Patent ID: 6832647
Filing Date: 2004-12-21
Classification: B01D,F28B,F28D,F28F,H01M,Y02E

Abstract:
An integrated condenser/separator for condensing and separating a condensate from a cathode exhaust gas flow in a fuel cell system, the condenser/separator comprising:a housing including a gas flow inlet, a gas flow outlet, a condensate outlet, a coolant inlet, and a coolant outlet; a baffle plate positioned in the housing to divide an interior of the housing into a first gas flow chamber and a second gas flow chamber, the baffle plate having a coolant opening to allow a flow of coolant through the baffle plate and a gas flow opening to allow a gas flow through the baffle plate; a first condensate drain in the first gas flow chamber to drain condensate from the first gas flow chamber; and a plurality of heat exchange units arranged as a first stack of the heat exchange units positioned in the first gas flow chamber and a second stack of the heat exchange units positioned in the second gas flow chamber, the first stack including a first plurality of coolant channels interleaved with a first plurality of gas flow channels, a first inlet manifold to direct coolant into the first plurality of coolant channels, a first outlet manifold to receive coolant from the first plurality of coolant channels, and a first gas flow manifold to communicate gas flow with the first plurality of gas flow channels, the second stack including a second plurality of coolant channels interleaved with a second plurality of gas flow channels, a second inlet manifold to direct coolant into the second plurality of coolant channels, a second outlet manifold that receives coolant from the second plurality of coolant channels, and a second gas flow manifold to communicate gas flow with the second plurality of gas flow channels.