Patent ID: 8920987
Filing Date: 2014-12-30
Classification: H01M,Y02E

Abstract:
1. A fuel cell system, comprising: a fuel cell stack that receives reactant gases and generate electrical energy; a humidifier to humidify reactant gas supplied to a cathode inlet of the fuel cell stack using exhaust gas discharged from a cathode outlet of the fuel cell stack as a water supply source; an intercooler to cool the exhaust gas as a water supply source of the humidifier, wherein the intercooler is installed in an exhaust gas pipe, which connects the cathode outlet of the fuel cell stack and the humidifier, to reduce the temperature of the exhaust gas and, simultaneously, increase the humidity thereof, to improve humidification performance of the humidifier and wherein the humidifier is installed in a pipe connecting the intercooler and the cathode inlet; a coolant cut-off device to selectively supply and cut off coolant to the intercooler, which is heat-exchanged with the exhaust gas within the intercooler, to the intercooler based on an operation state of the fuel cell stack, wherein the coolant cut-off device includes: a bypass device that bypasses all or a part of the exhaust gas discharged from the fuel cell stack from the exhaust gas pipe to the humidifier based on the operation state of the fuel cell stack such that the exhaust gas does not pass through the intercooler, wherein the bypass device includes: a bypass pipe installed in the exhaust gas pipe and installed to bypass the exhaust gas to control passage of exhaust gas through the intercooler; and a bypass valve that controls the flow of exhaust gas in the path between the intercooler and the bypass pipe based on the control signal of the controller.