Small volume, fuel cell inlet fuel gas distributor having low pressure drop
a fuel gas distributor and small volume technology, applied in the direction of electrochemical generators, cell components, cell component details, etc., can solve the problems of large volume consumed thereby, severe performance loss, and significant pressure loss, and achieve the effects of improving startup and other fuel input transients, reducing the number of fuel cells, and simplifying fuel distribution
Inactive Publication Date: 2005-06-02
INT FUEL CELLS
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Benefits of technology
"The invention provides a simplified fuel distribution system for a fuel cell stack. It ensures that fuel is evenly distributed to all the fuel cells in the stack, resulting in increased durability and improved startup and other fuel input transients. The invention achieves this by providing a plurality of conduits or channels that deliver fuel to each fuel cell in a simultaneous and uniform manner. The channels have the same length, number of turns, and flow cross section, ensuring equal fuel flow and the same time of arrival at all points along the manifold. The invention also includes small drain holes and channels to prevent water accumulation. Overall, the invention improves fuel distribution in fuel cell stacks."
Problems solved by technology
The uneven distribution of fuel to the different fuel cells upon startup can lead to individual fuel cell fuel starvation, voltage reversal, and carbon corrosion, which ultimately results in severe performance loss.
Although the cascade fuel distributor does distribute the fuel quite evenly, it has a significant pressure loss, and the volume consumed thereby is too large for certain applications.
Geometrical constraints may prevent optimal design, in certain applications.
Method used
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Embodiment Construction
[0018] A first embodiment of an inlet fuel distributor in accordance with the invention is illustrated in FIG. 1. A fuel supply pipe 13 feeds a chamber 14 out of which extend a plurality of fuel distribution tubes 17-23 of equal length and diameter, which terminate in corresponding holes 26 within a manifold cap 27. The manifold cap 27 is joined to a fuel inlet manifold 28. Because each of the tubes 17-23 is of the same diameter and the same length as each of the other tubes, the fuel will be distributed to all of the holes 26 in a substantially uniform manner. That is, when the fuel is first turned on, it will reach all of the holes 26 substantially simultaneously, and the flow through each of the tubes will be substantially identical to the flow in each other of the tubes. The holes 26 should be located such that there is one hole for every 10 to 20 cells. Alternatively, the distance between holes should be in the range of 40-80 MM in a typical fuel cell stack with several hundred...
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Abstract
In a fuel cell stack, an inlet fuel distributor (15, 31, 31a, 31b) comprises a plurality of conduits of substantially equal length and equal flow cross section to uniformly distribute fuel cell inlet fuel from a fuel supply pipe (13) to a fuel inlet manifold (28). The conduits may be either channels (40-47; 64; 67) formed within a plate (39) or tubes (17-23). The channels may have single exits (65) or double exits (52, 53) into the fuel inlet manifold.
Description
TECHNICAL FIELD [0001] This invention relates to a fuel cell inlet fuel gas distributor having a plurality of fuel conduits of substantially equal length and flow capacity, which supply substantially uniform fuel substantially simultaneously across the length of a fuel inlet manifold. BACKGROUND ART [0002] The uneven distribution of fuel to the different fuel cells upon startup can lead to individual fuel cell fuel starvation, voltage reversal, and carbon corrosion, which ultimately results in severe performance loss. [0003] In copending U.S. patent application No. 10 / 269,654, filed Oct. 10, 2002, a fuel cell, fuel inlet flow control apparatus divides the fuel flow several times, successively, in a cascade fashion to provide a number of separate flows, and then spreads the flow so as to distribute the fuel substantially uniformly across the entrances to all of the fuel flow fields in the fuel cell stack. Fuel flow transients approach the fuel flow fields of all of the fuel cells in ...
Claims
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IPC IPC(8): H01M8/24H01M50/77
CPCH01M8/2485H01M8/2484Y02E60/50
Inventor WHITON, JOHN H.WANG, YUREISER, CARL A.HIRKO, GEORGE S. JR.
Owner INT FUEL CELLS