Integrated fuel cell and fuel conversion apparatus

Claim 1

In a method for providing a continuous supply of hydrogen fuel to a fuel cell from a pair of reaction vessels, said fuel cell comprising a fuel electrode, an oxygen electrode, and an electrolyte disposed therebetween, the steps of alternately: A. making hydrogen fuel in one of said pair of vessels while simultaneously regenerating the other of said pair of vessels; and B. regenerating said one of said pair of vessels while simultaneously making hydrogen fuel in said other of said pair of vessels; wherein steps (A) and (B) each comprise the steps of: (a) introducing a hydrocarbon feedstock and steam into a first of said vessels, which is making hydrogen; (b) cracking and steam reforming said feedstock to make said hydrogen in said first vessel using sensible heat stored within said first vessel, said sensible heat being obtained from the step of regenerating said first vessel; (c) directing the hydrogen produced in step (a) to the fuel electrode of the fuel cell; (d) introducing air into the oxygen electrode of the fuel cell; (e) directing the exhaust from the fuel electrode and an oxygen containing gas into the second of said vessels, which is being regenerated; (f) preheating said oxygen containing gas and said fuel electrode exhaust separately within said second vessel to temperatures high enough to result in combustion of said oxygen containing gas and said fuel electrode exhaust if they are mixed together; (g) mixing said preheated oxygen containing gas and said preheated fuel electrode exhaust within said second vessel and combusting said mixture within said second vessel to regenerate said second vessel by storing within material disposed within said second vessel heat from said step of combusting, wherein said step (f) of preheating is accomplished using the heat from said step of combusting and/or sensible heat stored within said second vessel; (h) exhausting the products of combustion of step (g) from said second vessel.