Integrated fuel cell engine system

Abstract

The present invention provides an integrated fuel cell engine system, including a stack assembly, an engine electrical assembly, a hydrogen injection assembly, an air inlet assembly, an air outlet assembly, a manifold assembly, a water pump assembly, an auxiliary heating assembly, and a tail exhaust assembly, wherein the engine electrical assembly is integrated and arranged on the top plate of the stack assembly; the hydrogen injection assembly and the manifold assembly are arranged on the proximal plate of the stack assembly, and the air inlet assembly and the air outlet assembly are arranged on the distal plate of the stack assembly; the water pump assembly, the auxiliary heating assembly and the tail exhaust assembly are arranged on the bottom plate of the stack assembly, and the tail exhaust assembly is connected to the air outlet assembly. The present invention uses the end plates and bottom plates on both sides of the stack module as the basis for an integrated design, which reduces the maintenance surface of the fuel cell engine and reduces the difficulty of after-sales repair and maintenance. At the same time, it greatly reduces the number and total length of connecting pipes and reduces the power consumption of the air compressor and water pump.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to the field of fuel cells, and in particular to an integrated fuel cell engine system. Background Art

[0002] With the increasing use of fuel cell engines in commercial vehicles, the demand for high-power fuel cell engines exceeding 100 kW is becoming increasingly urgent. As fuel cell power increases, the size of the fuel cell engine also needs to increase accordingly.

[0003] Fuel cell engines typically include at least three fluid transport lines: hydrogen, air, and coolant. These lines must be transported between multiple fuel cell components. As fuel cell engine size increases, the specific layout of each component significantly impacts the length and complexity of each line, placing higher demands on the performance of fluid transport devices such as air compressors and circulation pumps. Furthermore, as fuel cell engine size increases and piping complexity increases, repair and maintenance of fuel cell engines becomes even more complex within the already limited installation space.

[0004] Therefore, there is an urgent need to provide a highly integrated fuel cell engine. This patent provides a new fuel cell engine integration solution that can further improve the integration of fuel cell engines, making them perfectly suitable for existing commercial vehicle models, especially medium and heavy-duty trucks. Summary of the Invention

[0005] The present invention provides an integrated fuel cell engine system, including a fuel cell stack assembly, an engine electrical assembly, a hydrogen injection assembly, an air inlet assembly, an air outlet assembly, a manifold assembly, a water pump assembly, an auxiliary heating assembly, and a tail exhaust assembly.

[0006] The fuel cell stack assembly is the core of the fuel cell engine and is closely connected to other components of the fuel cell engine system. The stack assembly includes a proximal plate, a distal plate, a bottom plate, and a top plate. The proximal plate has a hydrogen inlet and outlet, a coolant inlet, and a coolant outlet. The distal plate has an air inlet and outlet. The top plate has positive and negative electrode output ports.

[0007] The engine electrical components primarily include a DC-DC converter, an air compressor controller, high-voltage power distribution, and low-voltage power distribution. The high-voltage power distribution is primarily used for the water pump assembly and auxiliary heating assembly, while the low-voltage power distribution is primarily used for other engine components. The engine electrical components are integrated and packaged into a single housing, allowing them to share a heat dissipation and cooling circuit. Preferably, the engine electrical components are mounted on the top plate of the stack assembly, allowing the DC-DC converter to connect to the copper busbars of the positive and negative output ports, saving installation space.

[0008] The water pump assembly, auxiliary heating assembly and tail exhaust assembly are arranged on the bottom plate of the stack assembly, and the tail exhaust assembly is connected to the air outlet assembly.

[0009] The hydrogen injection assembly and manifold assembly are located on the proximal plate of the stack assembly, while the air inlet and air outlet assemblies are located on the distal plate of the stack assembly. The manifold assembly integrates a series of pipes and devices, primarily used to connect the hydrogen and coolant inlets and outlets on the proximal plate.

[0010] Specifically, the manifold assembly includes a first manifold assembly and a second manifold assembly. The first manifold assembly includes a hydrogen inlet pipeline and a coolant outlet pipeline. The hydrogen inlet pipeline is connected to the hydrogen inlet port, and the coolant outlet pipeline is connected to the coolant outlet port. The second manifold assembly includes a hydrogen outlet pipeline, a steam-water separator, a hydrogen circulation reflux pipeline, an ejector reflux chamber, and a coolant inlet pipeline. The hydrogen outlet pipeline is connected to the hydrogen outlet port, and the steam-water separator is connected to the hydrogen outlet pipeline. The pipeline is used to separate steam and water from the hydrogen leaving the stack. The hydrogen circulation reflux pipeline is connected to the steam-water separator and is connected to the hydrogen inlet pipeline through the induced reflux chamber, so that the separated hydrogen leaving the stack can be reintroduced into the hydrogen inlet pipeline through the induced reflux chamber. The coolant inlet pipeline is connected to the coolant inlet port. Since the coolant inlet pipeline is adjacent to the steam-water separator and the induced reflux chamber, the coolant inlet pipeline also has the function of heating the steam-water separator and the induced reflux chamber.

[0011] Furthermore, a thermostat assembly is provided on the proximal end plate, and the thermostat assembly is connected to the coolant inlet pipeline of the second manifold assembly.

[0012] Furthermore, the water pump assembly is in communication with the coolant outlet pipeline of the first manifold assembly, and is sequentially connected to an auxiliary heating assembly and the thermostat assembly.

[0013] Furthermore, the steam-water separator is connected to a first hydrogen discharge pipeline and a second hydrogen discharge pipeline. The first hydrogen discharge pipeline is arranged at the heavy component outlet of the steam-water separator, and can discharge a mixed fluid containing a certain amount of hydrogen from the system; the second hydrogen discharge pipeline is arranged at the light component outlet of the steam-water separator, and can discharge a fluid containing a relatively large amount of hydrogen from the system; the first hydrogen discharge pipeline and the second hydrogen discharge pipeline are respectively provided with a first hydrogen discharge valve and a second hydrogen discharge valve, thereby allowing the system to dynamically adjust the discharge of hydrogen, and then adjust the gas composition entering the hydrogen circulation reflux pipeline.

[0014] Furthermore, the remote board is provided with a data acquisition device, a fuel cell controller and a hydrogen concentration sensor; since a certain amount of hydrogen emissions will also be generated at the remote end of the fuel cell stack assembly, the remote board is also provided with a remote hydrogen outlet, and the remote hydrogen outlet is connected to a third row of hydrogen pipelines, and a third row of hydrogen valves is provided on the third row of hydrogen pipelines.

[0015] Furthermore, an air compressor, an intercooler and a humidifier are provided on the base plate, and the air compressor, intercooler and humidifier are connected in sequence. The humidifier is connected to the air inlet assembly and the air outlet assembly, and the humidifier is connected to the tail exhaust assembly. A throttle valve is provided on the connecting pipeline between the humidifier and the tail exhaust assembly.

[0016] Specifically, the humidifier includes a dry air inlet, a dry air outlet, a wet air inlet, and a wet air outlet, wherein the dry air inlet is connected to the intercooler for introducing the dry air output by the intercooler into the humidifier; the dry air outlet is connected to the air inlet assembly for inputting the humidified dry air into the fuel cell assembly; the wet air inlet is connected to the air outlet assembly for introducing the wet air discharged from the fuel cell assembly into the humidifier and utilizing it to humidify the dry air; the wet air outlet is connected to the tail exhaust assembly for discharging the wet air out of the fuel cell engine system.

[0017] Furthermore, a three-way valve is provided on the connecting pipeline between the intercooler and the humidifier. The tail exhaust assembly includes a first muffler and a second muffler connected in sequence. The first muffler is connected to the third hydrogen exhaust pipeline and the three-way valve, and the second muffler is connected to the first and second hydrogen exhaust pipelines. Therefore, after the air passes through the air compressor and the intercooler, a certain amount of air enters the first muffler directly through the three-way valve. The remaining air is humidified by the humidifier, dehumidified by the fuel cell stack assembly, and then passes through the throttle valve before being discharged to the outside of the system through the first and second mufflers. At the same time, the first, second, and third hydrogen exhaust pipelines discharge the hydrogen discharged from the stack into the first and second mufflers, which can effectively control the hydrogen content in the tail exhaust.

[0018] Furthermore, four sets of shock-absorbing assemblies are installed on both sides of the base plate. These assemblies can effectively protect various engine components from the effects of vibration and impact during vehicle operation, especially protecting the battery stack assembly, thereby extending the life of the battery stack assembly under vibration and impact conditions.

[0019] Furthermore, the first manifold is provided with a safety valve and a pressure sensor mounting interface, and the second manifold assembly is provided with a temperature sensor and a conductivity meter mounting interface. Of course, sensors can also be installed on other components or pipelines to meet the control needs of the fuel cell engine system, and the present invention does not impose any special limitations on this.

[0020] The present invention provides an integrated fuel cell engine system, which has at least the following beneficial effects:

[0021] 1. The present invention arranges the inlets and outlets of air, hydrogen and coolant on the proximal and distal plates of the fuel cell stack assembly, respectively, which not only meets the actual needs of the fuel cell stack assembly but also makes the engine layout more compact and simple.

[0022] 2. The present invention integrates a series of pipelines and devices on the proximal plate into a manifold assembly, which not only facilitates processing and installation, but also makes the fuel cell engine system more concise and convenient for subsequent maintenance and replacement.

[0023] 3. By cleverly designing the specific locations and connections of various components, this invention significantly reduces the number and total length of engine connection piping, thereby lowering resistance in the engine's hydrogen, air, and cooling system piping, reducing performance requirements for the air compressor and water pump, and also lowering their power consumption. This integrated design improves production efficiency while also reducing the difficulty of after-sales repair and maintenance.

[0024] 4. The present invention discharges tail gas through a two-stage muffler and provides first, second and third hydrogen pipes and a three-way valve. On the one hand, it significantly reduces the noise of the tail gas, and on the other hand, it can also timely regulate the hydrogen content in the tail gas. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0025] The accompanying drawings are used to provide a further understanding of the present invention and constitute a part of the specification. Together with the embodiments of the present invention, they are used to explain the present invention and do not constitute a limitation of the present invention. In the accompanying drawings:

[0026] Figure 1 is an overall schematic diagram of the fuel cell engine of the present invention;

[0027] Figure 2 It is a right side view of the fuel cell engine of the present invention;

[0028] Figure 3 It is a left side view of the fuel cell engine of the present invention;

[0029] Figure 4 A bottom view of the fuel cell engine of the present invention;

[0030] Figure 5 for Figure 1 Enlarged view of the local area.

[0031] As shown in the figure: 1. Fuel cell stack assembly; 2. Engine electrical assembly; 3. Hydrogen injection assembly; 4. Air inlet assembly; 5. Air outlet assembly; 6. First manifold assembly; 7. Second manifold assembly; 8. Water pump assembly; 9. Auxiliary heating assembly; 101. Proximal plate; 102. Distal plate; 10. Thermostat assembly; 11. Coolant outlet; 71. Steam-water separator; 72. First hydrogen row pipeline; 73. Second hydrogen row pipeline; 12. Data acquisition unit; 13. Fuel cell controller; 14. Hydrogen concentration sensor; 15. Third hydrogen row pipeline; 16. Third hydrogen row valve; 17. Air compressor; 18. Intercooler; 19. Humidifier; 20. First muffler; 21. Second muffler; 22. Throttle; 23. Three-way valve; 24. Shock absorber assembly; 191. Dry air inlet; 192 Dry air outlet; 193 Wet air inlet; 194 Wet air outlet. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0032] The preferred embodiments of the present invention are described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. It should be understood that the preferred embodiments described herein are only used to illustrate and explain the present invention, and are not used to limit the present invention.

[0033] like Figure 1-5 As shown, the integrated fuel cell engine system of this embodiment mainly includes a fuel cell stack assembly 1, an engine electrical assembly 2, a hydrogen injection assembly 3, an air inlet assembly 4, an air outlet assembly 5, a first manifold assembly 6, a second manifold assembly 7, a water pump assembly 8, an auxiliary heating assembly 9, and a tail exhaust assembly.

[0034] The six end surfaces of the stack assembly 1 are the proximal plate 101, distal plate 102, front plate, rear plate, bottom plate, and top plate. The various components of the fuel cell engine system are primarily integrated on the proximal plate 101, distal plate 102, bottom plate, and top plate, and are described in detail below.

[0035] like Figure 1 As shown, the engine electrical assembly 2 is mounted on the top plate of the fuel cell stack assembly 1 and has multiple electrical interfaces. The engine electrical assembly 2 actually includes multiple components, such as a DC-DC converter, an air compressor controller, and high-voltage and low-voltage power distribution. The present invention encapsulates these components within a single housing, simplifying the structure of the fuel cell engine system and facilitating electrical wiring connections.

[0036] like Figure 2As shown, the proximal plate 101 is equipped with a hydrogen injection assembly 3, a first manifold assembly 6, a second manifold assembly 7, and a thermostat assembly 10. The first manifold assembly 6 integrates the hydrogen inlet and coolant outlet pipelines. The hydrogen inlet pipeline is connected to the hydrogen inlet port, and the coolant outlet pipeline is connected to the coolant outlet port 11. The second manifold assembly 7 includes the hydrogen outlet pipeline, a steam-water separator 71, a hydrogen circulation reflux pipeline, an ejector reflux chamber, and the coolant inlet pipeline.

[0037] Specifically, the steam-water separator 71 in the second manifold assembly 7 is mainly used to separate steam and water from the hydrogen gas leaving the reactor. Figure 5 The steam-water separator is connected to a first hydrogen discharge line 72, a second hydrogen discharge line 73, and a hydrogen circulation return line. The first hydrogen discharge line 72 is located at the heavy component outlet of the steam-water separator 71, the second hydrogen discharge line 73 is located at the light component outlet of the steam-water separator, and the hydrogen circulation return line is also located at the light component outlet of the steam-water separator. The first hydrogen discharge line 72 and the second hydrogen discharge line 73 are respectively provided with a first hydrogen discharge valve and a second hydrogen discharge valve, thereby allowing the system to dynamically adjust the discharge of hydrogen and, in turn, adjust the gas composition entering the hydrogen circulation return line. In this embodiment, the first hydrogen discharge line 72 is connected to the second hydrogen discharge line 73 in the form of a branch and is ultimately connected to the second muffler 21. The hydrogen circulation return line is connected to the hydrogen inlet line in the first manifold assembly 6 through an ejector reflux chamber, thereby allowing some of the hydrogen leaving the stack to re-enter the fuel cell stack assembly 1.

[0038] The coolant inlet pipe of the second manifold assembly 7 is connected to the thermostat assembly 10. Specifically, the two are connected by a flange.

[0039] like Figure 3 As shown, the remote plate 102 is provided with an air inlet assembly 4, an air outlet assembly 5, a data collector 12, a fuel cell controller 13, and a hydrogen concentration sensor 14, and the remote plate 102 also has a remote hydrogen outlet. The third hydrogen outlet pipe 15 connected to the remote hydrogen outlet is provided with a third hydrogen outlet valve 16, and the third hydrogen outlet pipe 15 is finally connected to the first muffler 20.

[0040] like Figure 4 As shown, the bottom plate of the stack assembly 1 is provided with a water pump assembly 8, an auxiliary heating assembly 9, an air compressor 17, an intercooler 18, a humidifier 19, a first muffler 20, and a second muffler 21. The water pump assembly 8 is connected to the coolant outlet pipe of the first manifold assembly 6 and is sequentially connected to the auxiliary heating assembly 9 and the thermostat assembly 10.

[0041] The humidifier 19 has a dry air inlet 191, a dry air outlet 192, a wet air inlet 193, and a wet air outlet 194. The air compressor 17 is connected to the intercooler 18, which is connected to the dry air inlet 191 of the humidifier 19 via a pipeline. The dry air outlet 192 and the wet air inlet 193 of the humidifier 19 are connected to the air inlet assembly 4 and the air outlet assembly 5, respectively. The wet air outlet 194 is connected to the first muffler 20 and the second muffler 21 in sequence.

[0042] A throttle valve 22 is provided on the connecting pipeline between the wet air outlet 194 and the first muffler 20, and a three-way valve 23 is provided on the connecting pipeline between the intercooler 18 and the humidifier 19. The three-way valve 23 is connected to the first muffler 20, so that part of the air can directly enter the muffler 20.

[0043] Four sets of shock-absorbing assemblies 24 are also provided on both sides of the base plate. The shock-absorbing assemblies can effectively protect the various components in the engine from the effects of vibration and impact during the operation of the vehicle; in particular, they can protect the battery stack assembly, thereby extending the life of the battery stack assembly under vibration and impact conditions.

[0044] In addition, multiple safety valve and sensor installation interfaces can be provided on the integrated fuel cell engine system of this embodiment. For example, a safety valve and a pressure sensor installation interface can be provided on the first manifold, and a temperature sensor and a conductivity meter installation interface can be provided on the second manifold assembly. Those skilled in the art can also set new installation interfaces according to actual needs, and the present invention will not go into details here.

[0045] Obviously, those skilled in the art may make various changes and modifications to the present invention without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention. Thus, if such changes and modifications fall within the scope of the claims and their equivalents, the present invention is intended to include such changes and modifications.

Claims

1. An integrated fuel cell engine system, comprising a fuel cell stack assembly, an engine electrical assembly, a hydrogen injection assembly, an air inlet assembly, an air outlet assembly, a manifold assembly, a water pump assembly, an auxiliary heating assembly, and a tail exhaust assembly, characterized in that: The stack assembly includes a proximal plate, a distal plate, a bottom plate, and a top plate. The proximal plate has a hydrogen inlet, a hydrogen outlet, a coolant inlet, and a coolant outlet. The distal plate has an air inlet and an air outlet. The top plate has positive and negative electrode output ports. The engine electrical assembly includes a DCDC converter, a high-voltage power distribution unit, and a low-voltage power distribution unit. The DCDC converter, the high-voltage power distribution unit, and the low-voltage power distribution unit are integrated into a housing and arranged on the top plate of the stack assembly. The DCDC converter is connected to the copper busbars of the positive and negative output ports. The hydrogen injection assembly and the manifold assembly are arranged on the proximal end plate of the fuel cell stack assembly, and the air inlet assembly and the air outlet assembly are arranged on the distal end plate of the fuel cell stack assembly; The water pump assembly, auxiliary heating assembly and tail exhaust assembly are arranged on the bottom plate of the stack assembly, and the tail exhaust assembly is connected to the air outlet assembly; The manifold assembly includes a first manifold assembly and a second manifold assembly. The first manifold assembly includes a hydrogen inlet pipeline and a coolant outlet pipeline. The hydrogen inlet pipeline is connected to the hydrogen inlet port, and the coolant outlet pipeline is connected to the coolant outlet port. The second manifold assembly includes a hydrogen outflow pipeline, a steam-water separator, a hydrogen circulation reflux pipeline, an ejector reflux chamber, and a coolant inflow pipeline. The hydrogen outflow pipeline is connected to the hydrogen outflow port. The steam-water separator is in communication with the hydrogen outflow pipeline. The hydrogen circulation reflux pipeline is connected to the steam-water separator and is in communication with the hydrogen inflow pipeline through the ejector reflux chamber. The coolant inflow pipeline is connected to the coolant inflow port. The proximal end plate is provided with a thermostat assembly, and the thermostat assembly is connected to the coolant inlet pipe of the second manifold assembly; The steam-water separator is connected to a first hydrogen discharge pipeline and a second hydrogen discharge pipeline. The first hydrogen discharge pipeline is arranged at the heavy component outlet of the steam-water separator, and the second hydrogen discharge pipeline is arranged at the light component outlet of the steam-water separator. The first hydrogen discharge pipeline and the second hydrogen discharge pipeline are respectively provided with a first hydrogen discharge valve and a second hydrogen discharge valve; The remote board is provided with a data collector, a fuel cell controller and a hydrogen concentration sensor; the remote board has a remote hydrogen outlet, the remote hydrogen outlet is connected to a third row hydrogen pipeline, and the third row hydrogen pipeline is provided with a third row hydrogen valve.

2. The integrated fuel cell engine system according to claim 1, wherein: The water pump assembly is in communication with the coolant outlet pipeline of the first manifold assembly, and is sequentially connected to an auxiliary heating assembly and the thermostat assembly.

3. The integrated fuel cell engine system according to claim 1, wherein: An air compressor, an intercooler and a humidifier are provided on the base plate. The air compressor, the intercooler and the humidifier are connected in sequence. The humidifier is connected to the air inlet assembly and the air outlet assembly, and the humidifier is connected to the tail exhaust assembly. A throttle valve is provided on the connecting pipeline between the humidifier and the tail exhaust assembly.

4. The integrated fuel cell engine system according to claim 3, wherein: A three-way valve is provided on the connecting pipeline of the intercooler and the humidifier. The tail exhaust assembly includes a first muffler and a second muffler connected in sequence. The first muffler is connected to the third hydrogen exhaust pipeline and the three-way valve, and the second muffler is connected to the first hydrogen exhaust pipeline and the second hydrogen exhaust pipeline.

5. The integrated fuel cell engine system according to claim 3, wherein: Four sets of shock absorbing components are arranged on both sides of the bottom plate.

6. The integrated fuel cell engine system according to any one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that: The first manifold is provided with a safety valve and a pressure sensor installation interface, and the second manifold assembly is provided with a temperature sensor and a conductivity meter installation interface.

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