A compact and highly efficient natural gas fuel processor for 1-kW residential polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cells

A compact and highly efficient natural gas fuel processor for 1-kW residential polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cells (PEMFCs) has been developed at the Samsung Advanced Institute of Technology (SAIT). The fuel processor, referred to as SFP-2, consists of a natural gas reformer, a water–gas shift reactor, a heat-exchanger and a burner, in which the overall integrated volume including insulation is exceptionally small, namely, about 14 l. The SFP-2 produces hydrogen at 1000 l h−1 (STP) at full load with the carbon monoxide concentration in the process gas below 7000 ppmv (dry gas base). The maximum thermal efficiency is ~78% (lower heating value) at full load and even ~72% at 25% partial load. This fuel processor of small size with high thermal efficiency is one of the best such technologies for the above given H2 throughputs. The time required for starting up the SFP-2 is within 20 min with the addition of external heating for the shift reactor. No additional medium, such as nitrogen, is required either for start-up or for shut down of the SFP-2, which is an advantage for application in residential PEMFC co-generations systems.