Abstract: A fuel cell system includes a fuel cell for generating power by being supplied with a fuel gas and an oxidizing gas, a fuel gas supply path for supplying a fuel gas to the fuel cell, a fuel off-gas circulation path for returning a fuel off-gas discharged from the fuel cell to the fuel gas supply path, an ejector, provided in the fuel gas supply path and driven by fluid flow energy, for supplying the fuel off-gas in the fuel off-gas circulation path flow to the fuel gas supply path, a fuel pump, provided in the fuel off-gas circulation path or on the fuel gas supply path and downstream with respect to the ejector, and driven by a rotating machine, for pressurizing the fuel off-gas, a discharge valve for discharging the fuel off-gas from the fuel off-gas circulation path; and a control device operatively connected to the fuel pump and to the discharge valve.

Abstract: The fuel cell humidifying system is to prevent freezing and clogging of a water permeable type humidifier by providing a gas passage switching device for changing the gas flow paths communicating with the humidifier. To direct the flow of dry air exiting from the supercharger to the exhaust passage in the humidifier, the gas passage switching device includes a first three-way valve, a second three-way valve, a flow adjusting valve and a sweep piping. In this system, water vapor in the humidifier which causes freezing can be swept off by flowing dry air through the exhaust gas passage in the humidifier, and therefore, clogging caused by ice particles which plug up the pores of the hollow thread membrane in the humidifier can be prevented.

Abstract: A more compact humidifying apparatus for a fuel cell can be implemented. In the present invention, hydrogen humidifying modules 30A and 30B are disposed so as to be separated vertically on the front surface side of the humidifying unit 20, the air humidifying modules 30C and 30D are disposed separated vertically on the back side surface thereof, and the air humidifying modules 30E is disposed at the center, surrounded by the humidifying modules 30A, 30B, 30C, and 30D. The axis direction of all of the humidifying modules 30A to 30E are disposed so as to be parallel to each other, only the hydrogen humidifying module 30A is disposed so that its position is shifted to the left (the longitudinal direction) of the axial direction of the other humidifying modules 30A to 30E, and the air off gas discharge pipes 43 of the air humidifying modules 30C to 30E are disposed in the space formed by this shift.

Abstract: A fuel cell system comprises a condenser for separating discharged components discharged from a fuel cell into gas components and water and recovering the water, and a flow rate control unit for controlling a flow rate of a cooling medium supplied to the condenser for performing heat exchange with the discharged components, depending on an operation condition of the fuel cell. Accordingly, the flow rate of the cooling medium can be smoothly controlled depending on the operation condition of the fuel cell.

Abstract: A humidifier having a plurality of water-permeable hollow fiber membranes placed along the lengthwise direction of a housing accommodated within the housing in which gases each having a different moisture content flow inside and outside the hollow fiber membranes to carry out moisture exchange whereby the dry air having a low moisture content is humidified is disclosed. The humidifier comprises a bypass channel having a larger diameter than that of the hollow fiber membrane, in which the gas flowing outside the hollow fiber membrane, formed on an approximately central portion of the cross-lengthwise direction of the housing along the lengthwise direction of the housing, and an inlet which introduces the gas flowing outside the hollow fiber membrane into the housing and an outlet which discharges the gas flowing outside the hollow fiber membrane formed on the bypass channel.

Abstract: Disclosed is a system comprising a mixing tank, a methanol supply unit, and a water supply unit. When it is detected by first and second level sensors that the mixture liquid stored in the mixing tank and the liquid fuel stored in the methanol supply unit are in not more than predetermined amounts respectively, water supply is stopped from the water supply unit to the mixing tank in accordance with the action of a changeover valve. Accordingly, it is possible to always maintain a constant mixing ratio of liquid fuel and water in the mixing tank, and it is possible to simplify the system.

Abstract: The present invention provides the fuel cell system, in which the decrease in the power generation and the degradation of the durability of the fuel cell can be prevented even if the temperature of fuel cell is low at starting or the ambient temperature is low. On the fuel cell starting electric power generation, the air supplied to the cathode inlet is humidified by the hollow fiber membrane humidifier and the hydrogen gas supplied to be anode inlet is humidified by another hollow fiber membrane humidifier. The cooling fluid of the cooling line, which absorbs the heat from the fuel cell and flows into the heat exchanger, heats the hollow fiber membrane humidifiers. Thus the humidification is promoted by heating the humidified air and hydrogen gas to raise their dew-point temperatures.

Abstract: A fuel cell system comprises a humidifier which can humidify a fuel cell even when humidification has become insufficient at start-up of the fuel cell and during normal operation thereof. A water collecting apparatus which collects water in the exhaust gas of the fuel cell, and an auxiliary humidifier which humidifies the gas supply by using collected water from the water collecting apparatus, are provided separate to the water-permeable-type humidifier. The water collecting apparatus comprises a vapor/liquid separator and a collected water storage tank, and the auxiliary humidifier comprises a check valve, a collected water supply pump, an auxiliary humidification pipe, and an injector. The collected water in the collected water storage tank is transferred by a collected water supply pump, atomized by the injector, and supplied to the intake side of the fuel cell.

Abstract: A humidifying module that includes a plurality of hollow fiber membranes grouped together to form a hollow fiber membrane bundle. A moisture exchange is performed through a thickness of each hollow fiber membrane between fluid streaming within an interior of each hollow fiber membrane and along an exterior of each hollow fiber membrane. An inner flow passage is inserted within the hollow fiber membrane bundle and along a longitudinal axis thereof, wherein a total longitudinal length which the inner flow passage is inserted within the hollow fiber membrane bundle is shorter than a longitudinal length of the hollow fiber membrane bundle. The inner flow passage includes an inlet and an outlet through which the fluid passes. An end wall is located proximate the outlet. A protrusion is disposed at the end wall and opposite a flow direction of the fluid streaming within the inner flow passage.

Abstract: A small and simple humidifier includes at least one hollow fiber membrane module formed by inserting into a cylindrical housing, both ends of which are opened, a bunch of water-permeable hollow fiber membranes along the axis of the housing, fixing both ends of the bunch at the outer circumference sides onto both ends of the housing at the inner circumference sides using a resin to thereby block the ends of the housing so as to form a plurality of peripheral apertures which are communicated within the housing at several intervals in the circumferential direction. The humidifier also includes a first passage which allows gas for flowing from one end of the peripheral apertures to the other end thereof serving as an inlet and an outlet, and a second passage which allows gas for flowing from one end to the other end of the bunch of the hollow fiber membrane. The first passage and the second passage are sectioned by a plurality of overlapped plates in an indentation state.

Abstract: The humidification system for humidifying a fuel cell of the present invention comprises: a water-permeable-type humidifier for humidifying reaction gas used in reaction with moisture in exhaust gas exhausted after the reaction; and an adjuster for adjusting an amount of humidification to the humidification amount required by the fuel cell.

Abstract: A humidifier having a plurality of water-permeable hollow fiber membranes placed along the lengthwise direction of a housing accommodated within the housing in which gases each having a different moisture content flow inside and outside said hollow fiber membranes to carry out moisture exchange whereby the dry air having a low moisture content is humidified is disclosed. The said humidifier (1) comprises a gas inlet formed on an end of the lengthwise direction of the housing, (2) has a construction for generating a turbulent flow provided on the inner surface of said housing, or (3) has a construction for generating a turbulent flow provided within the hollow fiber membranes.

Abstract: A humidifying system for a fuel cell, the system producing a highly wet air by allowing dry air to pass through a water permeable humidifier, and supplying the highly wet gas to a fuel cell, wherein the humidifying system comprises a supercharger between an inlet for introducing gas into the fuel cell and an outlet for releasing gas from the humidifier. Since the pressure at the inlet of the supercharger is lower than the pressure at the outlet, the flow velocity at the inlet is higher than the flow velocity at the outlet. Therefore, the flow velocity of the dry air which flows inside the humidifier can be increased so as to be higher than the flow velocity in the case where the supercharger 3 is provided between the inlet for introducing gas into the fuel cell and a gas intake opening. Accordingly, the efficiency of humidification is improved, and the sizes of the humidifier and the supercharger can be reduced.

Abstract: A fuel cell system 10 of the present invention comprises a fuel cell 11, an ejector 15 which mixes an exhaust gas exhausted from the fuel cell 11 with a fuel gas, and circulating this mixed gas to the fuel cell 11, and a fuel humidifying section 16 for bringing the exhaust gas exhausted from the fuel cell 11 into contact with the fuel gas which is made to flow out from the ejector 15, via a water permeable membrane, to thereby humidify the fuel gas by the water content contained in the exhaust gas. The fuel humidifying section 16 is arranged between the fuel cell 11 and the ejector 15.

Abstract: A fuel cell stack 1 in a fuel-circulating fuel cell system is supplied with fuel and an oxidizing agent to generate electricity. The fuel discharged from the fuel cell stack 1 is supplied to the fuel cell stack 1 again through a fuel-circulating passage 6. In the fuel-circulating passage 6 is provided a fuel pump 3 powered from an outside source to circulate the fuel through the fuel-circulating passage 6 at a predetermined circulation rate. An ECU 4 transmits an output instruction value to the fuel cell stack 1 and regulates a circulation rate of the fuel in the fuel-circulating passage 6 according to the output instruction value.

Abstract: A fuel cell humidification system is provided capable of operating the fuel cell at the optimum dew-point state when the fuel cell 1 is restarted. The fuel cell system having a humidification apparatus 6 for humidifying dry air by a water content in an discharge gas after the reaction in the fuel cell comprises an air supply line 3 for supplying dry air to the fuel cell and an gas discharge line 5 for discharging the discharge gas from the fuel cell, and the humidification apparatus 6 is provided across these air supply line and the gas discharge line. A communication line is also provided so as to be able to form a closed loop between the air supply line and the gas discharge line. When the fuel cell is stopped, the closed loop is maintained. When the fuel cell is restarted, the supercharger 17 and the heater 21 are activated for circulating the air in the closed loop and for raising the air temperature, and, after adjusting the dew-point, the fuel cell 1 converted into the normal load operation.

Abstract: A humidifier includes a housing that accommodates bundles of a large number of water permeable hollow fiber membranes arranged along the longitudinal direction of the housing. Two different gasses having different moisture contents pass through outside and inside of the bundle of the hollow fiber membranes separately to exchange their moistures through the hollow fiber membranes resulting in the dry gas of lesser moisture content being humidified. A heating or temperature adjuster is provided to maintain the temperature of the exhaust gas introduced to the humidifier or the bundles of hollow fiber membranes substantially at a temperature of a fuel cell in operation.

Abstract: A humidification system for a fuel cell includes a humidifier having a bundled plurality of tube type hollow thread members made of a water permeable membrane. The humidifier transfers a water content contained in a discharge gas, which is emitted from a fuel cell, to a supply gas, which is supplied to the fuel cell, when one of the discharge gas and the supply gas is passed through the inside of the tube type hollow thread members and the other one of the discharge gas and the supply gas is passed through between the tube type hollow thread members. Manometers P1, P2, P3, and P4 detect a difference in pressure of the supply gas and the discharge gas, respectively, between an upper stream side and a down stream side of the humidifier. A determination unit determines a generation of clogging in the humidifier based on detection signals from the manometers.

Abstract: A fuel cell includes an anode and a cathode, and a fuel gas supplied to the anode and an oxidant gas supplied to the cathode chemically react with each other to generate electricity. Moisture contained in a cathode exhaust gas discharged from the cathode is transferred to the fuel gas in a first humidifier and then to the oxidant gas in a second humidifier. The cathode exhaust gas flows through a cathode exhaust gas passage from the cathode via the first humidifier to the second humidifier. A bypass is provided to the cathode exhaust gas passage to allow part of the cathode exhaust gas to detour round the first humidifier and flow to the second humidifier. Accordingly, the balance between humidification levels of fuel gas and oxidant gas each supplied to the fuel cell may be kept and adjusted properly even when the output of the fuel cell gets higher.

Abstract: A humidifying system for a fuel cell includes: a fuel cell having an anode and a cathode, the anode being supplied with a fuel gas and the cathode being supplied with an oxidant gas so that the fuel gas and the oxidant gas chemically react within the fuel cell to generate electricity; a first humidifier transferring moisture of cathode exhaust gas discharged from the cathode of the fuel cell to the fuel gas through hollow fiber membranes; a second humidifier transferring moisture of cathode exhaust gas discharged from the first humidifier to the oxidant gas through hollow fiber membranes; and a reduced pressure generating device arranged downstream of the first humidifier and between the first humidifier and the fuel cell to mix part of anode exhaust gas discharged from the anode of the fuel cell with the fuel gas using negative pressure resulting from a flow of the fuel gas.