.eta..sub.c+.eta..sub.a (2)
E is obtained from the Nernst equation:
E=E.sup.o+(RT/2F)ln(P.sub.H2P.sub.O2.sup.0.5P.sub.H2O)+(RT/2F)ln(P.sub.C-
O2.sup.c/P.sub.CO2.sup.a) (3)
where E is the standard cell potential, R is the universal gas
constant of 8.314472 JK.sup.-1 mol.sup.-1, T is the absolute
temperature, and F is the Faraday constant of 9.64853399.times.104
C mol.sup.-1. As shown, the cell voltage of a molten carbonate fuel
cell may be changed by varying the concentrations of carbon
dioxide, hydrogen, and oxygen.
Examples 1
[0158] The detailed process simulation described above was used to
simulate cell voltage versus current density and power density
formation for the molten carbonate fuel cell systems described
herein where the first reformer was heated by the anode exhaust,
with no other heating. For example, systems depicted by FIG. 1. The
heat for the second reformer was heated by exchange with the hot
effluent from the catalytic partial oxidation reformer. The output
temperature of the effluent from the catalytic partial oxidation
reformer was increased by using the cathode exhaust to preheat the
catalytic oxidation reformer air feed.
Example 2
[0159] The simulation described above was used to simulate cell
voltage versus current density and power density formation for
molten carbonate fuel cell systems described herein where the first
reformer is heated by anode exhaust and heat from a catalytic
partial oxidation reformer. For example, systems depicted in FIG.
2.
[0160] For Examples 1 and 2, the molten carbonate fuel cell was
operated at a pressure of 1 bara (about 0.1 MPa or about 1 atm) and
a temperature of 650.degree. C. The flow of feed to the cathode of
the molten carbonate fuel cell was counter current to the flow of
feed to the anode. Air was used as the source of oxygen. Values for
air were used to produce a molar ratio of carbon dioxide to
molecular oxygen of 2 at various hydrogen utilizations. The percent
hydrogen utilization for the molten carbonate fuel cell, operating
conditions of the first and second reformer, steam to carbon
ratios, and percent conversion of benzene to hydrogen for Example 1
and 2 simulations are listed in TABLE 1. R in Equation 2 was
obtained from J. Power Sources 2002, 112, pp. 509-518 and assumed
to be equal to 0.75 .OMEGA.cm.sup.2.
[0161] The data for Examples 1 and 2 simulations were compared to
literature values for cell voltage, current density, and power
density of state of the art molten carbonate fuel cells described
by Larmine et al., in "Fuel Cell Systems Explained," 2003, Wiley
& Sons, page 199.
TABLE-US-00001 TABLE 1 Pressure, Temp., 1.sup.st Temp., 2.sup.nd
2.sup.nd Steam/Carbon Steam/Carbon Conversion of H.sub.2 Reformer,
Reformer, Reformer, Ratio, 1.sup.st Ratio, 2.sup.nd Benzene to
Utilization, % .degree. C. .degree. C. bara Reformer Reformer
Hydrogen % 20 619 500 15 2.5 3 94 30 591 500 15 2.5 3 95 40 569 500
15 2.5 3 96 50 551 500 15 2.5 3 96 60 536 500 15 2.5 3 97
[0162] FIG. 4 depicts cell voltage (mV) versus current density
(mA/cm.sup.2) for the molten carbonate fuel cell systems simulated
in Examples 1 and 2 and literature values for a molten carbonate
fuel cell having an reformate as a feed. The molten carbonate fuel
cells were operated at a hydrogen utilization of 20% and 30%. Data
line 160 depicts cell voltage (mV) versus current density
(mA/cm.sup.2) at a hydrogen utilization of 20% for a molten
carbonate fuel cell system for Examples 1 and 2. Data line 162
depicts cell voltage (mV) versus current density (mA/cm.sup.2) at a
hydrogen utilization of 30% for Examples 1 and 2. Data line 164
depicts cell voltage (mV) versus current density (mA/cm.sup.2) for
state of the art molten carbonate fuel cell systems as described by
Larmine et al., in "Fuel Cell Systems Explained," 2003, Wiley &
Sons, page 199. As shown in FIG. 4, for a given current density,
the cell voltage of the molten carbonate fuel cell systems
described herein are higher than the cell voltage of state of the
art molten carbonate fuel cell having reformate gas as a feed.
[0163] FIG. 5 depicts power density (W/cm.sup.2) vs. current
density (mA/cm.sup.2) for the molten carbonate fuel cell system
simulated in Examples 1 and 2 operated at a hydrogen utilization of
20% and 30%, and literature values for a molten carbonate fuel cell
having reformate gas as a feed. Data line 166 depicts power density
(W/cm.sup.2) vs. current density (mA/cm.sup.2) at a hydrogen
utilization of 20% for Examples 1 and 2. Data line 168 depicts
power density (W/cm.sup.2) vs. current density (mA/cm.sup.2) at a
hydrogen utilization of 30% for Examples 1 and 2. Data line 170
depicts power density (W/cm.sup.2) vs. current density
(mA/cm.sup.2) for state of the art molten carbonate fuel cell
systems as described by Larmine et al., in "Fuel Cell Systems
Explained, 2003, Wiley & Sons, page 199. As shown in FIG. 5,
for a given current density, the power density of the molten
carbonate fuel cell systems described herein are higher than the
power density of the molten carbonate fuel cell having reformate
gas as a feed.
Example 3
[0164] The simulations described above were used to determine the
current density, cell voltage, and power density for a molten
carbonate fuel cell operated at 7 bara (about 0.7 MPa or about 7
atm) for a molten carbonate fuel cell system that includes the
first reformer heated by anode exhaust (for example, the system
depicted in FIG. 1). The molten carbonate fuel cell was operated at
a pressure of 7 bara and a temperature of 650.degree. C. at a
hydrogen utilization of 20% or 30%. The first reformer had a steam
to carbon ratio of 2.5. The temperature of the first reformer was
allowed to be varied. The second reformer, in combination with the
high temperature hydrogen-separation device, had a temperature of
500.degree. C. and a pressure of 15 bara. Air was used as the
source of oxygen. Values for air were used so that the ratio of
carbon dioxide to molecular oxygen in the cathode feed was
stoichiometric, thus minimizing cathode side concentration
polarization. In all cases, the combined carbon conversion values
for the system using benzene as the feed was between 93% and 95%.
Heat of reaction for the second reformer was supplied by heat
integration within the system. R was calculated by calculating the
individual terms in Equation 2 above separately by the method
described by C. Y. Yuh and J. R. Selman, in J. Electrochem. Soc.,
Vol. 138, No. 12, December 1991. For Example, 3, R was calculated
to be 0.57 .OMEGA.cm.sup.2.
[0165] FIG. 6 depicts cell voltage (mV) versus current density
(mA/cm.sup.2) for a molten carbonate fuel cell as depicted in FIG.
1. Data line 180 depicts cell voltage (mV) versus current density
(mA/cm.sup.2) at a hydrogen utilization of 20%. Data line 182
depicts cell voltage (mV) versus current density (mA/cm.sup.2) at a
hydrogen utilization of 30%. Comparing FIG. 4 with FIG. 8, at a
given current density, a higher cell voltage is observed for molten
carbonate fuel cell systems operated at pressures of about 7 bara
as compared to the cell voltages for molten carbonate fuel cell
systems operated at 1 bara.
[0166] FIG. 7 depicts power density (W/cm.sup.2) versus current
density for a molten carbonate fuel cell system as depicted in FIG.
1 and a state of the molten carbonate fuel cell. Data line 184
depicts power density (W/cm.sup.2) versus current density
(mA/cm.sup.2) at a hydrogen utilization of 20%. Data line 186
depicts power density (W/cm.sup.2) versus current density
(mA/cm.sup.2) at a hydrogen utilization of 30%. Data point 188
depicts power density (W/cm.sup.2) versus current density
(mA/cm.sup.2) for a state of the art molten carbonate fuel cell
system as described by J. R. Selman in Journal of Power Sources,
2006, pp. 852-857. As shown in FIG. 9, at a current density of
about 300 mA/cm.sup.2, the power density of the molten carbonate
fuel cell systems described herein are higher than the power
density of the state of the art molten carbonate fuel cell.
Example 4
[0167] Using the detailed process simulations described above, to
compare the use of methane to benzene as fuel sources for molten
carbonate fuel cell systems system where the first reformer was
heated by the anode exhaust, with no other heating. For example,
the system depicted in FIG. 1. Heat of reaction for the second
reformer was supplied with heat integration with the system. For
these simulations, the molten carbonate fuel cell was operated at a
pressure of 1 bara (about 0.1 MPa or about 1 atm) and a temperature
of 650.degree. C. Air was used as the source of oxygen. Values for
air were used to produce a molar ratio of carbon dioxide to
molecular oxygen of 2 at various hydrogen utilizations. The amount
of fuel feed to the first reformer was 100 kgmol/hr for benzene and
600 kgmol/hr for methane. The percent hydrogen utilization for the
molten carbonate fuel cell, operating conditions of the first and
second reformer, and steam to carbon ratios are listed in TABLE 2
for benzene and TABLE 3 for methane.
R in Equation 2 was obtained from J. Power Sources 2002, 112, pp.
509-518 and assumed to be equal to 0.75 .OMEGA.cm.sup.2.
TABLE-US-00002 TABLE 2 Temp., Temp., Pressure, Steam/ Steam/
H.sub.2 1.sup.st 2.sup.nd 2.sup.nd Carbon Carbon Utilization,
Reformer, Reformer, Reformer, Ratio, 1.sup.st Ratio, 2.sup.nd %
.degree. C. .degree. C. bara Reformer Reformer 20 605 500 15 3.0 3
30 574 500 15 3.2 3 40 549 500 15 3.3 3 50 527 500 15 3.3 3
TABLE-US-00003 TABLE 3 Temp., Temp., Pressure, Steam/ Steam/
H.sub.2 1.sup.st 2.sup.nd 2.sup.nd Carbon Carbon Utilization,
Reformer, Reformer, Reformer, Ratio, 1.sup.st Ratio, 2.sup.nd %
.degree. C. .degree. C. bara Reformer Reformer 20 624 500 15 1.9 3
30 596 500 15 2.0 3 40 574 500 15 2.1 3 50 555 500 15 2.1 3
[0168] FIG. 8 depicts cell voltage (mV) versus current density
(mA/cm.sup.2) for molten carbonate fuel cell systems using benzene
or methane as a fuel source. Data line 182 depicts cell voltage
(mV) versus current density (mA/cm.sup.2) at a hydrogen utilization
of 20% using benzene as a feed source. Data line 184 depicts cell
voltage (mV) versus current density (mA/cm.sup.2) at a hydrogen
utilization of 20% using methane as a feed source. As shown in FIG.
8, at all current densities, a higher cell voltage is observed for
molten carbonate fuel cell systems when benzene is used as a fuel
source for the first reformer.
[0169] As shown in Examples 1-4, the systems and processes for
operating a molten carbonate fuel cell described herein that
provide a hydrogen-containing stream comprising molecular hydrogen
to a molten carbonate fuel cell anode; heat a hydrocarbon stream,
at least a majority of which is comprised of hydrocarbons that are
liquid at 20.degree. C. and atmospheric pressure, with a heat
source comprising an anode exhaust from the molten carbonate fuel
cell anode; contact at least a portion of the heated hydrocarbon
stream with a catalyst to produce a steam reforming feed comprising
gaseous hydrocarbons, hydrogen, and at least one carbon oxide;
separate at least a portion of the molecular hydrogen from the
steam reforming feed; and provide at least a portion of the
separated molecular hydrogen to the molten carbonate fuel cell
anode as at least a portion of the stream comprising molecular
hydrogen produce higher current densities at given cell voltages
and higher power densities for given current densities than state
of the art molten fuel cell systems using a reformate gas as
fuel.
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