Plate-type heat exchanger and fuel cell system with the same

A heat exchanger in a fuel cell system that includes a fuel cell stack, a reformer and a water tank, the heat exchanger comprising:

• a metal substrate;
• a first channel arranged in the metal substrate, the first channel circulating and cooling a gas discharged from the reformer, the circulated and cooled gas being directly supplied to the water tank;
• and
• a second channel arranged in the metal substrate, the second channel circulating and heating water supplied from the water tank and supplying the circulated and heated water to the reformer, each of the first channel and the second channel being serpentine-shaped.

A fuel cell system, comprising:

• a fuel cell stack to produce electricity by a reaction of hydrogen and oxygen;
• a reformer coupled to the fuel cell stack to reform a fuel to produce the hydrogen and to supply the hydrogen to the fuel cell stack;
• a fuel supply source coupled to the reformer to supply the fuel to the reformer;
• a water tank to store water and to supply water to the reformer;
• and
• a heat exchanger coupled to each of the fuel cell stack, the reformer, and the water tank, the heat exchanger comprising:
• a first passageway to circulate, cool and condense steam discharged only from the fuel cell stack, the circulated and cooled steam or water condensed from the steam being supplied to the water tank;
• a second passageway to circulate and heat water supplied from the water tank, the circulated and heated water being supplied to the reformer, the first passageway and the second passageway each being of a serpentine shape;
• a substrate having a first face and a second face;
• a first channel arranged in the first face of the substrate, the first passageway arranged within the first channel;
• a second channel arranged in the second face of the substrate, the second passageway arranged within the second channel;
• a first cover plate arranged on the first face of the substrate, the first cover plate covering the first channel;
• and
• a second cover plate arranged on the second face of the substrate, the second cover plate covering the second channel.