SOLID OXIDE FUEL CELL WITH ANODE EXHAUST RECYCLE

摘要

A solid oxide fuel cell system includes an anode exhaust that flows through an anode exhaust recycle passage. The first portion of the anode exhaust flows through a reformate heat exchanger and then the anode recycle blower (referred to as the anode exhaust recycle flow). A flow control device regulates the distribution of the anode exhaust recycle flow to a desulfurizer inlet, providing hydrogen to the desulfurizer, and a desulfurized fuel passage that fluidly interconnects the desulfurizer and reformer, providing steam to the reformer. The second portion of the anode exhaust flows to a heat exchanger arranged between a desulfurizer and a reformer to heat desulfurized fuel entering the reformer. This second portion of the anode exhaust is then burnt in a catalytic burner. The burner outlet stream may be mixed with cathode exhaust and used to preheat process air provided to a cathode of the fuel cell.