Three-wheel air turbocompressor for PEM fuel cell systems

A fuel cell system, comprising:

• a compressor;
• a fuel processor downstream of said compressor;
• a fuel cell stack in communication with said fuel processor and compressor;
• a first turbine downstream of said fuel processor;
• a second turbine downstream of said fuel processor and in parallel flow communication with said first turbine, said second turbine being mechanically engaged to said compressor and first turbine;
• and
• a distribution valve in communication with said first and second turbines.

A fuel cell system, comprising:

• a compressor;
• a fuel processor downstream of said compressor;
• a fuel cell in communication with said fuel processor;
• a heater/humidifier intermediate said compressor and fuel cell;
• a first turbine downstream of said fuel processor;
• and
• a second turbine downstream of said fuel processor and in parallel flow communication with said first turbine, said second turbine being mechanically engaged to said compressor and first turbine.

A fuel cell system, comprising:

• a compressor;
• a fuel processor downstream of said compressor;
• a fuel cell stack in communication with said fuel processor;
• a first turbine downstream of said fuel processor;
• a second turbine downstream of said fuel processor and in parallel flow communication with said first turbine, said second turbine being mechanically engaged to said compressor and first turbine;
• and
• a condenser/separator downstream of said second turbine.

A method of processing an oxidant gas and a fuel gas for a fuel cell system, comprising:

• compressing said oxidant gas in a compressor to produce a compressed oxidant gas;
• flowing a first portion of said compressed oxidant gas to a fuel cell stack;
• flowing a second portion of said compressed oxidant gas to a fuel processor;
• flowing said fuel gas to said fuel processor to produce a hydrogen-rich gas;
• flowing said hydrogen-rich gas to said fuel cell stack;
• producing a heated oxidant gas from said fuel processor;
• splitting said heated oxidant gas into a first portion and a second portion of heated oxidant gas such that said first and second portions of heated oxidant gas flow parallel to one another;
• expanding said first portion of said heated oxidant gas in a first turbine to produce a first turbine exhaust;
• expanding said second portion of said heated oxidant gas in a second turbine to produce a second turbine exhaust;
• and
• rotatingly engage said compressor, first turbine and second turbine to one another.

A fuel cell system, comprising:

• a compressor that provides a flow of compressed oxidant gas;
• a splitter member in communication with said compressed oxidant gas flow from said compressor that splits said compressed gas flow into a first portion flow and a second portion flow;
• a fuel cell stack that is downstream of said compressor and is in communication with said compressor and receives said first portion flow and that is in communication with said fuel processor;
• a fuel processor that is downstream of said compressor and is in communication with and receives said second portion flow;
• a first turbine downstream of said fuel processor;
• a second turbine downstream of said fuel processor, said second turbine being mechanically engaged to said compressor and first turbine;
• and
• a distribution valve in communication with said fuel processor and with said first and second turbines that distributes gas that flows from said fuel processor to said first and second turbines.

A method of processing an oxidant gas for a fuel cell system, comprising:

• compressing said oxidant gas in a compressor to produce a compressed oxidant gas;
• flowing a first portion of said compressed oxidant gas to a fuel cell stack and a second portion to a fuel processor;
• exhausting a heated oxidant gas from said fuel cell stack;
• flowing a first portion of said heated oxidant gas to a first turbine wherein said first compressed oxidant gas portion expands and wherefrom expanded gas is exhausted to produce a first turbine exhaust;
• flowing a second portion of said heated oxidant gas to a second turbine wherein said second compressed oxidant gas portion expands and wherefrom expanded gas is exhausted to produce a second turbine exhaust;
• and
• engaging said compressor, first turbine and second turbine with one another.

A method of processing an oxidant gas and a fuel gas for a fuel cell system, comprising:

• compressing said oxidant gas in a compressor to produce a compressed oxidant gas;
• splitting said compressed oxidant gas to produce first and second portions of compressed oxidant gas;
• flowing said first compressed oxidant gas portion to a fuel cell stack;
• flowing said second compressed oxidant gas portion to a fuel processor;
• flowing said fuel gas to said fuel processor to produce a hydrogen-rich gas;
• flowing said hydrogen-rich gas to said fuel cell stack;
• producing a heated oxidant gas from said fuel processor;
• splitting said heated oxidant gas into a first portion and a second portion of heated oxidant gas such that said first and second portions of heated oxidant gas flow parallel to one another;
• flowing said first portion of said heated oxidant gas to a first turbine wherein said first compressed oxidant gas portion expands and wherefrom expanded gas is exhausted to produce a first turbine exhaust;
• flowing said second portion of said heated oxidant gas to a second turbine wherein said second compressed oxidant gas portion expands and wherefrom expanded gas is exhausted to produce a second turbine exhaust;
• and
• rotatingly engaging said compressor, first turbine and second turbine one with another.