Non-circulating coolant PEM fuel cell power plant assembly with low thermal mass
US7638217B2 · kind B2 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Nov 28, 2006 |
| Grant date | Dec 29, 2009 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | May 16, 2028 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC Y)Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
- CPC primaryY02E60/50
- WIPO fieldElectrical machinery, apparatus, energy
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
A PEM fuel cell power plant includes fuel cells, each of which has a cathode reactant flow field plate which is substantially impermeable to fluids, a water coolant source, and a fluid permeable anode reactant flow field plate adjacent to said water coolant source. The anode reactant flow field plates pass water from the coolant sources into the cells where the water is evaporated to cool the cells. The cathode flow field plates prevent reactant crossover between adjacent cells. By providing a single water permeable plate for each cell in the power plant the amount of water present in the power plant at shut down is limited to a degree which does not require adjunct water purging components to remove water from the plates when the power plant is shut down during freezing ambient conditions. Thus the amount of residual ice in the power plant that forms in the plates during shut down in such freezing conditions will be limited. The power plant can thus be restarted and brought up to full operating power levels quickly due to the reduced amount of ice that must be melted during startup. The power plant is thus well suited for use in powering vehicles.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.