Heat exchanger for heating of fuel cell combustion air
OwnerCurtis A. Richardsoninventor
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A heat exchanger for a solid-oxide fuel cell assembly. A plurality of parallel tubes conveys fuel cell stack exhaust gas from a first manifold means to a second manifold means. The tubes are highly corrugated to increase the wall area and decrease the wall thickness. The tubes are disposed in a jacket through which is passed incoming air to be heated. The tubes may be linear between two manifolds, or they may be curved such that the first and second manifold functions are accommodated within a single component.
Claims13
A heat exchanger, comprising:
- a) at least one corrugated tubular element, having first and second ends, for conveying a first fluid at a first starting temperature;
- and
- b) jacket means surrounding said at least one tubular element for conveying a second fluid at a second starting temperature around said at least one tubular element, whereby heat is transferred between said first fluid and said second fluid.
A fuel cell assembly comprising a heat exchanger for exchanging heat between fuel cell exhaust gas and incoming air, said exchanger including
- at least one corrugated tubular element, having first and second ends, for conveying said exhaust gas at a first starting temperature, and
- jacket means surrounding said at least one tubular element for conveying said incoming air at a second starting temperature around said at least one tubular element, whereby heat is transferred between said exhaust gas and said incoming air.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.