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:
Oct. 23, 2012
Filed:
Apr. 25, 2007
Susumu Kobayashi, Nara, JP;
Susumu Hatano, Shiga, JP;
Susumu Kobayashi, Nara, JP;
Susumu Hatano, Shiga, JP;
Panasonic Corporation, Osaka, JP;
Abstract
A fuel cell system includes at least: a hydrogen generator () which is supplied with a raw material to generate a fuel gas containing hydrogen; a humidifier () which is supplied with the fuel gas, generated in the hydrogen generator, to humidify the fuel gas by utilizing heat energy and an off gas supplied thereto; and a fuel cell () which is supplied with the fuel gas humidified in the humidifier and an oxidizing gas to generate electric power while discharging the heat energy and the off gas, and further includes a condenser () which cools down steam of the off gas, discharged from the fuel cell, by heat exchange with a cooling medium to convert the steam into condensed water, and supplies the condensed water to the humidifier to humidify the fuel cell. With this, the present invention provides a durable, reliable, and cheap fuel cell system capable of adequately and surely humidifying the fuel gas supplied to a polymer electrolyte fuel cell by a simple configuration using the humidifier without disposing a particular exclusive auxiliary device.