Abstract: An ion exchanger configured to remove an impurity ion of a coolant for cooling a fuel cell, the ion exchanger includes an inflow portion having an inflow path where the coolant enters, a discharge portion having a discharge path for discharging the coolant, an outer casing having an upstream end where the inflow portion is provided and a downstream end where the discharge portion is provided, an inner casing housed inside the outer casing, an outer path formed between the inner casing and the outer casing to cause the inflow path and the discharge path to communicate with each other, and an inner path that is formed inside the inner casing to cause the inflow path and the discharge path to communicate with each other and is configured to enclose an ion exchange resin capable of removing an impurity ion of the coolant. The inner casing has a through-hole that causes the inner path end the outer path to communicate with each other.

Abstract: A drainage system for a fuel cell, including a gas-liquid separator configured to separate fuel gas and liquid water from a gas-liquid mixture discharged from the fuel cell, a water tank configured to receive the liquid water separated by the gas-liquid separator, a drain valve in fluid communication with the water tank, the drain valve configured to selectively discharge the liquid water from the water tank, and a control unit configured to selectively open and close the drain valve. The water tank includes a lower portion having a first horizontal cross sectional area and an upper portion having a second horizontal cross sectional area, the first horizontal cross sectional area being smaller than the second horizontal cross sectional area.

Abstract: An ion exchanger configured to remove an impurity ion of a coolant for cooling a fuel cell, the ion exchanger includes an inflow portion having an inflow path where the coolant enters, a discharge portion having a discharge path for discharging the coolant, an outer casing having an upstream end where the inflow portion is provided and a downstream end where the discharge portion is provided, an inner casing housed inside the outer casing, an outer path formed between the inner casing and the outer casing to cause the inflow path and the discharge path to communicate with each other, and an inner path that is formed inside the inner casing to cause the inflow path and the discharge path to communicate with each other and is configured to enclose an ion exchange resin capable of removing an impurity ion of the coolant. The inner casing has a through-hole that causes the inner path end the outer path to communicate with each other.

Abstract: A system includes a radiator side flow path for supplying a coolant which has cooled a fuel cell stack to a radiator, a bypass flow path for allowing the coolant which has cooled the fuel cell stack to bypass the radiator, a thermostat valve for increasing a flow rate of the coolant flowing through the radiator side flow path in a case where the temperature of the coolant is high as compared to a case where the temperature of the coolant is low, and an electric heater for warming up the coolant. The electric heater is controlled based on an outside atmospheric pressure and on the temperature of the coolant such that the temperature of the coolant flowing into the fuel cell stack is raised in a case where the outside atmospheric pressure is high as compared to a case where the outside atmospheric pressure is low.

Abstract: [Problem] The object of the invention is to provide the filter device disposed in the moist fluid passage of the fuel cell system in that, water is not adhered and never remains in the filter and when leaving it under the low temperature after the system stops, blockage by freezing the filter can surely be prevented, and the complex control and the heat source such as heaters for the decompression as conventional is unnecessary, and the filter device is cheap and compact.

Abstract: A system for adjusting temperature of cooling-liquid comprises: a radiator; a cooling-liquid circulation flow-channel; a radiator bypass flow-channel; a thermostat valve; and a valve bypass flow-channel through which the cooling-liquid of the radiator bypass flow-channel is allowed to flow in a predetermined amount even if the thermostat valve is completely closed.

Abstract: A system includes a radiator side flow path (9) for supplying a coolant which has cooled a fuel cell stack (1) to a radiator (5), a bypass flow path (7) for allowing the coolant which has cooled the fuel cell stack (1) to bypass the radiator (5), a thermostat valve (8) for increasing a flow rate of the coolant flowing through the radiator side flow path (9) in a case where the temperature of the coolant is high as compared to a case where the temperature of the coolant is low, and an electric heater (10) for warming up the coolant. The electric heater (10) is controlled based on an outside atmospheric pressure and on the temperature of the coolant such that the temperature of the coolant flowing into the fuel cell stack (1) is raised in a case where the outside atmospheric pressure is high as compared to a case where the outside atmospheric pressure is low.

Abstract: A cartridge-type ion removal filter 15 to remove ions from the cooling liquid in the cooling liquid circulation passage 20 is disposed in the middle of a cooling liquid circulation passage 20 to circulate the cooling liquid between a fuel cell stack 11 and a radiator 12. The ion removal filter 15 is disposed in the cooling liquid circulation passage so that an opening 26b of a vessel main body 26 is in a higher position than the highest level “H” of the cooling liquid in the reservoir tank 14.

Abstract: A drainage system for a fuel cell, including a gas-liquid separator configured to separate fuel gas and liquid water from a gas-liquid mixture discharged from the fuel cell, a water tank configured to receive the liquid water separated by the gas-liquid separator, a drain valve in fluid communication with the water tank, the drain valve configured to selectively discharge the liquid water from the water tank, and a control unit configured to selectively open and close the drain valve. The water tank includes a lower portion having a first horizontal cross sectional area and an upper portion having a second horizontal cross sectional area, the first horizontal cross sectional area being smaller than the second horizontal cross sectional area.

Abstract: A fuel cell system includes an ion-exchange filter, which is provided with a cartridge which is filled up with an ion-exchange resin. The cartridge includes one of a pressure-loss emphasizing type cartridge and an ion-exchange efficiency emphasizing type cartridge, which are selectively exchanged with each other, for a common case of the ion-exchange filter. The ion-exchange efficiency emphasizing type cartridge is one for an ion-exchange filter having a high pressure loss and high ion-exchange efficiency and, on the other hand, the pressure-loss emphasizing type cartridge is one for an ion-exchange filter having a pressure loss lower than that of the former ion-exchange filter and an ion-exchange efficiency lower than that of the former ion-exchange filter.

Abstract: An ion exchange filter apparatus to reduce ions contained in a liquid medium used in a fuel cell system is equipped with an ion exchange filter 6 to receive an ion exchange resin 38. The ion exchange filter 6 includes a flow passage 27 to introduce the liquid medium to the ion exchange resin 38, a bypass passage 7 to flow the liquid medium by bypassing the ion exchange resin 38, and an orifice 21 disposed at a branch section where the bypass passage 7 is branched from the flow passage 27, to determine a flow volume ratio of the liquid medium flowing in the ion exchange resin 38 and the bypass passage 7, wherein a hole diameter of the orifice is set so that a pressure loss generated when all the amount of the liquid medium flows in the bypass passage 7 becomes substantially equal to an allowance maximum pressure loss of the ion exchange filter 6.

Abstract: A fuel cell system includes a bypass circuit for refrigerant that is used when the system is started below a temperature point, such as the freezing point of water. In one embodiment, the fuel cell system includes a pump to circulate the refrigerant and one or more valves to direct the refrigerant to bypass a fuel cell stack when the refrigerant is below the temperature point. The refrigerant may also be directed through a second bypass away from reaching a radiator during startup. In this manner, the fuel cell stack may generate electricity and heat itself during these processes without the possibility of the refrigerant freezing the water produced from the electricity generation.

Abstract: An ion exchange filter apparatus to reduce ions contained in a liquid medium used in a fuel cell system is equipped with an ion exchange filter 6 to receive an ion exchange resin 38. The ion exchange filter 6 includes a flow passage 27 to introduce the liquid medium to the ion exchange resin 38, a bypass passage 7 to flow the liquid medium by bypassing the ion exchange resin 38, and an orifice 21 disposed at a branch section where the bypass passage 7 is branched from the flow passage 27, to determine a flow volume ratio of the liquid medium flowing in the ion exchange resin 38 and the bypass passage 7, wherein a hole diameter of the orifice is set so that a pressure loss generated when all the amount of the liquid medium flows in the bypass passage 7 becomes substantially equal to an allowance maximum pressure loss of the ion exchange filter 6.

Abstract: A fuel cell system includes an ion-exchange filter, which is provided with a cartridge which is filled up with an ion-exchange resin. The cartridge includes one of a pressure-loss emphasizing type cartridge and an ion-exchange efficiency emphasizing type cartridge, which are selectively exchanged with each other, for a common case of the ion-exchange filter. The ion-exchange efficiency emphasizing type cartridge is one for an ion-exchange filter having a high pressure loss and high ion-exchange efficiency and, on the other hand, the pressure-loss emphasizing type cartridge is one for an ion-exchange filter having a pressure loss lower than that of the former ion-exchange filter and an ion-exchange efficiency lower than that of the former ion-exchange filter.

Abstract: A cartridge-type ion removal filter 15 to remove ions from the cooling liquid in the cooling liquid circulation passage 20 is disposed in the middle of a cooling liquid circulation passage 20 to circulate the cooling liquid between a fuel cell stack 11 and a radiator 12. The ion removal filter 15 is disposed in the cooling liquid circulation passage so that an opening 26b of a vessel main body 26 is in a higher position than the highest level “H” of the cooling liquid in the reservoir tank 14.

Abstract: The present invention is a fuel cell stack coolant composition, which maintains the electrical conductivity of coolant low and provides self identification by tint. The coolant composition provides those properties even when a cation or anion exchanger is provided where the coolant is used. The coolant composition includes a base material and a dye which maintains the electrical conductivity of coolant at 10 &mgr;S/cm or lower at 25° C. or a dye which can pass through a cation or anion exchanger.