The invention relates to a supply device for compressed air to a plurality of cathodes (100a-100d) of a fuel cell system, characterized in that it comprises a motorized compressor (12) configured to provide a source of compressed air to all of the cathodes (100a-100d), a group of ducts configured to conduct the compressed air to each cathode (100a-100d), for each cathode (100a-100d), a proportioning valve (20a-20d) upstream or downstream of said cathode (100a-100d) which is configured to regulate the flow rate of compressed air passing through said cathode (100a-100d), anti-pumping protection means (30, 32) configured to allow the flow of a minimum flow rate of compressed air leaving the compressor (12), and a control device (24) configured to control the speed of the compressor (12) and the opening or closing of each proportioning valve (20a-20d) and/or the operation of the anti-pumping protection means (30, 32).

Power plant system and method of operating the same, the power plant system having a solid oxide fuel cell and a gas turbine, wherein the fuel cell and the gas turbine are set up such that compressed charge air of a compressor of the gas turbine can be provided to the fuel cell and/or an exhaust gas of the fuel cell can be provided to a combustion chamber of the gas turbine, wherein the system is configured such that the solid oxide fuel cell can be operated in a cell mode as well as in an electrolysis mode and wherein the solid oxide fuel cell is set up such that an excess grid energy is used for executing an electrolysis in the electrolysis mode of the fuel cell and thereby to chemically reduce water and/or carbon dioxide into hydrogen and/or syngas.

A combustion section defines an axial direction, a radial direction, and a circumferential direction. The combustion section includes a casing that defines a diffusion chamber. A combustion liner is disposed within the diffusion chamber and defines a combustion chamber. The combustion liner is spaced apart from the casing such that a passageway is defined between the combustion liner and the casing. A fuel cell assembly is disposed in the passageway. The fuel cell assembly includes a fuel cell that extends between an inlet end and an outlet end. The inlet end receives a flow of air and fuel and the outlet end provides output products to the combustion chamber. The fuel cell extends at an angle between the inlet end and the outlet end relative to a radial projection line.

A hydrogen circulation system for use with a fuel cell stack includes a supply line for receiving hydrogen gas from a supply of hydrogen, a fuel cell for receiving hydrogen gas from the supply line, an excess hydrogen line for receiving excess hydrogen from the fuel cell, and a turbocharger coupled to the excess hydrogen line and the supply line, to receive excess hydrogen from the excess hydrogen line, compress it, and return it to the supply line, the turbocharger being powered in use by hydrogen gas from the supply line.

An integrated fuel cell and combustor assembly, and a related method. The assembly includes a combustor having a combustor geometry and a combustor exit temperature. The assembly further includes multiple fuel cells fluidly coupled to the combustor, the multiple fuel cells being configured to generate a fuel cell power output using fuel and air directed into the multiple fuel cells and to direct a fuel and air exhaust from the multiple fuel cells into the combustor. The multiple fuel cells include multiple fuel cell control groups arranged in a predetermined electrical configuration about the combustor geometry. Each of the multiple fuel cell control groups has an adjustable electrical current bias.

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.

An integrated fuel cell and engine combustor assembly includes an engine combustor having a combustion chamber fluidly coupled with a compressor and a turbine. The assembly also includes a fuel cell stack circumferentially extending around the combustion chamber of the combustor. The fuel cell stack includes fuel cells configured to generate electric current. The fuel cell stack is positioned to receive discharged air from the compressor and fuel from a fuel manifold. The fuel cells in the fuel cell stack generate electric current using the discharged air and at least some of the fuel. The fuel cell stack is positioned to radially direct partially oxidized fuel from the fuel cells into the combustion chamber of the combustor. The combustor combusts the partially oxidized fuel into one or more gaseous combustion products that are directed into and drive the downstream turbine.

A power generation system including a first fuel cell configured to generate a first anode tail gas stream is presented. The system includes at least one fuel reformer configured to receive the first anode tail gas stream, mix the first anode tail gas stream with a reformer fuel stream to form a reformed stream; a splitting mechanism to split the reformed stream into a first portion and a second portion; and a fuel path configured to circulate the first portion to an anode inlet of the first fuel cell, such that the first fuel cell is configured to generate a first electric power, at least in part, by using the first portion as a fuel. The system includes a second fuel cell configured to receive the second portion, and to generate a second electric power, at least in part, by using the second portion as a fuel.

A fuel cell equipped vehicle system in which an external power supply is coupled to an electric power supply line, the electric power supply line being coupled to a fuel cell, an electric power being input/output to/from a vehicular battery through the electric power supply line, the fuel cell equipped vehicle system performing an insulation test of the electric power supply line before charging the vehicular battery, the fuel cell equipped vehicle system including an insulation test unit configured to perform the insulation test of the electric power supply line; a switch that couples and cuts off between the fuel cell and the electric power supply line; and a control unit configured to control a coupling and a cutoff to/from the electric power supply line of the vehicular battery and control the switch, wherein the control unit is configured to cut off the vehicular battery from the electric power supply line and control the switch to cut off the fuel cell from the electric power supply line, and then drive the insulation test unit.

A control device for a vehicle includes a fuel cell, a motor-generator, a power unit, a transmission, a motor-generator control unit configured to perform a power control on the motor-generator based on a driver request torque, and a generated power control unit configured to control the generated power of the fuel cell based on a load of the fuel cell including the motor-generator. The motor-generator control unit performs a shifting power control for decreasing a rotation speed of the motor-generator during an upshift of the transmission, and a power control on the motor-generator based on a limit torque of the motor-generator during the shifting power control. The limit torque of the motor-generator being calculated based on an actual generated power of the fuel cell per unit time and an acceptable power of the power unit per unit time.