Patent ID: 9634337
Date: 2017-04-25
CPC Classifications: F28D,F28F,H01M,Y02E

Claim:
1. A fuel cell apparatus, comprising: a fuel cell stack that in operation provides a cathode exhaust including evaporated coolant water; and at least one finned condenser having coolant fluid flow paths, and having condensation fluid flow paths in thermal conductivity with the coolant fluid flow paths and configured to conduct the cathode exhaust, the at least one condenser comprising a finned tube type heat exchanger with tubes extending horizontally through fins; wherein at least some of the tubes of the at least one condenser extend horizontally beyond the fins of the at least one condenser and have central longitudinal axes that extend horizontally to respective ends of the tubes; wherein the ends of the tubes are oriented at an oblique angle with respect to the horizontal central axes of the tubes such that openings at the ends of the tubes face downwardly to reduce pooling of condensate during low fluid flow; wherein end surfaces at fluid exit ends of the condensation fluid flow paths are hydrophilic and in liquid communication with a substantially water-permeable wick configured to remove water away from the fluid exit ends of the condensation fluid flow paths; at least some of the condensation fluid flow paths are hydrophilic and in liquid communication with the hydrophilic end surfaces of the condensation fluid flow paths; and wherein the at least one condenser includes first fins alternating with second fins, the first fins extending beyond the second fins to reduce pooling of condensate during low fluid flow.