Fuel cell system having recycle fuel conduit in fluid communication with fuel cell assembly and carbon dioxide removal unit

摘要

A fuel cell system comprises a fuel cell assembly, a carbon-dioxide-removal unit, an anode exhaust conduit connecting the fuel cell assembly and the carbon-dioxide-removal unit, a fuel source, an oxygen source, a fuel conduit connecting, at least in part, the fuel source with the fuel cell assembly, and a recycle conduit connecting the carbon-dioxide-removal unit with at least one of the fuel cell assembly, the fuel conduit and the fuel source. The fuel cell assembly includes at least one fuel cell, each fuel cell including an anode and a cathode. The carbon-dioxide-removal unit removes carbon dioxide that is in a gas phase. The carbon-dioxide-removal unit includes a carbon-dioxide-removing material. The fuel source and the oxygen source are each independently in fluid communication with the fuel cell assembly. The fuel conduit and the recycle conduit are optionally merged into a single recycle-fuel conduit that extends to the fuel cell assembly. The recycle conduit and/or the recycle-fuel conduit directs essentially all gaseous fluid from the carbon-dioxide-removal unit to the fuel cell assembly.