Producing electrical energy from natural gas using a solid oxide fuel cell

摘要

A process of generating electricity from natural gas comprises supplying air to the cathode side of a solid oxide fuel cell; converting at the anode side of the fuel cell the natural gas to hydrogen and carbon monoxide and allowing the cathode and anode reactions to take place to produce a potential difference between anode and cathode wherein an anode off-gas is produced which comprises water and carbon dioxide and feeding the anode off-gas from the anode side to a ceramic afterburner in which any unburned carbon monoxide and hydrogen are combusted without addition of nitrogen to the anode off-gas.