A device for recovering and regulating thermal energy of an electric vehicle with an electrochemical generator wherein a fluid circulates, includes an air-conditioning circuit, a first heating or thermal energy recovery circuit for heating and a second cooling or thermal energy recovery circuit for cooling the electrochemical generator, an electric motor, an electronic circuit, and a braking circuit. A plurality of valves are arranged to put the air- conditioning circuit in communication with the first heating circuit or second cooling circuit, and means for controlling said valves arranged to allow, according to a temperature of the electrochemical generator, of the electric motor, of the electronic circuit and of the braking circuit, the circulation of the fluid from the air-conditioning circuit in the first heating circuit for a heating operation as well as the circulation of the fluid from the air-conditioning circuit in the second cooling circuit for a cooling operation.

The invention relates to an energy recovery device for a motor vehicle, having a drive (10) and a fluid circuit (12) for utilising waste heat from the drive (10). A working fluid circulates in the fluid circuit (12). The fluid circuit (12) has a first heat exchanger (16), which is thermally coupled to the drive (10) for transferring waste heat from the drive (10) to the working fluid, an expansion machine (18), and an expansion machine bypass (20), which bypasses the expansion machine (18) and in which a second heat exchanger (22) is arranged.

Fuel cell system with a combined fuel evaporation and cathode gas heater unit, and its method of operation A fuel cell system, in which the cathode gas heater and the evaporator are combined in a single compact first heat exchange unit which includes a first housing inside which thermal energy is transferred from the first coolant to both the cathode gas and the fuel.

Fuel cell system with a combined fuel evaporation and cathode gas heater unit, and its method of operation A fuel cell system, in which the cathode gas heater and the evaporator are combined in a single compact first heat exchange unit which includes a first housing inside which thermal energy is transferred from the first coolant to both the cathode gas and the fuel.

The present invention provides fuel cell stacks comprising effective means to maintain the fuel cell stacks at a constant temperature using plates mated to at least one face of the stack and in contact with the edges of the repeat and non-repeat layers while making use of the phase change of working-fluids such as water or water-organic species mixtures for heat transfer. Also provided are processes for maintaining said fuel cell stacks at a constant temperature by adjusting the flow rate and pressure of the cooling fluid so that both liquid and vapor are present at the same time.

An assembly for producing energy may include a fuel cell, a fluidic cell circuit configured to receive a first heat-transfer fluid and arranged at least partially around the fuel cell, a reversible thermodynamic system configured to alternatively: (i) evacuate the thermal energy produced by the fuel cell and transform it into mechanical energy through the first heat-transfer fluid, and (ii) input thermal energy to the fuel cell through the first heat-transfer fluid, wherein the thermodynamic system includes: (a) a fluidic thermodynamic circuit to receive a second heat-transfer fluid; (b) a first exchanger to exchange thermal energy between the fluidic thermodynamic circuit and the fluidic cell circuit; and (c) a second exchanger configured to exchange thermal energy between the fluidic thermodynamic circuit and an external source. The arrangement may improve fuel cell function, particularly for proton exchange membrane, usefully with fuel cell(s), particularly, proton exchange membrane fuel cells, preferably in transport.

A fuel cell power system including at least one fuel cell, a ram air system and a cooling circuit in which coolant is intended to circulate for regulating a temperature of the at least one fuel cell. The cooling circuit comprises a ram air heat exchanger in the ram air system and the ram air system comprises a nozzle. The fuel cell power system further comprises a water tank and the fuel cell power system is arranged to flow water from the water tank to the ram air system so as to spray water in ram air via the nozzle. Thus, dimensioning of the ram air system which includes the ram air heat exchanger is reduced.

A fuel cell assembly, a heat pipe for such a fuel cell assembly, and a fuel cell stack. The fuel cell assembly includes a fuel cell having an MEA structure, and a pair of heat pipe separator plates in physical and thermal contact with a planar surface of the fuel cell. Each heat pipe separator plate includes an external heat transfer fin to dissipate a portion of the heat generated by the fuel cell through exposed outer peripheral edges thereof. Each heat pipe separator plate also includes voids formed in an interior planar surface thereof, to be aligned with voids of other heat pipe separator plates when the fuel cell assembly is arranged in a stack. Upper voids are to define upper interior channels in fluid communication with a portion of the air stream supplied to the cathode. A heat transfer insert is arranged in the upper voids, and includes internal heat transfer fins to dissipate another portion of the heat into the upper interior channels for contact with the air stream.

A heat exchanger for a fuel cell is disclosed. The heat exchanger includes at least two tube bodies that are arranged at a distance from one another and are in each case structured so that a fluid can flow through internally and so that air can flow around externally. A water channel, through which water can flow fluidically separated from the fluid, is arranged in or on at least one tube body. At least one opening, via which the water channel communicates fluidically with an external environment of the at least one tube body, is provided on the at least one tube body. The at least one opening is arranged in the at least one tube body so that at least one of the tube bodies can be wetter with water, which is guided through the water channel and escapes the water channel through the at least one opening.

A bipolar fuel cell plate (300) for use in a fuel cell comprising a plurality of flow field channels (704) and a coolant distribution structure (708) formed as part of the fluid flow field plate. The coolant distribution structure is configured to direct coolant droplets (701) into the flow field channels. The coolant distribution structure comprises one or more elements (710) associated with one or more flow field channels, the elements having a first surface (712) for receiving a coolant droplet and a second surface (714) having a shape that defines a coolant droplet detachment region for directing a coolant droplet into the associated field flow channel.