Air humidification for fuel cell applications
AssigneeGM Global Technology Operations LLC
InventorsDetlef Gunther, Christian Konig, John Ruhl
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A system and method for improving air humidification for fuel cell applications includes a fuel cell stack having a cathode inlet and a cathode outlet. The cathode inlet receives an oxidant. A humidifier humidifies the oxidant prior to delivery of the oxidant to the cathode inlet. An injection nozzle is provided, and a volume of water substantially vaporized by the injection nozzle reduces a temperature of the oxidant and increases a water transfer rate of the humidifier. The injection nozzle can be positioned either directly upstream of the humidifier in the oxidant inlet line or in a stack cathode outlet line which is directed into the humidifier.
Claims26
A fuel cell stack air humidification system, comprising:
- a fuel cell stack having a cathode inlet and a cathode outlet, the cathode inlet operable to receive an oxidant into the fuel cell stack;
- a humidifier having a water transfer rate, the humidifier operable to humidify the oxidant prior to delivery of the oxidant to the cathode inlet;
- and
- an injection nozzle operable to substantially vaporize and inject a volume of water to reduce a temperature of the oxidant and increase the water transfer rate of the humidifier.
A method for controlling air humidification in a fuel cell system, the fuel cell system including a fuel cell stack, a humidifier adapted to humidify an oxidant injectable in the fuel cell stack, and an injection nozzle, the method comprising:
- connecting the injection nozzle in a flow path including the humidifier and the fuel cell stack;
- vaporizing a water volume using the water injection nozzle;
- and
- cooling the oxidant with the vaporized water volume prior to the oxidant being injected into the fuel cell stack.
A method for using a vaporized water volume to reduce a temperature of an oxidant injected into a fuel cell system, the fuel cell system including a fuel cell stack having a cathode inlet, a humidifier adapted to humidify the oxidant, and at least one injection nozzle, the method comprising:
- connecting the humidifier to the cathode inlet of the fuel cell stack;
- humidifying the oxidant during an operating state of the fuel cell stack;
- connecting the injection nozzle to an inlet flow path of the humidifier;
- transferring a water volume to the injection nozzle;
- vaporizing the water volume using the injection nozzle;
- and
- injecting the vaporized water volume into the inlet flow path to cool the oxidant and increase a relative humidity of the oxidant exiting the humidifier.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.