Humidifiers provide heat and humidity to the incoming oxidant or hydrogen fuel stream of fuel cells and are critical to overall system performance and reliability. Without humidification, the fuel cell membrane becomes too dry and reduces the proton transport in the fuel cell stack and decreases the oxygen reduction reaction at the cathode - resulting in poor fuel cell function or even failure.
Many existing Fuel Cell Humidifiers are one of the most expensive components in a fuel cell system.
dPoint applies its patented planar membrane based technology to humidify and heat the fuel streams going to the fuel cell, by directing the incoming dry gas across one side of a water permeable flat sheet membrane and flowing the hot humidified air stream from the fuel cell exhaust across the other side of the membrane. The membrane transfers the heat and water vapour from the wet stream to the dry stream while preventing the oxygen from crossing over.