Internal Combustion Engine Having Catalyzed Heat Exchanger for Steam Reformation and Delivery of Hydrogen to a Fuel Cell: 10,859,040

A method of providing electrical power to on-board electri­cal devices of a vehicle. The engine has an EGR ( exhaust gas recirculation loop) which may be a high pressure loop, a low pressure loop, or a dedicated cylinder loop. A catalyzed heat exchanger on the EGR loop has a steam reformation catalyst and a heat exchanger. The heat exchanger uses hot exhaust gas from the main exhaust line to heat the catalyst. A methane fuel source adds methane to the recirculated exhaust stream before it enters the catalyst, and the catalytic reaction increases the amount of hydrogen in the recircu­lated exhaust. The hydrogen is then delivered to a PEM fuel cell.