Method and Device for Enhancing Fuel Cell Lifetime

A device for enhancing lifetime of at least a fuel cell, comprising:

• a gas-tight enclosure, having a plurality of pipeline openings, for placing a stack of fuel cell therein;
• an enclosure-H2-inlet port and an enclosure-H2-outlet port provided at the gas-tight enclosure to allow communication between an interior of the gas-tight enclosure and an exterior thereof, wherein a H2 environment is created within the interior of the gas-tight enclosure when the fuel cell is in an idling state or in a shutdown state before a next startup thereof;
• and
• a pipeline for extending through the pipeline openings of the gas-tight enclosure for connecting to the stack, wherein gaps between said pipeline and said pipeline openings are sealed, wherein the pipelines comprises a stack-H2-inlet, a stack-H2-outlet, a stack-air-inlet, a stack-air-outlet, a stack-coolant-inlet, and a stack-coolant-outlet for transporting fuel and coolant to the stack correspondingly.

A device for storing MEAs and stacks, comprising a gas-tight enclosure for placing the MEAs and the stacks therein;

• an enclosure-H2-inlet port and an enclosure-H2-outlet port on the said enclosure, wherein a H2 environment is created within the said enclosure;
• a pressure regulator operatively coupled at the enclosure-H2-inlet at an exterior of the gas-tight enclosure;
• and
• two solenoid valves operatively coupled at the enclosure-H2-inlet port and the enclosure-H2-outlet port at the exterior of the gas-tight enclosure respectively.