Patent ID: 6268074
Filing Date: 2001-07-31
Classification: H01M,Y02E

Abstract:
A fuel cell system comprising: (1) a fuel cell having a cathode inlet admitting compressed air into said fuel cell and a cathode outlet for exhausting cathode effluent from said fuel cell, said effluent containing water generated within said fuel cell; (2) a collector downstream of said cathode outlet for collecting said water from said effluent; (3) a pump for removing said water from said collector; (4) an electric-motor-driven dry compressor energized by said fuel cell for compressing input air and supplying it as compressed air to said cathode inlet via a first conduit over a range of operating pressures suitable to said field cell, said compressor having at least one rotor; (5) an injector communicating with said compressor to spray a mist of said water from said collector directly onto said rotor; (6) a second conduit communicating said pump with said injector to supply said injector with said water; (7) a mass flow meter for measuring the mass flow rate of said input air into said compressor; and (8) a controller communicating with said mass flow meter and said injector to modulate the flow of water through said injector as a function of the mass flow rate of said input air into said compressor to optimize the energy efficiency of said compressor over said compressor's range of operation and thereby reduce the parasitic electrical load on said fuel cell.