Anode tail gas recycle cooler and re-heater for a solid oxide fuel cell stack assembly

摘要

An SOFC fuel cell stack system in accordance with the invention including a recycle flow leg for recycling a portion of the anode tail gas into the inlet of an associated hydrocarbon reformer supplying reformate to the stack. The recycle leg includes a controllable pump for varying the flow rate of tail gas. Preferably, a heat exchanger is provided in the leg ahead of the pump for cooling the tail gas via heat exchange with incoming cathode air. A low-wattage electrical reheater is also preferably included between the heat exchanger and the pump to maintain the temperature of tail gas entering the pump, during conditions of low tail gas flow, at a drybulb temperature above the dewpoint of the tail gas.