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:
Apr. 11, 2006
Filed:
Aug. 30, 2002
Arne W. Ballantine, Round Lake, NY (US);
Ryan Hallum, Latham, NY (US);
Arne W. Ballantine, Round Lake, NY (US);
Ryan Hallum, Latham, NY (US);
Plug Power Inc., Latham, NY (US);
Abstract
The invention provides a fuel cell incorporating a thermal management scheme and associated methods of operation. In one aspect, a fuel cell system includes a frame enclosing a fuel cell, a coolant flow circuit and a heat exchanger. The frame has at least one external panel mounted thereon to enclose the fuel cell, a coolant circuit and heat exchanger. The coolant flow circuit is adapted to circulate a coolant through the heat exchanger and across a surface of the fuel cell to provide heat transfer between the fuel cell and the heat exchanger. An inlet orifice and an outlet orifice are coupled to the frame and to the heat exchanger, and are adapted to provide an export flow circuit from the inlet orifice through the heat exchanger to the outlet orifice. An insulating material is fixed to a surface of the external panel.