SYSTEM FOR THE GENERATION OF ELECTRIC POWER ON-BOARD A MOTOR VEHICLE WHICH IS EQUIPPED WITH A FUEL CELL AND ASSOCIATED METHOD

摘要

The invention relates to a system for the generation of electric power on-board a motor vehicle of the type that comprises a fuel cell (1), a reformer for supplying the fuel cell with hydrogen-rich gas, an air-compression device (21, 28) and a control unit (9) which is used to control the operation of the reformer. The invention is characterised in that the reformer comprises a main cold-plasma reformer (7) and an auxiliary cold-plasma reformer (8) which are mounted in parallel upstream of the fuel cell (1). In addition, a control valve (12), which is controlled by the control unit, is mounted upstream of the two cold-plasma reformers in order to supply compressed air, fuel and water vapour either to the main reformer (7) alone or to both reformers (7, 8) simultaneously.