Method of humidifying fuel cell inlets using wick-based water trap humidifiers

摘要

A fuel cell system that employs a split fuel cell stack, where fresh anode gas is humidified by water trap humidifiers. The fuel cell system includes a plurality of valves that are opened and closed to provide stack order switching between the split stacks so that the flow of hydrogen through the stacks is always in the same direction. A water trap humidifier is provided at the anode inlet to both split stacks, possibly in the anode inlet manifold or fuel cell non-active region, to provide the humidification. The valves are selectively opened and closed to provide fresh hydrogen to one stack, and humidified hydrogen to the other stack.

主权项

1. A fuel cell system comprising:
a first sub-stack including an anode input and an anode output; a second sub-stack including an anode input and an anode output; a plurality of control valves that control the flow of an anode reactant gas to the anode side of the first and second sub-stacks in a stack order switching manner; and a first humidifier positioned at the anode input of the first sub-stack that includes a plurality of corrugated walls separated by plates and a second humidifier positioned at the anode input of the second sub-stack that includes a plurality of corrugated walls separated by plates, wherein the walls and the plates of the first and second humidifiers absorb water, and wherein liquid water in the anode reactant gas that is output from the anode output of the first sub-stack and input into the anode input of the second sub-stack is absorbed by the second humidifier, liquid water in the anode reactant gas that is output from the anode output of the second sub-stack and input to the anode input of the first sub-stack is absorbed by the first humidifier, fresh hydrogen being provided to the anode input of the first sub-stack is humidified by the first humidifier and fresh hydrogen being provided to the second sub-stack is humidified by the second humidifier, wherein the first humidifier is positioned within an anode inlet manifold of the first sub-stack and the second humidifier is positioned within an anode inlet manifold of the second sub-stack.