Microsoft Corporation
Efficient byproduct harvesting from fuel cells

Abstract:

Fuel cell systems configured for efficient byproduct recovery and reuse are disclosed herein. In one embodiment, a fuel cell system includes a reformer configured to reform a fuel containing methane (CH.sub.4) with steam to produce a reformed fuel having methane (CH.sub.4), carbon monoxide (CO), and hydrogen (H.sub.2). The fuel cell system also includes a fuel cell configured to perform an electrochemical reaction between a first portion of the reformed fuel and oxygen (O.sub.2) to produce electricity and an exhaust having carbon dioxide (CO.sub.2), water (H.sub.2O), and a second portion of the reformed fuel. The fuel cell system further includes an oxygen enricher configured to generate an oxygen enriched gas and a combustion chamber configured to combust the second portion of the reformed fuel with the oxygen enriched gas.