Aeration and humidification device for high-power fuel cells

Abstract

The present invention relates to an aeration and humidification device for a high-power fuel cell, and belongs to the field of fuel cells. The main technical scheme is as follows: an aeration and humidification device for a high-power fuel cell, comprising a closed container, a drain pipe, a circulating water pump, an electric heater, a temperature controller, a check valve, and an air outlet pipe; a water sprinkler, an upper filler, a lower filler, and an aeration device are arranged from top to bottom in the closed container, the lower filler and the aeration device are placed in deionized water, the aeration device is connected to an air inlet pipe, the lower part of the closed container is connected to a water replenishment control valve, a circulating water pump, and a drain pipe, the closed container, the circulating water pump, the electric heater, and the check valve are sequentially connected to form a loop, and the upper part of the closed container is connected to the air outlet pipe. The present invention can quickly reach the required temperature and humidity for the reaction gas, and the aeration and humidification device is constructed using conventional devices, which has good economic efficiency.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The invention relates to the field of fuel cells, and in particular to an aeration and humidification device for a high-power fuel cell. Background Art

[0002] Fuel cells are clean, efficient, and long-life power generation devices. Compared with conventional power generation technologies, fuel cells have great advantages in efficiency, safety, reliability, flexibility, cleanliness, and operational performance, and have broad application prospects. As a type of fuel cell, proton exchange membrane fuel cells also have the advantages of low operating temperature, high specific energy, long service life, fast response speed, and no electrolyte leakage. They have good application prospects in national defense, energy, transportation, environmental protection, and communications. During the operation of proton exchange membrane fuel cells, humidity control of the cathode air (air) is one of the most important links.

[0003] In current practical applications, there are mainly the following types of humidifiers for humidifying fuel cell reaction gases: membrane humidifier: humidifying the gas by diffusion of water in the membrane; enthalpy wheel humidifier: humidifying by enthalpy wheel dry-wet conversion; spray humidification: by heating and spraying the reaction gas; bubbling humidification: the reaction gas is humidified by passing through a container filled with heated liquid water and glass beads at the bottom.

[0004] Membrane humidifiers have the characteristics of compact structure and low pressure drop. Its typical structure includes wet plates, polymer membranes and diffusion layers, and dry plates. The flow channels on the dry plates are used for the circulation and humidification of dry gas, and there are humidification channels on the wet plates. The membrane material is permeable to water but not air-permeable. One side of it is in contact with the wet plate, and the other side is a diffusion layer made of elastic, conductive, and breathable material. However, membrane humidifiers have sealing and pressure-bearing problems, because the polymer membrane swells when it encounters water, and the repeated swelling and contraction of the membrane between the dry and wet states will cause it to separate from the sealing surface, resulting in leakage; in addition, the polymer membrane is an organic material, which is easy to deform and has poor pressure resistance. It may rupture under the action of air pressure during use.

[0005] Heating and humidifying refers to humidifying the reaction gas through a water temperature controlled bubbler, also known as bubbling humidification; a bubbler refers to a container filled with liquid water and glass beads at the bottom. The air intake passes directly to the bottom of the container through a straight tube, contacts the small balls that can increase the evaporation area, and finally discharges nearly saturated gas through another pipe on the liquid surface. The advantages of this humidification method are that the equipment is visible, the process is simple, and high humidity can be obtained at a small flow rate. The disadvantage is that the temperature and humidity are difficult to control accurately. When the battery starts quickly or the load changes suddenly and drastically, the humidification cannot respond synchronously with it in time. In addition, at a large flow rate, the gas brings out too much liquid water after bubbling through the water container, causing the accumulation of liquid water at the outlet of the water container. Summary of the invention

[0006] In order to overcome the problem that fuel cell bubble humidifiers are difficult to use in high-power fuel cells, the present invention provides a high-power fuel cell aeration and humidification device. The main technical scheme is as follows: A high-power fuel cell aeration and humidification device includes a closed container, a drain pipe, a circulating water pump, an electric heater, a temperature controller, a check valve, and an air outlet pipe;

[0007] A water sprinkler, an upper filler, a lower filler, and an aeration device are arranged from top to bottom in the closed container. The lower filler and the aeration device are placed in deionized water. The aeration device is connected to an air inlet pipe. The lower part of the closed container is connected to a water replenishment control valve, a circulating water pump, and a drain pipe. The closed container, the circulating water pump, the electric heater, and the check valve are connected in sequence to form a loop. The upper part of the closed container is connected to an air outlet pipe. The water replenishment control valve is connected to the closed container through a liquid level meter, and the electric heater is connected to a temperature controller.

[0008] Furthermore, the materials of the upper filler and the lower filler are fiber, metal sintering, graphite or ceramic.

[0009] Furthermore, the drainage pipe is a waste liquid discharge outlet.

[0010] The beneficial effects of the present invention are as follows:

[0011] 1) The present invention can quickly achieve the required temperature and humidity of the reaction gas;

[0012] 2) The present invention ingeniously utilizes conventional devices to construct an aeration and humidification device, which has good economic efficiency;

[0013] 3) The present invention solves the problem that aeration humidification can be used for humidification of reaction gases in high-power fuel cells. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0014] Figure 1 It is a structural schematic diagram of the present invention;

[0015] Including: 1. Closed container, 2. Upper filler, 3. Liquid level meter, 4. Air inlet pipe, 5. Water supply control valve, 6. Drain pipe, 7. Circulating water pump, 8. Electric heater, 9. Temperature sensor, 10. Check valve, 11. Air outlet pipe, 12. Water sprinkler, 13. Lower filler, 14. Aeration device, 15. Deionized water. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0016] The present invention will be further described and explained below in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

[0017] like Figure 1As shown, a high-power fuel cell aeration and humidification device includes a closed container 1, a drain pipe 6, a circulating water pump 7, an electric heater 8, a temperature controller 9, a check valve 10, and an air outlet pipe 11; a water sprinkler 12, an upper filler 2, a lower filler 13, and an aeration device 14 are arranged from top to bottom in the closed container 1, the lower filler 13 and the aeration device 14 are placed in deionized water 15, the aeration device 14 is connected to the air inlet pipe 4, the lower part of the closed container 1 is connected to the water replenishment control valve 5, the circulating water pump 7 and the drain pipe 6, the closed container 1, the circulating water pump 7, the electric heater 8, and the check valve 10 are connected in sequence to form a loop, the upper part of the closed container 1 is connected to the air outlet pipe 11, the water replenishment control valve 5 is connected to the closed container 1 through the liquid level meter 3, and the electric heater 8 is connected to the temperature controller 9. The material of the upper filler 2 and the lower filler 13 is fiber. The drain pipe 6 is a waste liquid discharge port.

[0018] The method of using the present invention is as follows: the fuel cell reaction gas hydrogen or air enters the sealed container 1 through the air inlet pipe 4, is aerated by the aeration device 14, and enters the deionized water 15 for humidification and heat exchange, and then passes through the lower filler 13 and the upper filler 2, and the deionized water 15 therein is further humidified and heat exchanged to reach the temperature and humidity requirements, and then is discharged from the outlet pipe 11. The deionized water 15 is provided with circulation power by the circulating water pump 7, is heated by the electric heater 8, and the temperature controller 9 controls the temperature of the deionized water 15 heated by the electric heater 8. The heated deionized water 15 enters the sealed container 1 through the check valve 10, and is evenly sprinkled on the upper filler 2 through the sprinkler 12, and after the upper filler 2 is moistened, it flows to the lower part of the sealed container 1.

[0019] The above embodiments are only used to illustrate and explain the present invention, and are not intended to limit the present invention to the scope of the described embodiments. In addition, it can be understood by those skilled in the art that the present invention is not limited to the above embodiments, and more variations and modifications can be made according to the teachings of the present invention, and these variations and modifications all fall within the scope of the protection claimed by the present invention.

Claims

1. A high-power fuel cell aeration and humidification device, characterized in that: It comprises a closed container (1), a drainage pipe (6), a circulating water pump (7), an electric heater (8), a temperature controller (9), a check valve (10), and an air outlet pipe (11); The sealed container (1) is provided with a water sprinkler (12), an upper filler (2), a lower filler (13), and an aeration device (14) from top to bottom. The lower filler (13) and the aeration device (14) are placed in deionized water (15). The aeration device (14) is connected to an air inlet pipe (4). The lower part of the sealed container (1) is connected to a water replenishment control valve (5), a circulating water pump (7), and a drain pipe (6). The sealed container (1), the circulating water pump (7), the electric heater (8), and the check valve (10) are connected in sequence to form a loop. The upper part of the sealed container (1) is connected to an air outlet pipe (11). The water replenishment control valve (5) is connected to the sealed container (1) via a liquid level meter (3). The electric heater (8) is connected to a temperature controller (9). The materials of the upper filler (2) and the lower filler (13) are fiber, graphite or ceramic; The drainage pipe (6) is a waste liquid discharge port.

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