A modular flow battery includes a battery stack container housing a plurality of redox flow battery stacks in fluid communication with at least one pair of electrolyte containers including an anolyte container for holding an anolyte and a catholyte container for holding a catholyte. Additional pairs of electrolyte containers can be connected to the battery stack container to increase an amount of energy that can be stored by the modular flow battery system. Respective housings enclosing each of the battery stack container and the electrolyte containers are configured for operation in a stacked configuration. In this manner, the energy storage capacity of the modular flow battery system can be further increased with substantially no increase in a lateral area occupied by the system.

A thermally integrated hotbox apparatus combining a steam reformer, a plurality of solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC) stacks, a plurality of oxidant manifolds, and at least one heat extractor. The steam reformer occupies a central position in the hotbox, around which are disposed in spaced-apart relation a plurality of SOFC stacks. A burner may be associated with the steam reformer, either within or outside the hotbox. An oxidant manifold is disposed between each pair of adjacent SOFC stacks. A heat exchanger is incorporated between an SOFC stack and an oxygen manifold. The hotbox design optimally captures thermal heat from the SOFC stacks for use in producing steam and operating the endothermic steam reformer. The apparatus reduces duty cycle of the burner, which produces heat and steam needed for operation of the endothermic steam reformer.

The present disclosure provides a fuel cell stack, a fuel cell system and a method for controlling a fuel cell stack, which can reduce obstruction of reactive gas fluid channels caused by freezing of retained water, while allowing size to be reduced. The fuel cell stack of the disclosure comprises water storage units that are formed between every two adjacent fuel cell unit cells, surrounded by the adjacent separators, the wall members and the gaskets, and that communicate with the reactive gas discharge manifold via the gaps of the wall members. The fuel cell system of the disclosure controls either or both the valve and compressor in a reactive gas supply channel and/or the valve in a reactive gas discharge channel, to cause liquid water retained in the water storage units to be discharged out of the fuel cell stack. The controlling method of the disclosure includes reducing the pressure in and scavenging the interior of the reactive gas discharge manifold, to cause the liquid water that has been discharged into the reactive gas discharge manifold to be discharged out of the fuel cell stack.

A module assembly is provided including a fuel cell stack assembly, a heat exchanger, and a housing enclosing the fuel cell stack assembly and the heat exchanger. The heat exchanger is configured to receive process gas from an external source and output said process gas to the fuel cell stack assembly, and configured to receive process gas from the fuel cell stack assembly and output said process gas. A fuel cell power plant is provided including a module assembly with a first end, a racking structure configured to hold the module assembly, balance of plant equipment, and ducting configured to provide fluid communication between the balance of plant equipment and the first end of the module assembly. The module assembly and the racking structure are configured such that the module assembly may be removed from the racking structure in a direction away from the first end of the module assembly.

A module assembly is provided including a fuel cell stack assembly, a heat exchanger, and a housing enclosing the fuel cell stack assembly and the heat exchanger. The heat exchanger is configured to receive process gas from an external source and output said process gas to the fuel cell stack assembly, and configured to receive process gas from the fuel cell stack assembly and output said process gas. A fuel cell power plant is provided including a module assembly with a first end, a racking structure configured to hold the module assembly, balance of plant equipment, and ducting configured to provide fluid communication between the balance of plant equipment and the first end of the module assembly. The module assembly and the racking structure are configured such that the module assembly may be removed from the racking structure in a direction away from the first end of the module assembly.

A fuel cell vehicle includes a fuel cell stack, a hydrogen gas supply pipe for supplying a hydrogen gas to the fuel cell stack, and injectors provided at positions along the hydrogen gas supply pipe, for injecting the hydrogen gas to the fuel cell stack. The hydrogen gas supply pipe includes a buffer, provided on the upstream side of the injectors, and the hydrogen gas can flow through the buffer. The buffer includes a branch pipe branched from the hydrogen gas supply pipe, and the buffer tank coupled to the branch pipe so as to allow the hydrogen gas to flow through the buffer tank.

A fuel cell system column includes a first terminal plate connected to a first electrical output of the column, a second terminal plate connected to a second electrical output of the column, at least one first fuel cell stack located in a middle portion of the column between the first terminal plate and the second terminal plate, and at least one electrical connection which is electrically connected to the middle portion of the column and which is configured to provide a more uniform fuel utilization across the first column.

A fuel cell system includes a fuel cell stack, an anode tail gas oxidizer (ATO), an ATO injector configured to mix a first portion of an anode exhaust from the fuel cell stack with a cathode exhaust from the fuel cell stack and to provide a mixture of the first portion of the anode exhaust and the cathode exhaust into the ATO, an anode exhaust conduit which is configured to provide the first portion of the anode exhaust into the ATO injector, and cathode exhaust conduit which is configured to provide at least a portion of the cathode exhaust from the fuel cell stack into the ATO injector. The ATO injector includes injector tubes or injection apertures.

In order to provide a fuel cell device which can be produced simply and cost-effectively, it is proposed that the fuel cell device comprises the following: a plurality of fuel cell elements which are stacked one on top of another along a stacking direction and form a fuel cell stack; a clamping device for securing the fuel cell elements; a fluid guide unit for supplying fuel and/or oxidizer and/or coolant to the fuel cell elements and/or for removing fuel and/or oxidizer and/or exhaust gas and/or coolant from the fuel cell elements, wherein the clamping device comprises two or more crossmembers which extend at least approximately perpendicularly to the stacking direction, wherein in each case at least one crossmember is arranged at each end of the fuel cell stack, wherein the crossmembers can be drawn towards one another by means of clamping elements and the fuel cell stack can thereby be clamped between the crossmembers.

The present disclosure provides a fuel cell system that allows greater convenience and smaller size to be achieved. The fuel cell system of the disclosure comprises a fuel cell module and a liquid water discharge channel for discharge of liquid water in the fuel cell module. The fuel cell module comprises a battery stack, a reactive gas discharge manifold formed so that, during use of the fuel cell system, reactive gas flows from the lower end in the vertical direction to the upper end in the vertical direction, a reactive gas discharge outlet disposed so as to be located at the upper end of the reactive gas discharge manifold in the vertical direction, and a liquid water discharge outlet disposed so as to be located at the lower end of the reactive gas discharge manifold in the vertical direction. The liquid water discharge channel is connected to the liquid water discharge outlet in such a manner that liquid water flows through its interior.