Exxonmobil Research and Engineering Company

Fuelcell Energy, Inc.

Exxonmobil Technology and Engineering Company

Exxonmobile Research and Engineering Company

Other

Exxonmobil Upstream Research Company

Timothy Andrew Barckholtz

Paul Joseph Berlowitz

Frank Hershkowitz

Anita S Lee

Hong Cheng

Patrick Brant

Donna Jean Crowther

Glen Barry Brons

David T Ferrughelli

Mohsen Shahmirzadi Yeganeh

Clarence E Chase

Edward A Lemon

Timothy C Geary

Jonathan Rosen

Emmanuel Ulysse

Carl A Willman

Chao-yi Yuh

Abdelkader Hilmi

Sandipan K Das

Geoffrey Marshall Keiser

Gabor Kiss

Man Kit Ng

Heather A Elsen

Thomas A Badgwell

ManKit Ng

Chao-Yi Yuh

Paul F Keusenkothen

Robert D Denton

Thomas M Smith

Hossein Ghezel-Ayagh

Carla S Pereira

Lu Han

Lawrence J Novacco

Keith E Davis

J Tim Cullinane

Rodrigo F Blanco Gutierrez

Ian J Laurenzi

Geoff Keiser

S Allen Erickson

Kevin Taylor

Alessandro Faldi

Franz Hershkowitz

Molten carbonate fuel cell configurations are provided that include one or more baffle structures within the cathode gas collection volume. The baffle structures can reduce the unblocked flow cross-section of the cathode gas collection volume by 10% to 80%. It has been discovered that when operating a molten carbonate fuel cell under conditions for elevated COutilization, the presence of baffles can provide an unexpected benefit in the form of providing increased transference and/or increased operating voltage.

Flow field baffle for molten carbonate fuel cell cathode

Cathode collector structures and/or corresponding cathode structures are provided that can allow for improved operation for a molten carbonate fuel cell when operated under conditions for elevated COutilization. A cathode collector structure that provides an increased open area at the cathode surface can reduce or minimize the amount of alternative ion transport that occurs within the fuel cell. Additionally or alternately, grooves in the cathode surface can be used to increase the open area.

Cathode collector structures for molten carbonate fuel cell

Molten carbonate fuel cells (MCFCs) are operated to provide enhanced COutilization. This can increase the effective amount of carbonate ion transport that is achieved. The enhanced COutilization is enabled in part by operating an MCFC under conditions that cause transport of alternative ions across the electrolyte. The amount of alternative ion transport that occurs during enhanced COutilization can be mitigated by using a more acidic electrolyte.

Operation of molten carbonate fuel cells with enhanced COutilization

Systems and methods are provided for operating molten carbonate fuel cells to allow for periodic regeneration of the fuel cells while performing elevated COcapture. In some aspects, periodic regeneration can be achieved by shifting the location within the fuel cells where the highest density of alternative ion transport is occurring. Such a shift can result in a new location having a highest density of alternative ion transport, while the previous location can primarily transport carbonate ions. Additionally or alternately, periodic regeneration can be performed by modifying the input flows to the fuel cell and/or relaxing the operating conditions of the fuel cell to reduce or minimize the amount of alternative ion transport.

Regeneration of molten carbonate fuel cells for deep COcapture

In various aspects, systems and methods are provided for operating a molten carbonate fuel cell, such as a fuel cell assembly, with increased production of syngas while also reducing or minimizing the amount of COexiting the fuel cell in the cathode exhaust stream. This can allow for improved efficiency of syngas production while also generating electrical power.

Integrated electrical power and chemical production using fuel cells

Systems and methods are provided for arranging processing units in a common volume to allow for processing of a fluid flow as part of a mass and/or heat transfer process. Fuel cells are examples of processing units that include separate flow paths for processing two input fluid flows with mass and/or heat transfer between the separate flow paths. The arrangements described herein can allow a gas phase fluid flow to be delivered to a first process flow path of processing units in a common volume. The gas phase fluid flow can be delivered in a relatively uniform manner without the use of an intervening manifold to distribute gas from the common volume into the processing units.

Housing for multiple fuel cell stacks

In various aspects, systems and methods are provided for integrating molten carbonate fuel cells with a fired heater for production of electrical power while also reducing or minimizing the amount of COpresent in the flue gas generated by the fired heater. The molten carbonate fuel cells can be integrated for use with fired heater so that at least a portion of the flue gas from fired heater flows through cathodes of the fuel cells and at least a portion of the cathode exhaust is returned to a convection section of the fired heater.

Low-emission fired heater

Systems and methods are provided for incorporating molten carbonate fuel cells into a heat recovery steam generation system (HRSG) for production of electrical power while also reducing or minimizing the amount of COpresent in the flue gas exiting the HRSG. An optionally multi-layer screen or wall of molten carbonate fuel cells can be inserted into the HRSG so that the screen of molten carbonate fuel cells substantially fills the cross-sectional area. By using the walls of the HRSG and the screen of molten carbonate fuel cells to form a cathode input manifold, the overall amount of duct or flow passages associated with the MCFCs can be reduced.

Fuel cell integration within a heat recovery steam generator

Systems and a method are provided for producing an aromatic hydrocarbon and generating electricity from a tail gas stream. The method includes feeding a first stream including a raw natural gas into a reactor. The method includes converting the first stream, at least in part, to a second stream including an aromatic hydrocarbon within the reactor. The method includes separating the second stream into a tail gas stream and a liquid aromatic hydrocarbon stream and combusting at least a portion of the tail gas stream to generate electricity.

Methods and systems for producing liquid hydrocarbons

In various aspects, systems and methods are provided for operating molten carbonate fuel cells with processes for iron and/or steel production. The systems and methods can provide process improvements such as increased efficiency, reduction of carbon emissions per ton of product produced, or simplified capture of the carbon emissions as an integrated part of the system. The number of separate processes and the complexity of the overall production system can be reduced while providing flexibility in fuel feed stock and the various chemical, heat, and electrical outputs needed to power the processes.

Integration of molten carbonate fuel cells in iron and steel processing

Systems and methods are provided for capturing COfrom a combustion source using molten carbonate fuel cells (MCFCs). At least a portion of the anode exhaust can be recycled for use as a fuel for the combustion source. Optionally, a second portion of the anode exhaust can be recycled for use as part of an anode input stream. This can allow for a reduction in the amount of fuel cell area required for separating COfrom the combustion source exhaust and/or modifications in how the fuel cells can be operated.

Integrated power generation and carbon capture using fuel cells

In various aspects, systems and methods are provided for operating a molten carbonate fuel cell assembly at increased power density. This can be accomplished in part by performing an effective amount of an endothermic reaction within the fuel cell stack in an integrated manner. This can allow for increased power density while still maintaining a desired temperature differential within the fuel cell assembly.

Integrated operation of molten carbonate fuel cells

Integrated power generation and chemical production using fuel cells

Systems and methods are provided for capturing COfrom a combustion source using molten carbonate fuel cells (MCFCs). At least a portion of the anode exhaust can be recycled for use as part of anode input stream. This can allow for a reduction in the amount of fuel cell area required for separating COfrom the combustion source exhaust and/or modifications in how the fuel cells can be operated.

Growing community of inventors

Whitehouse Station, NJ, United States of America

Timothy Andrew Barckholtz