A fuel cell system and method are provided. One or more surfactants are used as a hydrogen carrier and/or coolant for hydrogen fueled proton exchange membrane fuel cells. The surfactant can work as a bubbler to trap hydrogen as fine bubbles with cooling water to feed the fuel cell anode. The water acts as humidification supplier and coolant.

An electrochemical cell system and a method for operating an electrochemical cell is provided. The method including determining one of a power level, current level or a voltage level of the electrochemical cell, the electrochemical cell including at least one cell having an anode side and a cathode side, the electrochemical cell further having a water transport plate operably coupled to the cathode side. An oxidant pressure level is determined in the cathode side. A water pressure level is determined in the water transport plate. The active area of the at least one cell is changed by adjusting at least one of the oxidant pressure level or the water pressure level based at least in part on the determined power level, current level or voltage level.

An exemplary method of cooling a fuel cell includes directing coolant through a coolant supply channel near at least one reactant flow channel. The coolant supply channel extends from a coolant inlet spaced from a reactant inlet to a coolant outlet. The coolant supply channel includes a first portion starting at the coolant inlet and a second portion near the reactant inlet. The first portion facilitates coolant flow from the coolant inlet directly toward the second portion. The second portion includes a plurality of channel sections that collectively facilitate coolant flow in a plurality of directions along the second portion near the reactant inlet. The coolant supply channel includes a third portion between the second portion and the coolant outlet.

Disclosed is a cooling module for use in a fuel cell system, the module includes a tank configured to receive a coolant therein, a coolant, a pump in fluid communication with the coolant in the tank and the fuel cell system, the pump being configured to transport the coolant to the fuel cell system, a heating element within the coolant in the tank, the heating element configured to heat the coolant, and at least one sensor in signal communication with a controller and in fluid communication with the tank. The sensor is configured to detect a change corresponding to the presence or absence of sufficient liquid coolant to initiate said pump, and the controller processes sensor data and is configured to actuate the pump.

A system includes a fuel cell stack having a plurality of fuel cells and designed to receive a fluid and to heat the fluid. The system also includes an actuator to increase or decrease a fluid temperature of the fluid and an ECU. The ECU can determine a temperature control signal corresponding to a desired temperature of the fluid and perform a feedforward control of the actuator to increase or decrease the fluid temperature towards the desired temperature. The ECU can also determine a temperature difference between the fluid temperature and the desired temperature, and can determine a sensitivity that corresponds a change in a parameter value or the actuator position to a change in the fluid temperature. The ECU can also apply the sensitivity to the temperature difference to determine an error signal, and control the actuator based on the error signal.

A humidifier with an integrated water separator for a fuel cell system, including a housing with a first channel for a first gas stream and a second channel for a second gas stream, a humidifier area in which the first channel and the second channel are separated from one another by a water vapor-permeable membrane, and a collection container for collecting the deposited liquid water is provided. It is provided that a water separator for separating liquid water is situated in the humidifier area.

A fuel cell system includes a fuel cell that generates electric power using fuel gas and oxidant gas, a fuel gas supply path through which the fuel gas is supplied to an anode inlet of the fuel cell, a recycle gas path through which anode off-gas discharged from an anode outlet of the fuel cell returns to the fuel gas supply path, and a pressure booster arranged in the recycle gas path, and the pressure booster is arranged above a confluence portion where the fuel gas supply path and the recycle gas path meet each other when gravity acts downward from above.

A fuel cell system includes a fuel cell which generates electric power by using a hydrogen gas and an oxidizing gas, a hydrogen gas supply route where the hydrogen gas to be supplied to an anode of the fuel cell flows, an anode off-gas discharge route for discharging an anode off-gas discharged from the anode of the fuel cell to outside, an anode off-gas discharge valve provided to the anode off-gas discharge route, and a controller which causes the anode off-gas discharge valve to be opened when a temperature of any of the hydrogen gas supply route, the anode of the fuel cell, the anode off-gas discharge route, and the anode off-gas discharge valve becomes equal to or lower than a predetermined temperature.

A cooling system is provided for use with a fuel cell. The cooling system comprises a first heat exchanger fluidly connected to an outlet passage of the fuel cell. The first heat exchanger can be configured to condense at least a portion of a fluid passing through the outlet passage of the fuel cell into liquid water. The cooling system can also comprise a second heat exchanger fluidly connected to an outlet passage of the first heat exchanger and an inlet passage of the fuel cell. The second heat exchanger can be configured to cool a fluid passing into the inlet passage of the fuel cell. In addition, the outlet passage of the fuel cell and the inlet passage of the fuel cell can be fluidly connected to a cathode of the fuel cell, and the inlet passage of the fuel cell can be configured to supply water to the cathode.

A cathode supply (30) for a fuel cell (10) of a fuel cell unit (1) for a fuel cell system is provided, the cathode supply (30) including a cathode supply path (31) and a cathode exhaust gas path (32) and at least two fluid pumping devices (33, 133) for pumping a cathode operating medium (5) for the fuel cell (10) are fluido-mechanically coupled into the cathode supply path (31), at least one first fluid pumping device (133) of the at least two fluid pumping devices (33, 133) being drivable only on the basis of an enthalpy in a cathode exhaust gas (6) of the fuel cell (10). A fuel cell unit for a vehicle, in particular, an electric vehicle, a fuel cell system for a vehicle, in particular, an electric vehicle, or a vehicle in particular an electric vehicle, the fuel cell unit, the fuel cell system, or the vehicle including a cathode supply (30) is provided.