The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Dec. 30, 2003
Filed:
May. 31, 2001
Kenneth M. Rush, Jr., Clifton Park, NY (US);
Plug Power Inc., Latham, NY (US);
Abstract
A method for humidifying a mixture of dry fuel and air for use in a fuel processor may include receiving a mixture of dry fuel and air at a first temperature such as ambient temperature, heating the mixture of dry fuel and air to a second temperature greater than the first temperature, and combining the mixture of dry fuel and air at the second temperature with water. A fuel cell system incorporating such method may include a humidifier for humidifying a mixture of dry dry fuel and air which is processed in a fuel processor to produce reformate, and a fuel cell for receiving the reformate and generating electricity. A heat exchanger is provided for heating the mixture of dry fuel and air prior to humidification in the humidifier. The heat exchanger may be provided in the fuel processor or operably connected to an anode tail-gas oxidizer.