Patent ID: 8563181

Claim:
A fuel cell system comprising: a fuel cell comprising: a plurality of membrane-electrode assemblies each structured such that an anode bonded to a first surface of an electrolyte membrane and a cathode bonded to a second surface, opposite to the first surface, of the electrolyte membrane, a plurality of plates each having at least one path of a fuel gas path for supplying fuel gas to the anode, an oxidant gas path for supplying oxidant gas to the cathode and a heat medium path for flowing a first heat medium, a fuel gas supply inlet, a fuel gas outlet, an oxidant gas supply inlet, an oxidant gas discharge outlet, a heat medium supply inlet, and a heat medium discharge outlet; a fuel humidifier, an oxidant humidifier, and a heat exchanger for heat-exchanging the first heat medium with a second heat medium; wherein the fuel gas and the oxidant gas flow parallel to each other and the heat medium flows in the direction anti-parallel to both the fuel gas and the oxidant gas in the fuel cell, and wherein the heat medium discharge outlet is connected to any one of the fuel humidifier and the oxidant humidifier, the any one of the fuel humidifier and the oxidant humidifier is connected to the other one of the fuel humidifier and the oxidant humidifier, the other one of the fuel humidifier and the oxidant humidifier is connected to the heat exchanger connected to the heat medium supply inlet to form a circulation path for the heat medium heat-exchanging at the fuel cell, the fuel humidifier the oxidant humidifier and the heat exchanger.