Patent ID: 7722996
Filing Date: 2010-05-25
Classification: H01M,Y02E

Abstract:
1. A polymer electrolyte fuel cell system comprising: a fuel cell having a predetermined power generation portion configured to operate at a predetermined temperature to generate an electric power using a fuel gas supplied to a fuel gas passage and an oxidizing gas supplied to an oxidizing gas passage; an anode humidifying circuit configured to humidify the fuel gas; a cathode humidifying circuit configured to humidify the oxidizing gas; and a heater configured to heat said anode humidifying circuit and said cathode humidifying circuit, wherein said anode humidifying circuit and said cathode humidifying circuit form a total enthalpy heat exchanger, wherein said total enthalpy heat exchanger is equipped with said heater and is heated by said heater, wherein said anode humidifying circuit has a fuel gas introducing region connected to an inlet of said fuel gas passage, an anode exhaust gas introducing region connected to an outlet of said fuel gas passage, and an anode total enthalpy heat exchange membrane separating the fuel gas introducing region from the anode exhaust gas introducing region, wherein said cathode humidifying circuit has an oxidizing gas introducing region connected to an inlet of said oxidizing gas passage, a cathode exhaust gas introducing region connected to an outlet of said oxidizing gas passage, and a cathode total enthalpy heat exchange membrane separating the oxidizing gas introducing region from the cathode exhaust gas introducing region, and wherein said anode humidifying circuit and said cathode humidifying circuit which are heated by said heater are configured to humidify the fuel gas and the oxidizing gas, respectively, such that the fuel gas and the oxidizing gas have dew points higher than the predetermined temperature, the humidified fuel gas and humidified oxidizing gas having the dew points higher than the predetermined temperature being supplied to said fuel cell.