Method of operating a fuel cell system

Claim 1

THE METHOD OF GENERATING ELECTRICAL POWER FROM A FUEL CELL SYSTEM COMPRISING THE STEPS OF (A) PASSING A GASEOUS HYDROCARBON MATERIAL INTO THE FUEL ELECTRODE SIDE AND A GASEOUS OXIDANT-BEARING MATERIAL INTO THE OXIDANT ELECTRODE SIDE OF A FIRST FUEL CELL MAINAINED AT A TEMPERATURE SUFFICIENT FOR FUEL CELL OPERATION TO PROMOTE THE GENERATION OF ELECTRICAL ENERGY IN SAID FIRST FUEL CELL; (B) PASSING THE SPENT GASEOUS HYDROCARBON MATERIAL FROM SAID FRIST FUEL CELL INTO A REFORMER CATALYST UNIT; (C) REACTING THE SPENT HYDROCARBON MATERIAL FROM SAID FIRST FUEL CELL WITH WATER IN SAID REFORMER CATALYST UNIT TO GENERATE CARBON MONOXIDE AND HYDROGEN; (D) REMOVING EXCESS WATER FROM THE EFFLUENT CARBON MONOXIDE AND HYDROGEN FROM SAID REFORMER CATALYST UNIT; (E) PASSING THE CARBON MONOXIDE AND HYROGEN FROM; SAID REFORMER CATALYST UNIT INTO THE FUEL ELECTRODE SIDE OF A SECOND FUEL CELL AND PASSING OXIDANT-BEARING MATERIAL INTO THE OXIDANT ELECTRODE SIDE OF SAID SECONE FUEL CELL WHILE MAINTAINING SAID SECOND FUEL CELL AT A TEMPERATURE SUFFICIENT FOR FUEL CELL OPERATION TO PROMOTE THE GENERATION OF ELECTRICAL POWER IN SAID SECOND FUEL CELL; (F) PASSING SPENT FUEL FROM SAID SECOND FUEL CELL INTO A SHIFT CATALYST CHAMBER; (G) REACTING SAID SPENT FUEL FROM SAID SECOND FUEL CELL WITH WATER IN SAID SHIFT CATALYST CHAMBER TO CONVERT THE CARBON MONOXIDE TO CARBON DIOXIDE AND LIBERATE HYDROGEN; AND (H) INTRODUCING THE HYDROGEN AND CARBON DIOXIDE GENERATED IN THE SHIFT CATALYST UNIT INTO THE FUEL SIDE OF A THIRD FUEL CELL AND PASSING OXIDANT-BEARING MATERIAL INTO THE OXIDANT ELECTRODE SIDE OF SAID THIRD FUEL CELL WHILE MAINTAINING SAID THIRD FUEL CELL AT A TEMPERATURE SUFFICIENT TO PROMOTE THE GENERATION OF ELECTRICAL POWER IN SAID THIRD FUEL CELL.

Claim 2

THE METHOD OF GENERATING ELECTRICAL POWER FROM A FUEL CELL SYSTEM COMPRISING THE STEPS OF (A) PASSING A GASEOUS HYDROCARBON MATERIAL INTO THE FUEL ELECTRODE SIDE AND A GASEOUS OXIDANT-BEARING MATERIAL INTO THE OXIDANT ELECTRODE SIDE OF A FIRST FUEL CELL MAINAINED AT A TEMPERATURE SUFFICIENT FOR FUEL CELL OPERATION TO PROMOTE THE GENERATION OF ELECTRICAL ENERGY IN SAID FIRST FUEL CELL; (B) PASSING THE SPENT GASEOUS HYDROCARBON MATERIAL FROM SAID FRIST FUEL CELL INTO A REFORMER CATALYST UNIT; (C) REACTING THE SPENT HYDROCARBON MATERIAL FROM SAID FIRST FUEL CELL WITH WATER IN SAID REFORMER CATALYST UNIT TO GENERATE CARBON MONOXIDE AND HYDROGEN; (D) REMOVING EXCESS WATER FROM THE EFFLUENT CARBON MONOXIDE AND HYDROGEN FROM SAID REFORMER CATALYST UNIT; (E) PASSING THE CARBON MONOXIDE AND HYROGEN FROM; SAID REFORMER CATALYST UNIT INTO THE FUEL ELECTRODE SIDE OF A SECOND FUEL CELL AND PASSING OXIDANT-BEARING MATERIAL INTO THE OXIDANT ELECTRODE SIDE OF SAID SECONE FUEL CELL WHILE MAINTAINING SAID SECOND FUEL CELL AT A TEMPERATURE SUFFICIENT FOR FUEL CELL OPERATION TO PROMOTE THE GENERATION OF ELECTRICAL POWER IN SAID SECOND FUEL CELL; (F) PASSING SPENT FUEL FROM SAID SECOND FUEL CELL INTO A SHIFT CATALYST CHAMBER; (G) REACTING SAID SPENT FUEL FROM SAID SECOND FUEL CELL WITH WATER IN SAID SHIFT CATALYST CHAMBER TO CONVERT THE CARBON MONOXIDE TO CARBON DIOXIDE AND LIBERATE HYDROGEN; AND (H) INTRODUCING THE HYDROGEN AND CARBON DIOXIDE GENERATED IN THE SHIFT CATALYST UNIT INTO THE FUEL SIDE OF A THIRD FUEL CELL AND PASSING OXIDANT-BEARING MATERIAL INTO THE OXIDANT ELECTRODE SIDE OF SAID THIRD FUEL CELL WHILE MAINTAINING SAID THIRD FUEL CELL AT A TEMPERATURE SUFFICIENT TO PROMOTE THE GENERATION OF ELECTRICAL POWER IN SAID THIRD FUEL CELL.