Patent · US Expired

Method and apparatus for collecting condensate in an integrated fuel cell system

US6743540B2 · kind B2 · utility

1Cited by
0References
10Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateJul 31, 2002
Grant dateJun 1, 2004
Priority date
Expiry dateSep 10, 2022

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC Y)Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
  • CPC primaryY02E60/50
  • WIPO fieldElectrical machinery, apparatus, energy
  • WIPO sectorElectrical engineering

Abstract

The invention generally relates to a method and apparatus for collecting condensate from process streams in an integrated fuel cell system. In one aspect, the invention provides a water management subsystem for a fuel cell system. A gas conduit contains a gas at a first pressure. A water tank in the system contains water at a certain level. The water tank has an inlet orifice below the water level. A drain conduit has a first end and a second end. The drain conduit is connected at the first end to the gas conduit, and the drain conduit is connected at the second end to the inlet orifice of the water tank. The water level and the inlet orifice have a vertical height of water between them corresponding to a head pressure greater than the first pressure.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.