The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Nov. 16, 2004
Filed:
Aug. 20, 2002
Joshua D. Isom, Ellington, CT (US);
Ha-Anh H. Pho, Bristol, CT (US);
Zakiul Kabir, Glastonbury, CT (US);
Paul R. Margiott, South Windsor, CT (US);
George Vartanian, Ellington, CT (US);
UTC Fuel Cells, LLC, South Windsor, CT (US);
Abstract
A control method and arrangement ( , I, T, P, FFL) are provided in a fuel cell power plant ( ) for regulating ( , FC) fuel flow to a steam-based fuel processing system (FPS) ( ) associated with a low-temperature fuel cell stack assembly ( ). A portion of the fuel provided by the FPS ( ) is used to provide steam for the FPS. The fuel flow to the FPS is regulated as a function of the power demand (I) on the fuel cell ( ) and at least the enthalpy of the steam (P, T), such that the steam enthalpy is regulated to meet increases and decreases in power demand without exceeding steam pressure limits. In addition to reliance on-steam pressure (P) as a fundamental measure of steam enthalpy, the control may additionally use reaction temperature (T) at, or in, a reformer, such as a catalytic steam reformer ( ), to regulate fuel flow and thus, steam enthalpy.