Patent ID: 8277988

Claim:
An anode reactant recycling system comprising: a hollow main body including an inlet, a recycle outlet, and a draining outlet, the inlet adapted to receive a fluid; a bleed conduit providing fluid communication between the inlet and the draining outlet; an injector in fluid communication with a fuel source and the hollow main body adapted to inject a fuel into the hollow main body; a water separator disposed in the hollow main body adapted to remove a condensate from the fluid; a hydrophilic porous media disposed in the draining outlet, in fluid communication with the water separator, and adapted to collect the condensate in the hollow main body, thereby hydrating the hydrophilic porous media and militating against gas transfer through the hydrophilic porous media; a water reservoir disposed adjacent the hydrophilic porous media adapted to receive the condensate draining from the hydrophilic porous media; and a wicking material facilitating fluid communication between the water reservoir and the hydrophilic porous media; wherein the anode reactant recycling system is operable to exhaust a first portion of the fluid from the anode reactant recycling system through the bleed conduit and a second portion of the fluid is operable to enter the hollow main body, mix with the fuel, and pass through the water separator before exiting the anode reactant recycling system through the recycle outlet.