Systems and methods for carbon monoxide clean-up

• Main Authors: ROWE JULIA MARGARET, SOWERBY BEVERLEY
• Format: Patent
• Language: English
• Published: 09.01.2007
• Subjects: BASIC ELECTRIC ELEMENTS; BLASTING; CHEMICAL OR PHYSICAL PROCESSES, e.g. CATALYSIS OR COLLOIDCHEMISTRY; CHEMISTRY; COMPOUNDS THEREOF; ELECTRICITY; ENGINE PLANTS IN GENERAL; GAS-FLOW SILENCERS OR EXHAUST APPARATUS FOR INTERNALCOMBUSTION ENGINES; GAS-FLOW SILENCERS OR EXHAUST APPARATUS FOR MACHINES ORENGINES IN GENERAL; HEATING; INORGANIC CHEMISTRY; LIGHTING; MACHINES OR ENGINES IN GENERAL; MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; METALLURGY; NON-METALLIC ELEMENTS; PERFORMING OPERATIONS; PHYSICAL OR CHEMICAL PROCESSES OR APPARATUS IN GENERAL; PROCESSES OR MEANS, e.g. BATTERIES, FOR THE DIRECT CONVERSIONOF CHEMICAL INTO ELECTRICAL ENERGY; SEPARATION; STEAM ENGINES; THEIR RELEVANT APPARATUS; TRANSPORTING; WEAPONS

A fuel cell system comprises a fuel cell stack and a carbon monoxide clean-up system in communication with the fuel cell stack. The carbon monoxide cleanup system comprises a first water gas shift reactor, a first hydride heat exchanger, and a second water gas shift reactor. The first water gas shift reactor comprises a first water gas shift catalyst. The first hydride heat exchanger comprises a first metal hydride, and is in communication with the first water gas shift reactor. The second water gas shift reactor comprises a second water gas shift catalyst, and is in communication with the first heat exchanger. The first hydride heat exchanger, and the second water gas shift reactors are disposed such that a reactant stream may pass through the first water gas shift reactor prior to passing through the first heat exchanger, and then pass through the second water gas shift reactor.