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US 6,787,254 B2Granted
Method and apparatus for humidification and temperature control of incoming fuel cell process gas
AssigneeHydrogenics Corporation
InventorsJoe Cargnelli, Ravi B. Gopal
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Abstract
A method for humidifying and controlling the temperature of a process gas stream comprising the steps of super-saturating and heating the process gas stream with steam until it reaches a first pre-set temperature; cooling the process gas stream until it reaches a second pre-set temperature; removing excess condensed water from the process gas stream; and heating the process gas stream until it reaches a third pre-set temperature. An apparatus for implementing this method is also disclosed.
Claims16
A method of humidifying a process gas stream, the method comprising;
- (a) humidifying the process gas stream at a first temperature so as to provide the process gas stream with excess humidity;
- (b) cooling the process gas stream at a second temperature, lower than the first temperature, to cause condensation of excess moisture;
- (c) removing excess condensed moisture from the process gas stream;
- (d) delivering the process gas stream at a known temperature, whereby the relative humidity level in the process gas stream is determined from the ratio of the saturation pressures at the second and said known temperatures;
- (e) providing a fuel cell with an outlet for an exhausted gas stream;
- and
- (f) transferring enthalpy, including heat and moisture from the exhausted gas stream to the process gas stream, prior to step (b), thereby to heat the process gas stream and increase the absolute humidity of the process gas stream.
4 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.