Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 10
Claim 1
Independent Claim
77 words
A process for the production of electricity in a fuel cell system by steam reforming carbonaceous fuel to form fuel cell reactant gas, contacting the reactant gas with the fuel cell and recycling recovered reactants in anode exhaust gas from the fuel cell anode compartment, characterized in passing the anode exhaust gas over a reforming catalyst prior to recovery and recycling, whereby lower hydrocarbons contained in the exhaust gas are converted to reactants for the fuel cell.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
77 words
A process for the production of electricity in a fuel cell system by steam reforming carbonaceous fuel to form fuel cell reactant gas, contacting the reactant gas with the fuel cell and recycling recovered reactants in anode exhaust gas from the fuel cell anode compartment, characterized in passing the anode exhaust gas over a reforming catalyst prior to recovery and recycling, whereby lower hydrocarbons contained in the exhaust gas are converted to reactants for the fuel cell.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
15 words
A process according to claim 1, characterized in that the carbonaceous fuel is natural gas.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
14 words
A process acoording to claim 1, characterized in that the lower hydrocarbons are methane.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
79 words
A fuel cell system for use in the process claimed in any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that it comprises a supply (2,10) for carbonaceous fuel; an inlet reformer unit (6) for producing fuel cell reactant gas; a fuel cell (4); an outlet reformer unit (12) for receiving and converting lower hydrocarbon-containing anode exhaust gas to anode reactant gas; means (18) for recovery of the anode reactant gas; and means (90) for recycling recovered anode reactant gas.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
20 words
A fuel cell system according to claim 4, characterized in that the outlet reformer unit (6) is an adiabatic reformer.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
25 words
A fuel cell system according to claim 4, characterized in that the outlet reformer unit (6) is in heat conducting relationship with the fuel cell.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
23 words
A fuel cell system according to any one of claims 4-6, characterized in that the fuel cell is a hydrogen consuming fuel cell.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
22 words
A fuel cell system according to claim 7, characterized in that the hydrogen consuming fuel cell is a molten carbonate fuel cell.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
24 words
A fuel cell system according to claim 7, characterized in that the hydrogen consuming fuel cell is an internal reforming molten carbonate fuel cell.