A marine solid oxide fuel cell power plant

Abstract

The application relates to a marine solid oxide fuel cell power generation device, which comprises a box, a solid oxide fuel cell and a recovery assembly; the box has a sealed cavity; the solid oxide fuel cell is arranged in the sealed cavity and is provided with a fuel inlet; the recovery assembly comprises a recovery pipeline and a pump body; the recovery pipeline has an air inlet end communicated with the sealed cavity and an air outlet end connected with the fuel inlet; and the pump body is arranged on the recovery pipeline and is used for sequentially conveying the fuel in the sealed cavity to the fuel inlet through the air inlet end and the air outlet end. In the scheme, the solid oxide fuel cell is arranged in the sealed cavity of the box, so that the leaked fuel of the solid oxide fuel cell can escape into the sealed cavity of the box, and the fuel in the sealed cavity can be conveyed to the solid oxide fuel cell again by the pump body and the recovery pipeline to be recycled, thereby effectively utilizing the leaked fuel, avoiding fuel waste, improving the power generation efficiency of the solid oxide fuel cell, and saving the cost due to the simple structure.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of solid oxide fuel cell technology, and more particularly to a marine solid oxide fuel cell power generation device. Background Technology

[0002] Solid oxide fuel cells (SOFCs) used on ocean-going vessels are a type of medium- and high-temperature fuel cell. They mainly consist of an air supply unit, a fuel / water supply unit, a thermal component unit, an SOFC stack module, a power converter, a control unit, and auxiliary units. During the power generation process, fuel is prone to leakage from the internal and external pipes of the SOFC stack module.

[0003] In response, patent CN 111740136 A discloses a method and apparatus for online detection of leakage rate of solid oxide fuel cell system. During the operation of solid oxide fuel cell, the gas supply to the anode chamber is cut off, the exhaust pipe of the anode chamber is shut off, and the high-pressure air supply to the cathode chamber is cut off. Under these conditions, the leakage rate of solid oxide fuel cell system is determined based on the open circuit voltage and temperature of solid oxide fuel cell.

[0004] However, this patent can only detect whether a solid oxide fuel cell is leaking, but it cannot solve the technical problem of reduced power generation efficiency of solid oxide fuel cells due to fuel leakage. Summary of the Invention

[0005] In view of this, it is necessary to provide a marine solid oxide fuel cell power generation device to solve the technical problem that the existing technology can only detect whether the solid oxide fuel cell is leaking, but cannot solve the problem of reduced power generation efficiency of solid oxide fuel cells due to fuel leakage.

[0006] This invention provides a marine solid oxide fuel cell power generation device, which includes:

[0007] The enclosure has a sealed cavity;

[0008] A solid oxide fuel cell, placed within the sealed cavity, and equipped with a fuel inlet; and

[0009] The recovery assembly includes a recovery pipe and a pump body. The recovery pipe has an inlet end communicating with the sealed cavity and an outlet end communicating with the fuel inlet. The pump body is disposed on the recovery pipe and is used to transport the fuel in the sealed cavity sequentially through the inlet end and the outlet end to the fuel inlet.

[0010] Optionally, the recovery pipeline has a connecting pipe located between the air inlet end and the air outlet end, the connecting pipe being located outside the sealed cavity, wherein the pump body is disposed on the connecting pipe.

[0011] Optionally, the connecting pipe includes a fan inlet pipe and a fan outlet pipe. One end of the fan inlet pipe is the inlet end, and the other end is connected to the inlet of the pump body. One end of the fan outlet pipe is the outlet end, and the other end is connected to the outlet of the pump body. The inner diameter of the fan inlet pipe is larger than the inner diameter of the fan outlet pipe.

[0012] Optionally, the recycling assembly further includes a pressure regulating pipe and a pressure regulating valve, wherein the pressure regulating pipe is connected to the outside and the sealed cavity, and the pressure regulating valve is located in the pressure regulating pipe.

[0013] Optionally, the recovery assembly further includes a pressure sensor, the probe of which is disposed inside the sealed cavity to monitor the pressure inside the sealed cavity.

[0014] Optionally, the pressure regulating pipe and the air inlet are located on opposite side walls of the sealing cavity.

[0015] Optionally, the pressure regulating valve is a one-way valve; and / or,

[0016] The end of the pressure regulating pipe away from the sealed cavity is used to connect to the fuel storage tank.

[0017] Optionally, the recovery assembly further includes a fuel concentration sensor, the probe of which is disposed inside the sealed cavity to monitor the fuel concentration inside the sealed cavity.

[0018] Optionally, the marine solid oxide fuel cell power generation equipment further includes an insulation pipe, one end of which is connected to the inner wall of the sealed cavity, and the other end is connected to the outer shell of the solid oxide fuel cell.

[0019] Optionally, multiple insulation pipes are provided, and the multiple insulation pipes are spaced apart on the inner wall of the sealing cavity.

[0020] Compared with the prior art, the marine solid oxide fuel cell power generation equipment provided by the present invention places the solid oxide fuel cell in the sealed cavity of the casing, so that the fuel leaked from the solid oxide fuel cell can be dispersed into the sealed cavity of the casing, thereby preventing the leaked fuel from spreading into the interior of the hull. The fuel in the sealed cavity can be transported back to the solid oxide fuel cell for recycling by means of a pump and a recovery pipeline, so as to effectively utilize the leaked fuel, avoid fuel waste, improve the power generation efficiency of the solid oxide fuel cell, and has a simple structure and saves costs.

[0021] The above description is merely an overview of the technical solution of the present invention. In order to better understand the technical means of the present invention and to implement it according to the contents of the specification, the preferred embodiments of the present invention are described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Specific embodiments of the present invention are given in detail in the following embodiments and their accompanying drawings. Attached Figure Description

[0022] The accompanying drawings, which are included to provide a further understanding of the invention and form part of this application, illustrate exemplary embodiments of the invention and, together with their description, serve to explain the invention and do not constitute an undue limitation thereof. In the drawings:

[0023] Figure 1 A schematic diagram of a structural embodiment of the marine solid oxide fuel cell power generation device provided by the present invention;

[0024] Figure 2 for Figure 1 Top view of a solid oxide fuel cell power generation device for shipbuilding.

[0025] Figure 3 for Figure 2 A cross-sectional view of a solid oxide fuel cell power generation device for marine applications on plane AA;

[0026] Figure 4 for Figure 3 Schematic diagram of the structure of the recovery component and solid oxide fuel cell;

[0027] Figure 5 for Figure 4 A schematic diagram of the structure of the recycling component;

[0028] Figure 6 for Figure 4 Schematic diagram of a solid oxide fuel cell;

[0029] Figure 7 for Figure 3 Sectional view of the middle box.

[0030] Explanation of reference numerals in the attached figures:

[0031] 100. Marine solid oxide fuel cell power generation equipment; 1. Housing; 1a. Sealed cavity; 2. Solid oxide fuel cell; 2a. Fuel inlet; 3. Recovery pipeline; 31. Air inlet; 32. Air outlet; 33. Connecting pipeline; 331. Fan air inlet pipe; 332. Fan air outlet pipe; 4. Pump body; 41. Air inlet; 42. Air outlet; 5. Pressure regulating pipeline; 6. Pressure regulating valve; 7. Pressure sensor; 8. Fuel concentration sensor; 9. Insulation pipe. Detailed Implementation

[0032] Preferred embodiments of the present invention will now be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings, which form part of this application and are used together with the embodiments of the present invention to illustrate the principles of the present invention, but are not intended to limit the scope of the present invention.

[0033] Please see Figures 1 to 7 The shipboard solid oxide fuel cell power generation equipment 100 includes a housing 1, a solid oxide fuel cell 2, and a recovery assembly. The housing 1 has a sealed cavity 1a. The solid oxide fuel cell 2 is placed in the sealed cavity 1a and has a fuel inlet 2a. The recovery assembly includes a recovery pipe 3 and a pump 4. The recovery pipe 3 has an inlet end 31 connecting to the sealed cavity 1a and an outlet end 32 connecting to the fuel inlet 2a. The pump 4 is mounted on the recovery pipe 3 to transport the fuel in the sealed cavity 1a sequentially through the inlet end 31 and the outlet end 32 to the fuel inlet 2a. Specifically, in this design, the outlet end 32 extends into the sealed cavity 1a and is connected to the fuel inlet 2a.

[0034] The marine solid oxide fuel cell power generation device 100 provided by this invention places the solid oxide fuel cell 2 within the sealed cavity 1a of the housing 1, allowing leaked fuel from the solid oxide fuel cell 2 to dissipate into the sealed cavity 1a of the housing 1, thus preventing the leaked fuel from spreading into the ship's interior. Furthermore, the fuel in the sealed cavity 1a can be recycled back into the solid oxide fuel cell 2 via the pump 4 and the recovery pipe 3, thereby effectively utilizing the leaked fuel, avoiding fuel waste, improving the power generation efficiency of the solid oxide fuel cell 2, and offering a simple structure and cost savings. It should be understood that the solid oxide fuel cell 2, in addition to being able to transport fuel through the recovery pipe 3, also has another pipe for transporting fuel.

[0035] Further, please refer to Figures 2 to 5 The recovery pipe 3 has a connecting pipe 33 located between the air inlet end 31 and the air outlet end 32. The connecting pipe 33 is located outside the sealed cavity 1a, and the pump body 4 is mounted on the connecting pipe 33. In this embodiment, the pump body 4 is placed on the connecting pipe 33 outside the housing 1 to improve the space utilization of the sealed cavity 1a, giving the sealed cavity 1a more idle space to accommodate the fuel leaked from the solid oxide fuel cell 2. At the same time, it also avoids the heat generated by the pump body 4 when it is located in the sealed cavity 1a from affecting the solid oxide fuel cell 2, or the heat generated by the solid oxide fuel cell 2 when it is working from affecting the pump body 4, thus providing a good working environment for the solid oxide fuel cell 2. It should be noted that in this embodiment, the pump body 4 is a vacuum pump.

[0036] Furthermore, the connecting pipe 33 includes a fan inlet pipe 331 and a fan outlet pipe 332. One end of the fan inlet pipe 331 is an inlet end 31, and the other end is connected to the inlet port 41 of the pump body 4. One end of the fan outlet pipe 332 is an outlet end 32, and the other end is connected to the outlet port 42 of the pump body 4. The inner diameter of the fan inlet pipe 331 is larger than the inner diameter of the fan outlet pipe 332. In this embodiment, the inner diameter of the fan inlet pipe 331 is set to be larger than the inner diameter of the fan outlet pipe 332 to improve the efficiency of the equipment in pumping out leaked fuel in the sealed cavity 1a, and at the same time, it can accelerate the flow rate of the equipment in delivering fuel to the solid oxide fuel cell 2.

[0037] Further, please refer to Figure 7 The recovery assembly also includes a pressure regulating pipe 5 and a pressure regulating valve 6. The pressure regulating pipe 5 connects to the outside and the sealed cavity 1a, and the pressure regulating valve 6 is located in the pressure regulating pipe 5. In this embodiment, when the air pressure in the sealed cavity 1a is too low and reduces the pumping efficiency of the pump body 4, the pressure regulating valve 6 can be opened to appropriately increase the air pressure in the sealed cavity 1a. It should be noted that in this solution, the pressure regulating valve 6 is set as a one-way valve, that is, external gas can enter the sealed cavity 1a, but the gas in the sealed cavity 1a cannot be sent to the outside.

[0038] Furthermore, the recovery assembly also includes a pressure sensor 7, whose probe is located within the sealed cavity 1a to monitor the air pressure within the cavity. In this embodiment, the pressure sensor 7 monitors the air pressure in the sealed cavity 1a in real time, allowing the operator to adjust the opening and closing degree of the pressure regulating valve 6 according to the air pressure. It should be noted that in one embodiment, the device is equipped with a control system, and the pressure sensor 7 and the pressure regulating valve 6 are electrically connected to the control system. When the pressure sensor 7 detects that the air pressure in the sealed cavity 1a is lower than a preset value, it sends a signal to the control system, which then controls the pressure regulating valve 6 to open and close. Additionally, in this design, the pressure regulating valve 6 is configured as a solenoid valve.

[0039] Furthermore, the pressure regulating pipe 5 and the air inlet 31 are located on opposite side walls of the sealed cavity 1a. In this embodiment, the pressure regulating pipe 5 and the air inlet 31 are arranged opposite each other to increase the flow stroke of the gas input to the pressure regulating valve 6 when the pressure regulating valve 6 is opened, thereby driving as much residual fuel in the sealed cavity 1a as possible to flow to the solid oxide fuel cell 2, further improving fuel utilization.

[0040] It should be noted that, in one embodiment, the end of the pressure regulating pipe 5 furthest from the sealed cavity 1a is placed directly in the atmosphere, and the pressure regulating valve 6 is set as a one-way valve. Thus, when the sealed cavity 1a is under negative pressure, opening the pressure regulating valve 6 allows air to enter the sealed cavity 1a from the pressure regulating pipe 5, restoring the air pressure in the sealed cavity 1a. The pump body 4 draws the mixed gas towards the cathode of the solid oxide fuel cell 2. Due to the electrochemical reaction characteristics of the battery, the micro-leaked fuel does not participate in the electrochemical reaction, but rather undergoes a self-oxidation reaction during the flow of air through the fuel cell stack and the thermal components at the rear of the stack, providing heat to the entire heat box of the solid oxide fuel cell 2, thereby improving the power generation efficiency of the solid oxide fuel cell 2.

[0041] Furthermore, the recovery assembly also includes a fuel concentration sensor 8, whose probe is located inside the sealed cavity 1a to monitor the fuel concentration within the sealed cavity 1a. In this real-time example, the fuel concentration in the sealed cavity 1a can be monitored in real time via the fuel concentration sensor 8, allowing operators to start and stop the pump 4 based on the monitoring data from the fuel concentration sensor 8.

[0042] Further, please refer to Figure 3 and Figure 7 The marine solid oxide fuel cell power generation device 100 also includes an insulation pipe 9, one end of which is connected to the inner wall of the sealed cavity 1a, and the other end is connected to the outer shell of the solid oxide fuel cell 2. In this embodiment, the solid oxide fuel cell 2 is kept warm by the insulation pipe 9 in thermal contact with the housing 1 and the outer shell of the solid oxide fuel cell 2, ensuring that the solid oxide fuel cell 2 can operate in a suitable environment and reducing heat loss. Specifically, multiple insulation pipes 9 are provided, and the multiple insulation pipes 9 are spaced apart on the inner wall of the sealed cavity 1a to reduce the heat dissipation effect on the solid oxide fuel cell 2. In this solution, the insulation pipe 9 is made of aerogel, nano-insulation material, etc.

[0043] The above description is only a preferred embodiment of the present invention, but the scope of protection of the present invention is not limited thereto. Any changes or substitutions that can be easily conceived by those skilled in the art within the scope of the technology disclosed in the present invention should be included within the scope of protection of the present invention.

Claims

1. A marine solid oxide fuel cell power generation device, characterized in that, It includes: The enclosure has a sealed cavity; A solid oxide fuel cell, placed within the sealed cavity, and equipped with a fuel inlet; and The recovery assembly includes a recovery pipe and a pump body. The recovery pipe has an air inlet end communicating with the sealed cavity and an air outlet end communicating with the fuel inlet. The pump body is disposed on the recovery pipe and is used to transport the fuel in the sealed cavity sequentially through the air inlet end and the air outlet end to the fuel inlet. The recycling assembly also includes a pressure regulating pipe and a pressure regulating valve. The pressure regulating pipe is connected to the outside and the sealed cavity, and the pressure regulating valve is located in the pressure regulating pipe. When the air pressure in the sealed cavity is too low and reduces the pumping efficiency, the air pressure in the sealed cavity can be increased by opening the pressure regulating valve.

2. The marine solid oxide fuel cell power generation device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The recovery pipeline has a connecting pipe located between the air inlet and the air outlet, the connecting pipe being located outside the sealed cavity, wherein the pump body is disposed on the connecting pipe.

3. The marine solid oxide fuel cell power generation device according to claim 2, characterized in that, The connecting pipe includes a fan inlet pipe and a fan outlet pipe. One end of the fan inlet pipe is the inlet end, and the other end is connected to the inlet of the pump body. One end of the fan outlet pipe is the outlet end, and the other end is connected to the outlet of the pump body. The inner diameter of the fan inlet pipe is larger than the inner diameter of the fan outlet pipe.

4. The marine solid oxide fuel cell power generation device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The recovery assembly also includes a pressure sensor, the probe of which is located inside the sealed cavity to monitor the pressure inside the sealed cavity.

5. The marine solid oxide fuel cell power generation device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The pressure regulating pipe and the air inlet are located on opposite sides of the sealed cavity.

6. The marine solid oxide fuel cell power generation device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The pressure regulating valve is a one-way valve; and / or, The end of the pressure regulating pipe away from the sealed cavity is used to connect to the fuel storage tank.

7. The marine solid oxide fuel cell power generation device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The recovery assembly also includes a fuel concentration sensor, the probe of which is located inside the sealed cavity to monitor the fuel concentration inside the sealed cavity.

8. The marine solid oxide fuel cell power generation device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The marine solid oxide fuel cell power generation equipment also includes an insulation pipe, one end of which is connected to the inner wall of the sealed cavity, and the other end is connected to the outer shell of the solid oxide fuel cell.

9. The marine solid oxide fuel cell power generation device according to claim 8, characterized in that, The insulation pipe is provided in multiple parts, and the multiple insulation pipes are spaced apart on the inner wall of the sealed cavity.

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