Fuel cell thermal management system and method

A system for regulating the thermal characteristics of a self-contained fuel cell apparatus having external surfaces and a plurality of heat-generating components housed within said apparatus, said components having different preferred operating temperature ranges, said system comprising:

• (a) an inlet for introducing a heat transfer gas into said apparatus;
• (b) means for moving said heat transfer gas within said apparatus in one or more flow paths between said components to maintain said components within said preferred operating temperature ranges, whereby said flow paths are configured such that said heat transfer gas has sufficient cooling capacity to accept waste heat from any of said components located downstream therefrom;
• and
• (c) an outlet for exhausting said gas from said apparatus to the environment surrounding said apparatus,
• wherein the temperature of said external surfaces and said gas exhausted from said apparatus is maintained below 70° C.

A method of regulating the thermal characteristics of a self-contained fuel cell apparatus comprising a fuel reformer, said apparatus having external surfaces and a plurality of heat-generating components including the fuel cell and the fuel reformer housed within said apparatus, said components having different preferred operating temperature ranges, said method comprising:

• (a) introducing air into said apparatus from the environment surrounding said apparatus;
• (b) moving said air within said apparatus in one or more flow paths between said components to maintain said components within said preferred operating temperature ranges, whereby said flow paths are configured such that said air has sufficient cooling capacity at any location within said flow paths to accept waste heat from any of said components located downstream therefrom;
• and
• (c) exhausting said air from said apparatus to said environment surrounding said apparatus.