An integrated cooling module of a fuel cell stack is attached to a housing of the fuel cell stack, and the integrated cooling module is connected to a plurality of components constituting a thermal management system of a fuel cell. In particular, the integrated cooling module includes: a first injection member defining flow paths guiding coolant into one or more components of the thermal management system of the fuel cell, and at least one second injection member coupled to the first injection member, and the coolants going through the components flow into the fuel cell stack through any one of the flow paths defined by the integrated cooling module.

A cold start device for an exothermic hydrogen consumer such as a fuel cell, as well as a method for operating an exothermic hydrogen consumer with a metal hydride storage system. An exothermic hydrogen consumer such as a fuel cell with an efficient cold start device which can be brought into operation rapidly and. does not require a pressure tank is provided. The cold start device is available for an unlimited number of start-up procedures. At least one starter tank is filled with a metal hydride which has an equilibrium pressure for desorption of at least 100 kPa at a temperature of −40° C., as well as at least one operating tank which is filled with at least one metal hydride, which has an equilibrium pressure of <100 kPa at temperatures of <0° C., and wherein the starter tank is incorporated into the operating tank.

An air control valve apparatus for a fuel cell, which controls air that flows into or out of a fuel cell stack, includes a valve housing having an air flow path fluidically-communicating with the fuel cell stack; a valve member configured to selectively open or close the air flow path; a trapping portion provided in the valve housing, disposed adjacent to an internal surface of the valve member, and configured to trap foreign substances discharged from the fuel cell stack; and a siphon guide tube connected between the trapping portion and the outside of the valve member and configured to selectively discharge the foreign substances trapped by the trapping portion to the outside of the valve member, improving stability and reliability.

A method for preparing a fuel cell system in a vehicle for starting, for which purpose a starting preparation routine is carried out after the vehicle has been shut down depending on a temperature limit value. In the method, in the event that the fuel cell had not reached its normal operating temperature during the previous operation and a temperature falls below the predetermined temperature limit value, the fuel cell system is operated until it has reached its normal operating temperature and after which the starting preparation routine is subsequently carried out.

A fuel cell system includes a fuel cell stack, an anode system apparatus, a control unit, an anode outlet temperature sensor, and a purge valve. In a method of starting operation of the fuel cell system at low temperature, a control unit compares a predetermined freezing temperature threshold value with an anode outlet temperature detected by an anode outlet temperature sensor. Then, the control unit performs low temperature control to place the purge valve in the constantly open state in the case where the temperature is not higher than the freezing temperature threshold value, and performs normal control for switching opening/closing of the purge valve in the case where the temperature exceeds the freezing temperature threshold value.

Provided is an end cell heater for a fuel cell capable of preventing water existing in reaction cells of a fuel cell stack from being frozen to improve initial start ability and initial driving performance of the fuel cell at the time of cold-starting the fuel cell during winter by disposing heaters on end cells disposed at both ends of the fuel cell stack and capable of securing air-tightness and pressure resistance properties of air passages and fuel passages formed in the end cell.

A railway vehicle includes a car body having a shell frame surrounding an internal area suitable for accommodating passengers, and a power generator connected to an external side of the car body and including an outlet for discharging out a liquid produced during generation of electricity. A hydraulic system is in fluid communication with the outlet and receives at least part of the liquid produced during generation of electricity. The hydraulic system includes a first end portion connected to the outlet, a second end portion, spaced apart from the first end portion, for draining out from the hydraulic system the received liquid, and a third intermediate portion which is interconnected between the first and second end portions and is placed, at least partially, in the internal area of the car body, which is adapted to be heated before receiving passengers.

The invention provides a water tank heating method and unit, an electronic device and a solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC) system. Before the SOFC system is started, ice in a water tank has been heated up, so after the SOFC system is started, the heating time of the heated ice, i.e., the thawing time of the water tank, will be shortened. Further, in the ice heating process, a pre-set needed SOFC thawing time determined according to current stack outlet temperature is used as a heating control parameter. As the stack outlet temperature is a key factor influencing the starting time of the SOFC system, the heating control will be more accurate if the pre-set needed SOFC thawing time corresponding to the stack outlet temperature is used as a heating control parameter.

A fuel cell system includes: a fuel cell that includes an installation port and a discharge port for a reactant gas; a first injection device that intermittently injects the reactant gas; second and third injection devices that continuously inject the reactant gas; an ejector that includes an ejection port for the reactant gas from the first or second injection device and the discharge port; a first flow passage that connects the installation port and the ejection port; a second flow passage through which the reactant gas from the third injection device is led to the first flow passage without the ejector; and a control device that performs a warm-up operation by executing the injection of the third injection device, executes the injection of the second injection device, and executes the injection of the first injection device after completion of the warm-up operation.

A cooling and gas dehumidifying system comprising a cooling circuit in which a thermal fluid is circulated. The system further comprises a cooling arrangement arranged in the cooling circuit and configured to cool the thermal fluid flowing therethrough. A consumer gives up heat energy to the thermal fluid flowing through the cooling circuit. A gas dehumidifier having a heat exchanger arrangement is configured to be thermally coupled in a gas dehumidifying operating state with the thermal fluid flowing through the cooling circuit downstream of the cooling arrangement and having a first temperature, and thereby give up heat energy to the thermal fluid, and to be thermally coupled in a de-icing operating state with the thermal fluid flowing through the cooling circuit downstream of the consumer and having a second temperature, and thereby absorb heat energy from the thermal fluid, the second temperature being higher than the first temperature.