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.

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 fuel cell system column includes a first terminal plate connected to a first electrical output of the column, a second terminal plate connected to a second electrical output of the column, at least one first fuel cell stack located in a middle portion of the column between the first terminal plate and the second terminal plate, and at least one electrical connection which is electrically connected to the middle portion of the column and which is configured to provide a more uniform fuel utilization across the first column.

In a metal support mostly used for a metal-supported solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC), a SOFC system that improves the power generation efficiency by allowing a gas to smoothly flow into or flow out from the through-holes is achieved. A metal support is formed in a plate shape as a whole and has a plurality of through-holes penetrating from a front surface on which an electrode layer is provided to a back surface, and the metal support has inclined through-holes, as the through-holes each of which has a central axis inclined with respect to a thickness direction.

A steam generator for a fuel cell system having a heat exchanger (34) with at least one internal heat exchange surface, a water inflow pipe (46), a dripper head (52) with a flow passageway fluidly connected to the water inflow pipe (46). The dripper head (52) extends inside the heat exchanger (52) above the heat exchange surface for feeding water down onto the heat exchange surface for conversion into steam. The dripper head (52) has outlet holes (56) spaced along the flow passageway and between adjacent outlet (holes 56) the dripper head has a stepped profile on at least its underside to prevent droplets from adjacent holes coalescing. A fuel inflow pipe can have a section mounted coaxially to a part of the water inflow pipe (46). The fuel inflow pipe's section can surround the water inflow pipe's part. In a fuel cell system with a steam generator, the steam generator can include the fuel inflow pipe and a combined steam and fuel outlet and a reformer directly or indirectly connected downstream of the steam generator.

A steam generator for a fuel cell system having a heat exchanger (34) with at least one internal heat exchange surface, a water inflow pipe (46), a dripper head (52) with a flow passageway fluidly connected to the water inflow pipe (46). The dripper head (52) extends inside the heat exchanger (52) above the heat exchange surface for feeding water down onto the heat exchange surface for conversion into steam. The dripper head (52) has outlet holes (56) spaced along the flow passageway and between adjacent outlet (holes 56) the dripper head has a stepped profile on at least its underside to prevent droplets from adjacent holes coalescing. A fuel inflow pipe can have a section mounted coaxially to a part of the water inflow pipe (46). The fuel inflow pipe's section can surround the water inflow pipe's part. In a fuel cell system with a steam generator, the steam generator can include the fuel inflow pipe and a combined steam and fuel outlet and a reformer directly or indirectly connected downstream of the steam generator.

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.

The fuel cell system includes a fuel cell including a cell stack configured to have a reforming catalyst for generating hydrogen from hydrocarbon, a first flow path configured to supply a fuel containing hydrocarbon to the cell stack, and a second flow path configured to supply an oxidant gas to the cell stack such that the oxidant gas flows oppositely or orthogonally to the fuel. The control method for the fuel cell system including: detecting a temperature of a discharged oxidant gas that is the oxidant gas discharged from the second flow path; and performing a temperature control of the fuel cell based on the temperature of the discharged oxidant gas.

A light-driven fuel cell includes a cathode, an anode, and a proton-permeable membrane between the anode and the cathode. The anode includes a photocatalyst for anaerobic methane oxidation reaction, and when the anode is supplied with methane and water and is irradiated with light, methanol, protons and electrons are generated by anaerobic methane oxidation reaction from the methane and the water supplied to the anode; the protons pass through the proton-permeable membrane and move to the cathode; and the electrons move to the cathode via an external circuit. The cathode includes a photocatalyst for aerobic methane oxidation reaction, and when the cathode is supplied with methane and oxygen and is irradiated with light, methanol and water are generated by aerobic methane oxidation reaction from the methane and the oxygen supplied to the cathode and the protons and the electrons moved from the anode.