Fuel cell system
First Claim
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1. A fuel cell system, comprising:
- at least first and second fuel cells, each of the fuel cells having at least one reactant inlet line and at least one output outlet; and
a first heater arrangement operably connected to the at least one output outlet of the first fuel cell and associated with the at least one reactant inlet line of the second fuel cell such that heat from the first heater arrangement is transferred to reactants in the at least one reactant inlet line of the second fuel cell.
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Abstract
A fuel cell system in accordance with a present invention includes independently actuatable fuel cells.
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Citations
30 Claims
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1. A fuel cell system, comprising:
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at least first and second fuel cells, each of the fuel cells having at least one reactant inlet line and at least one output outlet; and
a first heater arrangement operably connected to the at least one output outlet of the first fuel cell and associated with the at least one reactant inlet line of the second fuel cell such that heat from the first heater arrangement is transferred to reactants in the at least one reactant inlet line of the second fuel cell. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
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8. A fuel cell system, comprising:
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at least first and second individually operable fuel cells that consume reactants and produce power and output;
means for heating the reactants to be consumed by the second fuel cell with the output from the first fuel cell; and
means for sequentially activating the fuel cells. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11, 12)
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13. A method of operating a fuel cell system including at least first and second fuel cells that consume reactants and produce power and output, the method comprising the steps of:
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activating the first fuel cell without activating the second fuel cell;
heating reactants to be consumed by the second fuel cell with the output from the first fuel cell; and
activating the second fuel cell after the reactants to be consumed by the second fuel cell have been heated to a predetermined temperature. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23)
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24. A system, comprising:
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a power consuming apparatus; and
a fuel cell system having a pilot unit and a plurality of power units operably connected to the power consuming apparatus, the fuel cell system being operable in (1) a standby state where the power units are not activated, the pilot unit is activated, and output from pilot unit heats reactants to be consumed by at least one of the power units, and (2) a power supply state where at least one of the power units supplies power to the power consuming apparatus and output from the at least one power unit heats reactants to be consumed by at least one other power unit. - View Dependent Claims (25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30)
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Specification