Patent ID: 7014933

Claim:
A fuel cell power plant ( 110 ) comprising: a fuel cell stack assembly ( 12 ); an inlet oxidant stream ( 134 , 134 ′) operatively connected to a fuel cell stack assembly oxidant region inlet ( 36 ); a coolant loop ( 114 ) operatively connected to a fuel cell stack assembly coolant region inlet ( 48 ) and outlet ( 50 ), the coolant loop ( 114 ) including a heat removal means ( 152 , 156 ) configured to transfer heat from a fuel cell stack assembly coolant; and a humidifier ( 70 ) operatively connected in the coolant loop ( 114 ) between the heat removal means ( 152 , 156 ) and the fuel cell stack assembly coolant region inlet ( 48 ) and operatively connected in the inlet oxidant stream ( 134 , 134 ′), the humidifier configured for both cooling the coolant prior to return introduction of the coolant to the fuel cell stack assembly ( 12 ) and for relatively increasing the temperature and humidity of the inlet oxidant stream ( 134 , 134 ′) prior to introduction of the inlet oxidant stream to the fuel cell stack assembly oxidant region inlet ( 36 ).