US 2006/0141312 A1Published application

Fuel cell coolers with inverse flow and condensation zone

AssigneeUTC Fuel Cells, LLC

InventorsRobert Fredley, Bhimashankar Nitta

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Abstract

A fuel cell system having a fuel cell stack (9) employing a phosphoric acid or other electrolyte, includes a non-reactive zone (11) in each of a group of fuel cells between corresponding coolant plates (55), the coolant entering the coolant plates in an area adjacent to the non-reactive zones (29-31). Each fuel cell has three-pass fuel flow fields, the first pass substantially adjacent to a third zone (13), remote from the first zone, the second pass substantially adjacent to a second zone contiguous with the first zone, the coolant flowing (33, 34) from a coolant inlet (29) through the first zone, to the far side of the second zone, and (37-41) from the near side of the second zone to the third zone and thence (45-50) to a coolant exit manifold (30), which assures temperatures above 150° C. (300° F.), to mitigate CO poisoning of the anode within the reactive zones, and assuring temperatures below 140° C. (280° F.) to promote sufficient condensation of evaporated electrolyte in the non-reactive zones, so as to provide a long system life.

Claims5

Dependent claims

A fuel cell system, comprising:

a plurality of fuel cells interspersed with a plurality of cooler plates in a stack, each fuel cell having a fuel inlet, a fuel outlet, an oxidant inlet and an oxidant outlet;
each of said fuel cells having a reactive zone which is adjacent to both the fuel inlet and the oxidant inlet of the fuel cell and a non-reactive zone which is adjacent to both the fuel exit and oxidant exit of the fuel cell;
and
each of said cooler plates disposed adjacent at least one group of said fuel cells, each of said cooler plates having at least one coolant channel extending from a coolant inlet through a first zone, which generally overlaps at least a portion of said non-reactive zones of said fuel cells, to at least one additional zone, adjacent said first zone, which generally overlaps at least a portion of said reactive zones, the coolant channel in said additional zone flowing coolant in a direction which is from an edge of said additional zone remote from said first zone to an edge of said additional zone adjacent said first zone, thereby providing coolant in said additional zone which is warmest adjacent to said first zone.

1 more element

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 11/025,231Filed 29 Dec 2004
Published: 29 Jun 2006
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification11 codes

H01M 8/0263
Characterised by the configuration of channels, e.g. by the flow field of the reactant or coolant: having meandering or serpentine paths
H01M 8/0267
Collectors; Separators, e.g. bipolar separators; Interconnectors: having heating or cooling means, e.g. heaters or coolant flow channels
H01M 8/04074
Heat exchange or temperature measuring elements, thermal insulation, e.g. heat pipes, heat pumps, fins: heat exchange unit structures specially…
H01M 8/04276
Auxiliary arrangements, e.g. for control of pressure or for circulation of fluids: arrangements for managing the electrolyte stream, e.g. heat…