Separation device and fuel cell system having it

Abstract

This invention discloses a separation device and a fuel cell system having the same. The separation device includes: a housing with an anode inlet, a hydrogen vent, a nitrogen vent, an anode drain outlet, a cathode inlet, a cathode outlet, and a cathode drain outlet; and a separator disposed within the housing, dividing the space within the housing into mutually spaced anode and cathode cavities. The separator further divides the anode cavities into an upper anode cavity, a middle anode cavity, and a lower anode cavity that are interconnected. The separator also divides the cathode cavities into an upper cathode cavity, a middle cathode cavity, and a lower cathode cavity that are interconnected. The anode inlet is connected to the lower anode cavity, the hydrogen vent is connected to the upper anode cavity, the nitrogen vent is connected to the middle anode cavity, the anode drain outlet is connected to the lower anode cavity, the cathode inlet is connected to the middle cathode cavity, the cathode outlet is connected to the upper cathode cavity, and the cathode drain outlet is connected to the lower cathode cavity. The separation device according to the embodiments of this invention has advantages such as high integration, simple structure, small size, and convenient installation.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of fuel cell technology, and more specifically, to a separation device and a fuel cell system having the same. Background Technology

[0002] Fuel cell stacks emit gases containing unreacted hydrogen after operation, and water is also generated during the reaction process.

[0003] In related technologies, fuel cell systems require an anode gas-liquid separator at the anode and a cathode gas-liquid separator at the cathode to recover hydrogen and water. Then, a gas separator is installed to separate the hydrogen from other gases in the gas separated by the anode gas-liquid separator. This results in a complex structure, a large space occupation, and difficulty in installation and layout. Summary of the Invention

[0004] The present invention aims to at least solve one of the technical problems existing in the prior art. To this end, the present invention proposes a separation device that has the advantages of high integration, simple structure, small size, and convenient installation.

[0005] The present invention also proposes a fuel cell system having the aforementioned separation device.

[0006] To achieve the above objectives, according to an embodiment of the first aspect of the present invention, a separation device is provided, the separation device comprising: a housing, the housing having an anode inlet, a hydrogen discharge port, a nitrogen discharge port, an anode drain port, a cathode inlet, a cathode outlet, and a cathode drain port; and a separator disposed within the housing and dividing the space within the housing into mutually spaced anode cavities and cathode cavities, the separator further dividing the anode cavities into an upper anode cavity, a middle anode cavity, and a lower anode cavity that are interconnected, and the separator further dividing the cathode cavities into an upper cathode cavity, a middle cathode cavity, and a lower cathode cavity that are interconnected, the anode inlet communicating with the lower anode cavity, the hydrogen discharge port communicating with the upper anode cavity, the nitrogen discharge port communicating with the middle anode cavity, the anode drain port communicating with the lower anode cavity, the cathode inlet communicating with the middle cathode cavity, the cathode outlet communicating with the upper cathode cavity, and the cathode drain port communicating with the lower cathode cavity.

[0007] The separation device according to the embodiments of the present invention has the advantages of high integration, simple structure, small size and convenient installation.

[0008] In addition, the separation device according to the above embodiments of the present invention may also have the following additional technical features:

[0009] According to one embodiment of the present invention, the separation device further includes a partition plate that divides the lower anode chamber into a separation chamber and a water storage chamber that are interconnected. The anode inlet is connected to the separation chamber, and the anode drain outlet is connected to the water storage chamber. The partition plate is located below the anode inlet in the vertical direction. One end of the partition plate is connected to the housing and the other end is connected to the isolation member. The partition plate is provided with a partition plate opening that connects the separation chamber and the water storage chamber.

[0010] According to one embodiment of the present invention, the separator has a broken line or a wavy cross section in the direction perpendicular to the front and rear.

[0011] According to one embodiment of the present invention, the isolation member includes a first folding plate, a second folding plate, a third folding plate, a fourth folding plate, and a fifth folding plate connected sequentially from top to bottom.

[0012] According to one embodiment of the present invention, the upper anode cavity is defined by the first folding plate and the housing, the middle anode cavity is defined by the second folding plate, the third folding plate and the housing, the lower anode cavity is defined by the fourth folding plate, the fifth folding plate and the housing, the upper cathode cavity is defined by the first folding plate, the second folding plate and the housing, the middle cathode cavity is defined by the third folding plate, the fourth folding plate and the housing, and the lower cathode cavity is defined by the fifth folding plate and the housing.

[0013] According to one embodiment of the present invention, the upper end of the first folding plate is connected to the top wall of the box body, the lower end of the fifth folding plate is connected to the bottom wall of the box body, and the lower end of the first folding plate, both ends of the second folding plate, both ends of the third folding plate, both ends of the fourth folding plate, and the upper end of the fifth folding plate are spaced apart from the left and right side walls of the box body.

[0014] According to one embodiment of the present invention, each pair of adjacent folding plates in the first folding plate, the second folding plate, the third folding plate, the fourth folding plate, and the fifth folding plate is connected in a V-shape and the connection point is close to the left or right side wall of the box body.

[0015] According to one embodiment of the present invention, the connection between the third folding plate and the fourth folding plate is closer to the left side wall of the box body than the connection between the first folding plate and the second folding plate, and the connection between the second folding plate and the third folding plate is closer to the right side wall of the box body than the connection between the fourth folding plate and the fifth folding plate.

[0016] According to one embodiment of the present invention, the hydrogen discharge port and the cathode outlet are disposed adjacent to the top wall of the tank, and the anode drain port and the cathode drain port are disposed adjacent to the bottom wall of the tank.

[0017] According to an embodiment of a second aspect of the present invention, a fuel cell system is provided, the fuel cell system including the separation device described in an embodiment of a first aspect of the present invention.

[0018] According to an embodiment of the present invention, the fuel cell system utilizes the separation device described in the first aspect of the present invention. The separation device can integrate the gas-liquid separation process of the anode and cathode into the housing. The separator in the separation device can not only separate the anode cavity and the cathode cavity, but also further separate the anode cavity and the cathode cavity into multiple interconnected chambers. This gives the fuel cell system advantages such as high integration, simple structure, small size, and convenient installation.

[0019] Additional aspects and advantages of the invention will be set forth in part in the description which follows, and in part will be obvious from the description, or may be learned by practice of the invention. Attached Figure Description

[0020] The above and / or additional aspects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent and readily understood from the description of the embodiments taken in conjunction with the following drawings, in which:

[0021] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the separation device according to an embodiment of the present invention from one perspective.

[0022] Figure 2 This is a structural schematic diagram of the separation device according to an embodiment of the present invention from another perspective.

[0023] Figure 3 This is a cross-sectional view of the separation device according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0024] Figure 4 This is a cross-sectional view of the separation device according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0025] Reference numerals: Separation device 1, Box 10, Anode inlet 11, Hydrogen outlet 12, Nitrogen outlet 13, Anode drain outlet 14, Cathode inlet 15, Cathode outlet 16, Cathode drain outlet 17, Lug 18, Isolator 20, First folding plate 21, Second folding plate 22, Third folding plate 23, Fourth folding plate 24, Fifth folding plate 25, Anode cavity 30, Upper anode cavity 31, Middle anode cavity 32, Lower anode cavity 33, Separation cavity 34, Water storage cavity 35, Cathode cavity 40, Upper cathode cavity 41, Middle cathode cavity 42, Lower cathode cavity 43, Partition 50. Detailed Implementation

[0026] This application is based on the inventor's discoveries and understanding of the following facts and problems:

[0027] Fuel cell stacks emit gases containing unreacted hydrogen after operation, and water is also generated during the reaction process.

[0028] In related technologies, fuel cell systems cannot effectively recover residual hydrogen and water, resulting in a waste of resources.

[0029] Specifically, some fuel cell systems in related technologies have an additional gas-liquid separator to separate hydrogen. However, the gas and liquid on the cathode side and the gas and liquid on the anode side need to be separated by separate gas-liquid separators. In addition to hydrogen, the gas discharged from the anode also contains nitrogen, so an additional separation device is needed to separate hydrogen and nitrogen. The fuel cell systems in related technologies need to set up an anode gas-liquid separator at the anode and a cathode gas-liquid separator at the cathode. Then, a gas separator is set up to separate the hydrogen from other gases in the gas separated by the anode gas-liquid separator. This results in a complex structure, a large space occupation, and difficulty in installation and layout.

[0030] Embodiments of the present invention are described in detail below. Examples of these embodiments are shown in the accompanying drawings, wherein the same or similar reference numerals denote the same or similar elements or elements having the same or similar functions throughout. The embodiments described below with reference to the accompanying drawings are exemplary and are only used to explain the present invention, and should not be construed as limiting the present invention.

[0031] In the description of this invention, it should be understood that the terms "center," "longitudinal," "lateral," "length," "width," "thickness," "upper," "lower," "front," "rear," "left," "right," "vertical," "horizontal," "top," "bottom," "inner," "outer," "clockwise," "counterclockwise," "axial," "radial," and "circumferential," etc., indicating orientation or positional relationships, are based on the orientation or positional relationships shown in the accompanying drawings and are only for the convenience of describing the invention and simplifying the description, and do not indicate or imply that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, or be constructed and operated in a specific orientation, and therefore should not be construed as a limitation of the invention. Furthermore, features defined with "first" or "second" may explicitly or implicitly include one or more of that feature. In the description of this invention, unless otherwise stated, "a plurality of" means two or more.

[0032] In the description of this invention, it should be noted that, unless otherwise explicitly specified and limited, the terms "installation," "connection," and "linking" should be interpreted broadly. For example, they can refer to a fixed connection, a detachable connection, or an integral connection; they can refer to a mechanical connection or an electrical connection; they can refer to a direct connection or an indirect connection through an intermediate medium; and they can refer to the internal connection of two components. Those skilled in the art can understand the specific meaning of the above terms in this invention based on the specific circumstances.

[0033] The separation device 1 according to an embodiment of the present invention is described below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0034] like Figures 1-4 As shown, the separation device 1 according to an embodiment of the present invention includes a housing 10 and an isolation member 20.

[0035] The housing 10 is equipped with an anode inlet 11, a hydrogen vent 12, a nitrogen vent 13, an anode drain 14, a cathode inlet 15, a cathode outlet 16, and a cathode drain 17. An isolator 20 is located inside the housing 10 and divides the space within the housing 10 into mutually spaced anode chambers 30 and cathode chambers 40. The isolator 20 further divides the anode chamber 30 into interconnected upper anode chamber 31, middle anode chamber 32, and lower anode chamber 33. The isolator 20 also divides the cathode chamber 40 into interconnected upper cathode chamber 41, middle cathode chamber 42, and lower cathode chamber 43. The anode inlet 11 is connected to the lower anode chamber 33, the hydrogen vent 12 is connected to the upper anode chamber 31, the nitrogen vent 13 is connected to the middle anode chamber 32, the anode drain 14 is connected to the lower anode chamber 33, the cathode inlet 15 is connected to the middle cathode chamber 42, the cathode outlet 16 is connected to the upper cathode chamber 41, and the cathode drain 17 is connected to the lower cathode chamber 43.

[0036] Those skilled in the art will understand that "anode cavity 30 and cathode cavity 40 spaced apart from each other" means that anode cavity 30 and cathode cavity 40 are not interconnected. The separator 20 is disposed inside the housing 10 and divides the space inside the housing 10 into anode cavity 30 and cathode cavity 40 that are not interconnected.

[0037] Specifically, the gas and water reacting at the anode of the fuel cell stack enter the anode cavity 30 of the housing 10 through the anode inlet 11. The water is condensed and remains in the lower anode cavity 33. The gas rises into the middle anode cavity 32 and the upper anode cavity 31. Because nitrogen has a larger relative molecular mass than hydrogen, hydrogen enters the upper anode cavity 31 while nitrogen remains in the middle anode cavity 32. Finally, hydrogen is discharged through the hydrogen vent 12, nitrogen through the nitrogen vent 13, and water through the anode drain outlet 14. At the cathode of the fuel cell stack, the gas and water reacting at the cathode enter the cathode cavity 40 of the housing 10 through the cathode inlet 15. The water is condensed and falls into the lower cathode cavity 43. The gas rises into the upper cathode cavity 41. Finally, the gas is discharged through the cathode outlet 16, and the water is discharged through the cathode drain outlet 17.

[0038] This allows for the separation of water and hydrogen, as well as the separation of hydrogen and nitrogen, facilitating the recycling of water and hydrogen.

[0039] According to the separation device 1 of the present invention, by providing an isolation member 20, which is disposed inside the housing 10 and divides the space inside the housing 10 into mutually spaced anode chamber 30 and cathode chamber 40, the anode chamber 30 for separating anode gas and liquid and the cathode chamber 40 for separating cathode gas and liquid can be integrated inside the housing 10. Compared with the related technology that sets separate separators for anode and cathode, the separation device 1 can integrate the gas-liquid separation process of anode and cathode into the housing 10, thereby improving the integration of the separation device 1, simplifying the structure of the separation device 1, reducing the space occupied, and facilitating the installation of the separation device 1.

[0040] Furthermore, by using the separator 20, the anode cavity 30 is divided into an upper anode cavity 31, a middle anode cavity 32, and a lower anode cavity 33 that are interconnected. Similarly, the cathode cavity 40 is divided into an upper cathode cavity 41, a middle cathode cavity 42, and a lower cathode cavity 43 that are interconnected. This facilitates the formation of multiple interconnected chambers arranged vertically, which is beneficial for gas-liquid separation on the cathode side and for the separation of hydrogen and nitrogen on the anode side. Therefore, by using the separator 20, not only can the anode cavity 30 and the cathode cavity 40 be separated into multiple interconnected chambers, but the separator 20 can also further divide the anode cavity 30 into multiple interconnected chambers and the cathode cavity 40 into multiple interconnected chambers. The separator 20 can simultaneously separate the chambers vertically and vertically, as well as separate the cathode and anode cavities, further simplifying the structure of the separation device 1 and reducing its cost.

[0041] Therefore, the separation device 1 according to the embodiment of the present invention has the advantages of high integration, simple structure, small size and convenient installation.

[0042] The separation device 1 according to a specific embodiment of the present invention is described below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0043] In some specific embodiments of the present invention, such as Figures 1-4 As shown, the separation device 1 according to an embodiment of the present invention includes a housing 10 and an isolation member 20.

[0044] Advantageously, such as Figure 3 and Figure 4 As shown, the separation device 1 also includes a partition 50, which divides the lower anode chamber 33 into a separation chamber 34 and a water storage chamber 35 that are interconnected. The anode inlet 11 is connected to the separation chamber 34, and the anode drain outlet 14 is connected to the water storage chamber 35. The partition 50 is located below the anode inlet 11 in the vertical direction. One end of the partition 50 is connected to the housing 10, and the other end is connected to the separator 20. In this way, the partition 50 can be used to further divide the lower anode chamber 33, thereby improving the gas-liquid separation effect in the lower anode chamber 33.

[0045] Specifically, the partition 50 is arranged horizontally, with one end connected to the housing 10 and the other end located at the connection between the fourth folding plate 24 and the fifth folding plate 25. The partition 50 has a partition opening that connects the separation chamber 34 and the water storage chamber 35. This facilitates the connection between the separation chamber 34 and the water storage chamber 35.

[0046] More advantageously, such as Figure 3 and Figure 4 As shown, the cross-section of the separator 20 perpendicular to the front-back direction is a broken line shape (the up-down, left-right, and front-back directions are shown by the arrows in the figure and are only for ease of description, not a limitation on the actual installation direction). This makes it easier for the separator 20 to simultaneously achieve vertical separation and cathode-anode separation, thereby simplifying the structure of the separation device 1.

[0047] Specifically, such as Figure 3 and Figure 4 As shown, the separator 20 includes a first folding plate 21, a second folding plate 22, a third folding plate 23, a fourth folding plate 24, and a fifth folding plate 25 connected sequentially from top to bottom. This allows the housing 10 to be divided into six chambers using five straight sections, thereby facilitating the formation of a cathode chamber 40 with upper, middle, and lower chambers, and an anode chamber 30 with upper, middle, and lower chambers.

[0048] More specifically, such as Figure 3 and Figure 4 As shown, the upper anode cavity 31 is defined by the first folding plate 21 and the housing 10; the middle anode cavity 32 is defined by the second folding plate 22, the third folding plate 23, and the housing 10; the lower anode cavity 33 is defined by the fourth folding plate 24, the fifth folding plate 25, and the housing 10; the upper cathode cavity 41 is defined by the first folding plate 21, the second folding plate 22, and the housing 10; the middle cathode cavity 42 is defined by the third folding plate 23, the fourth folding plate 24, and the housing 10; and the lower cathode cavity 43 is defined by the fifth folding plate 25 and the housing 10. This facilitates the definition of each cavity by the separator 20.

[0049] Furthermore, such as Figure 3 and Figure 4As shown, the upper end of the first folding plate 21 is connected to the top wall of the housing 10, and the lower end of the fifth folding plate is connected to the bottom wall of the housing 10. The lower end of the first folding plate 21, both ends of the second folding plate 22, both ends of the third folding plate 23, both ends of the fourth folding plate 24, and the upper end of the fifth folding plate 25 are spaced apart from the left and right side walls of the housing 10. This facilitates the formation of a connection between the upper anode cavity 31 and the middle anode cavity 32, a connection between the middle anode cavity 32 and the lower anode cavity 33, a connection between the upper cathode cavity 41 and the middle cathode cavity 42, and a connection between the middle cathode cavity 42 and the lower anode cavity 43. This facilitates the interconnection of multiple upper and lower chambers within the anode cavity 30 and the cathode cavity 40.

[0050] Furthermore, such as Figure 3 and Figure 4 As shown, each pair of adjacent folding plates 21, 22, 23, 24, and 25 is connected in a V-shape with the connection point close to the left or right side wall of the housing 10. This allows each pair of adjacent folding plates to form a roughly triangular chamber on one side and an opening connecting the two chambers on the other side, thus facilitating the formation of multiple chambers within the housing 10.

[0051] Specifically, such as Figure 3 and Figure 4 As shown, the first folding plate 21 tilts downwards and to the left from the top wall of the housing 10; the second folding plate 22 tilts downwards and to the right from the lower end of the first folding plate 21; the third folding plate 23 tilts downwards and to the left from the lower end of the second folding plate 22; the fourth folding plate 24 tilts downwards and to the right from the lower end of the third folding plate 23; and the fifth folding plate 25 tilts downwards and to the left from the lower end of the fourth folding plate 24. This utilizes the tilted straight sections to divide the space, allowing each section to simultaneously separate the left-right and up-down spaces, facilitating the separation of the anode and cathode in both the upper-lower and lower-middle and left-right directions by the separator 20.

[0052] Optionally, such as Figure 3 and Figure 4 As shown, the connection between the third folding plate 23 and the fourth folding plate 24 is closer to the left side wall of the housing 10 than the connection between the first folding plate 21 and the second folding plate 22, and the connection between the second folding plate 22 and the third folding plate 23 is closer to the right side wall of the housing 10 than the connection between the fourth folding plate 24 and the fifth folding plate 25. This allows the opening connecting the upper anode cavity 31 and the middle anode cavity 32 to be larger than the opening connecting the middle anode cavity 32 and the lower anode cavity 33, facilitating the entry of hydrogen into the upper anode cavity 31.

[0053] Furthermore, such as Figures 1-4As shown, the hydrogen discharge port 12 and the cathode outlet 16 are located near the top wall of the tank 10, while the anode drain port 14 and the cathode drain port 17 are located near the bottom wall of the tank 10. This improves the gas-liquid separation effect and facilitates the discharge of hydrogen and water.

[0054] Specifically, the anode inlet 11 is formed on the left side wall of the housing 10, the hydrogen outlet 12, the nitrogen outlet 13, the anode drain outlet 14 and the cathode drain outlet 17 are formed on the rear wall of the housing 10, and the cathode inlet 15 and the cathode outlet 16 are formed on the right side wall of the housing 10.

[0055] The housing 10 is also provided with lugs 18. The housing 10 can be mounted on other structures via the lugs 18.

[0056] A drain solenoid valve is connected to the anode drain outlet 14 and the cathode drain outlet 17.

[0057] A fuel cell system according to an embodiment of the present invention is described below. The fuel cell system according to an embodiment of the present invention includes a separation device 1 according to the above embodiment of the present invention.

[0058] The fuel cell system according to the embodiments of the present invention, by utilizing the separation device 1 according to the above embodiments of the present invention, has the advantages of high integration, simple structure, small size and convenient installation.

[0059] Other configurations and operations of the fuel cell system according to embodiments of the present invention are known to those skilled in the art and will not be described in detail here.

[0060] In the description of this specification, the references to terms such as "one embodiment," "some embodiments," "illustrative embodiment," "example," "specific example," or "some examples," etc., indicate that a specific feature, structure, material, or characteristic described in connection with that embodiment or example is included in at least one embodiment or example of the invention. In this specification, the illustrative expressions of the above terms do not necessarily refer to the same embodiment or example. Furthermore, the specific features, structures, materials, or characteristics described may be combined in any suitable manner in one or more embodiments or examples.

[0061] Although embodiments of the invention have been shown and described, those skilled in the art will understand that various changes, modifications, substitutions and alterations can be made to these embodiments without departing from the principles and spirit of the invention, the scope of which is defined by the claims and their equivalents.

Claims

1. A separation device, characterized in that, include: The housing is equipped with an anode inlet, a hydrogen vent, a nitrogen vent, an anode drain outlet, a cathode inlet, a cathode outlet, and a cathode drain outlet. An isolator is disposed within the housing and divides the space within the housing into mutually spaced anode and cathode cavities. The isolator further divides the anode cavity into an interconnected upper anode cavity, a middle anode cavity, and a lower anode cavity. The isolator also divides the cathode cavity into an interconnected upper cathode cavity, a middle cathode cavity, and a lower cathode cavity. The anode inlet is connected to the lower anode cavity, the hydrogen outlet is connected to the upper anode cavity, the nitrogen outlet is connected to the middle anode cavity, the anode drain outlet is connected to the lower anode cavity, the cathode inlet is connected to the middle cathode cavity, the cathode outlet is connected to the upper cathode cavity, and the cathode drain outlet is connected to the lower cathode cavity. The isolation component includes a first folding plate, a second folding plate, a third folding plate, a fourth folding plate, and a fifth folding plate connected sequentially from top to bottom; The upper anode cavity is defined by the first folding plate and the housing; the middle anode cavity is defined by the second folding plate, the third folding plate, and the housing; the lower anode cavity is defined by the fourth folding plate, the fifth folding plate, and the housing; the upper cathode cavity is defined by the first folding plate, the second folding plate, and the housing; the middle cathode cavity is defined by the third folding plate, the fourth folding plate, and the housing; and the lower cathode cavity is defined by the fifth folding plate and the housing.

2. The separation device according to claim 1, characterized in that, It also includes a partition that divides the lower anode chamber into a separation chamber and a water storage chamber that are interconnected. The anode inlet is connected to the separation chamber, and the anode drain outlet is connected to the water storage chamber. The partition is located below the anode inlet in the vertical direction. One end of the partition is connected to the housing and the other end is connected to the isolation member. The partition is provided with a partition outlet that connects the separation chamber and the water storage chamber.

3. The separation device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The separator has a broken line or wavy cross section perpendicular to the front-back direction.

4. The separation device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The upper end of the first folding plate is connected to the top wall of the box body, and the lower end of the fifth folding plate is connected to the bottom wall of the box body. The lower end of the first folding plate, the two ends of the second folding plate, the two ends of the third folding plate, the two ends of the fourth folding plate, and the upper end of the fifth folding plate are spaced apart from the left and right side walls of the box body.

5. The separation device according to claim 1, characterized in that, Each pair of adjacent folding plates (first, second, third, fourth, and fifth) is connected in a V-shape, with the connection point close to the left or right side wall of the box.

6. The separation device according to claim 5, characterized in that, The connection between the third and fourth folding plates is closer to the left side wall of the box than the connection between the first and second folding plates, and the connection between the second and third folding plates is closer to the right side wall of the box than the connection between the fourth and fifth folding plates.

7. The separation device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The hydrogen discharge port and the cathode outlet are located near the top wall of the tank, and the anode drain port and the cathode drain port are located near the bottom wall of the tank.

8. A fuel cell system, characterized in that, Includes the separation device according to any one of claims 1-7.

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