Water trap apparatus for fuel cells and method of controlling the same

A method of controlling a water trap apparatus, the method comprising:

• determining, by a controller of the water trap apparatus, that the fuel cell stack is in a dry state;
• and
• controlling, by the controller based on the determining that the fuel cell stack is in the dry state, an opening and closing door to move to a position at which:
• a bypass line, between a discharge line from the fuel cell stack and one or more bypass inlets of a water trap of the water trap apparatus, is open;
• and
• a portion of the discharge line to one or more inlets of the water trap is closed,
• wherein, based on the opening and closing door being in the position, hydrogen, water, and oxygen discharged from the fuel cell stack flow along the discharge line and the bypass line to enter the water trap via the one or more bypass inlets, and wherein the one or more bypass inlets are positioned such that hydrogen, water, and oxygen that enter the water trap via the one or more bypass inlets flow into an area where a second magnetic field is formed such that a direction of the second magnetic field is configured to:
• guide the water to a recirculation outlet of the water trap;
• and
• guide the oxygen to a first portion of an inside of the water trap.

A method of controlling a water trap apparatus of a fuel cell stack, the method comprising:

• determining, by a controller of the water trap apparatus, whether the fuel cell stack is in a dry state;
• and
• controlling, by the controller via a control current, a first electromagnet and a second electromagnet mounted on a water trap to form a first magnetic field, wherein the controlling of the first electromagnet and the second electromagnet comprises:
• based on the fuel cell stack being in the dry state, causing the control current to be a first control current configured to cause the first electromagnet and the second electromagnet to form the first magnetic field in a first direction such that the first magnetic field applies a force on water molecules to guide the water molecules to a recirculation outlet of the water trap;
• or
• based on the fuel cell stack not being in the dry state, causing the control current to be a second control current configured to cause the first electromagnet and the second electromagnet to form the first magnetic field in a second direction such that the first magnetic field applies a force on water molecules to guide the water molecules to a first portion, of an inside of the water trap, separated from the recirculation outlet, and
• wherein a third magnet and a fourth magnet mounted on the water trap form a second magnetic field in a direction such that the second magnetic field applies a force on oxygen molecules to guide the oxygen molecules to the first portion of the inside of the water trap.