Water Filter For An Electrochemical Fuel Cell System

Abstract

Silica may form as a degradation product in an electrochemical fuel cell system and may be found within the water management subsystem thereof. The silica may polymerize and/or react to form insoluble metal silicates which may lead to reduced lifetime or performance of individual components within the fuel cell system. These problems can be eliminated or reduced by adding a silica absorber such as aluminum, either as alumina granulate or an aluminum plate to the water management subsystem, for example in, upstream and/or downstream of the water filter. In addition, the silica absorber may be in, upstream and/or downstream of the water tank.

1 . A method for operating a water management subsystem in a fuel cell system, said method comprising: 
 recovering water from other subsystems in said fuel cell systems;    removing silica from said water recovered from the other subsystems, by passing said water through a silica absorber;    supplying said water, with silica removed, to at least one of a humidification subsystem for an oxidant stream, a humidification subsystem for a fuel stream, a fuel processing subsystem and a fuel cell cooling subsystem.    
   
   
       2 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein said other subsystems comprises at least one of the fuel cell subsystems comprise at least one of the fuel cell cooling subsystem fuel processing, subsystem, an oxidant subsystem, an anode exhaust and a cathode exhaust.