A fuel cell air system and a fuel cell system

By introducing a combined structure of primary intercooler, secondary intercooler and heat exchanger into the fuel cell system, the air cooling pipeline is optimized, and the problems of excessive humidity of the tail exhaust gas and insufficient system integration are solved, thereby achieving higher integration and performance.

CN115441015BActive Publication Date: 2025-07-18XIANHU TECH CO LTD

Patent Information

Application Number
CN202211122992.6
Authority / Receiving Office
CN · China
Patent Type
Patents(China)
Current Assignee / Owner
Filing Date
2022-09-15
Publication Date
2025-07-18
Estimated Expiration
2042-09-15

AI Technical Summary

Technical Problem

In existing fuel cell systems, excessive humidity of the tail exhaust gas leads to limited noise reduction performance of the silencer, insufficient system integration, and single-stage intercooler and humidifier are large and bulky, which cannot meet the high integration index.

Method used

The combined structure of the first-stage intercooler and the second-stage intercooler is adopted, combined with the heat exchanger, optimizes the air cooling pipeline design, and introduces throttle and bypass valves to improve system integration and reduces the power requirements of the humidifier and intercooler.

Benefits of technology

Effectively improve the permeability of water vapor molecules in the humidifier, improve the relative humidity of the air, reduce the humidity of the tail exhaust gas, reduce component development costs, and improve system integration and performance.

✦ Generated by Eureka AI based on patent content.

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Abstract

The present invention discloses a fuel cell air system and a fuel cell system, including a battery body, a humidifier, an air compressor, a first-stage intercooler, a second-stage intercooler, a heat exchanger, and a throttle valve. The humidifier has a dry-side inlet, a dry-side outlet, a wet-side inlet, and a wet-side outlet. The first-stage intercooler is disposed at the dry-side inlet, and the second-stage intercooler is disposed at the dry-side outlet. The heat exchanger is installed at the wet-side outlet. The dry-side outlet is connected to the air inlet of the battery body through the second-stage intercooler, while the wet-side inlet is connected to the air outlet of the battery body. The air compressor is connected to the air inlet of the battery body to form an air cooling pipeline, and the throttle valve is installed on the air cooling pipeline. The fuel cell system equipped with multiple-stage intercoolers has lower requirements for the heat exchange performance of the intercooler and the performance of the humidifier, and can reduce the development cost of components.
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Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to the technical field of fuel cell systems, and particularly relates to a fuel cell air system and a fuel cell system. Background Art

[0002] As the installation of fuel cell systems in the automotive industry becomes increasingly mature, the problems exposed during their operation are becoming more and more obvious. For example, the excessive humidity of the tail gas restricts the noise reduction performance of the muffler; the insufficient system integration restricts the improvement of the fuel cell system in terms of volume power and mass power. These problems also exist in the development and installation of high-power fuel cell systems and will be more prominent. In addition, the increase in the power of the fuel cell system is often accompanied by an increase in the heat exchange demand of the intercooler and the humidification demand of the humidifier. To a certain extent, this results in the large volume and excessive heaviness of the single-stage intercooler and humidifier, which cannot meet the high integration index of system development.

[0003] Currently, the main installation objects of domestic fuel cell systems are commercial vehicles, such as buses, logistics vehicles, and sanitation vehicles, etc. For the installed fuel cell systems, the measures taken in terms of the integration of the fuel cell air system often involve replacing the throttle valve and bypass valve with an electronically controlled three-way valve or integrating a single-stage intercooler and humidifier, resulting in the problems of excessive volume and weight of the single-stage intercooler and humidifier. Summary of the Invention

[0004] The purpose of the present invention is to provide a fuel cell air system and a fuel cell system to solve one or more technical problems existing in the prior art, and at least provide a beneficial alternative or create conditions.

[0005] The technical solution adopted to solve the above technical problems:

[0006] The present invention provides a fuel cell air system, including a battery body, a humidifier, an air compressor, a first-stage intercooler, a second-stage intercooler, a heat exchanger, and a throttle valve. The humidifier has a dry-side inlet, a dry-side outlet, a wet-side inlet, and a wet-side outlet. The first-stage intercooler is arranged at the dry-side inlet, the second-stage intercooler is arranged at the dry-side outlet, and the heat exchanger is installed at the wet-side outlet;

[0007] The dry-side outlet is connected to the air inlet of the battery body through the second-stage intercooler, and the wet-side inlet is connected to the air outlet of the battery body. The air compressor is connected to the air inlet of the battery body to form an air cooling pipeline, and the throttle valve is installed on the air cooling pipeline.

[0008] The beneficial effects of the present invention are:

[0009] The fuel cell air system is provided with a primary intercooler and a secondary intercooler. Compared with a single-stage intercooler, the temperature of the air entering the humidifier after passing through the primary intercooler will be higher. On the premise of meeting the temperature resistance of the humidifier, it can effectively improve the permeation amount of water vapor molecules in the existing humidifier. At the same time, the humidifier is used to achieve gas-gas heat exchange, reducing the heat exchange demand of the secondary intercooler. And through the secondary cooling of the air by the secondary intercooler, the relative humidity of the air can be effectively increased, that is, the relative humidity of the air entering the fuel cell stack is higher. And the heat exchanger is arranged at the wet side outlet of the humidifier, and the heat exchanger is used to reduce the air temperature at the wet side outlet of the humidifier, thereby reducing the moisture content of the air at the wet side outlet of the humidifier, facilitating the discharge of the condensed water in the tail gas by the downstream mixing exhaust pipe, and reducing the humidity of the tail gas flowing into the muffler.

[0010] As a further improvement of the above technical solution, the primary intercooler is integrally arranged at the dry side inlet, the secondary intercooler is integrally arranged at the dry side outlet, and the heat exchanger is integrally installed at the wet side outlet.

[0011] The integration of the primary intercooler, secondary intercooler, and heat exchanger in the humidifier improves the system integration degree of the fuel cell air system, and avoids the problems of large volume and excessive heaviness of the single-stage intercooler in a high-power fuel cell system.

[0012] As a further improvement of the above technical solution, the air system further includes a first bypass valve, and the first bypass valve is connected between the secondary intercooler and the wet side inlet. Part of the gas can directly return through the first bypass valve without passing through the power of the humidifier, secondary intercooler, and heat exchanger, reducing the power of the humidifier, secondary intercooler, and heat exchanger.

[0013] As a further improvement of the above technical solution, the first bypass valve is integrally arranged on the secondary intercooler 33b. Further improving the integration degree.

[0014] As a further improvement of the above technical solution, the throttle valve is integrated at the air outlet of the secondary intercooler or the throttle valve is integrated at the air inlet of the primary intercooler. Further improving the integration degree. When the throttle valve is integrated at the air inlet of the primary intercooler, the working temperature is reduced, and the requirements for the airtightness and reliability of the throttle valve are also lower.

[0015] As a further improvement of the above technical solution, a back pressure valve is integrally installed at the outlet of the heat exchanger. The back pressure valve is beneficial for further control, and integrating the back pressure valve improves the integration degree.

[0016] As a further improvement of the above technical solution, the second bypass valve is connected between the primary intercooler and the air inlet of the heat exchanger, and part of the gas is directly discharged from the downstream mixing exhaust pipe through the second bypass valve.

[0017] As a further improvement of the above technical solution, the second bypass valve is integrally arranged in the first-stage intercooler, further improving the integration degree.

[0018] The present invention also provides a fuel cell system, including a fuel cell air system, a thermal management system, and a hydrogen system described in any one of the above.

[0019] When the fuel cell air system of the present invention is applied, the power is reduced.

[0020] As a further improvement of the above technical solution, the thermal management system includes a water pump, a heat dissipation component, and a battery body to form a loop. The ion filter and the heater are respectively connected in parallel with the heat dissipation component. The heat dissipation component, the heater, and the battery body are connected through a three-way valve. A bypass passage is provided between the inlets of the heater.

[0021] When the three-way valve is fully open, it flows through the large circulation. The main coolant flows through the water pump, the battery body, the three-way valve, and the heat dissipation component in sequence, while the large circulation branch flows through the ion filter. When the three-way valve is fully closed, it flows through the small circulation, that is, the low-temperature preheating loop. The main coolant flows through the water pump, the battery body, the three-way valve, and the heater in sequence, while the small circulation branch flows through the ion filter.

[0022] The small circulation branch is provided to play a role in deionization and reduce the flow resistance of the fuel cell thermal management system. A bypass passage is provided between the inlets of the heater, and its main function is to improve the problem of insufficient flow caused by too high flow resistance in the heater branch under small circulation or low-temperature environment, and improve the low-temperature startup efficiency of the fuel cell system. Brief Description of the Drawings

[0023] The following further describes the present invention in conjunction with the drawings and embodiments;

[0024] Figure 1 It is a schematic structural diagram of an embodiment of a fuel cell system provided by the present invention;

[0025] Figure 2 It is a schematic diagram of an embodiment of a fuel cell air system provided by the present invention;

[0026] Figure 3 It is a schematic diagram of an embodiment of a fuel cell air system provided by the present invention;

[0027] Figure 4 It is a schematic diagram of an embodiment of a fuel cell air system provided by the present invention;

[0028] Figure 5 It is a schematic structural diagram of an embodiment of a fuel cell air system provided by the present invention;

[0029] Figure 6 This is a schematic structural diagram of an embodiment of a fuel cell air system provided by the present invention. Description of the Drawings:

[0031] Fuel cell 11; thermal management system 2; water pump 21; thermostat 22; ion filter 23; PTC heater 24; radiator and fan 25; particulate filter 26; expansion tank 27; air system 3; air filter 31; air compressor 32; first-stage intercooler 33a; second-stage intercooler 33b; heat exchanger 33c; humidifier 34; throttle valve 35; back pressure valve 36; first bypass valve 37a, second bypass valve 37b;

[0032] Hydrogen system 4; hydrogen storage cylinder 41; stop valve 42; pressure reducing valve 43; safety valve 44; hydrogen heat exchanger 45; ejector 46; gas-liquid separator 47; one-way valve at the ejector return port 48; hydrogen circulation pump 49; one-way valve at the outlet of the hydrogen circulation pump 410; drain valve 411; hydrogen discharge valve 412; mixed discharge pipe 51; silencer 52. Detailed Embodiments

[0033] This part will describe in detail the specific embodiments of the present invention. The preferred embodiments of the present invention are shown in the drawings. The function of the drawings is to supplement the description in the text part of the specification, enabling people to intuitively and vividly understand each technical feature and the overall technical solution of the present invention. However, it should not be construed as a limitation on the protection scope of the present invention.

[0034] In the description of the present invention, it should be understood that for orientation descriptions, such as up, down, front, back, left, right, etc., the orientation or positional relationship indicated is based on the orientation or positional relationship shown in the drawings. It is only for the convenience of describing the present invention and simplifying the description, rather than indicating or implying that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, be constructed and operated in a specific orientation, and therefore should not be construed as a limitation on the present invention.

[0035] In the description of the present invention, if there are descriptions with words such as "several", its meaning is one or more, and the meaning of multiple is more than two. Understandings such as greater than, less than, exceeding, etc. do not include the number itself, and understandings such as above, below, within, etc. include the number itself.

[0036] In the description of the present invention, unless otherwise clearly defined, words such as setting, installation, connection, etc. should be understood in a broad sense. Those skilled in the art can reasonably determine the specific meanings of the above words in the present invention in combination with the specific content of the technical solution.

[0037] Referring to Figures 1 to 6 , the following embodiments are made for a fuel cell air system and a fuel cell system of the present invention:

[0038] In some embodiments, referring to Figure 1 , a fuel cell system includes a fuel cell air system, a thermal management system 2, and a hydrogen system 4.

[0039] The fuel cell air system includes a cell body 11, an air filter 31, a humidifier 34, an air compressor 32, a first-stage intercooler 33a, a second-stage intercooler 33b, a heat exchanger 33c, a throttle valve 35, a back pressure valve 36, and a second bypass valve 37b. The humidifier 34 has a dry-side inlet, a dry-side outlet, a wet-side inlet, and a wet-side outlet. The first-stage intercooler 33a is integrally installed at the dry-side inlet, the second-stage intercooler 33b is integrally installed at the dry-side outlet, the heat exchanger 33c is integrally installed at the wet-side outlet, and the back pressure valve 36 is integrally installed at the outlet of the heat exchanger 33c. The back pressure valve 36 is beneficial for further control. Integrating the back pressure valve 36 improves the integration degree. The dry-side outlet is connected to the air inlet of the cell body 11 through the second-stage intercooler 33b, while the wet-side inlet is connected to the air outlet of the cell body 11.

[0040] The air compressor 32 is connected to the air inlet of the cell body 11 to form an air cooling pipeline. The throttle valve 35 is installed on the air cooling pipeline, and the throttle valve 35 is integrally installed at the air outlet of the second-stage intercooler 33b. The air compressor 32 is integrated with an air bearing ventilation interface and a cooling pipeline interface. The throttle valve 35 is integrated at the air inlet of the first-stage intercooler 33a. As the working temperature decreases, the requirements for the airtightness and reliability of the throttle valve 35 are also lower.

[0041] The inlet of the air compressor 32 is connected to the outlet of the air filter 31.

[0042] The second bypass valve 37b is connected between the air inlets of the first-stage intercooler 33a and the heat exchanger 33c. Part of the gas is directly discharged from the downstream mixing pipe 51 through the second bypass valve 37b. Further, the second bypass valve 37b is integrally arranged on the first-stage intercooler 33a. This further improves the integration degree.

[0043] In another embodiment, referring to Figure 2 , the throttle valve 35 is integrated at the air outlet of the second-stage intercooler 33b. This further improves the integration degree.

[0044] The thermal management system 2 includes a water pump 21, a heat dissipation component 25, and the cell body 11 to form a loop. The ion filter 23 and the heater 24 are respectively connected in parallel with the heat dissipation component 25. The heat dissipation component 25, the heater 24, and the cell body 11 are connected through a thermostat 22. A bypass path is provided between the inlets of the heater 24. It should be noted that the thermostat 22 refers to a three-way valve.

[0045] When the three-way valve is fully open, the coolant flows through the large circulation. The main coolant path sequentially flows through the water pump 21, the battery body 11, the three-way valve, and the heat dissipation component 25, while the large circulation branch flows through the ion filter 23; when the three-way valve is fully closed, the coolant flows through the small circulation, i.e., the low-temperature preheating circuit. The main coolant path sequentially flows through the water pump 21, the battery body 11, the three-way valve, and the heater 24, while the small circulation branch flows through the ion filter 23.

[0046] The small circulation branch is provided to achieve deionization and reduce the flow resistance of the fuel cell thermal management system 2; a bypass path is provided between the inlets of the heater 24. Its main function is to improve the problem of insufficient flow caused by excessive flow resistance in the heater 24 branch under small circulation or low-temperature conditions, and to enhance the low-temperature start-up efficiency of the fuel cell system.

[0047] Specifically, the battery body 11 has inlets and outlets for the hydrogen system 4, the air system 3, and the thermal management system 2, etc. The inlet of the hydrogen system 4 in the battery body 11 is connected to the ejector outlet of the ejector 46 and the outlet of the check valve 410 at the outlet of the hydrogen circulation pump through a three-way pipe respectively; the outlet of the hydrogen system 4 in the battery body 11 is connected to the inlet of the gas-liquid separator 47. The inlet of the air system 33 in the battery body 11 is connected to the outlet of the throttle valve 35; the outlet of the air system 33 in the battery body 11 is connected to the wet-side inlet of the humidifier 34. The inlet of the thermal management system 2 in the battery body 11 is connected to the outlet of the water pump 21; the outlet of the thermal management system 2 in the battery body 11 is connected to the inlet of the thermostat 22.

[0048] The outlet of the thermal management system 2 in the battery body 11 is connected to the inlet of the thermostat 22.

[0049] The water pump 21 can be arranged as a high-pressure water pump or a low-pressure water pump according to system requirements. The inlet of the water pump 21 is connected to the water replenishing port of the expansion tank 27, the outlet of the ion filter 23, the outlet of the PTC heater 24 branch, and the outlet of the particle filter 26 through multiple three-way pipes; the outlet of the water pump 21 is connected to the inlet of the thermal management system 2 in the battery body 11.

[0050] The inlet of the thermostat 22 is connected to the outlet of the thermal management system 2 in the battery body 11 and the inlet of the ion filter 23 through a three-way pipe; its small-circulation outlet is connected to the inlet of the PTC heater 24 branch; its large-circulation outlet is connected to the coolant inlet of the heat dissipation component 25. For the thermostat 22, when it is fully open, the coolant flows through the large circulation. The main coolant path sequentially flows through the water pump 21, the battery body 11, the thermostat 22, the heat dissipation component 25, and the particle filter 26, while the large circulation branch flows through the ion filter 23; when it is fully closed, the coolant flows through the small circulation, i.e., the low-temperature preheating circuit. The main coolant path sequentially flows through the water pump 21, the battery body 11, the thermostat 22, and the PTC heater 24, while the small circulation branch flows through the ion filter 23.

[0051] The inlet of the ion filter 23 is arranged between the outlet of the thermal management system in the battery body 11 and the inlet of the thermostat 22; the outlet of the ion filter 23 is arranged near the inlet of the fuel cell water pump 21.

[0052] The PTC heater 24 is connected in parallel with the heat dissipation component 25 and the particulate filter 26. A bypass passage is arranged between the inlet and the outlet of the PTC heater 24, and its main function is to improve the problem of insufficient flow caused by too high flow resistance in the branch of the PTC heater 24 under small circulation or low temperature environment, and to improve the low temperature start efficiency of the fuel cell system. For the PTC heater 24, its inlet is connected to the small circulation outlet of the thermostat 22; the outlet of the PTC heater 2 is arranged near the inlet of the water pump 21. The heat dissipation component 25 can specifically refer to a radiator and a fan.

[0053] The coolant inlet of the heat dissipation component 25 is connected to the large circulation outlet of the thermostat 22; its coolant outlet is connected to the inlet of the fuel cell particulate filter 26.

[0054] The inlet of the particulate filter 26 is connected to the coolant outlet of the heat dissipation component 25; the outlet of the particulate filter 26 is connected to the inlet of the water pump 21. In addition, the particulate filter 26 can also be arranged between the outlet of the water pump 21 and the inlet of the thermal management system 2 in the battery body 11 according to system requirements. In addition, for the particulate filter 26, the selection of the mesh number should be related to the size of the bipolar plate flow channel in the battery body 11 and should be smaller than the size of the bipolar plate flow channel. If particulate filters 26 are arranged at both the outlet of the radiator fan 25 and the inlet of the thermal management system 2 in the battery body 11, the mesh number selection of the particulate filter 26 on the outlet side of the radiator fan 25 can be considered to be greater than that of the particulate filter on the inlet side of the thermal management system 2 in the battery body 11 and slightly greater than the size of the bipolar plate flow channel in the battery body 11, but the mesh number of the particulate filter on the inlet side of the thermal management system 2 in the battery body 11 needs to be smaller than the size of the bipolar plate flow channel.

[0055] The expansion tank 27 should be integrated with a liquid level sensor, a water replenishment port, an air inlet, a liquid filling port and a pressure relief valve. The liquid level sensor can identify the liquid level height in the expansion tank 27 to avoid the poor operation of the thermal management system 2 caused by too little coolant in the thermal management system 2, too fast or too high temperature rise of the thermal management system 2, and the reduction of the service life of the battery body 11; the liquid level sensor can be arranged at the bottom or top of the expansion tank 27 according to the maintenance space. The water replenishment port should be arranged as close as possible to the middle at the bottom of the expansion tank 27 to avoid the inclination during vehicle driving affecting the water replenishment amount of the expansion tank 27; a filter screen should be arranged as close as possible near the water replenishment port and connected to the vicinity of the inlet of the water pump 21. Multiple exhaust ports can be set and connected to the exhaust ports near the coolant outlet of the heat dissipation component 25 and the outlet of the thermal management system 2 in the battery body 11. The outlet of the pressure relief valve can be directly connected to the ambient atmosphere, and according to system requirements, the liquid filling port and the pressure relief valve can be considered to be integrated into one valve port.

[0056] The air filter 31 should be integrated with an ambient temperature sensor and an air flow meter (not marked in the figure). Its outlet is connected to the inlet of the air compressor 32 through a corresponding pipeline; its inlet can be directly communicated with the atmosphere. To prevent the pipeline connecting the air compressor 32 and the outlet of the air filter 31 from being sucked flat due to the negative pressure generated at the inlet of the air compressor 32 during its operation, the connecting pipeline between the outlet of the air filter 31 and the inlet of the air compressor 32 should be able to withstand at least -50 kPa of pressure. The specific pressure value can be determined according to the specific system operating conditions and the performance of the air compressor.

[0057] The air compressor 32 should be integrated with an air bearing ventilation interface and a cooling pipeline interface. Its inlet is connected to the outlet of the air filter 31; its outlet is connected to the air inlet of the intercooler 33a through a corresponding pipeline.

[0058] For the first-stage intercooler 33a, its air inlet is integrated with the inlet of the second bypass valve 37b through a tee and is connected to the outlet of the air compressor 32; its air outlet is integrated with the dry-side inlet of the humidifier 34. For the second-stage intercooler 33b, its air inlet is integrated with the dry-side outlet of the humidifier 34; its air outlet is integrated with the inlet of the throttle valve 35. For the heat exchanger 33c, its air inlet is integrated with the wet-side outlet of the humidifier 34; its air outlet is integrated with the inlet of the back pressure valve 36. The connection methods of the heat exchange sides of the first-stage intercooler 33a, the second-stage intercooler 33b, and the heat exchanger 33c are not clearly shown in the figure, such as the connection methods of the coolant sides of the first-stage intercooler 33a, the second-stage intercooler 33b, and the heat exchanger 33c or the air heat exchange sides. If the heat exchanger 33c is an air-air heat exchanger, no pipeline connection is required for the heat exchange side; if the heat exchanger 33c is a liquid-air heat exchanger, the pipeline connection for the heat exchange side, i.e., the liquid side, needs to be considered. If the heat exchange sides of the first-stage intercooler 33a, the second-stage intercooler 33b, and the heat exchanger 33c are connected in series or in parallel with the thermal management system 2, it is necessary to consider whether the coolant flow requirements of the heat exchange sides of the first-stage intercooler 33a, the second-stage intercooler 33b, and the heat exchanger 33c limit the coolant flow requirements of the battery body 11 and the heat dissipation component 25, and whether it is necessary to re-match the water pump 21.

[0059] For the humidifier 34, its dry-side inlet is integrated with the air outlet of the first-stage intercooler 33a; its dry-side outlet is integrated with the air inlet of the second-stage intercooler 33b; its wet-side inlet is connected to the outlet of the air system 3 in the battery body 11; its wet-side outlet is integrated with the air inlet of the heat exchanger 33c.

[0060] For the throttle valve 35, its inlet is integrated with the air outlet of the second-stage intercooler 33b; its outlet is connected to the inlet of the air system 3 in the battery body 11.

[0061] Back pressure valve 36, whose inlet is integrated with the air outlet of the heat exchanger 33c; its outlet is connected to the outlet of the second bypass valve 37b and the air inlet of the mixing exhaust pipe 51 through a three-way pipe.

[0062] Second bypass valve 37b, whose inlet is integrated with the bypass air outlet of the first-stage intercooler 33a; its outlet is connected to the outlet of the back pressure valve 36 and the air inlet of the mixing exhaust pipe 51 through a three-way pipe.

[0063] Cut-off valve 42, whose inlet is connected to the outlet of the hydrogen storage bottle 41; its outlet is connected to the inlet of the pressure reducing valve 43.

[0064] Pressure reducing valve 43, whose inlet is connected to the outlet of the cut-off valve 42; its outlet is connected to the inlet of the safety valve 44.

[0065] Safety valve 44, whose inlet is connected to the outlet of the pressure reducing valve 43; its outlet is connected to the hydrogen inlet of the hydrogen heat exchanger 45.

[0066] Hydrogen heat exchanger 45, whose hydrogen inlet is connected to the outlet of the safety valve 44; its hydrogen outlet is connected to the ejector inlet of the ejector 46. The hydrogen heat exchanger 45 is a liquid-gas heat exchanger, and its heat exchange side can be connected in series or in parallel or in series-parallel with the heat exchange sides of the first-stage intercooler 33a, the second-stage intercooler 33b and the heat exchanger 33c, and then connected in parallel with the heat management system 2 or in series or in parallel with the vehicle thermal management system.

[0067] Ejector 46, whose ejector inlet is connected to the hydrogen outlet of the hydrogen heat exchanger 45; its ejector return port is connected to the outlet of the ejector return port check valve 38; its ejector outlet is connected to the inlet of the hydrogen system 4 in the battery body 11 and the outlet of the hydrogen circulation pump outlet check valve 410 through a three-way pipe.

[0068] Gas-liquid separator 47, whose inlet is connected to the outlet of the hydrogen system 4 in the battery body 11; its exhaust port is respectively connected to the inlet of the hydrogen discharge valve 412, the inlet of the ejector return port check valve 48 and the inlet of the hydrogen circulation pump 49 through a four-way pipe. In addition, the gas-liquid separator 47 can evaluate whether an ultrasonic liquid level sensor needs to be integrated according to the system requirements. If an ultrasonic liquid level sensor is integrated, it can cooperate with the drain valve 411 to efficiently realize the drainage control of the gas-liquid separator 47.

[0069] Hydrogen circulation pump 49, whose inlet is connected to the four-way pipe at the exhaust port of the gas-liquid separator 47; its outlet is connected to the hydrogen circulation pump outlet check valve 310.

[0070] Drain valve 411, whose inlet is connected to the drain port of the gas-liquid separator 47; its outlet is connected to the outlet of the hydrogen discharge valve 412 and the hydrogen inlet of the mixing exhaust pipe 51 through a three-way pipe.

[0071] The hydrogen discharge valve 412, whose inlet is connected to the hydrogen discharge port of the gas-liquid separator 47; its outlet is connected to the outlet of the drain valve 411 and the hydrogen inlet of the mixed discharge pipe 51 through a three-way pipe.

[0072] The mixed discharge pipe 51, whose air inlet is connected to the outlets of the backpressure valve 36 and the second bypass valve 37b respectively through a three-way pipe; its hydrogen outlet is connected to the outlets of the drain valve 411 and the hydrogen discharge valve 412 respectively through a three-way pipe; its outlet is connected to the inlet of the muffler 52. In addition, the mixed discharge pipe 51 should have good resistance to wet and heat cycles to avoid failure due to rust. Given that excessive liquid water or water vapor flowing into the muffler 52 will attenuate the working performance of the muffler 52, it is required that the mixed discharge pipe 51 should have good water separation and drainage capabilities. In addition, according to system requirements, a drain port can be integrated on the mixed discharge pipe 51, and the tail drainage can be collected by a drain tank for secondary use. In addition, given that the vehicle-grade pipeline hydrogen concentration sensor has not yet overcome the influence of water vapor invasion, it is not recommended to integrate a hydrogen concentration sensor on the mixed discharge pipe 51.

[0073] The muffler 52, whose inlet is connected to the outlet or exhaust port of the mixed discharge pipe; its outlet can be directly connected to the atmospheric environment.

[0074] Further, in another embodiment, referring to Figure 3 , Figure 5 and Figure 6 are the structural diagrams corresponding to the embodiments in Figure 3 , the air system 3 further includes a first bypass valve 37a, and the first bypass valve 37a is connected between the secondary intercooler 33b and the wet side inlet. Part of the gas can directly return through the first bypass valve 37a without passing through the humidifier 34 and the secondary intercooler 33b, and the power of the heat exchanger 33c is reduced, and the power of the humidifier 34 and the secondary intercooler 33b and the heat exchanger 33c is reduced. Further, the first bypass valve 37a is integrally arranged on the secondary intercooler 33b. The integration degree is further improved.

[0075] It should be noted that, in the embodiment of Figure 3 , the second bypass valve 37b is directly integrated on the secondary intercooler 33b. And in the embodiment of Figure 1 , the second bypass valve 37b is indirectly integrated on the primary intercooler 33a, that is, the inlet of the second bypass valve 37b and the inlet of the primary intercooler 33a are integrated on the same three-way pipe. Compared with the embodiment of Figure 1 , the embodiment of Figure 3 requires the secondary intercooler 33b to have the installation space required for integrating the first bypass valve 37a; the working temperature of the first bypass valve 37a is lower, which is more conducive to ensuring the reliability of the first bypass valve 37a.

[0076] In Figure 4In the embodiment, the throttle valve 35 is directly integrated with the air inlet of the secondary intercooler 33b. While in Figure 2 the embodiment, the throttle valve 35 is directly integrated with the air outlet of the primary intercooler 33a. Compared with Figure 2 the embodiment, Figure 4 in the embodiment, the operating temperature of the throttle valve 35 is higher, which also requires higher airtightness and reliability of the throttle valve 35.

[0077] The present invention improves the integration degree of the fuel cell air system and the fuel cell system, which is beneficial to the improvement of the fuel cell system in terms of volume power and mass power; compared with a single-stage intercooler, the temperature of the air entering the humidifier 34 after passing through the primary intercooler 33a is higher. On the premise of meeting the temperature resistance of the humidifier 34, the permeation amount of water vapor molecules in the existing humidifier 34 can be effectively improved. At the same time, the gas-gas heat exchange is realized by using the humidifier 34 to reduce the heat exchange demand of the secondary intercooler 33b. And through the secondary cooling of the air by the secondary intercooler 33b, the relative humidity of the air can be effectively increased, that is, the relative humidity of the air entering the fuel cell 11; compared with a single-stage intercooler system, the fuel cell system equipped with a multi-stage intercooler has lower requirements for the heat exchange performance of the intercooler and the performance of the humidifier 34, which can reduce the development cost of components; by means of the heat exchanger 33c, the temperature of the air at the wet side outlet of the humidifier 34 is reduced, and the water vapor in the air is condensed, which is convenient for the downstream mixing exhaust pipe 51 to discharge the condensed water in the exhaust gas, and reduces the humidity of the exhaust gas flowing into the muffler 52, solving the problem of the performance degradation of the muffler 52 caused by the too high humidity of the exhaust gas flowing into the muffler 52.

[0078] The above has specifically described the preferred embodiments of the present invention, but the present invention is not limited to the embodiments. Those skilled in the art can also make various equivalent variations or substitutions without departing from the spirit of the present invention, and these equivalent variations or substitutions are all included in the scope defined by the claims of this application.

Claims

1. A fuel cell air system, characterized in that It includes a battery body, a humidifier, an air compressor, a first-stage intercooler, a second-stage intercooler, a heat exchanger, and a throttle valve. The humidifier has a dry-side inlet, a dry-side outlet, a wet-side inlet, and a wet-side outlet. The first-stage intercooler is disposed at the dry-side inlet, the second-stage intercooler is disposed at the dry-side outlet, and the heat exchanger is installed at the wet-side outlet. The dry-side outlet is connected to the air inlet of the battery body through the second-stage intercooler, and the wet-side inlet is connected to the air outlet of the battery body. The air compressor is connected to the air inlet of the battery body to form an air cooling pipeline, and the throttle valve is installed on the air cooling pipeline. Compared with a single-stage intercooler, the temperature of the air entering the humidifier after passing through the first-stage intercooler will be higher. On the premise of meeting the temperature resistance of the humidifier, it can effectively improve the penetration amount of water vapor molecules in the existing humidifier. At the same time, the humidifier is used to realize gas-gas heat exchange, reducing the heat exchange requirement of the second-stage intercooler. And through the secondary cooling of the air by the second-stage intercooler, the relative humidity of the air can be effectively increased, that is, the relative humidity of the air entering the fuel cell stack is higher.

2. A fuel cell air system according to claim 1, wherein: The first-stage intercooler is integrally disposed at the dry-side inlet, the second-stage intercooler is integrally disposed at the dry-side outlet, and the heat exchanger is integrally installed at the wet-side outlet.

3. A fuel cell air system according to claim 1, wherein: It further includes a first bypass valve, and the first bypass valve is connected between the second-stage intercooler and the wet-side inlet.

4. A fuel cell air system according to claim 3, wherein: The first bypass valve is integrally disposed on the second-stage intercooler.

5. A fuel cell air system according to claim 2, wherein: The throttle valve is integrated at the air outlet of the second-stage intercooler or the throttle valve is integrated at the air inlet of the first-stage intercooler.

6. A fuel cell air system according to claim 2, wherein: It further includes a second bypass valve, and a back pressure valve is integrally installed at the outlet of the heat exchanger.

7. A fuel cell air system according to claim 6, wherein: The second bypass valve is connected between the first-stage intercooler and the air inlet of the heat exchanger.

8. A fuel cell air system according to claim 7, wherein: The second bypass valve is integrally disposed on the first-stage intercooler.

9. A fuel cell system, characterized in that, It includes a fuel cell air system, a thermal management system, and a hydrogen system according to any one of claims 1 to 8.

10. A fuel cell system according to claim 9, wherein: The thermal management system includes a water pump, an ion filter, a heater, a heat dissipation component, and a battery body. The heat dissipation component, the water pump, and the battery body form a loop. The ion filter and the heater are respectively connected in parallel with the heat dissipation component. The heat dissipation component, the heater, and the battery body are connected through a three-way valve. A bypass passage is provided between the inlet of the heater and the inlet.

Citation Information

Patent Citations

  • Fuel cell heat dissipation system

    CN213660456U

  • Fuel cell system

    CN216054820U

  • Fuel cell engine air system

    CN217114464U

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