Appeal No. 2006-2161
Application No. 10/248,326
• a heat exchanger;
• a pump or blower;
• a diverter valve; and
• a controller for the diverter valve.
Kothmann, col. 3, l. 64, through col. 4, l. 5; and col. 4,
l. 29-43.
The cooling modules Kothmann places at selected
positions in its fuel cell stack contain a plurality of
cooling channels through which coolant flows. Kothmann,
col. 4, l. 16-28. Heat that is generated from exothermic
electrochemical reactions of the fuel cells transfers to the
coolant. Kothmann, col. 3, l. 64-66. Even cooling of the
fuel cell stack is necessary to “maintain component
integrity,” since many components of the fuel cell, such as
bipolar plates or the electrolyte matrix, tend to degrade at
higher temperatures. Kothmann, col. 1, l. 22-31. After
exiting the cooling modules of the fuel cell stack, the
coolant flows through a heat exchanger where heat is
transferred from the coolant. See Kothmann, col. 4,
l. 36-38.
Kothmann’s coolant is forced through the fuel cell
cooling circuit by a pump or blower. Kothmann, col. 4,
l. 38-39. A diverter valve moves between two positions as
directed by a controller. Kothmann, col. 4, l. 41-43. A
diverter valve modulator allows for selective periodic
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