Patent ID: 6824906
Filing Date: 2004-11-30
Classification: H01M,Y02E

Abstract:
A fuel cell system, the system comprising:a fuel cell stack including an anode inlet to receive a fuel flow, a cathode inlet to receive an oxygen flow, a cathode exhaust to discharge cathode exhaust gas, and a coolant passage to direct a coolant through the fuel cell stack; and an integrated heat exchanger unit including a cathode exhaust condenser and a fuel cell stack cooler arranged in side-by-side relation to be cooled by a common cooling air stream that flows in parallel through said condenser and cooler; said condenser including a condensation path in heat exchange relation with the cooling air stream to reject heat from the cathode exhaust gas to the cooling air stream, a first inlet manifold in fluid communication with the cathode exhaust to receive cathode exhaust gas therefrom and connected to the condensation path to distribute the cathode exhaust gas thereto, and a first outlet manifold connected to the condensation path to receive the cathode exhaust gas therefrom; the fuel cell stack cooler including a coolant path in heat exchange relation with the cooling air stream to reject heat from the coolant to the cooling air stream, a second inlet manifold in fluid communication with the coolant passage of the fuel cell stack to receive coolant therefrom and connected to the coolant path to distribute the coolant thereto, and a second outlet manifold connected to the coolant path to receive the coolant therefrom and in fluid communication with said coolant passage of the fuel cell stack to direct coolant thereto.