Various designs and configurations of and methods of operating fuel cell units, fuel cell systems and combined heat and power systems are provided that permit efficient thermal management of such units and systems to improve their operation.

The present invention relates to a method for heating a fuel cell system (1a; 1b; 1c; 1d) comprising at least one fuel cell stack (2) with an anode portion (3) and a cathode portion (4), and a reformer (5) upstream of the anode portion (3) for steam reforming using a fuel, the reformer (5) comprising a nickel-based catalyst, said method having the following steps: starting a heating process for heating the fuel cell system (1a; 1b; 1c; 1d) with a heating device (6) and conducting a carbon-containing fluid and conducting steam through the nickel-based catalyst of the reformer (5) during the heating process. The invention also relates to a fuel cell system (1a; 1b; 1c; 1d) which is designed to carry out a method according to the invention.

A chemical reactor includes one or more solid oxide fuel cells, each cell having an electrolyte layer joining a cathode and an anode, the one or more fuel cell cathodes being located in a first gas zone of the reactor, and the one or more fuel cell anodes being located in a second gas zone of the reactor. The chemical reactor further includes a first gas supply route for supplying a flow of oxidant to the first gas zone. The chemical reactor further includes a second gas supply route for supplying a flow of reactant to the second gas zone. The chemical reactor further includes a gas removal route for removing a flow of reaction products away from the second gas zone. The chemical reactor further includes one or more leakage paths which fluidly connect the first gas zone to the second gas zone such that a leakage flow of oxidant leaks from the first gas zone into the second gas zone to support a direct exothermic chemical reaction between the oxidant and the reactant, while substantially preventing a reverse flow of reactant into the first gas zone. The reaction products are a mixture of reaction product from the direct reaction and reaction product from an indirect electrochemical oxidation reaction of the reactant at the anode or anodes. The reactor further includes a catalyst in the second gas zone for catalysing the direct reaction, and a controller for drawing a controlled electric current from the fuel cell or cells to control the rate of the indirect reaction and thereby the temperature of the catalyst.

A fuel cell module includes: a cell stack apparatus including a cell stack including an array of a plurality of fuel cells, a manifold which feeds a fuel gas to each of the fuel cells, and a reformer which reforms a raw fuel; an oxygen-containing gas introduction plate which feeds an oxygen-containing gas to each of the fuel cells; and a housing which houses the cell stack apparatus and the oxygen-containing gas introduction plate. The housing includes a box having an open side and a lid which closes the open side of the box, and the box has a length of the open side which is greater than a maximum length of a projected plane of the cell stack apparatus as viewed from a lateral side of the cell stack apparatus.

Methods and apparatus for generating electric power from a fuel cell are disclosed. In embodiments, a fuel cell for generating electric power includes: a first electrochemical cell including a first electrode and second electrode, wherein the first electrochemical cell is configured to generate a first stage electric power (P1) from a fuel source; and a bi-cell including a second electrochemical cell and third electrochemical cell, wherein the second electrochemical cell includes a third electrode in fluid communication with the fuel source, and a fourth electrode, wherein the second electrochemical cell is configured to generate hydrogen gas from the fuel source and transport the hydrogen gas to a third electrochemical cell, and wherein the third electrochemical cell includes the fourth electrode, and a fifth electrode in fluid communication with a second air source, wherein the fourth electrode is configured for use by the second electrochemical cell as a cathode for hydrogen generation, and by the third electrochemical cell as an anode for hydrogen oxidation, and wherein the third electrochemical cell is configured to generate a second stage electric power (P2).

A carbon dioxide recovery system for collecting carbon dioxide from an exhaust gas generated in a facility including a combustion device includes: a first exhaust gas passage through which the exhaust gas containing carbon dioxide flows; a fuel cell including an anode, a cathode disposed on the first exhaust gas passage so that the exhaust gas from the first exhaust gas passage is supplied to the cathode, and an electrolyte transferring, from the cathode to the anode, a carbonate ion derived from carbon dioxide contained in the exhaust gas from the first exhaust gas passage; and a second exhaust gas passage diverging from the first exhaust gas passage upstream of the cathode so as to bypass the cathode. A part of the exhaust gas is introduced to the second exhaust gas passage.

A chemical reactor includes one or more solid oxide fuel cells, each cell having an electrolyte layer joining a cathode and an anode, the one or more fuel cell cathodes being located in a first gas zone of the reactor, and the one or more fuel cell anodes being located in a second gas zone of the reactor. The chemical reactor further includes a first gas supply route for supplying a flow of oxidant to the first gas zone. The chemical reactor further includes a second gas supply route for supplying a flow of reactant to the second gas zone. The chemical reactor further includes a gas removal route for removing a flow of reaction products away from the second gas zone. The chemical reactor further includes one or more leakage paths which fluidly connect the first gas zone to the second gas zone such that a leakage flow of oxidant leaks from the first gas zone into the second gas zone to support a direct exothermic chemical reaction between the oxidant and the reactant, while substantially preventing a reverse flow of reactant into the first gas zone. The reaction products are a mixture of reaction product from the direct reaction and reaction product from an indirect electrochemical oxidation reaction of the reactant at the anode or anodes. The reactor further includes a catalyst in the second gas zone for catalysing the direct reaction, and a controller for drawing a controlled electric current from the fuel cell or cells to control the rate of the indirect reaction and thereby the temperature of the catalyst.

A fuel cell module includes fuel cells and an air supply system. The fuel cells are arranged in a cell stack. The air supply system is configured to supply air into an air distribution space for operating or cooling the fuel cells. The fuel cells are stacked in an axial direction. The air supply system is configured such that cooling results due to the air supplied to the fuel cells not being of uniform strength in the axial direction. The air supply system is arranged completely radially outside the cell stack.

An individual solid oxide cell (SOC) constructed of a sandwich configuration including in the following order: an oxygen electrode, a solid oxide electrolyte, a fuel electrode, a fuel manifold, and at least one layer of mesh. In one embodiment, the mesh supports a reforming catalyst resulting in a solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC) having a reformer embedded therein. The reformer-modified SOFC functions internally to steam reform or partially oxidize a gaseous hydrocarbon, e.g. methane, to a gaseous reformate of hydrogen and carbon monoxide, which is converted in the SOC to water, carbon dioxide, or a mixture thereof, and an electrical current. In another embodiment, an electrical insulator is disposed between the fuel manifold and the mesh resulting in a solid oxide electrolysis cell (SOEC), which functions to electrolyze water and/or carbon dioxide.

An apparatus can include a housing, a plurality of electrochemical devices disposed within the housing, and a heat exchanger disposed within the housing. The heat exchanger can be faced with an oxidant-containing gas outlet surface of at least one of the plurality of electrochemical devices. The electrochemical devices can include a stack of solid oxide fuel cells, a battery, or a solid oxide electrolyzer cell.