Fuel cell hot zone pressure regulator

Abstract

A method of using a pressure regulator in a fuel cell system is disclosed. The method comprises controlling a purge gas pressure of a purge gas disposed in an enclosure disposed around a fuel cell stack and a waste energy recovery assembly, by seating a pressure plunger in a seating portion of a pressure regulator, wherein the purge gas unseats the pressure plunger when the purge gas pressure exceeds a desired pressure. The method further comprises passing a sufficient amount of the purge gas past the seating portion to reduce the purge gas pressure to at least the desired pressure. A fuel cell system having a pressure regulator is also disclosed. The fuel cell system comprises an enclosure. A waste energy recovery assembly, a fuel cell stack and a pressure regulator are disposed in the enclosure. The fuel cell stack is in fluid communication with the waste energy recovery assembly. A purge gas is in fluid communication with the enclosure. The pressure regulator is in fluid communication with the purge air and an area external to the enclosure via the waste energy recovery assembly.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.