A method of operating a fuel cell system includes providing fuel and air to a stack of fuel cells located in a hotbox, operating the stack to generate an anode exhaust and a cathode exhaust, in a startup mode, providing a first amount of the anode exhaust and the cathode exhaust to an anode tail gas oxidizer (ATO) located in the hotbox to oxidize the anode exhaust and to generate heat which is provided to the stack, and in a steady-state mode, stopping providing the anode exhaust to the ATO or providing to the ATO a second amount of the anode exhaust which is smaller than the first amount, and providing the anode exhaust and the cathode exhaust outside the hotbox.

An electrolyzer system and a fuel cell system that include hydrogen blowers configured to compress hydrogen streams generated by the systems. The electrolyzer system includes a steam generator configured to generate steam, a stack of solid oxide electrolyzer cells configured to generate a hydrogen stream using the steam received from the steam generator, a hydrogen blower configured to pressurize the hydrogen stream generated by the stack, and a hydrogen processor configured to compress the pressurized hydrogen stream.

A fuel cell system and method, the system including a hotbox, a fuel cell stack disposed in the hotbox, an anode tail gas oxidizer (ATO) disposed in the hotbox, and a fuel exhaust processor fluidly connected to the hotbox. The fuel exhaust processor includes a first hydrogen pump configured to extract hydrogen from the anode exhaust received from the fuel cell stack and to output the hydrogen to a first hydrogen stream provided to the fuel cell stack, a second hydrogen pump configured to extract hydrogen from anode exhaust output from the first hydrogen pump and to output the hydrogen to the first hydrogen stream, and a third hydrogen pump configured to extract hydrogen from anode exhaust output from the second hydrogen pump and to output the hydrogen to a second hydrogen stream provided to the ATO.

A fuel cell system anode tail gas oxidizer (ATO) includes an inner ATO wall, an outer ATO wall, and a first catalyst ring disposed in a chamber formed between the inner ATO wall and the outer ATO wall. The first catalyst ring includes an inner wall, an outer wall, and a matrix disposed between the inner wall and the outer wall and loaded with an oxidation catalyst.

A fuel cell system includes at least one hot box including a fuel cell stack and producing an anode exhaust product, at least one hydrogen pump, at least one product conduit fluidly connecting an anode exhaust product outlet of the hot box to an inlet of the at least one hydrogen pump, a compressed hydrogen product conduit connected to a compressed hydrogen product outlet of the at least one hydrogen pump, and at least one effluent conduit connected to an unpumped effluent outlet of the at least one hydrogen pump. Additional embodiments include a fuel cell system in which the anode exhaust product stream is provided to at least one carbon dioxide pump to generate a compressed carbon dioxide product and an unpumped effluent that may be recycled to the at least one hot box of the fuel cell system. In various embodiments, the fuel cell system may use or recapture essentially all of the hydrogen content and nearly all of the carbon content of the input fuel that is provided to the fuel cell system.

The invention relates to a side-channel compressor (1) for a fuel cell system (37) for conveying and/or compressing a gas, particularly hydrogen, comprising a housing (3), the housing (3) comprising a housing upper part (7) and a housing lower part (8), a compressor chamber (30) located in the housing (3), comprising at least one peripheral side channel (19), a compressor wheel (2) arranged in the housing (3), which is rotatably arranged about an axis of rotation (4), the compressor wheel (2) comprising blades (5) arranged on the periphery thereof in the region of the compressor chamber (30), and respectively a gas inlet (14) embodied in the housing and a gas outlet (16) which are fluidically interconnected by means of the compressor chamber (30), particularly the at least one side channel (19). According to the invention, the compressor wheel (2) comprises a peripheral stop ring (11) on the periphery thereof, which extends around the compressor wheel (2) in a rotationally symmetric manner in relation to the axis of rotation (4).

The present invention relates to a fuel cell system comprising a fuel supply unit, at least one high-temperature fuel cell having a cathode and an anode and an electrolyte between the cathode and anode. The cathode has a cathode supply line and the anode has an anode supply line, wherein the anode is fluidically connected via the anode supply line to the fuel supply unit. Furthermore, a reforming device is arranged in the anode supply line. In addition, an anode exhaust gas line is provided for at least discharging anode exhaust gas from the anode. The fuel cell system has an exhaust gas heat exchanger for cooling exhaust gas and a recirculation conveyor for returning anode exhaust gas to the reforming device. The recirculation conveyor and the exhaust gas heat exchanger are connected to one another in fluid communication for respective cooling via a common cooling circuit, which has a central cooling fluid store as a fluid source with a heat exchanger and in which cooling fluid can be circulated in a cooling line. In addition, the cooling circuit has at least one pump for conveying cooling fluid. The invention further relates to a method for cooling a fuel cell system.

A fuel cell system includes a fuel cell stack having a hydrogen hole in which hydrogen gas passes, a hydrogen-related auxiliary machine, and a hydrogen pipe that connects the hydrogen hole and the hydrogen-related auxiliary machine. The hydrogen pipe includes a liquid retention part that is located below the hydrogen hole, and a connecting point between the hydrogen pipe and the hydrogen-related auxiliary machine in a gravity direction.

A vehicle may include a fuel cell system configured for generating electrical energy used in the vehicle using hydrogen, an engine system including an engine and configured for generating power of the vehicle using hydrogen, an exhaust system that purifies exhaust gas discharged from the engine, and a hydrogen supply system connected to the fuel cell system, the engine system and the exhaust system, and configured for supplying the hydrogen used in the fuel cell system and the engine system, and ammonia (NH3) used in the exhaust system.

A fuel cell system includes a fuel cell stack in fluid communication with a separator. The separator has a first portion and a second portion forming a chamber. The first portion has a continuous inner wall and an end wall, with an inlet conduit connected to the inner wall and a liquid drain connected to the end wall. The second portion has an end wall and an outlet conduit extending into the chamber to form a channel with the inner wall of the first portion. A fuel cell separator includes a first end and a second end connected by a side wall to define a separation chamber. An inlet conduit is tangentially connected to the wall. An outlet conduit is connected to the first end and extending into the chamber to form a channel with the wall. A liquid drain is connected to the second end.