An energy storage system includes a power plant configured to generate an exhaust gas comprising carbon dioxide. The energy storage system further includes a first fuel cell configured to operate in reverse as an electrolyzer. The first fuel cell is configured to receive at least a portion of the exhaust gas from the power plant. An anode is configured to receive carbon dioxide via the exhaust gas and methane from a separate feed, and the anode is configured to output a hydrogen-containing gas mixture. The energy storage system further includes a reformer configured to methanate the hydrogen-containing gas mixture to convert substantially all of the carbon monoxide in the hydrogen-containing gas mixture to methane. The energy storage system further includes a second fuel cell operating in reverse as a hydrogen pump, the second fuel cell configured to separate hydrogen from a gas mixture output by the reformer.

A hybrid fuel cell system includes a fuel supply system including a fuel tank, a start-up subsystem, a reforming subsystem and a depressurization system. The reforming subsystem is to receive fuel and to reform fuel to generate a hydrogen enriched gases and steam mixture. The hybrid fuel cell system includes a water supply system that provides water for the steam generator. The water supply system includes a water condenser directly downstream from the reforming subsystem that is in fluid communication with the hydrogen enriched gases and steam mixture to condense the hydrogen enriched gases and steam mixture into water and hydrogen enriched gases. The depressurization system is to reduce a pressure of the hydrogen enriched gases. The hybrid fuel cell system includes a fuel cell stack downstream from the depressurization system and having an anode inlet in fluid communication with the depressurization system to receive the hydrogen enriched gases.

The present invention relates to a fuel cell system (100a, 100b, 100c) comprising a fuel cell stack (5) having an anode portion (5a) and a cathode portion (5b), a reformer (3) for reforming fuel for use in the anode portion (5a) of the fuel cell stack (5), and a fuel tank (1) for providing the fuel to the reformer (3), wherein downstream of the fuel tank (1) and upstream of the reformer (3) there is located a desulphurization unit (2) with an adsorber (2a) for the adsorptive desulphurization of fuel, which is conducted from the fuel tank (1) via the desulphurization unit (2) to the reformer (3), wherein the adsorber (2a) is provided with anodes (5a) and cathode portions (5b) and/or an internal combustion engine (11) of the fuel cell system (100a; 100b; 100c) is in fluid communication by means of a regeneration fluid line (12), wherein fluid heated by the regeneration fluid line (12) can be conveyed from the anode portion (5a) and cathode portion (5b) and/or from the internal combustion engine (11) to the adsorber (2a). The invention also concerns a method for the thermal regeneration of desulphurization adsorbates and a motor vehicle equipped with the fuel cell system (100a, 100b, 100c) in accordance with the invention.

A hybrid stationary power generator is provided. The system is fueled from natural gas and based on SOFCs and high efficiency, internal combustion (IC) engine technologies is conceived to generate electric power at 100-kW scale with an efficiency of 71% and a capital cost of <900 $/kW. This novel system integrates a solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC) stack with a high efficiency stationary engine and balance-of-plant (BOP) equipment to create a hybrid power system.

The present application provides combined cycle fuel cell systems that include a fuel cell, such as a solid-oxide fuel cell (SOFC), comprising an anode that generates a tail gas and a cathode that generates cathode exhaust. The system or plant may include adding fuel, such as processed or refined tail gas, to the inlet air stream of a reformer to heat the reformer. The system or plant may include removing water from the tail gas and recycling the removed water into an inlet fuel stream. The inlet air stream may be the cathode exhaust stream of the fuel cell, and the inlet fuel stream may be input hydrocarbon fuel that is directed to the reformer to produce hydrogen-rich reformate. The system or plant may direct some of the processed or refined tail gas to a bottoming cycle.

Apparatus are provided for a hybrid fuel cell system. The hybrid fuel cell system includes a fuel supply system. The fuel supply system includes a fuel source, a reforming subsystem and a depressurization system. The fuel source is in fluid communication with the reforming subsystem. The reforming subsystem reforms the fuel from the fuel source to generate hydrogen enriched gases, and the reforming subsystem is in fluid communication with the depressurization system. The depressurization system reduces a pressure of the hydrogen enriched gases. The hybrid fuel cell system also includes a fuel cell stack in communication with the depressurization system to receive the hydrogen enriched gases at the reduced pressure.

Aircraft systems including a pressurized fuel tank containing a pressurized fuel, a turbo expander configured to receive the pressurized fuel from the fuel tank, the turbo expander configured to decrease a pressure of the pressurized fuel to generate low pressure fuel having pressure less than the pressurized fuel, a fuel-to-air heat exchanger configured to receive the low pressure fuel from the turbo expander as a first working fluid and air as a second working fluid, the heat exchanger configured to cool the air and warm the fuel, an aircraft cabin configured to receive the cooled air, and a fuel consumption system configured to consume the fuel to generate power.

A system and method for predictive fuel cell management system for an integrated hydrogen-electric engine is disclosed. The system includes a fuel cell stack having a plurality of fuel cells and a computer having a memory and one or more processors. The one or more processors configured to predict, during a first phase of energy demand on the integrated hydrogen-electric engine, an impending occurrence of a second phase of energy demand on the integrated hydrogen-electric engine, wherein the second phase of energy demand includes a predetermined energy demand; and generate a predetermined amount of energy from the plurality of fuel cells based on the predicted second phase of energy demand prior to starting the second phase of energy demand to improve energy efficiency and performance of the integrated hydrogen-electric engine.

A system and method to transfer and circulate energy and mass in a closed cycle, includes a machine to efficiently harvest energy potential to generate electrical power, operate a self-charging virtual battery, and produce pure oxygen based upon the application of the scientific principles of electrochemistry and gravitation by combining existing technological components and associated functions.

A combined gas turbine engine and hydrogen fuel cell system includes a hydrogen fuelled gas turbine engine, a cryogenic liquid hydrogen fuel tank, a first fuel offtake configured and arranged to divert a portion of hydrogen fuel from a main fuel conduit, a burner configured and arranged to burn the portion of hydrogen fuel diverted from the main fuel conduit, a heat exchanger configured and arranged to transfer heat from exhaust gasses produced by the burner to hydrogen fuel in the main fuel conduit, a second fuel offtake arranged to divert a portion of hydrogen fuel from the main fuel conduit downstream of the heat exchanger, and a hydrogen fuel cell configured and arranged to produce electric power using hydrogen fuel diverted from the second fuel offtake.