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Abstract

A fuel cell system is described whose fuel cell is driven with a methanol-water mixture. The problem with such systems is that at the outlet from the cathode, as a result of the chemical reaction in the fuel cell, carbon dioxide is present which must be removed from the anode cycle. The previously known systems, however, have the disadvantage that water and methanol are also discharged simultaneously with the discharge of CO.sub.2 in so-called vapor separators, and therefore are no longer available as energy carriers. Therefore, systems have already been proposed in which the liquid-vapor mixture is cooled before entering the vapor separator. In addition, combinations of several vapor separators are proposed. The present invention is related to this and proposes that the gas containing methanol emerging from a high temperature vapor separator be fed via a branch-stream cooler to the liquid accumulation of a low temperature vapor separator in a low temperature path. At this time the methanol there passes essentially over into the liquid phase.

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First Claim