Cooling a fuel cell stack
AssigneePower Plug, Inc.
InventorMilton H. Nelson
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A fuel cell system includes a first reactant intake manifold, a first reactant output manifold, a second reactant intake manifold, a second reactant output manifold, a cooling gas intake manifold, a cooling gas output manifold, a liquid intake manifold, fuel cells and a cooling elements distributed among the fuel cells. Each cooling element defines a coolant passage. During operation, a cooling gas flows from the cooling gas intake manifold into the cooling gas output manifold through the coolant passage. Each cooling element also includes a water injection path. During operation water from the liquid intake manifold is injected into the coolant passage to mix with the cooling gas passing therethrough.
Claims6
A method comprising:
- introducing a coolant gas into a channel defined within a fuel cell stack;
- introducing water into the channel, the water hydrating the coolant gas to produce a hydrated gas;
- allowing the hydrated gas to flow along the channel to an outlet port, the hydrated gas absorbing heat from the stack as the hydrated gas flows along the channel;
- and
- allowing the hydrated gas to escape from the outlet port and thereby causing heat to flow from the fuel cell stack;
- directing the hydrated gas to a reactive surface of the fuel cell;
- and
- reacting the hydrated gas to generate electricity.
The method of claim 3 wherein heat is transferred from the hydrated exhaust system to residential heating system.
A method comprising:
- introducing a coolant gas into a channel defined within a fuel cell stack;
- introducing water into the channel, the water hydrating the coolant gas to produce a hydrated gas;
- allowing the hydrated gas to flow along the channel to an outlet port, the hydrated gas absorbing heat from the stack as the hydrated gas flows along the channel;
- and
- allowing the hydrated gas to escape from the outlet port and thereby causing heat to flow from the fuel cell stack,
- wherein the water is introduced at a pressure between 1 and 5 pounds per square inch.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.