Patent ID: 7026065

Claim:
A fuel cell system, comprising: a frame enclosing a fuel cell, a coolant flow circuit and a heat exchanger, the frame having at least one external panel mounted thereon to enclose the fuel cell, coolant circuit and heat exchanger; wherein the coolant flow circuit is adapted to circulate a coolant through the heat exchanger and across a surface of the fuel cell to provide heat transfer between the fuel cell and the heat exchanger; an inlet orifice and an outlet orifice, the inlet and outlet orifices being coupled to the frame, the inlet and outlet orifices being coupled to the heat exchanger, the inlet and outlet orifices being adapted to provide an export flow circuit from the inlet orifice through the heat exchanger to the outlet orifice; wherein an insulating material is fixed to a surface of the external panel; a fuel processing reactor enclosed in the frame and adapted to provide hydrogen to the fuel cell; and a second coolant circuit coupled to a surface of the fuel processing reactor, the second coolant circuit being further coupled to the heat exchanger, the second coolant circuit being adapted to transfer heat from the fuel processing reactor to the heat exchanger.