Fuel cell fluid management system
First Claim
1. A fluid management system for a fuel cell stack, the fluid management system comprising (a) a humidifier comprising fuel and oxidant supply conduits each having a water permeable separator membrane, and fuel and oxidant exhaust conduits, wherein at least one of the exhaust conduits is in fluid communication with the separator membrane of at least one of the supply conduits and comprises a first liquid water separator that coalesces liquid water from an exhaust stream flowing through the exhaust conduit;
- and (b) a manifold for fluidly coupling the humidifier and heat exchanger supply and exhaust conduits to corresponding supply and exhaust conduits of a fuel cell stack.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A fuel cell fluid management system that transfers water vapor from a fuel cell stack'"'"'s oxidant exhaust to the fuel cell stack'"'"'s fluid supplies through membrane tubes; that coalesces and separates liquid water from the fuel cell'"'"'s fluid exhaust streams for removal to the environment; that transfers heat from the fuel cell stack to the fluid supplies, and that disposes of purged fuel cell fuel. The fluid management system is shaped to close couple to the fluid ports of a corresponding fuel cell stack.
102 Citations
24 Claims
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1. A fluid management system for a fuel cell stack, the fluid management system comprising
(a) a humidifier comprising fuel and oxidant supply conduits each having a water permeable separator membrane, and fuel and oxidant exhaust conduits, wherein at least one of the exhaust conduits is in fluid communication with the separator membrane of at least one of the supply conduits and comprises a first liquid water separator that coalesces liquid water from an exhaust stream flowing through the exhaust conduit; - and
(b) a manifold for fluidly coupling the humidifier and heat exchanger supply and exhaust conduits to corresponding supply and exhaust conduits of a fuel cell stack. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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15. A method of managing fluids for a fuel cell stack, comprising:
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(a) transmitting fuel supply and oxidant supply streams through a humidifier;
(b) receiving fuel exhaust and oxidant exhaust streams from a fuel cell stack and transmitting at least one of the exhaust streams through a first liquid water separator wherein liquid water in the exhaust stream coalesces in the separator; and
(c) transmitting the exhaust stream from the separator and into the humidifier, wherein water vapor permeates from the exhaust stream through a separator membrane and to the fuel supply and oxidant supply streams. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24)
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Specification