Molten carbonate fuel cells (MCFCs) are operated at elevated pressure to provide increased operating voltage and/or enhanced CO.sub.2 utilization with a cathode input stream having a low CO.sub.2 content. It has been discovered that increasing the operating pressure of a molten carbonate fuel cell when using a low CO.sub.2-content cathode input stream can provide unexpectedly large increases in operating voltage while also reducing or minimizing the amount of alternative ion transport and/or enhancing CO.sub.2 utilization.

This present invention describes methods and systems for integrating liquid-phase, electrochemical and chemical processes into power generation, petrochemical, metal, cement and other industrial process plants, in such a manner as to capture and recycle all input carbon into cost-competitive hydrogen, oxygen and hydrocarbons. These integrated systems will recover internally generated losses in chemical potential (AG Gibbs Free or Available Energy) as well as waste heat (ΔH—Enthalpy), and sometimes electricity, to assist in driving these electrochemical and chemical processes, which will increase the total useful output of the process plants, thereby increasing thermal, carbon and economic efficiency.

Disclosed here is a supported catalyst comprising a thermally stable core, wherein the thermally stable core comprises a metal oxide support and nickel disposed in the metal oxide support, wherein the metal oxide support comprises at least one base metal oxide and at least one transition metal oxide or rare earth metal oxide mixed with or dispersed in the base metal oxide. Optionally the supported catalyst can further comprise an electrolyte removing layer coating the thermally stable core and/or an electrolyte repelling layer coating the electrolyte removing layer, wherein the electrolyte removing layer comprises at least one metal oxide, and wherein the electrolyte repelling layer comprises at least one of graphite, metal carbide and metal nitride. Also disclosed is a molten carbonate fuel cell comprising the supported catalyst as a direct internal reforming catalyst.

Systems and methods are provided for using fuel cell staging to reduce or minimize variations in current density when operating molten carbonate fuel cells with elevated CO.sub.2 utilization. The fuel cell staging can mitigate the amount of alternative ion transport that occurs when operating molten carbonate fuel cells under conditions for elevated CO.sub.2 utilization.

A composite comprising a compound formed using a multistage magnesiothermic reduction reaction, wherein the compound comprises particles comprising silicon and oxygen. Applications of the composite in electrochemical cells are further described.

A fuel-cell system is disclosed. The fuel cell system includes: a system module having one or more fuel-cell stacks, a first reformer for converting at least some of hydrocarbon fuel into hydrogen, and supplying the hydrogen to the fuel-cell stacks, and a housing for receiving the fuel-cell stacks, and the first reformer therein; and a start-up module disposed outside the housing, and removably coupled to the system module, wherein the start-up module supplies hydrogen-containing fuel to the fuel-cell stacks until a temperature of the fuel-cell stack reaches a predetermined temperature.

A fuel-cell system is disclosed. The fuel cell system includes: a system module having one or more fuel-cell stacks, a first reformer for converting at least some of hydrocarbon fuel into hydrogen, and supplying the hydrogen to the fuel-cell stacks, and a housing for receiving the fuel-cell stacks, and the first reformer therein; and a start-up module disposed outside the housing, and removably coupled to the system module, wherein the start-up module supplies hydrogen-containing fuel to the fuel-cell stacks until a temperature of the fuel-cell stack reaches a predetermined temperature.

A fuel cell system includes a fuel cell unit configured to generate an amount of electrical power for supply to a varying electrical load and a fuel cell controller configured to receive a first indication that the varying electrical load is at a local maximum within a predetermined period, and, in response, operate the fuel cell unit with an operational parameter having a first value such that the fuel cell unit produces a limited maximum amount of electrical power that is a predetermined percentage of a maximum rated power output of the fuel cell unit. The fuel cell controller is also configured to receive an indication that the varying electrical load has reduced, and, in response, operate the fuel cell unit with the operational parameter having a second value such that the fuel cell unit produces an amount of electrical power below the limited maximum amount of electrical power.

A reforming element for a molten carbonate fuel cell stack and corresponding methods are provided that can reduce or minimize temperature differences within the fuel cell stack when operating the fuel cell stack with enhanced CO.sub.2 utilization. The reforming element can include at least one surface with a reforming catalyst deposited on the surface. A difference between the minimum and maximum reforming catalyst density and/or activity on a first portion of the at least one surface can be 20% to 75%, with the highest catalyst densities and/or activities being in proximity to the side of the fuel cell stack corresponding to at least one of the anode inlet and the cathode inlet.

A reforming element for a molten carbonate fuel cell stack and corresponding methods are provided that can reduce or minimize temperature differences within the fuel cell stack when operating the fuel cell stack with enhanced CO.sub.2 utilization. The reforming element can include at least one surface with a reforming catalyst deposited on the surface. A difference between the minimum and maximum reforming catalyst density and/or activity on a first portion of the at least one surface can be 20% to 75%, with the highest catalyst densities and/or activities being in proximity to the side of the fuel cell stack corresponding to at least one of the anode inlet and the cathode inlet.