APPLICATION OF FUEL CELLS TO POWER GENERATION SYSTEMS

摘要

An electric power generation system comprises a fuel cell (9) and supplies (1, 5 ) of substances to be treated so as to provide suitable reactants for the fuel cell. The heating and cooling requirements of th e system as a whole are balanced as far as possible and a control system (17) is provided to regulate the system to improve efficien cy. The treatment of one of the substances may involve a reforming reaction to produce hydrogen reactant for the cell and reser voirs (14, 15) may be provided in the reactant feed lines. A battery (60) may be connected in parallel with the fuel cell via a swit ching means (17E) to enable it either to augment the power of the fuel cell or to be charged by the fuel cell, to supply power indepe ndently of the fuel cell, or to supply to start up the system.