Fuel cell stack air inlet system and vehicle

By designing a fuel cell stack air intake system that uses high-temperature gas from an air compressor to heat liquid hydrogen, the problem of liquid hydrogen vaporization heat source is solved and the efficient start-up and operation of the fuel cell stack is achieved.

CN119447365APending Publication Date: 2025-02-14BEIQI FOTON MOTOR CO LTD
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Patent Information

Application Number
CN202411514853.7
Authority / Receiving Office
CN · China
Patent Type
Applications(China)
Current Assignee / Owner
Filing Date
2024-10-28
Publication Date
2025-02-14

AI Technical Summary

Technical Problem

In the prior art, the heat source problem required for liquid hydrogen to vaporize before starting the fuel cell stack has not been effectively solved.

Method used

A fuel cell stack air intake system is designed to heat the liquid hydrogen by using the high-temperature gas generated by the air compressor to vaporize it. The system includes an air compressor, a vaporizing device, a liquid hydrogen bottle and a fuel cell stack, and the air outlet of the air compressor is connected to a second inlet of the vaporizing device for heating the liquid hydrogen before the fuel cell stack is operated.

Benefits of technology

By using the high-temperature gas generated by the air compressor to vaporize the liquid hydrogen, the heat source problem of liquid hydrogen vaporization before starting the fuel cell stack is solved, and the operating efficiency and reliability of the system are improved.

✦ Generated by Eureka AI based on patent content.

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Abstract

The invention discloses a fuel cell stack air inlet system and a vehicle. The system comprises an air compressor, a vaporization device, a liquid hydrogen bottle and a fuel cell stack, wherein a first inlet of the vaporization device is connected with the liquid hydrogen bottle, and a first outlet of the vaporization device is connected with an anode inlet of the fuel cell stack; an air outlet of the air compressor is connected with a second inlet of the vaporization device, and the air compressor is configured to heat the liquid hydrogen in the vaporization device before the fuel cell stack works so as to vaporize the liquid hydrogen. According to the fuel cell stack gas inlet system, high-temperature gas generated by the air compressor can be used for providing a heat source for liquid hydrogen vaporization, and the heat source problem of liquid hydrogen vaporization before the fuel cell stack is started is solved.
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Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to the technical field of hydrogen vaporization, and in particular to an air intake system for a fuel cell stack and a vehicle. Background Art

[0002] With the international energy crisis and the increase in carbon emission requirements, the popularity of new energy has continued to rise in recent years. As a new generation of sustainable energy, proton exchange membrane fuel cells are considered to be one of the most promising clean energy sources in the 21st century due to their high energy conversion efficiency, no noise, no pollution and other advantages. At present, the transportation field is one of the areas that urgently needs to be solved. The carbon emissions of heavy trucks in the transportation field are relatively large, so there are more and more heavy truck models using fuel cell engines, and the number of matching is also increasing.

[0003] At present, fuel cell vehicles all use gas hydrogen solutions, with a gas hydrogen pressure of 35Mpa-70Mpa and a low density. In order to achieve a longer range, many gas cylinders need to be arranged, which takes up a lot of vehicle layout space, which is extremely unfavorable to the layout of the vehicle. Liquid hydrogen has the characteristics of low pressure, more hydrogen storage, and small space occupation, and is being widely studied. It is believed that it will be widely used in the near future. However, since liquid hydrogen needs to be vaporized when it is used in the engine, vaporization requires heat energy. At present, there is no effective solution to solve the heat source problem of vaporization when the whole vehicle uses liquid hydrogen. Summary of the invention

[0004] The present invention aims to solve at least one of the technical problems in the related art to a certain extent. To this end, the first purpose of the present invention is to provide an air intake system for a fuel cell stack, wherein the first inlet of a vaporizer is connected to a liquid hydrogen bottle, the first outlet of the vaporizer is connected to an anode inlet of a fuel cell stack, the air outlet of an air compressor is connected to a second inlet of the vaporizer, and the air compressor is configured to heat the liquid hydrogen in the vaporizer before the fuel cell stack works to vaporize the liquid hydrogen, thereby providing a heat source for vaporizing the liquid hydrogen using the high-temperature gas generated by the air compressor, thereby solving the heat source problem for vaporizing the liquid hydrogen before starting the fuel cell stack.

[0005] A second object of the present invention is to provide a vehicle.

[0006] To achieve the above-mentioned purpose, an embodiment of the first aspect of the present invention proposes a fuel cell stack air intake system, comprising: an air compressor, a vaporizer, a liquid hydrogen bottle and a fuel cell stack; wherein the first inlet of the vaporizer is connected to the liquid hydrogen bottle, and the first outlet of the vaporizer is connected to the anode inlet of the fuel cell stack; the air outlet of the air compressor is connected to the second inlet of the vaporizer, and the air compressor is configured to heat the liquid hydrogen in the vaporizer before the fuel cell stack works to vaporize the liquid hydrogen.

[0007] According to the fuel cell stack air intake system of the embodiment of the present invention, the first inlet of the vaporizer is connected to the liquid hydrogen bottle, the first outlet of the vaporizer is connected to the anode inlet of the fuel cell stack, the air outlet of the air compressor is connected to the second inlet of the vaporizer, and the air compressor is configured to heat the liquid hydrogen in the vaporizer before the fuel cell stack works to vaporize the liquid hydrogen. Thus, the fuel cell stack air intake system can use the high-temperature gas generated by the air compressor to provide a heat source for vaporizing the liquid hydrogen, solving the heat source problem of vaporizing the liquid hydrogen before starting the fuel cell stack.

[0008] In addition, the fuel cell stack air intake system according to the above embodiment of the present invention may also have the following additional technical features:

[0009] According to one embodiment of the present invention, it also includes: a heating device, one end of which is connected to the air outlet of the air compressor, and the other end of which is connected to the second inlet of the vaporization device; wherein the heating device is configured to heat the gas compressed by the air compressor when the heat source provided by the air compressor is insufficient.

[0010] According to one embodiment of the present invention, it also includes: a three-way valve, a first end of the three-way valve is connected to the second outlet of the vaporization device, a second end of the three-way valve is connected to the cathode inlet of the fuel cell stack, and a third end of the three-way valve is connected to the third inlet of the vaporization device; wherein the three-way valve is configured so that the first end of the three-way valve and the third end of the three-way valve are in a conducting state so that the gas provides heat to the vaporization device, and the first end of the three-way valve and the second end of the three-way valve are in a conducting state so that the gas is transmitted to the fuel cell stack.

[0011] According to one embodiment of the present invention, it further comprises: a tail exhaust throttle device, wherein the inlet of the tail exhaust throttle device is connected to the cathode outlet of the fuel cell stack, and the outlet of the tail exhaust throttle device is connected to the third inlet of the vaporization device.

[0012] According to one embodiment of the present invention, it further comprises: a gas-liquid separator, wherein the inlet of the gas-liquid separator is connected to the anode outlet of the fuel cell stack, and the first outlet of the gas-liquid separator is connected to the anode inlet of the fuel cell stack.

[0013] According to one embodiment of the present invention, it also includes: an exhaust device, one end of which is connected to the second outlet of the gas-liquid separator, and the other end of which is connected to the third inlet of the vaporization device so that the gas separated from the gas-liquid separator can provide heat to the vaporization device.

[0014] According to one embodiment of the present invention, it also includes: a drainage device, one end of which is connected to the third outlet of the gas-liquid separator, and the other end of which is connected to the third inlet of the vaporization device, so that the liquid separated from the gas-liquid separator can provide heat to the vaporization device.

[0015] According to one embodiment of the present invention, the vaporization device includes a tail exhaust gas circulation channel, a liquid hydrogen circulation channel and a compressed gas circulation channel, wherein the liquid hydrogen circulation channel is arranged between the tail exhaust gas circulation channel and the compressed gas circulation channel, and the tail exhaust gas circulation channel is used to connect the exhaust device, the drainage device and the tail exhaust throttling device with the vaporization device; the liquid hydrogen circulation channel is used to connect the liquid hydrogen bottle with the vaporization device; the compressed gas circulation channel is used to connect the air compressor and the heating device with the vaporization device.

[0016] According to one embodiment of the present invention, it also includes: a hydrogen injector, a first inlet of the hydrogen injector is connected to the vaporizer, a second inlet of the hydrogen injector is connected to the first outlet of the gas-liquid separator, and an outlet of the hydrogen injector is connected to the anode inlet of the fuel cell stack; a hydrogen regulating device, the hydrogen regulating device is respectively connected to the vaporizer and the hydrogen injector; the hydrogen injector is configured to, when the fuel cell stack is working, inject the hydrogen discharged from the anode outlet and the hydrogen provided by the liquid hydrogen bottle into the fuel cell stack, and the hydrogen regulating device is configured to, when the fuel cell stack is working, adjust the outlet ratio of the hydrogen regulating device.

[0017] In order to achieve the above-mentioned object, a vehicle is proposed in a second embodiment of the present invention, comprising the above-mentioned fuel cell stack air intake system.

[0018] According to the vehicle of the embodiment of the present invention, the fuel cell stack air intake system can utilize the high-temperature gas generated by the air compressor to provide a heat source for vaporizing liquid hydrogen, thereby solving the heat source problem of vaporizing liquid hydrogen before starting the fuel cell stack.

[0019] Additional aspects and advantages of the present invention will be given in part in the following description and in part will be obvious from the following description, or will be learned through practice of the present invention. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0020] Figure 1 is a block diagram of a fuel cell stack air intake system according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0021] Figure 2 is a schematic structural diagram of a fuel cell stack air intake system according to a specific embodiment of the present invention;

[0022] Figure 3 FIG. 4 is a block diagram of a vehicle according to an embodiment of the present invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0023] Embodiments of the present invention are described in detail below, examples of which are shown in the accompanying drawings, wherein the same or similar reference numerals throughout represent the same or similar elements or elements having the same or similar functions. The embodiments described below with reference to the accompanying drawings are exemplary and are intended to be used to explain the present invention, and should not be construed as limiting the present invention.

[0024] The fuel cell stack air intake system according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0025] Figure 1 Schematic diagram of a fuel cell stack air intake system according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0026] like Figure 1 As shown, the fuel cell stack air intake system 100 may include: an air compressor 110 , a vaporizer 120 , a liquid hydrogen bottle 140 and a fuel cell stack 150 .

[0027] The first inlet of the vaporizer 120 is connected to the liquid hydrogen bottle 140, and the first outlet of the vaporizer 120 is connected to the anode inlet of the fuel cell stack 150. The air outlet of the air compressor 110 is connected to the second inlet of the vaporizer 120, and the air compressor 110 is configured to heat the liquid hydrogen in the vaporizer 120 before the fuel cell stack 150 works, so as to vaporize the liquid hydrogen.

[0028] Specifically, the fuel cell stack air intake system 100 may include an air compressor 110, a vaporizer 120, a liquid hydrogen bottle 140, and a fuel cell stack 150. The air compressor 110 may be used to compress air to generate high-temperature gas for heating the liquid hydrogen in the vaporizer 120. The vaporizer 120 is used to convert liquid hydrogen into gaseous hydrogen, and its first inlet is connected to the liquid hydrogen bottle 140, the first outlet is connected to the anode inlet of the fuel cell stack 150, and the second inlet is used to receive the high-temperature gas from the air compressor 110. The liquid hydrogen bottle 140 serves as a hydrogen source to store low-temperature liquid hydrogen and provide a stable hydrogen supply for the fuel cell stack 150.

[0029] Before the fuel cell stack 150 works, the air compressor 110 can be controlled to start. During the operation of the air compressor 110, the high-temperature gas generated by the compressed air can enter the vaporizer 120 through the second inlet of the vaporizer 120, so that the high-temperature gas contacts the liquid hydrogen in the vaporizer 120, transfers heat, and heats the liquid hydrogen and starts to vaporize. In this way, the liquid hydrogen (provided by the liquid hydrogen bottle 140) originally existing in the vaporizer 120 can be vaporized and converted into gaseous hydrogen to participate in the chemical reaction inside the fuel cell stack 150.

[0030] In addition, currently, the compressed gas of the air compressor 110 needs to be cooled by an intercooler before entering the fuel cell stack 150 to participate in the reaction, that is, the cooled compressed air (usually a mixture of oxygen and nitrogen) is sent to the fuel cell stack 150, in which the oxygen participates in the electrochemical reaction of the cathode, and the nitrogen is discharged with the tail gas as a non-reactive gas. In the present application, the high-temperature compressed gas compressed by the air compressor 110 can be used as a heat source to heat the liquid hydrogen in the vaporization device 120 to vaporize the liquid hydrogen, thereby omitting the configuration of the intercooler component, reducing costs and achieving energy utilization.

[0031] Therefore, the high-temperature gas generated by the air compressor can be used to provide a heat source for the vaporization of liquid hydrogen, solving the heat source problem of the vaporization of liquid hydrogen before the start-up of the fuel cell stack.

[0032] According to one embodiment of the present invention, Figure 2 As shown, the fuel cell stack air intake system 100 also includes: a heating device 160, one end of the heating device 160 is connected to the air outlet of the air compressor 110, and the other end of the heating device 160 is connected to the second inlet of the vaporization device 120; wherein the heating device 160 is configured to heat the gas compressed by the air compressor 110 when the heat source provided by the air compressor 110 is insufficient.

[0033] Specifically, the fuel cell stack air intake system 100 may also include a heating device 160. When the heat source provided by the air compressor 110 is insufficient to meet the heat required for liquid hydrogen vaporization, the heating device 160 may further heat the gas compressed by the air compressor 110. That is, through the auxiliary heating of the heating device 160, the liquid hydrogen vaporization process can be ensured to be more rapid and efficient, thereby improving the operating efficiency of the entire system. In particular, when the ambient temperature is low or the liquid hydrogen temperature is low, the heating device 160 can ensure that the fuel cell stack air intake system 100 operates stably and avoids the degradation of system performance due to insufficient heat source. Among them, the heating device 160 may be an electric heater.

[0034] By connecting one end of the heating device 160 to the gas outlet of the air compressor 110, the high-temperature gas generated by the air compressor 110 can be received, and the other end of the heating device 160 is connected to the second inlet of the vaporization device 120, so that the heated gas can be delivered to the vaporization device 120. In a specific working example, after the air compressor 110 is controlled to be turned on, the air compressor 110 starts to work, compresses air to generate high-temperature and high-pressure gas, and the high-temperature and high-pressure gas enters the heating device 160 through the input end of the heating device 160. By monitoring the temperature of the gas generated by the air compressor 110, it is determined whether the heat energy demand for liquid hydrogen vaporization is met. If the temperature of the gas generated by the air compressor 110 is not high enough to vaporize the liquid hydrogen, that is, when the heat source provided by the air compressor 110 is insufficient, the heating device 160 can be controlled to operate, and the heating device 160 performs secondary heating on the gas of the air compressor 110 to increase the gas temperature, so that the heated high-temperature gas is transported from the output end of the heating device 160 to the second inlet of the vaporization device 120, so that the high-temperature gas contacts the liquid hydrogen in the vaporization device 120, transfers heat, and promotes the vaporization of the liquid hydrogen into gaseous hydrogen, and the gaseous hydrogen is transported to the anode inlet of the fuel cell stack 150 through the first outlet of the vaporization device 120.

[0035] Therefore, the heating device 160 serves as a supplementary heat source to improve the reliability of the system under different environments. Under low temperature or high demand conditions, the heating device 160 can ensure the continuity and stability of the liquid hydrogen vaporization process, which can help avoid safety risks caused by insufficient heat source and ensure the efficiency and safety of the liquid hydrogen vaporization process.

[0036] According to one embodiment of the present invention, Figure 2 As shown, the fuel cell stack air intake system 100 also includes: a three-way valve 170, wherein the first end of the three-way valve 170 is connected to the second outlet of the vaporization device 120, the second end of the three-way valve 170 is connected to the cathode inlet of the fuel cell stack 150, and the third end of the three-way valve 170 is connected to the third inlet of the vaporization device 120; wherein the three-way valve 170 is configured such that the first end of the three-way valve 170 and the third end of the three-way valve 170 are in a conducting state so that the gas provides heat to the vaporization device 120, and the first end of the three-way valve 170 and the second end of the three-way valve 170 are in a conducting state so that the gas is transmitted to the fuel cell stack 150.

[0037] Specifically, the fuel cell stack air intake system 100 may also include a three-way valve 170. By controlling the conduction state between different ports of the three-way valve 170, the gas flow direction can be adjusted to achieve fine control of the system working state. For example, when the air compressor 110 is working, by controlling the three-way valve 170, the high-temperature gas can be guided to flow out from the third end of the three-way valve 170, and return to the vaporization device 120 after passing through the third inlet of the vaporization device 120 for auxiliary heating.

[0038] By connecting the first end of the three-way valve 170 to the second outlet of the vaporizer 120, it can be used to discharge excess gas or perform gas circulation. By connecting the second end of the three-way valve 170 to the cathode inlet of the fuel cell stack 150, air or oxygen can be provided to the fuel cell stack 150. By connecting the third end of the three-way valve 170 to the vaporizer 120, the waste heat of the gas can be guided back to the vaporizer 120 to provide heat. In a specific working example, when it is detected that the fuel cell stack 150 needs to be started, an instruction can be issued to start the air compressor 110, and the air compressor 110 starts to work, compressing air to generate high-temperature and high-pressure gas. By controlling the three-way valve 170, the first end and the third end are in a conducting state, thereby guiding the high-temperature gas back to the vaporizer 120 to provide heat to the vaporizer 120 for auxiliary heating.

[0039] In addition, the state of the liquid hydrogen in the vaporization device 120 can also be monitored to determine whether it has been completely converted into the required gaseous hydrogen. After the heating of the liquid hydrogen is completed, that is, after it is detected that the liquid hydrogen has been completely vaporized, the state of the three-way valve 170 can be adjusted to make the first end of the three-way valve 170 conductive with the second end of the three-way valve 170 so that the gas is transmitted to the fuel cell stack 150. In other words, the gas discharged from the vaporization device 120 will no longer return to the air inlet of the air compressor 110, but will be directly transmitted to the fuel cell stack 150 to perform an electrochemical reaction and generate electrical energy. As a result, the fuel cell stack air intake system 100 can quickly switch to the fuel cell stack 150 air supply mode after the liquid hydrogen is heated, ensuring the stable operation of the fuel cell stack 150 and the high efficiency performance of the entire system.

[0040] According to one embodiment of the present invention, Figure 2 As shown, the fuel cell stack air intake system 100 also includes: a tail exhaust throttle device 198 , the inlet of the tail exhaust throttle device 198 is connected to the cathode outlet of the fuel cell stack 150 , and the outlet of the tail exhaust throttle device 198 is connected to the third inlet of the vaporization device 120 .

[0041] Specifically, the fuel cell stack air intake system 100 may also include a tail exhaust throttle device 198, the inlet of which is connected to the cathode outlet of the fuel cell stack 150, for collecting the tail gas (such as nitrogen) discharged from the cathode outlet of the fuel cell stack 150, which may contain incompletely utilized heat. The outlet of the tail exhaust throttle device 198 is connected to the third inlet of the vaporizer 120, and the tail gas can be guided to the vaporizer 120 and then dissipated in the environment. The heat in the tail gas is thereby used to assist in heating the liquid hydrogen and improve the overall thermal efficiency. Thus, by recovering the heat in the tail gas, the vaporizer 120 can be assisted in heating the liquid hydrogen, and the waste of energy is reduced, thereby improving the overall utilization efficiency of energy.

[0042] According to one embodiment of the present invention, Figure 2 As shown, the fuel cell stack air intake system 100 further includes: a gas-liquid separator 180 , the inlet of the gas-liquid separator 180 is connected to the anode outlet of the fuel cell stack 150 , and the first outlet of the gas-liquid separator 180 is connected to the anode inlet of the fuel cell stack 150 .

[0043] Specifically, the fuel cell stack air intake system 100 may further include a gas-liquid separator 180, which can separate the liquid water from the gas discharged from the anode outlet of the fuel cell stack 150, ensuring that only dry gas returns to the anode inlet of the fuel cell stack 150. That is, by separating the liquid water, it is prevented from flowing back to the fuel cell stack 150, causing problems such as degradation or damage of fuel cell performance, and by recycling and reusing the separated gas, the energy efficiency of the entire system can be improved.

[0044] During the operation of the fuel cell stack 150, the anode generates gas (hydrogen) containing water vapor. The inlet of the gas-liquid separator 180 is connected to the anode outlet of the fuel cell stack 150 to receive the discharged gas containing water vapor. Inside the gas-liquid separator 180, the gas and liquid water are separated by physical methods (such as centrifugation, filtration or gravity separation). The first outlet of the gas-liquid separator 180 is connected to the anode inlet of the fuel cell stack 150, outputs dry gas, and returns to the anode inlet of the fuel cell stack 150 for reuse. Therefore, by separating and recycling gas, energy waste is reduced, the efficiency of the fuel cell is improved, potential damage to the fuel cell stack 150 caused by water backflow is prevented, and the service life of the equipment is extended.

[0045] According to one embodiment of the present invention, Figure 2 As shown, the fuel cell stack air intake system 100 also includes: an exhaust device 190, one end of the exhaust device 190 is connected to the second outlet of the gas-liquid separator 180, and the other end of the exhaust device 190 is connected to the third inlet of the vaporizer 120 so as to provide heat to the vaporizer 120 from the gas separated by the gas-liquid separator 180.

[0046] Specifically, the fuel cell stack air intake system 100 may also include an exhaust device 190, one end of the exhaust device 190 is connected to the second outlet of the gas-liquid separator 180, and the other end is connected to the third inlet of the vaporizer 120. The exhaust gas separated by the gas-liquid separator 180 can be collected to provide additional heat for the vaporizer 120. By reusing the heat of the exhaust gas, the thermal efficiency of the entire system can be improved and energy waste can be reduced. At the same time, the exhaust gas can be cooled to reduce the heat generated by the exhaust gas, thereby avoiding interference with the driving of the following vehicle during driving, which may cause traffic accidents in serious cases.

[0047] According to one embodiment of the present invention, Figure 2 As shown, the fuel cell stack air intake system 100 also includes: a drainage device 192, one end of the drainage device 192 is connected to the third outlet of the gas-liquid separator 180, and the other end of the drainage device 192 is connected to the third inlet of the vaporization device 120, so as to provide heat to the vaporization device 120 from the liquid separated from the gas-liquid separator 180.

[0048] Specifically, the fuel cell stack air intake system 100 may further include a drainage device 192, one end of which is connected to the third outlet of the gas-liquid separator 180, and the other end of which is connected to the third inlet of the vaporizer 120, and the liquid water separated by the gas-liquid separator 180 may be collected and used to provide heat for the vaporizer 120, that is, the liquid water releases heat during the vaporization process, and the heat can be used by the vaporizer 120 to heat the liquid hydrogen. Among them, the exhaust device 190 may be an exhaust valve, and the drainage device 192 may be a drain valve, so that the fuel cell stack air intake system 100 can more comprehensively recover and utilize the waste gas and waste liquid generated by the fuel cell stack 150, and achieve higher energy efficiency and better environmental adaptability.

[0049] According to one embodiment of the present invention, the vaporization device 120 includes a tail exhaust gas circulation channel, a liquid hydrogen circulation channel and a compressed gas circulation channel, wherein the liquid hydrogen circulation channel is arranged between the tail exhaust gas circulation channel and the compressed gas circulation channel, and the tail exhaust gas circulation channel is used to connect the exhaust device 190, the drainage device 192 and the tail exhaust throttle device 198 with the vaporization device 120; the liquid hydrogen circulation channel is used to connect the liquid hydrogen bottle 140 with the vaporization device 120; the compressed gas circulation channel is used to connect the air compressor 110 and the heating device 160 with the vaporization device 120.

[0050] Specifically, refer to Figure 2 As shown, the vaporizer 120 includes three mutually isolated channels, namely, a tail gas flow channel, a liquid hydrogen flow channel, and a compressed gas flow channel. The tail gas flow channel connects the exhaust device 190, the drain device 192, the tail gas throttle device 198, and the vaporizer 120, so that the hydrogen and water generated by the anode of the fuel cell stack 150 can be guided to the vaporizer 120, so that in the vaporizer, the hydrogen and water with a certain amount of heat can be used to heat the liquid hydrogen, thereby providing the necessary heat energy for the vaporization of the liquid hydrogen, and the nitrogen generated by the cathode of the fuel cell stack 150 is guided to the vaporizer 120, so that in the vaporizer, the nitrogen with a certain amount of heat can be used to heat the liquid hydrogen, thereby providing the necessary heat energy for the vaporization of the liquid hydrogen.

[0051] The liquid hydrogen flow channel is located between the tail gas flow channel and the compressed gas flow channel. It connects the liquid hydrogen bottle 140 and the vaporizer 120, and can transport liquid hydrogen from the liquid hydrogen bottle 140 to the vaporizer 120 for vaporization. In the vaporizer 120, the liquid hydrogen absorbs heat and becomes gaseous hydrogen for use by the fuel cell stack 150.

[0052] The compressed gas circulation channel connects the air compressor 110, the heating device 160 and the vaporization device 120. The function of the compressed gas circulation channel is to transport the compressed air from the air compressor 110 to the vaporization device 120 to provide the oxygen required by the fuel cell and provide additional heat energy for the vaporization of liquid hydrogen when necessary. And the compressed air generated by the air compressor 110 can be heated in the heating device 160 before entering the fuel cell stack 150 to increase its temperature, and then these high-temperature gases can be used to heat the liquid hydrogen and promote the vaporization process. Thus, the vaporization device 120 realizes the vaporization process of liquid hydrogen through these three channels, and at the same time uses the heat of the exhaust gas to improve the efficiency. The liquid hydrogen circulation channel transports the liquid hydrogen from the liquid hydrogen bottle to the vaporization device 120, absorbs the heat energy from the tail gas circulation channel and the compressed gas circulation channel, and thus realizes vaporization. This process not only provides the necessary gaseous hydrogen for the fuel cell stack 150, but also improves the energy utilization efficiency of the system by recovering the heat of the exhaust gas.

[0053] According to one embodiment of the present invention, Figure 2 As shown, the fuel cell stack air intake system 100 also includes: a hydrogen injector 194, a first inlet of the hydrogen injector 194 is connected to the vaporizer 120, a second inlet of the hydrogen injector 194 is connected to the first outlet of the gas-liquid separator 180, and an outlet of the hydrogen injector 194 is connected to the anode inlet of the fuel cell stack 150; a hydrogen regulating device 196, the hydrogen regulating device 196 is respectively connected to the vaporizer 120 and the hydrogen injector 194; the hydrogen injector 194 is configured to, when the fuel cell stack 150 is working, inject the hydrogen discharged from the anode outlet and the hydrogen provided by the liquid hydrogen bottle 140 into the fuel cell stack 150, and the hydrogen regulating device 196 is configured to, when the fuel cell stack 150 is working, adjust the outlet ratio of the hydrogen regulating device 196.

[0054] Specifically, the fuel cell stack intake system 100 may further include a hydrogen ejector 194, the first inlet of the hydrogen ejector 194 is connected to the vaporizer 120, for receiving gaseous hydrogen from the vaporizer 120, the second inlet of the hydrogen ejector 194 is connected to the first outlet of the gas-liquid separator 180, for receiving separated hydrogen, and the outlet of the hydrogen ejector 194 is connected to the anode inlet of the fuel cell stack 150, and the hydrogen discharged from the anode outlet and the hydrogen provided by the liquid hydrogen bottle 140 can be ejected to the fuel cell stack 150. That is, the hydrogen ejector 194 mixes the gaseous hydrogen generated by the vaporizer 120 and the hydrogen separated by the gas-liquid separator 180, and ejects them to the anode inlet of the fuel cell stack 150 together, and the ejector ensures that the fuel cell stack 150 has a stable supply of hydrogen when working, and can improve the utilization rate of hydrogen and the efficiency of the fuel cell stack 150. Among them, the hydrogen ejector 194 can be an ejector.

[0055] The hydrogen regulating device 196 is connected to the vaporizing device 120 and the hydrogen injecting device 194 respectively, and can receive the gaseous hydrogen generated by the vaporizing device 120 and transport it to the hydrogen injecting device 194, and the hydrogen injecting device 194 transports the hydrogen to the anode inlet of the fuel cell stack 150. In addition, when the fuel cell stack 150 is in the working stage, the outlet ratio of the hydrogen regulating device 196 can also be adjusted. For example, according to the working requirements of the fuel cell stack 150, the flow rate and pressure of hydrogen received from the vaporizing device 120 and the hydrogen injecting device 194 are adjusted, so as to improve the electrochemical reaction efficiency of the fuel cell stack 150 by accurately controlling the hydrogen flow rate and pressure.

[0056] In summary, as a specific example, refer to Figure 2 As shown, before the fuel cell stack 150 works, the air compressor 110 can be turned on first, and the high-temperature gas generated by the air compressor 110 can be used to heat the liquid hydrogen in the vaporization device 120. If the vaporization temperature is not enough or the heat source at this time cannot provide vaporization conditions, the electric heater can be turned on to heat the gas of the air compressor 110 for a second time to meet the energy required for the vaporization of the liquid hydrogen. In addition, the first end of the three-way valve 170 and the third end of the three-way valve 170 can be controlled to be in a conducting state so that the gas returns to the vaporization device 120. After the required gaseous hydrogen is completed, the air enters the fuel cell stack 150 and participates in the chemical reaction normally. At this time, the high-temperature gas generated by the tail exhaust can pass through the vaporization device 120 to provide the required heat source for the vaporization device 120 (the electric heater can be turned off at this time), and the tail exhaust gas is cooled at the same time to reduce the heat generated by the tail exhaust gas, so as to avoid interference with the driving of the following vehicle during driving, which may cause traffic accidents in serious cases.

[0057] When the liquid hydrogen fuel cell is working, the liquid hydrogen in the liquid hydrogen bottle 140 needs to be vaporized by the heat source in the vaporizer 120, and then the hydrogen is brought into the fuel cell stack through the hydrogen regulating device 196. The hydrogen injector 194 provides a certain amount of reflux hydrogen to ensure sufficient hydrogen supply. The water on the anode side of the fuel cell reaction is separated by the gas-liquid separator 180 and then discharged to the tail drain by the drainage device 192. The gas (hydrogen) produced by the anode can be discharged to the tail drain by the exhaust device 190, so that the liquid and gas separated from the gas-liquid separator 180 can provide heat to the vaporizer 120, and the exhaust gas discharged from the cathode outlet of the fuel cell stack 150 (such as nitrogen as a non-reactive gas) can also be used to provide heat to the vaporizer 120.

[0058] Therefore, before the fuel cell works, the high-temperature gas generated by the air compressor 110 is used to provide a heat source for vaporizing the liquid hydrogen. If the heat source is insufficient at this time, the electric heater is turned on for heating, and the gas compressed by the air compressor is used to bring the heat source to the vaporizer 120 to heat the liquid hydrogen. After the fuel cell works, the excess heat in the exhaust gas and moisture is used to provide thermal energy to the vaporizer 120; the vaporizer 120 cools down the compressed air, which effectively solves the need for a traditional intercooler to cool the compressed gas; the vaporizer 120 cools down the exhaust gas and liquefies the gas, which effectively solves the problem of large fog in the exhaust gas in winter.

[0059] In summary, according to the fuel cell stack air intake system of the embodiment of the present invention, the first inlet of the vaporizer is connected to the liquid hydrogen bottle, the first outlet of the vaporizer is connected to the anode inlet of the fuel cell stack, the vaporizer is configured to continuously vaporize the liquid hydrogen output from the liquid hydrogen bottle and supply it to the fuel cell stack when the fuel cell stack is working, the air outlet of the air compressor is connected to the second inlet of the vaporizer, and the air compressor is configured to heat the liquid hydrogen in the vaporizer before the fuel cell stack works to vaporize the liquid hydrogen. As a result, the fuel cell stack air intake system can use the high-temperature gas generated by the air compressor to provide a heat source for the vaporization of liquid hydrogen, solving the heat source problem of the vaporization of liquid hydrogen before the fuel cell stack is started.

[0060] Corresponding to the above embodiment, the present invention also provides a vehicle.

[0061] like Figure 3 As shown, a vehicle 200 according to an embodiment of the present invention may include the fuel cell stack air intake system 100 described above.

[0062] According to the vehicle of the embodiment of the present invention, the fuel cell stack air intake system can utilize the high-temperature gas generated by the air compressor to provide a heat source for vaporizing liquid hydrogen, thereby solving the heat source problem of vaporizing liquid hydrogen before starting the fuel cell stack.

[0063] It should be noted that the logic and / or steps represented in the flowchart or otherwise described herein, for example, can be considered as a sequenced list of executable instructions for implementing logical functions, and can be specifically implemented in any computer-readable medium for use by an instruction execution system, device or apparatus (such as a computer-based system, a system including a processor, or other system that can fetch instructions from an instruction execution system, device or apparatus and execute instructions), or in combination with these instruction execution systems, devices or apparatuses. For the purposes of this specification, "computer-readable medium" can be any device that can contain, store, communicate, propagate or transmit a program for use by an instruction execution system, device or apparatus, or in combination with these instruction execution systems, devices or apparatuses. More specific examples of computer-readable media (a non-exhaustive list) include the following: an electrical connection portion with one or more wirings (electronic device), a portable computer disk box (magnetic device), a random access memory (RAM), a read-only memory (ROM), an erasable and programmable read-only memory (EPROM or flash memory), an optical fiber device, and a portable compact disk read-only memory (CDROM). In addition, the computer-readable medium may even be paper or other suitable medium on which the program is printed, since the program may be obtained electronically, for example, by optically scanning the paper or other medium and then editing, interpreting or processing in other suitable ways if necessary, and then stored in a computer memory.

[0064] It should be understood that the various parts of the present invention can be implemented by hardware, software, firmware or a combination thereof. In the above-mentioned embodiments, a plurality of steps or methods can be implemented by software or firmware stored in a memory and executed by a suitable instruction execution system. For example, if implemented by hardware, as in another embodiment, it can be implemented by any one of the following technologies known in the art or their combination: a discrete logic circuit having a logic gate circuit for implementing a logic function for a data signal, a dedicated integrated circuit having a suitable combination of logic gate circuits, a programmable gate array (PGA), a field programmable gate array (FPGA), etc.

[0065] In the description of this specification, the description with reference to the terms "one embodiment", "some embodiments", "examples", "specific examples", or "some examples" means that the specific features, structures, materials or characteristics described in conjunction with the embodiment or example are included in at least one embodiment or example of the present invention. In this specification, the schematic representation of the above terms does not necessarily refer to the same embodiment or example. Moreover, the specific features, structures, materials or characteristics described may be combined in any one or more embodiments or examples in a suitable manner.

[0066] In addition, the terms "first" and "second" are used for descriptive purposes only and should not be understood as indicating or implying relative importance or implicitly indicating the number of the indicated technical features. Therefore, the features defined as "first" and "second" may explicitly or implicitly include at least one of the features. In the description of the present invention, the meaning of "plurality" is at least two, such as two, three, etc., unless otherwise clearly and specifically defined.

[0067] In the present invention, unless otherwise clearly specified and limited, the terms "installed", "connected", "connected", "fixed" and the like should be understood in a broad sense, for example, it can be a fixed connection, a detachable connection, or an integral connection; it can be a mechanical connection or an electrical connection; it can be a direct connection or an indirect connection through an intermediate medium, it can be the internal connection of two elements or the interaction relationship between two elements, unless otherwise clearly defined. For ordinary technicians in this field, the specific meanings of the above terms in the present invention can be understood according to specific circumstances.

[0068] Although the embodiments of the present invention have been shown and described above, it is to be understood that the above embodiments are exemplary and are not to be construed as limitations of the present invention. A person skilled in the art may change, modify, replace and vary the above embodiments within the scope of the present invention.

Claims

1. A fuel cell stack air intake system (100), characterized in that: include: An air compressor (110), a vaporizing device (120), a liquid hydrogen bottle (140) and a fuel cell stack (150); wherein: The first inlet of the vaporization device (120) is connected to the liquid hydrogen bottle (140), and the first outlet of the vaporization device (120) is connected to the anode inlet of the fuel cell stack (150); The air outlet of the air compressor (110) is connected to the second inlet of the vaporization device (120), and the air compressor (110) is configured to heat the liquid hydrogen in the vaporization device (120) before the fuel cell stack (150) operates, so as to vaporize the liquid hydrogen.

2. The fuel cell stack air intake system (100) according to claim 1, characterized in that: Also includes: A heating device (160), one end of the heating device (160) is connected to the air outlet of the air compressor (110), and the other end of the heating device (160) is connected to the second inlet of the vaporization device (120); wherein, The heating device (160) is configured to heat the gas compressed by the air compressor (110) when the heat source provided by the air compressor (110) is insufficient.

3. The fuel cell stack air intake system (100) according to claim 2, characterized in that: Also includes: A three-way valve (170), wherein a first end of the three-way valve (170) is connected to a second outlet of the vaporization device (120), a second end of the three-way valve (170) is connected to a cathode inlet of the fuel cell stack (150), and a third end of the three-way valve (170) is connected to a third inlet of the vaporization device (120); wherein: The three-way valve (170) is configured such that a first end of the three-way valve (170) and a third end of the three-way valve (170) are in a conducting state so that the gas provides heat to the vaporization device (120), and a first end of the three-way valve (170) and a second end of the three-way valve (170) are in a conducting state so that the gas is transmitted to the fuel cell stack (150).

4. The fuel cell stack air intake system (100) according to claim 1, characterized in that: Also includes: A tail exhaust throttle device (198), wherein the inlet of the tail exhaust throttle device (198) is connected to the cathode outlet of the fuel cell stack (150), and the outlet of the tail exhaust throttle device (198) is connected to the third inlet of the vaporization device (120).

5. The fuel cell stack air intake system (100) according to claim 1, characterized in that: Also includes: A gas-liquid separator (180), wherein the inlet of the gas-liquid separator (180) is connected to the anode outlet of the fuel cell stack (150), and the first outlet of the gas-liquid separator (180) is connected to the anode inlet of the fuel cell stack (150).

6. The fuel cell stack air intake system 100 according to claim 5, characterized in that: Also includes: An exhaust device (190), one end of the exhaust device (190) is connected to the second outlet of the gas-liquid separator (180), and the other end of the exhaust device (190) is connected to the third inlet of the vaporizing device (120) so that the gas separated from the gas-liquid separator (180) provides heat to the vaporizing device (120).

7. The fuel cell stack air intake system (100) according to claim 5, characterized in that: Also includes: A drainage device (192), one end of the drainage device (192) is connected to the third outlet of the gas-liquid separator (180), and the other end of the drainage device (192) is connected to the third inlet of the vaporization device (120), so that the liquid separated from the gas-liquid separator (180) provides heat to the vaporization device (120).

8. The fuel cell stack air intake system (100) according to any one of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that: The vaporization device (120) comprises a tail gas flow channel, a liquid hydrogen flow channel and a compressed gas flow channel, wherein the liquid hydrogen flow channel is arranged between the tail gas flow channel and the compressed gas flow channel, and the tail gas flow channel is used to connect the exhaust device (190), the drainage device (192) and the tail gas throttle device (198) with the vaporization device (120); the liquid hydrogen flow channel is used to connect the liquid hydrogen bottle (140) with the vaporization device (120); and the compressed gas flow channel is used to connect the air compressor (110) and the heating device (160) with the vaporization device (120).

9. The fuel cell stack air intake system (100) according to claim 5, characterized in that: Also includes: A hydrogen ejector (194), wherein a first inlet of the hydrogen ejector (194) is connected to the vaporization device (120), a second inlet of the hydrogen ejector (194) is connected to a first outlet of the gas-liquid separator (180), and an outlet of the hydrogen ejector (194) is connected to an anode inlet of the fuel cell stack (150); A hydrogen regulating device (196), wherein the hydrogen regulating device (196) is connected to the vaporizing device (120) and the hydrogen ejecting device (194) respectively; The hydrogen injection device (194) is configured to, when the fuel cell stack (150) is working, inject the hydrogen discharged from the anode outlet and the hydrogen provided by the liquid hydrogen bottle (140) into the fuel cell stack (150), and the hydrogen regulating device (196) is configured to, when the fuel cell stack (150) is working, adjust the outlet ratio of the hydrogen regulating device (196).

10. A vehicle, characterized in that: It comprises a fuel cell stack air intake system (100) according to any one of claims 1 to 9.

Citation Information

Cited By

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    CN120854602A

  • Fuel cell system and vehicle

    CN120854602B