Utc Fuel Cells, LLC

Ronald G Silver

Richard James Bellows

Sean C Emerson

Tianli Zhu

A shift converter, or reactor, ( HT, LT) in a fuel processing subsystem ( HT, LT, ), as for a fuel cell ( ), uses an improved catalyst bed ( ) and the addition of oxygen ( A, B, C, D, A, B, C, D) to reduce the amount of carbon monoxide in a process gas stream. The catalyst of bed ( ) is a metal, preferably a noble metal, having a promoted support of metal oxide, preferably ceria and/or zirconia. A water gas shift reaction converts carbon monoxide to carbon dioxide. The oxygen may be introduced as air, and causes an improvement in carbon monoxide removal. Use of the added oxygen enables the shift reactor ( HT, LT) and its catalyst bed ( ) to be relatively more compact for performing a given level of carbon monoxide conversion. The catalyst bed ( ) obviates the requirement for prior reducing of catalysts, and minimizes the need to protect the catalyst from oxygen during operation and/or shutdown.

Oxygen-assisted water gas shift reactor having a supported catalyst, and method for its use

A shift converter ( ) in a fuel processing subsystem ( ) for a fuel cell ( ) uses an improved catalyst composition ( ) to reduce the amount of carbon monoxide in a process gas for the fuel cell ( ). The catalyst composition ( ) is a noble metal catalyst having a promoted support of mixed metal oxide, including at least both ceria and zirconia. Cerium is present in the range of to mole %, and zirconium is present in the range of to mole %. Additional metal oxides may also be present. Use of the catalyst composition ( ) obviates the requirement for prior reducing of catalysts, and minimizes the need to protect the catalyst from oxygen during operation and/or shutdown.

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Tolland, CT, United States of America

Ronald G Silver