Utc Power Corporation

David D Johnson

Carl Anthony Reiser

Robert Mason Darling

Craig E Evans

Tommy Skiba

Jeremy P Meyers

Ryan J Balliet

Fuel cells () have water passageways () that provide water through reactant gas flow field plates () to cool the fuel cell. The water passageways may be vented to atmosphere (), by a porous plug (), or pumped () with or without removing any water from the passageways. A condenser () receives reactant air exhaust, may have a contiguous reservoir (), may be vertical, (a vehicle radiator, FIG.), may be horizontal, contiguous with the top of the fuel cell stack (, FIG.), or below () the fuel cell stack (). The passageways may be grooves () or may comprise a plane of porous hydrophilic material () contiguous with substantially the entire surface of one or both of the reactant gas flow field plates. Air flow in the condenser may be controlled by shutters (). The condenser may be a heat exchanger () having freeze-proof liquid flowing through a coil () thereof, the amount being controlled by a valve (). A deionizer () may be used.

Fuel cells evaporative reactant gas cooling and operational freeze prevention

Fuel cells () have minute water passageways () that provide water through one or both reactant gas flow field plates () of each fuel cell, whereby the fuel cell is cooled evaporatively. The water passageways () may be vented by a porous plug (), or by a microvacuum pump () that does not pump any water from the passageways, or simply vented () to atmosphere. A condenser () may have a contiguous reservoir (); the condenser () may be vertical, such as a vehicle radiator (FIG.), or may be horizontal, contiguous with the top of the fuel cell stack (, FIG.). The passageways may be grooves () in the reactant gas flow plates () or the passageways may comprise a plane of porous hydrophilic material () contiguous with substantially the entire surface of one or both of the reactant gas flow field plates.

Fuel cells evaporatively cooled with water carried in passageways

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Champagne, IL, United States of America

David D Johnson