Steam producing hydrocarbon fueled power plant employing a PEM fuel cell

摘要

The present invention relates to a method and apparatus for creating steam from the cooling stream of a proton exchange membrane (PEM) fuel cell. As the cooling stream exits the PEM fuel cell, a portion of the cooling fluid is extracted from the circulating cooling stream, thereby creating a secondary stream of cooling fluid. This secondary stream passes through a restriction, which decreases the pressure of the secondary stream to its saturation pressure, such that when the secondary stream enters a flash evaporator it transforms into steam. Creating steam from the cooling stream of a PEM fuel cell power plant provides the fuel processor with a co-generated source of steam without adding a significant amount of auxiliary equipment to the power plant.