Molten Carbonate Fuel Cell Provided with Indirect Internal Steam Reformer

Abstract

A molten carbonate fuel cell, which is provided with an indirect internal steam reformer to efficiently control heat and simplify the system construction and has a simple structure to reduce production cost and efficiently controls heat to reduce operational cost and increase operational efficiency, is disclosed. The molten carbonate fuel cell of the present invention has a plurality of unit cells each including a porous matrix plate which is interposed between an anode plate and a cathode plate and is filled with an alkali carbonate electrolyte, the unit cells being stacked on top of another; at least one indirect internal steam reformer interposed between the stacked unit cells and reforming a fuel to hydrogen through a reforming reaction and supplying the hydrogen to the unit cells; a fuel manifold air-tightly installed at an inlet of both the indirect internal steam reformer and the unit cells and receiving a fuel supply pipe therein to supply the fuel to the indirect internal steam reformer; and a reformed fuel manifold air-tightly installed at an outlet of both the indirect internal steam reformer and the unit cells and supplying the hydrogen produced by the indirect internal steam reformer to the unit cells.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The above and other objects, features and other advantages of the present invention will be more dearly understood from the following detailed description when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

FIG. 1 is a perspective view illustrating a part of a stack of a molten carbonate fuel cell having both unit cells and indirect internal steam reformers according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view illustrating an indirect internal steam reformer used in the stack of FIG. 1, which is partially broken at the top to show the structure of a corrugated gas passage plate provided in the reformer.

FIG. 3 is an exploded perspective view showing the construction of the indirect internal steam reformer.

FIG. 4 is a view showing gas currents flowing on the corrugated gas passage plate provided in the indirect internal steam reformer.

Claims

1. A molten carbonate fuel cell comprising: a plurality of unit cells each including a porous matrix plate which is interposed between an anode plate and a cathode plate and is filled with an alkali carbonate electrolyte, the unit cells being stacked on top of another;at least one indirect internal steam reformer interposed between the stacked unit cells and reforming a fuel to hydrogen through a reforming reaction and supplying the hydrogen to the unit cells;a fuel manifold air-tightly installed at an inlet of both the indirect internal steam reformer and the unit cells and receiving a fuel supply pipe therein to supply the fuel to the indirect internal steam reformer; anda reformed fuel manifold air-tightly installed at an outlet of both the indirect internal steam reformer and the unit cells and supplying the hydrogen produced by the indirect internal steam reformer to the unit cells.

2. The molten carbonate fuel cell according to claim 1, wherein the indirect internal steam reformer comprises: an upper plate and a lower plate each including sidewalls along opposite sides thereof, thus forming a box-shaped duct when the upper and lower plates are combined together;a corrugated gas passage plate interposed between the upper and lower plates and coated with a reforming catalyst to reform the fuel while the fuel flows on the corrugated gas passage plate;a fuel supply diffuser connected to the fuel supply pipe and having a structure to distribute the fuel to gas passages of the corrugated gas passage plate without reducing pressure of the fuel; anda plurality of sealing plates installed at front and rear ends of the box-shaped duct to prevent leakage of the fuel and combine the manifolds to each other.

3. The molten carbonate fuel cell according to claim 2, wherein the fuel supply diffuser is connected to the fuel supply pipe through a connection pipe having an electric insulating material therein.

4. The molten carbonate fuel cell according to claim 2, wherein the amount of the reforming catalyst coated on the corrugated gas passage plate is able to be partially controlled.

5. The molten carbonate fuel cell according to claim 1, further comprising: a plurality of manifold gaskets extending in vertical directions and installed at the inlets and outlets of the stacked unit cells and the indirect internal steam reformer, and allowing the manifolds to be installed thereon.

6. The molten carbonate fuel cell according to claim 5, wherein the manifold gaskets are made of a nonconductive material.

7. An indirect internal steam reformer interposed between a plurality of stacked unit cells of a molten carbonate fuel cell and reforming a fuel to hydrogen through a reforming reaction and supplying the hydrogen to the unit cells, comprising: an upper plate and a lower plate each including sidewalls along opposite sides thereof, thus forming a box-shaped duct when the upper and lower plates are combined together;a corrugated gas passage plate interposed between the upper and lower plates and coated with a reforming catalyst to reform the fuel while the fuel flows on the corrugated gas passage plate;a fuel supply diffuser connected to the fuel supply pipe and having a structure to distribute the fuel to gas passages of the corrugated gas passage plate without reducing pressure of the fuel; anda plurality of sealing plates installed at front and rear ends of the box-shaped duct to prevent leakage of the fuel and combine a fuel manifold and a reformed fuel manifold installed at inlet and outlet of the box-shaped duct to each other.

8. The indirect internal steam reformer according to claim 7, wherein the fuel supply diffuser is connected to the fuel supply pipe through a connection pipe having an electric insulating material therein.

9. The indirect internal steam reformer according to claim 7, wherein the amount of reforming catalyst coated on the corrugated gas passage plate is able to be partially controlled.