An arrangement and process are provided for regulating the humidification or
dew
point of inlet air supplied (124, 224, 324, 424) to combustion-supported
reaction means (20, 120) of a fuel processing system in a fuel cell power
plant (110, 210, 310, 410). In addition to flowing exhaust gas(es) (28,
128) in heat and energy exchange relation with inlet air through a primary
energy recovery device (ERD) (30) of the gas/gas type, a supplemental ERD
(50) of the gas/liquid (water) type uses water temperature to passively
condense moisture from a gas stream, either of inlet air or of exhaust gas, to
regulate the dew point of the air supplied to the combustion-supported reaction
means (20, 120). The supplemental ERD (50) may have a gas channel
(134) and a water channel (132) separated by an enthalpy exchange
barrier (136), and may be relatively upstream or downstream of the primary
ERD (30) relative to the flow of inlet air through the latter to regulate
dew point indirectly or directly, respectively.