Plug Power Inc.

Glen E Benson

Arne Watson Ballantine

John W Parks

Wieslaw J Zielinski

Eric T White

Robert A Sinuc

Richard L Chartrand

Fuel cell systems and associated methods of operation are provided whereby application of a fuel cell is coordinated with a fuel processor and a hydrogen separator. One such method includes the following steps: (1) operating a fuel processor to convert a hydrocarbon to reformate; (2) reacting the reformate in a fuel cell to generate electrical power; (3) supplying the electrical power to an electrical load, wherein the electrical load has a power requirement threshold; (4) determining whether the electrical power from the fuel cell is below the power requirement threshold; (5) increasing a flow of reformate from the fuel processor to the fuel cell when the electrical power from the fuel cell is below the power requirement threshold; (6) flowing a portion of the reformate from the fuel processor to a hydrogen separator; (7) storing hydrogen from the hydrogen separator in a hydrogen storage vessel; (8) monitoring an amount of hydrogen stored in the hydrogen storage vessel; and (9) adjusting a proportional valve upstream from the fuel cell toward a closed position when the amount of hydrogen in the hydrogen storage tank is below a predetermined threshold to increase a proportion of the reformate from the fuel processor that is flowed to the hydrogen separator.

Method and apparatus for a combined fuel cell and hydrogen purification system

A method includes (1) operating a fuel processing reactor to convert a hydrocarbon into reformate; (2) flowing reformate through a first pressure regulator to reduce the pressure of the reformate; (3) supplying reformate from the first pressure regulator to a fuel cell to generate electrical power; (4) flowing a portion of the reformate from the fuel processor to a second pressure regulator to reduce the pressure of the reformate while generating the electrical power with the fuel cell; and (5) supplying reformate from the second pressure regulator to the hydrogen purification system while generating the electrical power with the fuel cell.

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Schenectady, NY, United States of America

Glen E Benson