International Fuel Cells, LLC

Bryan L Murach

Leslie L Van Dine

Michael E Gorman

The invention is a pressurized water recovery system for a fuel cell power plant including at least one fuel cell having an electrolyte between anode and cathode electrodes for producing an electric current from a reducing fluid and an oxidant stream. A coolant loop directs a coolant fluid from a reservoir through a coolant passage to the fuel cell and back to the reservoir, and the coolant loop also receives coolant fluid through water lines secured between condensing heat exchangers and the coolant reservoir. A process exhaust passage directs a process exhaust stream from adjacent the cathode and anode electrodes out of the fuel cell and into a condensing heat exchanger. Whenever the power plant is under coolant stress, a process exhaust valve selectively directs a portion of the process exhaust stream out of the process exhaust passage to a supercharger that pressurizes the received portion of the process exhaust stream and directs the pressurized portion to a pressurized condensing heat exchanger. Because the process exhaust stream within the pressurized heat exchanger is under pressure, an increased amount of water condenses out of the stream without a need to continuously pressurize any of the fuel cell components. The increased amount of condensed water is directed to the coolant reservoir, and whenever the coolant stress ends, the process exhaust valve and supercharger stop pressurizing any portion of the process exhaust stream.

Pressurized water recovery system for a fuel cell power plant

A hydrogen-fueled fuel cell reacts residual fuel in the exhaust of the anode flow field either in a catalytic converter or by feeding the anode exhaust into the cathode oxidant stream. Control of flow of anode exhaust into the cathode oxidant stream may be in response to a flammability sensor, a gas composition analyzer, current output, or periodically in response to a timer; the anode exhaust may be fed either upstream or downstream of the cathode air inlet blower.

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New Britian, CT, United States of America

Bryan L Murach