Fuel cell system and related operating method
AssigneeNissan Motor Co., Ltd.
InventorKazuhiro Yamada
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Abstract
A fuel cell system and related operating method are disclosed wherein a water storage section (a water storage tank 33), that stores water to humidify a fuel cell 1, is provided with a heat transfer surface (52a to 55a, 52b to 54b) that is heated by hot medium supplied to a hot medium flow passage. The heat transfer surface is inclined such that a surface area surrounded by the heat transfer surface increases as a water level increases. Antifreeze solution forming coolant medium of the fuel cell is heated and used as hot medium of the hot medium flow passage.
Claims11
A fuel cell system comprising:
- a fuel cell;
- a fuel cell humidifier having a water storage section that stores water to humidify the fuel cell;
- and
- a heat transfer surface disposed in the water storage section and heated by hot medium supplied to a hot medium flow passage;
- wherein
- the heat transfer surface having an inclination angle that allows a surface area of a water level surrounded by the heat transfer surface to progressively increase with an increase in a water level.
A fuel cell system comprising:
- a fuel cell;
- fuel cell humidifying means having a water storage section that stores water to humidify the fuel cell;
- and
- heat transfer means disposed in the water storage section and heated by hot medium supplied to a hot medium flow passage;
- wherein
- the heat transfer means having an inclination angle that allows a surface area of a water level surrounded by the heat transfer means to progressively increase with an increase in a water level .
A method of operating a fuel cell system, the method comprising:
- preparing a fuel cell;
- preparing a fuel cell humidifier having a water storage section that stores water;
- preparing a hot medium flow passage formed with a heat transfer surface, disposed in the water storage section, which has an inclination angle that allows a surface area of a water level surrounded by the heat transfer surface to progressively increase with an increase in a water level;
- supplying hot medium through the hot medium flow passage and heating the water in the water storage section;
- and
- humidifying the fuel cell using the water heated by the heat transfer surface;
- and
- supplying fuel and oxidizer to the fuel cell to allow the fuel cell to generate an electric power output in the presence of the water supplied thereto in the humidifying step.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.