Abstract: A personal air conditioning device cools and moistens environmentally hot and dry blower-forced air using water vaporization occurring on external surface of a hollow fiber micro-porous membrane while water or other liquid coolant is taken from a container by means of internal capillaries of hollow fiber tubes. The device is able to deliver the pre-cooled air flow over any desired body fragment, particularly under a protective vest.

Abstract: A low temperature PEM fuel cell system is prevented against freezing after a shutdown in sub-freezing conditions. The fuel cell can be heated by filling an anode chamber with a fuel (the hydrogen or a hydrogen-rich reactant gas) and generating the hydrogen on a cathode. A defined amount of air is supplied to the cathode chamber. The fuel cell is locally heated to a defined temperature by the exothermic chemical reaction between the hydrogen and the oxygen on a cathode catalyst. Once the fuel cell is warmed to the defined temperature, the hydrogen generation on the cathode and the air supply can be discontinued. Water formed at the cathode can be evaporated by means of pre-heating of an air flow. This procedure provides plain saturation of the cathode with the hydrogen and, as result, mild, safe heating the fuel cell without use of an additional external power supply.

Abstract: A low temperature PEM fuel cell system is prevented against freezing after a shutdown in sub-freezing conditions. The fuel cell can be heated by filling an anode chamber with a fuel (the hydrogen or a hydrogen-rich reactant gas) and generating the hydrogen on a cathode. A defined amount of air is supplied to the cathode chamber. The fuel cell is locally heated to a defined temperature by the exothermic chemical reaction between the hydrogen and the oxygen on a cathode catalyst. Once the fuel cell is warmed to the defined temperature, the hydrogen generation on the cathode and the air supply can be discontinued. Water formed at the cathode can be evaporated by means of pre-heating of an air flow. This procedure provides plain saturation of the cathode with the hydrogen and, as result, mild, safe heating the fuel cell without use of an additional external power supply.

Abstract: A personal air conditioning device cools and moistens environmentally hot and dry blower-forced air using water vaporization occurring on external surface of a hollow fiber micro-porous membrane while water or other liquid coolant is taken from a container by means of internal capillaries of hollow fiber tubes. The device is able to deliver the pre-cooled air flow over any desired body fragment, particularly under a protective vest.

Abstract: The present invention is a hydrogen refueling station incorporating a fuel cell system serving simultaneously as the power generator and an electrochemical extractor of the pure hydrogen from the hydrogen-rich gas (reformate) produced in steam hydrocarbon reforming process. The hydrogen is stored in a high pressure receiver to be dispensed to vehicles as a fuel. The hydrogen refueling station of the present invention does not require the refilling with DI water.

Abstract: A device of the present invention transfers the moisture and heat from an exhaust delivered from a fuel cell cathode to the air introduced to a fuel cell as a cathode reactant. The device includes at least one moisture exchange unit having reactant compartment, an exhaust compartment, and a polymer member permeable for water vapor separating these compartments. A reactant inlet manifold and a reactant outlet manifold of the device are in fluid communication through the reactant compartment of the moisture exchange unit. An exhaust inlet manifold and an exhaust outlet manifold of the device are also in fluid communication with the exhaust compartment the moisture exchange unit.

Abstract: A humidifier of the present invention includes a bundle of hollow porous tubes made of synthetic material disposed in a housing having a plurality of inlet and outlet ports. The humidifier of the present invention is used to control humidity in a fuel cell and is used in various industrial applications. A method of producing the humidifier is disclosed herein.

Abstract: A low temperature proton exchange membrane fuel cell (PEMFC) system can be efficiently started even when the system is at a temperature near or below freezing (0° C). The cold start procedure is accomplished through heating the fuel cell by filling an anode chamber with fuel (hydrogen or hydrogen-rich reactant gas) and generating hydrogen on a cathode. A defined amount of oxygen is supplied to the cathode chamber. The fuel cell system is locally heated up to defined temperature by the exothermic chemical reaction between hydrogen and oxygen on a cathode catalyst. Then the hydrogen generation on the cathode is canceled and oxygen is supplied to the cathode chamber in an amount sufficient to maintain the current flowing through an external load. This procedure provides plain saturation of the cathode with hydrogen and, as result, mild, safe and fast heating the fuel cell without use of additional external devices.