Apparatus and method for producing high pressure steam in a fuel cell system

DETAILED DESCRIPTION In accordance with the principles of the present invention, the above and other objectives are realized in a fuel cell system wherein process gas exhausted from the fuel cell of the system is heated to a temperature sufficient to produce a predetermined amount of steam at a predetermined pressure by gas at a higher temperature generated elsewhere in the system.
The heating of the exhausted process gas occurs in a heat exchanger external to the cell and the resultant gas is then utilized to produce the desired steam.
In the preferred form of the invention, the fuel cell is operated with excess process gas for cooling the cell to a desired operating temperature and the exhausted cooling process gas is used for steam generation.
In still further preferred form, excess oxidant gas is utilized for fuel cell cooling and exhausted oxidant gas for steam generation.