Patent ID: 6048383
Filing Date: 2000-04-11
Classification: H01M,Y02E

Abstract:
A method of recovering mass from a plant exhaust stream of fluids leaving a fuel cell of a fuel cell power plant and returning the recovered mass into an oxidant inlet stream entering the fuel cell, the method comprising the steps of:a. passing the exhaust stream through a first rigid, porous, support sheet of a mass transfer composite membrane that rigidly supports a transfer medium core for selectively sorbing a fluid substance consisting of polar molecules from the exhaust stream and for desorbing the fluid substance consisting of polar molecules into the oxidant inlet stream;b. passing the oxidant inlet stream through a second rigid, porous, support sheet opposed to the first support sheet wherein the transfer medium core is disposed between and supported by the first and second support sheets so that polar molecules sorbed from the exhaust stream are desorbed through the second support sheet into the oxidant inlet stream; and,c. then directing the oxidant inlet stream into the fuel cell.