Cooling a fuel cell stack
AssigneePower Plug, Inc.
InventorMilton H. Nelson
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A fuel cell system includes a first reactant intake manifold, a first reactant output manifold, a second reactant intake manifold, a second reactant output manifold, a cooling gas intake manifold, a cooling gas output manifold, a liquid intake manifold, fuel cells and a cooling elements distributed among the fuel cells. Each cooling element defines a coolant passage. During operation, a cooling gas flows from the cooling gas intake manifold into the cooling gas output manifold through the coolant passage. Each cooling element also includes a water injection path. During operation water from the liquid intake manifold is injected into the coolant passage to mix with the cooling gas passing therethrough.
Claims19
A fuel cell system comprising:
- a first reactant intake manifold;
- a first reactant output manifold;
- a second reactant intake manifold;
- a second reactant output manifold;
- a cooling gas intake manifold;
- a cooling gas output manifold;
- a liquid intake manifold;
- a plurality of fuel cells, each of which includes:
- an anode element;
- a cathode element;
- and
- an associated electrolytic member sandwiched between the anode and cathode elements, wherein the electrolytic member and said anode element define a first reactant flow field through which during operation a first reactant flows from the first reactant intake manifold across a first side of the associated electrolytic member and into the first reactant output manifold, wherein said electrolytic member and said cathode element define a second reactant flow field through which during operation a second reactant flows from the second reactant intake manifold across a second side of the associated electrolytic member and into the second reactant output manifold;
- and
- a plurality of cooling elements distributed among the plurality of fuel cells and each of which defines a coolant passage through which during operation a cooling gas flows from the cooling gas intake manifold into the cooling gas output manifold, and each of which also includes a liquid injection path through which during operation liquid from the liquid intake manifold is injected into the coolant passage to mix with the cooling gas passing therethrough.
A method comprising:
- introducing a coolant gas into a channel defined within a fuel cell stack;
- introducing water into the channel, the water hydrating the coolant gas to produce a hydrated gas;
- allowing the hydrated gas to flow along the channel to an outlet port, the hydrated gas absorbing heat from the stack as the hydrated gas flows along the channel;
- and
- allowing the hydrated gas to escape from the outlet port and thereby causing heat to flow from the fuel cell stack.
A cooling plate for use in a fuel cell stack comprising:
- a coolant inlet port which during operation receives coolant gas;
- a coolant outlet port;
- and
- a cooling surface having;
- a cooling channel leading from the coolant inlet port to the coolant outlet port, wherein the coolant gas flows from the coolant inlet port through the cooling channel and out of the coolant outlet port;
- and
- a water inlet port connected to the cooling channel, wherein water is injected into the cooling channel during operation thereby hydrating the coolant gas to produce a hydrated gas, the hydrated gas absorbing heat from the first cooling plate as the hydrated gas flows along the cooling channel.
A fuel cell system comprising:
- a fuel cell stack which during operation generates electrical energy by reacting a first stream of reactant gas and a second stream of reactant gas, the fuel cell stack also producing a fuel cell exhaust stream that includes moisture;
- a heat recovery system positioned to receive the fuel cell exhaust stream, during operation, the heat recovery system transferring heat from the fuel cell exhaust stream and causing the moisture contained within the exhaust to condense into water;
- a conduit positioned to receive the condensed water, during operation, the conduit introducing the condensed water to the first stream of reactant gas in the fuel cell stack.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.