Proton electrolyte membrane fuel cell with anti-freeze coolant and humidifiers
AssigneeBallard Power Systems Inc.
InventorYi Ding
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A fuel cell system comprising a closed coolant path within a fuel cell; a humidifier comprising a humidification fluid flow path and a fuel and air gas supply passage continuous in, through and out of the humidifier; the humidification fluid flow path and the fuel and air gas supply passage separated by a water permeable membrane that is impervious to organic materials allowing water from the humidification fluid flow path to enter the fuel and air gas supply passage; and the humidifier connected to the fuel cell by a humidified air and fuel passageway. The water permeable membrane can be a keggin ion pillared α-ZrP composite material. The coolant can be water and organic material mixture, such as glycol, thus allowing the coolant flow in temperatures below the freezing point.
Claims16
A proton electrolyte membrane (PEM) fuel cell system, comprising:
- a fuel cell comprising a closed coolant path;
- a humidifier comprising a humidification fluid flow path and a fuel and air gas supply passage continuous in, through and out of the humidifier;
- the humidification fluid flow path and the fuel and air gas supply passage separated by a water permeable membrane that is impervious to organic materials allowing water from the humidification fluid flow path to enter the fuel and air gas supply passage;
- the humidifier connected to the fuel cell by a humidified air and fuel passageway.
A system to cool and humidify a proton electrolyte membrane (PEM) fuel cell system configured to operate at below the freezing temperature of water, comprising the steps of:
- cooling the fuel cell in a closed coolant path using a coolant that comprises water and organic components and has a freezing point below water;
- humidifying fuel cell fuel and air comprising the steps of:
- flowing a coolant that comprises water and organic components and has a freezing point below water through a humidification fluid flow path within a humidifier;
- flowing fuel and air in, through and out of the humidifier through a fuel and air gas supply passage;
- separating the humidification fluid flow path and the fuel and air gas supply passage with a water permeable membrane that is impervious to organic materials allowing water from the humidification fluid flow path to enter the fuel and air gas supply passage;
- and
- connecting the fuel cell and the humidifier by a humidified air and fuel passageway.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.