A water diverter for a proton exchange membrane fuel cell

Abstract

The application discloses a water segregator for proton exchange membrane fuel cell and belongs to the field of fuel cell. The water segregator comprises a shell, a head arranged at the top of the shell, a gas distribution disc arranged in the shell, a bearing and a chute disc arranged on the outer wall of the bearing, a tubular filter core connecting the inner ring of the bearing with a tray, the tray being arranged below the bearing, the inner ring of the bearing being connected with the head, the head being provided with a first channel and a second channel, one end of the first channel being connected with a water-containing gas port, the other end of the first channel being connected with the upper surface of the chute disc, one end of the second channel being connected with the center hole of the bearing, the other end of the second channel being connected with an exhaust port, and an electronic liquid level meter being further arranged below the tray and electrically connected with an electric cut-off valve arranged at the water outlet of the shell. The water segregator has small resistance, high water segregation efficiency and high reliability.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention belongs to the field of fuel cells and is applicable to water distributors used in proton exchange membrane fuel cell systems. Background Technology

[0002] With the increasing depletion of traditional energy sources such as oil, the use and development of new energy sources have received widespread attention from society. In particular, proton exchange membrane fuel cells, as a new generation of energy power, have many advantages such as quiet operation, environmental friendliness, high specific power and specific energy, and long lifespan. They can be widely used in automobiles, power plants, mobile power sources, etc., and are regarded as one of the main power sources for the next generation of mankind.

[0003] Proton exchange membrane fuel cells generate electricity by reacting hydrogen and oxygen to produce water. The water produced mixes with hydrogen and oxygen and is discharged from the fuel cell through their respective channels. The industry commonly uses a water separator to achieve gas-water separation. Conventional water separators either use gravity to separate water or use a water-conducting membrane to separate water, which has low water separation efficiency. Furthermore, using a buoyancy switch to directly drain water often results in poor reliability due to airtightness failure, which is detrimental to the water separation effect and reliability of the fuel cell system.

[0004] Developing a water distributor that is highly efficient, automatically drains water, has low resistance, and is highly reliable is urgently needed in the field of proton exchange membrane fuel cell systems. Summary of the Invention

[0005] Based on the above background, this invention provides a water separator for proton exchange membrane fuel cells, which features low resistance, high water separation efficiency, and high reliability. Specifically, it employs a gas distribution plate and bearings to separate gas and liquid water within the separator using centrifugal force. An electronic level gauge, in conjunction with an electric shut-off valve, controls the drainage, enabling automatic control without a host computer, thus ensuring reliability and achieving automatic drainage.

[0006] This invention provides a water distributor for a proton exchange membrane fuel cell, comprising a housing, a top end cap, and a gas distribution plate inside the housing. The gas distribution plate consists of a bearing and a slanted groove plate fitted on the outer wall of the bearing. The slanted groove plate can rotate together with the outer ring of the bearing. The inner ring of the bearing is connected to a tray via a tubular filter element. The tray is located below the bearing. The inner ring of the bearing is connected to the top end cap. The top end cap has a first channel and a second channel. One end of the first channel is connected to a water-containing gas port, and the other end of the first channel is connected to the upper surface of the slanted groove plate. The first gas discharged from the water-containing gas port can drive the slanted groove plate to rotate around the inner ring of the bearing. One end of the second channel is connected to the central hole of the bearing, and the other end of the second channel is connected to an exhaust port.

[0007] An electronic level gauge is also provided below the tray, and the electronic level gauge is electrically connected to an electric shut-off valve located at the drain outlet of the housing.

[0008] Furthermore, a fixing screw is provided, which passes through the tray and connects to the end cap.

[0009] Furthermore, the angle of the inclined groove on the inclined groove plate is 30-60° downwards, preferably 45°, so that water can be discharged from the inclined groove plate.

[0010] Furthermore, the diameter of the tray is smaller than the diameter of the shell; the tray has a centrally symmetrical structure with at least two blades.

[0011] Furthermore, the filter element is made of a composite material that is breathable but not water-permeable.

[0012] Furthermore, the filter element is made of microporous polytetrafluoroethylene.

[0013] Furthermore, the housing and the end cap are detachably connected by fixing bolts, allowing for the replacement of different end caps.

[0014] Based on the above technical solutions, preferably, the electronic level gauge includes, but is not limited to, a level gauge with automatic level measurement function that relies on a float or light sensing.

[0015] Based on the above technical solutions, preferably, the electric shut-off valve includes, but is not limited to, shut-off valves with electric shut-off function, such as solenoid valves.

[0016] Based on the above technical solutions, preferably, the filter element is a hollow barrel-shaped structure with openings at both the top and bottom, and its material includes, but is not limited to, air-permeable and water-impermeable composite materials such as microporous polytetrafluoroethylene.

[0017] Based on the above technical solution, preferably, the gas separator is uniformly distributed with inclined grooves along the central circumference, the angle of the inclined grooves is 45°, and there is a bearing in the center. When the gas-water mixture hits the inclined groove of the gas separator, it can drive the bearing and then make the gas separator rotate. During the rotation, the centrifugal force of the gas-water mixture will increase, thereby improving the gas-water separation effect.

[0018] Based on the above technical solutions, preferably, the electronic level gauge and the electric shut-off valve are directly connected by a circuit, and the opening and closing function of the electric shut-off valve is directly controlled by the electrical signal of the electronic level gauge.

[0019] Based on the above technical solutions, preferably, the bottom of the tray is fixed to the filter element, and the diameter of the bottom of the tray is smaller than the diameter of the top of the tray, so that when the tray is fixed below the filter element, the outer side is inclined, which is more conducive to the separation of air and water. In addition, the diameter of the top of the tray is smaller than the inner diameter of the cylinder, ensuring that there is a gap between the tray and the cylinder.

[0020] Beneficial effects:

[0021] (1) The drainage structure adopted in this invention is that the electric shut-off valve is directly controlled by the electronic level gauge instead of the host computer, which results in a faster response and enables automatic drainage.

[0022] (2) The present invention adopts a centrifugal water distribution structure, which has a larger air volume and lower gas flow resistance compared with the traditional microchannel membrane water distributor.

[0023] (3) By adopting a bearing-type gas separator, centrifugal force can be increased through rotation, thereby improving the gas-water separation efficiency.

[0024] (4) By adopting multiple structures such as air distribution plate, filter element, and tray, it can achieve multi-stage separation of air and water, and the efficiency is higher.

[0025] (5) An electric shut-off valve is used as the drainage valve, which has good airtightness and high reliability. Attached Figure Description

[0026] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of a water separator for a proton exchange membrane fuel cell in one embodiment of the present invention;

[0027] Figure 2 This is a front view of the air distribution plate in one embodiment of the present invention;

[0028] Figure 3 for Figure 2 Top view.

[0029] Figure 4 A top view of a tray in one embodiment of the present invention.

[0030] In the diagram: 1. End cap, 2. Gas distribution plate, 21. Bearing, 22. Inclined groove plate, 3. Filter element, 4. Cylinder, 5. Electronic level gauge, 6. Electric shut-off valve, 7. Tray, 8. Fixing bolt, 9. Fixing screw, 10. First channel, 11. Second channel. Detailed Implementation

[0031] The technical solutions of the present invention will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the embodiments of the present invention. Obviously, the described embodiments are only some embodiments of the present invention, and not all embodiments. Based on the embodiments of the present invention, all other embodiments obtained by those of ordinary skill in the art without creative effort are within the scope of protection of the present invention.

[0032] Example 1

[0033] refer to Figures 1-4A water distributor for a proton exchange membrane fuel cell includes a housing 4, which is a cylindrical shape with a bottom. The top of the housing 4 is provided with a head 1. Inside the housing 4 is a gas distribution plate 2, which consists of a bearing 21 and a slanted groove plate 22 fitted onto the outer wall of the bearing 21. The slanted groove plate 22 can rotate together with the outer ring of the bearing 21. The inner ring of the bearing 21 is connected to a tray 7 via a tubular filter element 3. The tray 7 is located below the bearing 21. The inner ring of the bearing 21 is connected to the head 1. The head 1 has a first channel 10 and a second channel 11. One end of the first channel 11 is connected to a water-containing gas port, and the other end is connected to the upper surface of the slanted groove plate 22. The first gas discharged from the water-containing gas port can push the slanted groove plate 22 to rotate around the inner ring of the bearing 21, allowing water to be discharged from the slanted groove on the slanted groove plate 22 to the bottom of the housing 4. One end of the second channel 11 is connected to the central hole of the bearing 21, and the other end is connected to an exhaust port.

[0034] Below the tray 7, there is also an electronic level gauge 5. The electronic level gauge 5 includes, but is not limited to, level gauges that automatically measure liquid level using a float or light sensor. The electronic level gauge 5 is electrically connected to an electric shut-off valve 6 located at the drain outlet of the housing 4. The drain outlet is preferably located on the side of the housing 4 near the bottom. The electric shut-off valve 6 includes, but is not limited to, a shut-off valve with an electric shut-off function, such as a solenoid valve. The electronic level gauge 5 directly controls the opening and closing function of the electric shut-off valve 6 via an electrical signal.

[0035] In one specific embodiment, a fixing screw 9 is also provided, which passes through the tray 7 and connects to the end cap 1. The fixing screw 9 can increase the stability of the rotation of the inclined plate 22, allowing water to be thrown out quickly.

[0036] refer to Figures 2-3 In one specific embodiment, the inclined groove angle on the inclined groove plate 22 is 45° downwards, allowing water to be discharged from the inclined groove plate 22. The inclined grooves are evenly distributed around the center circumference, with an inclined groove angle of 45°, and a bearing 21 is located at the center. When the gas-water mixture impacts the inclined groove of the gas separator plate 2, it can drive the bearing 21 to rotate the gas separator plate 2. During the rotation, the centrifugal force of the gas-water mixture is increased, improving the gas-water separation effect.

[0037] refer to Figure 4 In one specific embodiment, the diameter of tray 7 is smaller than the diameter of housing 4; tray 7 has a centrally symmetrical structure with 6 blades. This shape is designed to create gaps to further achieve gas-water separation.

[0038] In one specific embodiment, the filter element 3 is made of a composite material that is breathable but impermeable to water.

[0039] In one specific embodiment, the filter element 3 is made of microporous polytetrafluoroethylene. The housing 4 and the end cap 1 are detachably connected by fixing bolts 8, allowing for the replacement of different end caps 1. One distributor serves multiple purposes.

[0040] The following is the work process:

[0041] The water-containing gas, i.e., the gas-water two-phase mixture, first enters through the inlet of the end cap 1, i.e., one end of the first channel 10, and impacts the gas separator 2 to achieve the first gas-water separation. Then, the gas separator 2 creates a "cyclone effect" to generate the centrifugal force required for gas-water separation, achieving the second gas-water separation. After passing through the gap between the tray 7 and the shell 4, the third gas-water separation is achieved. The separated gas enters the filter element 3 and is discharged from the outlet of the end cap 1. The liquid water accumulates at the bottom of the shell 4. The electronic level gauge 5 will conduct when the liquid level reaches a certain height, transmitting an electrical signal to the electric shut-off valve 6. The electric shut-off valve 6 opens to discharge the water. When the liquid level drops, the electronic level gauge 5 closes, and the electric shut-off valve 6 closes in sequence. This cycle realizes the automatic drainage function of the water separator.

[0042] Electronic level gauge 5, including but not limited to level gauges that automatically measure liquid level by means of float or light sensing.

[0043] Electric shut-off valve 6, including but not limited to solenoid valves, are shut-off valves with electric shut-off function.

[0044] Filter element 3 is a composite material with a barrel-shaped structure, including but not limited to microporous polytetrafluoroethylene, which is breathable but impermeable to water.

[0045] The air distribution plate 2 has inclined grooves evenly distributed along the central circumference, with an angle of 45°, and a bearing 21 is pre-installed in the central circular hole.

[0046] The electronic level gauge 5 and the electric shut-off valve 6 are directly connected by a circuit, and the opening and closing function of the electric shut-off valve 6 is directly controlled by the electrical signal of the electronic level gauge 5.

[0047] The above description discloses only preferred embodiments of the present invention and should not be construed as limiting the scope of the present invention. Therefore, equivalent variations made in accordance with the claims of the present invention are still within the scope of the present invention.

Claims

1. A water separator for a proton exchange membrane fuel cell, characterized in that, The system includes a housing (4), the top of which is provided with a cap (1). A gas distribution plate (2) is provided inside the housing (4). The gas distribution plate (2) consists of a bearing (21) and a slanted groove plate (22) fitted onto the outer wall of the bearing (21). The slanted groove plate (22) can rotate together with the outer ring of the bearing (21). The inner ring of the bearing (21) is connected to a tray (7) via a tubular filter element (3). The tray (7) is located below the bearing (21). The inner ring of the bearing (21) is connected to the cap (1). The head (1) is connected to the end cap (1), which is provided with a first channel (10) and a second channel (11). One end of the first channel (10) is connected to the water-containing gas port, and the other end of the first channel (10) is connected to the upper surface of the inclined plate (22). The first gas discharged from the water-containing gas port can drive the inclined plate (22) to rotate around the inner ring of the bearing (21). One end of the second channel (11) is connected to the center hole of the bearing (21), and the other end of the second channel (11) is connected to the exhaust port. An electronic level gauge (5) is provided below the tray (7), and the electronic level gauge (5) is electrically connected to an electric shut-off valve (6) located at the drain outlet of the housing (4). The diameter of the tray (7) is smaller than the diameter of the shell (4); The filter element (3) is a hollow barrel-shaped composite material with openings at both the top and bottom, which is breathable but impermeable to water. The inclined groove angle on the inclined groove plate (22) is 30-60° downward, so that water can be discharged from the inclined groove plate (22); The electronic level gauge (5) and the electric shut-off valve (6) are directly connected by a circuit, and the opening and closing function of the electric shut-off valve is directly controlled by the electrical signal of the electronic level gauge (5).

2. The water separator for a proton exchange membrane fuel cell according to claim 1, characterized in that, It is also provided with a fixing screw (9), which passes through the tray (7) and is connected to the end cap (1).

3. The water separator for a proton exchange membrane fuel cell according to claim 1, characterized in that, The tray (7) is a centrally symmetrical structure with at least two blades.

4. The water separator for a proton exchange membrane fuel cell according to claim 1, characterized in that, The filter element (3) is made of microporous polytetrafluoroethylene.

5. The water separator for a proton exchange membrane fuel cell according to claim 1, characterized in that, The housing (4) and the end cap (1) are detachably connected by fixing bolts (8).

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