Patent ID: 7067209
Filing Date: 2006-06-27
Classification: H01M,Y02E

Abstract:
1. A fuel cell stack assembly comprising: a plurality of fuel cells, each of said fuel cells having a plurality of oxidant reactant gas flow fields, a plurality of fuel reactant gas flow fields, each of said flow fields having an inlet end and an outlet end, a coolant inlet, a coolant outlet, and at least one coolant flow path between said coolant inlet and said coolant outlet; an oxidant reactant gas inlet manifold connected to an inlet end of a first one of said oxidant flow fields of each of said fuel cells; an oxidant reactant gas exit manifold connected to an outlet end of a second one of said oxidant flow fields of each of said fuel cells; a source for providing oxidant reactant gas to said oxidant inlet manifold; at least one oxidant turnaround manifold, each for directing oxidant reactant gas flow exiting one of said plurality of oxidant flow fields of each of said fuel calls into another of said plurality of oxidant flow fields of each of said fuel cells so that oxidant reactant gas entering said oxidant inlet manifold flows through a plurality of said oxidant flow fields of each of said fuel cells and exits through said oxidant exit manifold; means for transferring humidity and heat from (a) oxidant reactant gas extracted from one of the outlet ends remote from said coolant inlet of one of said oxidant flow fields of each of said fuel cells into (b) oxidant reactant gas entering said oxidant inlet manifold; a fuel reactant gas inlet manifold connected to the inlet ends of a first one of said fuel flow fields of each of said fuel cells; a fuel reactant gas exit manifold connected to the outlet ends of a second one of said fuel flow fields of each of said fuel cells; at least one fuel turnaround manifold, each for directing fuel reactant gas flow exiting one of said plurality of fuel flow fields of each of said fuel cells into another of said plurality of fuel flow fields of each of said fuel cells so that fuel reactant gas entering said fuel inlet manifold flows through a plurality of said fuel flow fields of each of said fuel cells and exits through said fuel exit manifold; a source for providing fuel reactant gas to said fuel inlet manifold; and means for transferring humidity and heat from (c) fuel reactant gas extracted from the outlet ends remote from said coolant inlet of one of said flow fields of each of said fuel cells into (d) fuel reactant gas entering said fuel inlet manifold.