| 摘要 |
<p>The invention is a humidification system for a fuel cell power plant (10). The system includes at least one fuel cell (12) for producing electrical energy from a reducing fluid and a process oxidant stream having an electrolyte (48) between an anode catalyst (50) and a cathode catalyst (52), a cathode flow field (26) adjacent the cathode catalyst extending between a cathode inlet (70) and a cathode outlet (72) for directing the process oxidant stream to pass adjacent the cathode catalyst, and a coolant flow field (34) adjacent the cathode flow field. The coolant flow field includes a coolant inlet (98), a coolant outlet (104), and a single or split-path coolant distribution channel (100, 126) between the coolant inlet and outlet. The single path distribution channel embodiment of the system directs a coolest portion of the coolant stream within the coolant flow field to flow adjacent to and along an entire length of the cathode inlet. The split-path distribution channel embodiment directs some of the coolest portion of the coolant stream to flow adjacent the cathode inlet and some of the coolest portion to flow adjacent the cathode outlet. The humidification system lowers a temperature of the process oxidant stream adjacent the cathode inlet, thereby increasing relative humidity of the stream in the cathode flow field adjacent the cathode inlet.</p> |
