Fuel cell systems and methods for passively increasing hydrogen recovery through vacuum-assisted pressure swing adsorption

摘要

PSA assemblies with at least one energy recovery assembly, as well as hydrogen-generation assemblies and/or fuel cell systems containing the same, and methods of operating the same. The energy recovery assemblies are configured to recover mechanical energy from the product hydrogen stream and to apply the recovered mechanical energy to one or more components of the PSA assembly, the hydrogen-generation assembly, and/or the energy producing system. In some embodiments, the energy recovery assembly includes a gas motor configured to recover mechanical energy from the product hydrogen stream produced by the PSA assembly. In some embodiments, the gas motor operates among a plurality of operating states based, at least in part, on the pressure of the product hydrogen stream. In some embodiments, the energy recovery assembly is configured to apply the recovered mechanical energy to at least a vacuum pump.