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US 6,746,789 B1Granted
Catalytic humidifier and heater for the fuel stream of a fuel cell
AssigneeHydrogenics Corporation
InventorsXuesong Chen, David Frank, Pierre Rivard, Joe Cargnelli
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A method and apparatus are provided for humidifying fuel, and optionally oxidant, supplied to a fuel cell system, which can be a single fuel cell or a multiplicity of fuel cells. A catalytic reactor is provided, which is supplied with a portion of the fuel and the oxidant. The fuel is supplied in excess of the oxidant to the catalytic reactor, so as to generate a stream of fuel which is both heated and humidified. For a closed system, a heated and humidified fuel flow, and optionally a heated and humidified oxidant flow, are mixed with additional flows of these gases supplied to the fuel cell.
Claims4
A fuel cell system, comprising:
- a plurality of fuel cells forming a fuel cell stack having a main fuel inlet, each fuel cell comprising:
- an inlet for a fuel, the fuel inlet of the fuel cell being connected to the main fuel inlet of the fuel cell stack;
- an anode having an anode catalyst associated therewith for producing cations from the fuel;
- a fuel manifold, connected between the main fuel inlet and the anode, for distributing the fuel to the anode;
- an oxidant inlet means for supplying an oxidant;
- a cathode having a cathode catalyst associated therewith and connected to the oxidant inlet means, for producing anions from the oxidant, said anions reacting with said cations to form water on said cathode;
- an ion exchange membrane deposed between said anode and said cathode, said membrane facilitating migration of cations from said anode to said cathode, while isolating the fuel and the oxidant from one another;
- and
- a catalytic reactor having a first inlet for the fuel and a second inlet for the oxidant, and an outlet for remaining gas that has been heated and humidified, the outlet of the catalytic reactor being connected by a first control valve to the main fuel inlet of the fuel cell stack and by a second control valve to the oxidant inlet means whereby, in use, the outlet of the catalytic reactor can be selectively connected to one of the main fuel inlet and the oxidant inlet means, with supply of the oxidant and the fuel to the catalytic reactor adjusted so that the heated and humidified gas at the outlet of the catalytic reactor includes an excess of gas corresponding to said one of the main fuel inlet and the oxidant inlet means.
6 more elements
A fuel cell system, comprising:
- a plurality of fuel cells forming a fuel cell stack having a main fuel inlet, each fuel cell comprising:
- an inlet for a fuel, the fuel inlet of the fuel cell being connected to the main fuel inlet of the fuel cell stack;
- an anode having an anode catalyst associated therewith for producing cations from the fuel;
- a fuel manifold, connected between the main fuel inlet and the anode, for distributing the fuel to the anode;
- an oxidant inlet means for supplying an oxidant;
- a cathode having a cathode catalyst associated therewith and connected to the oxidant inlet means, for producing anions from the oxidant, said anions reacting with said cations to form water on said cathode;
- an ion exchange membrane deposed between said anode and said cathode, said membrane facilitating migration of cations from said anode to said cathode, while isolating the fuel and the oxidant from one another;
- and
- a catalytic reactor having a first inlet for the fuel and a second inlet for the oxidant, and an outlet for remaining gas that has been heated and humidified, the catalytic reactor being connected to the main fuel inlet, whereby, in use, with the fuel and the oxidant supplied to the catalytic reactor and the fuel being supplied in excess of the stoichiomietric amount, the remaining, heated and humidified gas comprises heated and humidified fuel and is supplied from the catalytic reactor to the main fuel inlet,
- and wherein, the oxidant inlet means comprises an air distribution manifold within the fuel cell stack for distributing air, as the oxidant, to individual fuel cells, wherein a main air supply line is provided connected to the air distribution manifold, wherein the catalytic reactor is provided in the main fuel supply line, and wherein a second catalytic reactor is provided in the main air supply line and a secondary fuel supply line connects the main fuel supply line to the secondary catalytic reactor, for a supply of fuel in an amount less than the stoichiometric amount required for combustion with air, whereby, the secondary catalytic reactor generates heated and humidified air.
7 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.