Regenerative dryer device and method for water recovery, primarily in the cathode side, of a proton exchange membrane fuel cell

摘要

The invention regards a fuel cell system and method for recovering moisture from an outgoing oxidant stream and humidifying an incoming oxidant stream in a fuel cell. A plurality of dryers is used to recover moisture from an outgoing oxidant stream from the fuel cell and to humidify an incoming oxidant stream for the fuel cell. The fuel cell comprises an anode for receiving fuel and a cathode for receiving the incoming oxidant stream and discharging the outgoing oxidant stream, and an electrolyte between the anode and the cathode. The moisture recovery and humidification involves (i) intermittently switching each dryer in the plurality of dryers into and out of one of a first mode of operation for recovering moisture from the outgoing oxidant stream and a second mode of operation for humidifying the incoming oxidant stream such that during use at least one dryer is in the first mode of operation and at least one dryer is in the second mode of operation; (ii) directing the outgoing oxidant stream from the cathode through at least one dryer in the first mode of operation to recover moisture from the outgoing oxidant stream; and (iii) directing the incoming oxidant stream through at least one dryer in the second mode of operation to humidify the incoming oxidant stream with moisture.