THERMAL ENERGY MANAGEMENT IN ELECTROCHEMICAL FUEL CELLS

摘要

A fuel cell assembly supplies water and water vapour by-product to a cooling water circuit delivered to a thermal storage tank from which it can be recycled to the fuel cell stack as direct input to the membrane electrode assemblies, for use as fuel/oxidant preheat and/or direct water injection to the membrane electrode assembly. The purity of water delivered to the membra ne is thereby assured. The thermal storage tank allows for a decoupling of the thermal and electrical loads on the fuel cell stack in a combined heat and electrical power delivery unit. Under low external electrical loads, the fue l cell stack and its cooling circuit may be used at high capacity to provide h ot water.