Patent ID: 6544677
Filing Date: 2003-04-08
Classification: H01M,Y02E

Abstract:
A fuel cell system with a fuel cell displaying an anode and a cathode, with a system for supplying a fuel-water mixture to the anode and a system for supplying an oxidant to the cathode and also with a system for carrying off the liquid-vapor mixture emerging at the anode of the fuel cells, this removal system consisting of two parallel-running paths each with a vapor separator, a mainstream cooler being connected in front of the vapor separator in the first path (low temperature path) so that the liquid-vapor mixture is fed cooled to the vapor separator, while in the second path (high temperature path) the liquid-vapor mixture is fed essentially uncooled to the vapor separator, and also with a crossover path between the two paths by which the gas separated in the vapor separator in the high temperature path is fed cooled to the vapor separator in the low temperature path, characterized such that a branch-stream cooler is provided in the crossover path so that the vapor emerging from the high temperature vapor separator is fed cooled to the low temperature path and the condensate accumulating in the branch-stream cooler is returned to the high temperature vapor separator.