Electrochemical cell apparatus having an integrated reformer-mixer nozzle-mixer diffuser

Claim 2

An electrochemical apparatus comprising: (1) fresh gaseous feed fuel inlet, (2) gaseous feed oxidant inlet, (3) gaseous spent fuel recirculation channel, (4) separate hot combusted exhaust gas exit channel, (5) a generator chamber containing a plurality of electrochemical cells, and (6) a reforming chamber, where the reforming chamber has a top close to the generator chamber, and a bottom close to the fresh gaseous feed fuel inlet, and contains: (a) an outer portion containing reforming material, which outer portion connects to the generator chamber, (b) an inner portion containing a mixer-diffuser within a shell barrier, which inner portion connects to the outer portion at the bottom of the reforming chamber, and (c) a middle portion between the inner and outer portions, connected to the gaseous spent fuel recirculation channel at the top of the reforming chamber and feeding into the mixer-diffuser at the bottom of the reforming chamber, where the mixer-diffuser is within the reforming chamber, a mixer nozzle is near the bottom of the reforming chamber, which mixer nozzle is connected to the fresh gaseous feed fuel inlet, and where the mixer nozzle also feeds into the mixer-diffuser at the bottom of the reforming chamber.

Claim 3

The apparatus of claim 1, where the chambers are within a metal housing and the mixer nozzle and mixer-diffuser are both within the reforming chamber.

Claim 4

The apparatus of claim 1, where the electrochemical cells are fuel cells, the fresh gaseous feed fuel is natural gas, the air electrode contains doped LaMnO 3 , the electrolyte is yttria stabilized zirconia and the fuel electrode contains a zirconia-nickel cermet material.

Claim 5

The apparatus of claim 1, where a portion of the combusted exhaust gas exit channel contacts the outside of the reforming chamber.

Claim 6

The apparatus of claim 1, where catalytic reforming material is also in the generator chamber.

Claim 7

The apparatus of claim 1, where the reforming chamber, contains integrated mixer nozzle and mixer-diffuser, and is in the form of a replaceable subassembly cartridge unit, which is readily accessible and removable.

Claim 8

A high temperature electrochemical apparatus, operating on a gaseous oxidant and a fresh gaseous feed fuel, comprising: (1) fresh gaseous feed fuel inlet, (2) gaseous feed oxidant inlet, (3) gaseous spent fuel recirculation channel, (4) separate hot combusted exhaust gas exit channel, (5) a generator chamber containing a plurality of electrochemical cells, and (6) a reforming chamber, where the reforming chamber has a top close to the generator chamber and a cooler bottom close to the fresh gaseous feed fuel inlet, and contains: (a) an outer portion containing reforming material, (b) an inner portion containing a mixer-diffuser, and (c) a middle portion between the inner and outer portions, for receiving hot recirculation gas from the gaseous spent fuel recirculation channel; where the mixer-diffuser is within the reforming chamber, where hot recirculation gas fed into the middle portion of the reforming chamber mixes with fresh gaseous feed fuel at a mixer nozzle near the bottom of the reforming chamber, and the gaseous mixture expands in the mixer-diffuser as it passes to a top portion of the reforming chamber, and where the expanded gaseous mixture flows back toward the bottom of the reforming chamber around the mixer-diffuser, and then enters the outer portion of the reforming chamber near the bottom of the reforming chamber, and flows through the reforming material.

Claim 9

A high temperature electrochemical apparatus, operating on a gaseous oxidant and a fresh gaseous feed fuel, comprising: (1) fresh gaseous feed fuel inlet, (2) gaseous feed oxidant inlet, (3) gaseous spent fuel recirculation channel, (4) separate hot combusted exhaust gas exit channel, (5) a generator chamber containing a plurality of electrochemical cells, and (6) a reforming chamber, where the reforming chamber has a top close to the generator chamber and a cooler bottom close to the fresh gaseous feed fuel inlet, and contains: (a) an outer portion containing reforming material, (b) an inner portion containing a mixer-diffuser, and (c) a middle portion between the inner and outer portions, for receiving hot recirculation gas from the gaseous spent fuel recirculation channel; where the mixer-diffuser is within the reforming chamber, where hot recirculation gas fed into the middle portion of the reforming chamber mixes with fresh gaseous feed fuel at a mixer nozzle near the bottom of the reforming chamber, and the gaseous mixture expands in the mixer-diffuser as it passes to a top portion of the reforming chamber, and where the expanded gaseous mixture flows back toward the bottom of the reforming chamber around the mixer-diffuser, and then enters the outer portion of the reforming chamber near the bottom of the reforming chamber, and flows through the reforming material.

Claim 10

The apparatus of claim 7, where the chambers are within a metal housing and the mixer nozzle and mixer-diffuser are both within the reforming chamber.

Claim 11

The apparatus of claim 7, where the electrochemical cells are fuel cells, the fresh gaseous feed fuel is natural gas, the air electrode contains doped LaMnO 3 , the electrolyte is yttria stabilized zirconia and the fuel electrode contains a zirconia-nickel cermet material.

Claim 12

The apparatus of claim 7, where a portion of the combusted exhaust gas exit channel contacts the outside of the reforming chamber.

Claim 13

The apparatus of claim 7, where catalytic reforming material is also in the generator chamber.

Claim 14

The apparatus of claim 7, where the reforming chamber, contains integrated mixer nozzle and mixer-diffuser, and is in the form of a replaceable subassembly cartridge unit which is readily accessible and removable.