Fuel cell power plant heat exchanger
A heat exchanger for a fuel cell power plant system may include a first loop and a second loop. For the first loop, a first coolant may be passed through a fuel cell stack, a thermostat, a first portion of a first plate of the heat exchanger, and a fuel cell pump. For the second loop, a second coolant may be passed through a second portion of the first plate of the heat exchanger.
1 . A heat exchanger for a fuel cell power plant system, comprising:
a first loop, wherein a first coolant is passed through:
a fuel cell stack;
a thermostat;
a first portion of a first plate of the heat exchanger; and
a fuel cell pump;
a second loop, wherein a second coolant is passed through a second portion of the first plate of the heat exchanger; and
a third loop, wherein a third coolant is passed through:
an area associated with circuitry;
the fuel cell stack;
an expansion tank; and
a first portion of a second plate of the heat exchanger.
2 . The heat exchanger for the fuel cell power plant system of claim 1 , comprising a fourth loop, wherein the second coolant is passed through a second portion of the second plate of the heat exchanger.
3 . The heat exchanger for the fuel cell power plant system of claim 2 , wherein the first plate has a greater size than the second plate of the heat exchanger.
4 . The heat exchanger for the fuel cell power plant system of claim 3 , wherein the first coolant or the second coolant is water.
5 . The heat exchanger for the fuel cell power plant system of claim 4 , wherein the thermostat regulates a path of the first loop.
6 . The heat exchanger for the fuel cell power plant system of claim 5 , wherein if a temperature of the first coolant is above a threshold, the first loop includes the first portion of the first plate of the heat exchanger.