FUEL CELL FLUID MANAGEMENT SYSTEM

• Main Authors: KO, JAMES GAH-MING, YNTEMA, THEODORE DOUGLAS, ROBIN, CURTIS MICHAEL, MULVENNA, ALAN JOHN, SCHMIDT, GERHARD MICHAEL, MACFARLANE, SONJA ELISABETH
• Format: Patent
• Language: English; French
• Published: 08.11.2007
• Subjects: BASIC ELECTRIC ELEMENTS; BLASTING; ELECTRICITY; HEAT EXCHANGE IN GENERAL; HEAT-EXCHANGE APPARATUS, NOT PROVIDED FOR IN ANOTHER SUBCLASS,IN WHICH THE HEAT-EXCHANGE MEDIA DO NOT COME INTO DIRECT CONTACT; HEATING; LIGHTING; MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; PROCESSES OR MEANS, e.g. BATTERIES, FOR THE DIRECT CONVERSIONOF CHEMICAL INTO ELECTRICAL ENERGY; WEAPONS

A fuel cell fluid management system that transfers water vapor from a fuel cell stack's oxidant exhaust to the fuel cell stack's fluid supplies through membrane tubes; that coalesces and separates liquid water from the fuel cell's fluid exhaust streams for removal to the environment; that transfers heat from the fuel cell stack to the fluid supplies, and that disposes of purged fuel cell fuel. The fluid management system is shaped to close couple to the fluid ports of a corresponding fuel cell stack. L'invention porte sur un système de gestion des fluides d'une pile à combustible qui effectue les opérations suivantes: (i) transfert de la vapeur d'eau de la sortie d'oxydant de la pile de cellules à l'alimentation en fluide de la pile de cellules via des tubes à membrane; (ii) fusion et séparation de l'eau des rejets de fluides de la pile de cellules vers l'environnement; (iii) transfert de chaleur de la pile de cellules sur les alimentations en fluides; et (iv) et élimine les combustibles épuisés. Ledit système est conçu pour s'adapter intimement aux orifices de fluide de la pile à combustible correspondante.