Gas distribution device based on SOFC power generation module

Abstract

The invention relates to a gas distribution device based on an SOFC power generation module, and the gas distribution device comprises a pedestal which is used for placing a single cell stack and is provided with a heat exchange cavity, and the heat exchange cavity is used for accommodating cathode waste gas and anode waste gas discharged by the single cell stack; the anode gas inlet pipeline is arranged in the heat exchange cavity and is communicated with the single cell stack; the cathode gas inlet pipeline is arranged in the heat exchange cavity and is communicated with the single cell stack; wherein cathode and anode inlet gas with lower temperature respectively exchanges heat with cathode and anode waste gas with higher temperature in the heat exchange cavity, the cathode and anode inlet gas is positioned in the same heat exchange space and is uniformly heated, the temperatures of fuel gas and air entering the stack are consistent, the reaction effect of the cell stack is ensured, and meanwhile, the thermodynamic difference of the stack material caused by temperature difference is reduced; the service life of the fuel cell stack is prolonged. The waste gas exhausted by the cathode and the anode is fully utilized to heat the inlet gas of the cathode and the anode, so that the inlet gas does not need to be heated by additionally consuming electric energy, and resources are fully utilized.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This disclosure relates to the field of battery gas distribution technology, and more specifically, to a gas distribution device based on an SOFC power generation module. Background Technology

[0002] SOFC (Solid Oxide Fuel Cell) is a power generation device that directly converts chemical energy into electrical energy at medium to high temperatures. An SOFC power generation module consists of a fuel cell stack. In related technologies, the cathode and anode inlet temperatures of the fuel cell stack are relatively low, affecting the reaction efficiency. To address this issue, technicians electrically heat the cathode and anode inlets, but this requires additional electrical energy and is not conducive to resource conservation. Summary of the Invention

[0003] The purpose of this disclosure is to provide a gas distribution device based on an SOFC power generation module to at least partially solve the problems existing in the related art.

[0004] To achieve the above objectives, this disclosure provides a gas distribution device based on an SOFC power generation module. The SOFC power generation module includes a single battery stack, and the gas distribution device includes: a base for placing the single battery stack and having a heat exchange chamber for containing cathode exhaust gas and anode exhaust gas discharged from the single battery stack; an anode inlet pipe disposed in the heat exchange chamber and connected to the single battery stack; and a cathode inlet pipe disposed in the heat exchange chamber and connected to the single battery stack; wherein the lower-temperature anode inlet gas and cathode inlet gas exchange heat with the higher-temperature cathode exhaust gas and anode exhaust gas respectively within the heat exchange chamber.

[0005] Optionally, the base includes a top plate, a middle support, and a lower support stacked sequentially, the single battery stack is placed on the top plate, the middle support is configured to be hollow, and the top plate, the middle support, and the lower support enclose the heat exchange cavity.

[0006] Optionally, the lower support is provided with a buffer cavity, which is connected to the cathode air inlet pipe, and the cathode air enters the cathode air inlet pipe after passing through the buffer cavity.

[0007] Optionally, the middle support is provided with an opening, the cathode air inlet pipe is connected to the opening and the buffer cavity respectively, the top plate is provided with a cathode air inlet, the cathode air inlet is not aligned with the opening, but is connected to the opening.

[0008] Optionally, the number of cathode air inlets and the number of openings are both twice the number of single-cell stacks, the two ends of the cathode air inlet pipe are respectively connected to two of the openings, and the middle part of the cathode air inlet pipe is connected to the buffer cavity.

[0009] Optionally, there are multiple single battery stacks, multiple cathode inlet pipes, and each cathode inlet pipe is configured to correspond one-to-one with a single battery stack. The anode inlet pipe includes a main pipe and branch pipes. The branch pipes are connected to the main pipe. There are multiple branch pipes, and each branch pipe is configured to correspond one-to-one with a single battery stack.

[0010] Optionally, the branch pipes have equal winding lengths, one end of the main pipe is used for the anode air intake, and the other end of the main pipe is connected to one end of each of the branch pipes, and the distances to the other end of each branch pipe are equal.

[0011] Optionally, the heat exchange chamber is also equipped with an anode outlet pipeline, which includes a main pipeline and branch pipelines. There are multiple branch pipelines, and each branch pipeline corresponds to one of the multiple single battery stacks.

[0012] Optionally, the main pipe is square and attached to the wall of the heat exchange chamber, and multiple cathode inlet pipes are spaced apart in the square frame.

[0013] Optionally, the upper surface of the base is provided with a groove for accommodating the single battery stack.

[0014] The technical solutions provided by the embodiments of this disclosure may include the following beneficial effects: The fuel cell stack is placed on a base, with both the anode and cathode inlet pipes located within the heat exchange chamber. These inlet pipes can be connected to the fuel cell stack independently. Exhaust gases from the anode and cathode enter the heat exchange chamber, where the lower-temperature inlet gases exchange heat with the higher-temperature exhaust gases. Since the inlet pipes are within the same heat exchange space, they are heated uniformly, ensuring a consistent temperature for both fuel gas and air entering the stack. This guarantees optimal fuel cell reaction performance and reduces thermodynamic differences in the stack materials caused by temperature variations, thus improving the fuel cell stack's lifespan. Because the exhaust gases from the anode and cathode are fully utilized to heat the inlet gases, no additional electrical energy is required for heating, facilitating efficient resource utilization.

[0015] Other features and advantages of this disclosure will be described in detail in the following detailed description section. Attached Figure Description

[0016] The accompanying drawings are provided to further illustrate the present disclosure and form part of the specification. They are used together with the following detailed description to explain the present disclosure, but do not constitute a limitation thereof. In the drawings: Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of a gas distribution device based on an SOFC power generation module, according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0017] Figure 2 This is an exploded view of a gas distribution device based on an SOFC power generation module, according to an exemplary embodiment of this disclosure.

[0018] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the top plate of a gas distribution device based on an SOFC power generation module, according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0019] Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the lower support in a gas distribution device based on an SOFC power generation module, according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0020] Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of the anode air inlet pipeline in a gas distribution device based on an SOFC power generation module, according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0021] Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram of the anode gas outlet pipeline in a gas distribution device based on an SOFC power generation module, according to an exemplary embodiment of this disclosure.

[0022] Explanation of reference numerals in the attached figures 10. Single cell stack; 100. Base; 111. Heat exchange chamber; 112. Buffer chamber; 1121. Air inlet; 120. Anode air inlet; 130. Anode air outlet; 140. Cathode air inlet; 150. Cathode air outlet; 161. Anode vent; 162. Cathode vent; 170. Top plate; 171. Groove; 180. Middle support; 181. Opening; 190. Lower support; 200. Anode air inlet pipe; 210. Main pipe; 220. Branch pipe; 300. Cathode air inlet pipe; 400. Anode air outlet pipe; 410. Main pipe; 420. Sub-pipe; 500. Divider plate. Detailed Implementation

[0023] The specific embodiments of this disclosure will be described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings. It should be understood that the specific embodiments described herein are for illustration and explanation only and are not intended to limit this disclosure.

[0024] In this disclosure, unless otherwise stated, directional terms such as "upper," "lower," "top," "bottom," and "center" are used for ease of description based on the drawing orientation of the corresponding figures, while "inner" and "outer" are defined based on the contour of the corresponding component itself. Terms such as "first" and "second" used in this disclosure are used to distinguish one element from another and do not have sequential or importance implications. Furthermore, when the following description refers to the figures, unless otherwise indicated, the same numbers in different figures represent the same or similar elements.

[0025] Please see Figure 1 and Figure 2 This disclosure provides a gas distribution device based on an SOFC power generation module. The SOFC power generation module may include a single-cell stack 10, and the gas distribution device may include a base 100, an anode inlet pipe 200, and a cathode inlet pipe 300. The base 100 can be used to place the single-cell stack 10 and may be provided with a heat exchange chamber 111, which can be used to contain the cathode exhaust gas and anode exhaust gas discharged from the single-cell stack 10. The anode inlet pipe 200 may be located in the heat exchange chamber 111 and may be connected to the single-cell stack 10. The cathode inlet pipe 300 may be located in the heat exchange chamber 111 and may be connected to the single-cell stack 10. The lower-temperature anode and cathode inlet gases can exchange heat with the higher-temperature cathode and anode exhaust gases respectively within the heat exchange chamber 111.

[0026] Understandably, this device integrates heat exchange and gas distribution. Specifically, the lower-temperature cathode and anode inlet gases exchange heat with the higher-temperature cathode and anode exhaust gases in the heat exchange chamber 111. The cathode and anode inlet gases are in the same heat exchange space, ensuring uniform heating and consistent entry temperatures of the fuel gas and air into the fuel cell stack. This guarantees the stack's reaction efficiency and reduces thermodynamic differences in the stack materials caused by temperature variations, thus improving the fuel cell stack's lifespan. The anode inlet pipe 200 is coupled to the heat exchange chamber 111, ensuring the stack's reaction efficiency and improving the overall integration of the device. By recovering and utilizing the heat from the exhaust gas to heat the inlet gas, energy utilization can be improved, avoiding resource waste. The air-fuel ratio at the cathode in the fuel cell stack is typically around 10-13. According to the fuel cell reaction mechanism, less than 5% of the oxygen in the air participates in the reaction; most of the oxygen and nitrogen become heat exchange mediums carrying a large amount of heat. Therefore, the cathode exhaust gas contains a significant amount of heat, which effectively heats the inlet gases at the anode and cathode, ensuring the stack's chemical performance and lifespan.

[0027] It should be noted that the heat in the cathode exhaust gas is higher than that in the anode exhaust gas. Introducing both the anode and cathode exhaust gases into the heat exchange chamber 111 can increase the heating temperature of the anode and cathode inlet gases, thus ensuring the reaction performance of the battery stack.

[0028] In one implementation, please refer to Figure 2 The base 100 may include a top plate 170, a middle support 180, and a lower support 190 stacked sequentially, facilitating modular assembly of the base 100. This allows for the installation of the anode inlet pipe 200 and the cathode inlet pipe 300 within the heat exchange chamber 111. After the pipes within the heat exchange chamber 111 are installed, the top plate 170, middle support 180, and lower support 190 are welded together to ensure the airtightness of the internal space. The single-cell stack 10 can be placed on the top plate 170, and the middle support 180 can be configured as a hollow structure, increasing the internal space of the base 100 to accommodate more pipes and cathode and anode exhaust gases. The top plate 170, middle support 180, and lower support 190 can enclose and form the heat exchange chamber 111. The top plate 170 may be provided with an anode outlet 130 and a cathode outlet 150. The anode region of the battery stack is connected to the anode outlet 130. The anode exhaust gas discharged from a single battery stack 10 enters the heat exchange chamber 111 after passing through the anode outlet 130. The cathode region of the battery stack is connected to the cathode outlet 150. The cathode exhaust gas discharged from a single battery stack 10 enters the heat exchange chamber 111 after passing through the cathode outlet 150.

[0029] In one implementation, please refer to Figure 4 The lower support 190 may be provided with a buffer chamber 112 and an air inlet 1121 connected to the buffer chamber 112. The buffer chamber 112 may be connected to the cathode air inlet pipe 300. The cathode air first enters the buffer chamber 112 through the air inlet 1121, then enters the cathode air inlet pipe 300, and finally enters the battery stack. The buffer chamber 112 can ensure that the gas enters the battery stack smoothly and avoid large fluctuations in the gas entering the battery stack due to the instability of the external cathode gas supply.

[0030] Further, please refer to Figure 4 A partition plate 500 can be installed inside the lower support 190. Below the partition plate 500 is a buffer cavity 112. The upper part of the partition plate 500, the middle support 180 and the top plate 170 enclose a heat exchange cavity 111.

[0031] In one implementation, please refer to Figure 2 The middle support 180 may be provided with an opening 181. The cathode air inlet pipe 300 may be connected to the opening 181 and the buffer chamber 112 respectively. The top plate 170 may be provided with a cathode air inlet 140. The cathode air inlet 140 may not be aligned with the opening 181, but may be connected to the opening 181. During the process of the cathode gas entering the battery stack, it will collide with the side wall at the intersection of the opening 181 and the cathode air inlet 140, which will reduce the cathode air pressure.

[0032] In one implementation, please refer to Figure 2 and Figure 3The top plate 170 may be provided with an anode air inlet 120, which is connected to the anode air inlet pipeline 200. The anode air enters the battery stack after passing through the anode air inlet pipeline 200 and the anode air inlet 120.

[0033] In one implementation, please refer to Figure 2 and Figure 3 The number of cathode inlets 140 and openings 181 can both be twice the number of a single battery stack 10. Both ends of the cathode inlet pipe 300 can be connected to two openings 181 respectively, and the middle of the cathode inlet pipe 300 can be connected to the buffer chamber 112. That is, a battery stack can have two cathode inlets, increasing the cathode inlet speed and thus improving the reaction speed of the battery stack.

[0034] In one implementation, please refer to Figure 1 and Figure 2 The number of individual cell stacks 10 can be multiple, and the number of cathode inlet pipes 300 can also be multiple, and they can be configured one-to-one with multiple individual cell stacks 10. Please refer to [link / reference]. Figure 5 The anode inlet pipe 200 may include a main pipe 210 and branch pipes 220. Branch pipes 220 may be connected to the main pipe 210, and there may be multiple branch pipes 220, each corresponding to one of the multiple single-cell stacks 10. Using multiple cell stacks can increase the power generation speed of the SOFC power generation module. For example, in this embodiment, the number of single-cell stacks 10 may be four, and both the cathode inlet pipe 300 and the branch pipes 220 may be four. Of course, in other embodiments, the number of single-cell stacks 10 may be five or six or more, etc., and no specific limitation is made here.

[0035] Understandably, the gas in each cathode inlet pipe 300 is heated by the cathode exhaust gas and then enters each battery stack separately. Similarly, the gas in each branch pipe 220 is heated by the cathode exhaust gas and then enters each battery stack separately, ensuring the independence of the gas intake for each single battery stack 10. Technicians can install valves on the cathode inlet pipe 300 and the branch pipe 220 to facilitate the control of the gas intake volume for each single battery stack 10.

[0036] In one implementation, please refer to Figure 2 Each cathode gas inlet pipe 300 is connected to the buffer chamber 112. That is, the cathode gas first passes through the buffer chamber 112 and then enters each cathode gas inlet pipe 300. This ensures that the pressure and flow rate of the cathode gas entering each battery stack are consistent, thus ensuring the chemical performance and lifespan of the battery stack.

[0037] In one implementation, please refer to Figure 5The anode inlet pipes 200 can be arranged symmetrically. Specifically, the winding lengths of the branch pipes 220 can be equal. One end of the main pipe 210 can be used for anode inlet, and the other end of the main pipe 210 can be connected to one end of each of the multiple branch pipes 220, with equal distances to the other ends of each branch pipe 220. Winding the branch pipes 220 can buffer the anode inlet and increase the contact area between the branch pipes 220 and the anode and cathode exhaust gases in the buffer chamber 112, ensuring that the anode inlet gas can be fully heated. Furthermore, winding each branch pipe 220 to an equal length ensures the consistency of gas pressure, flow rate, and temperature of the anode exhaust gas entering each battery stack, preventing performance degradation in individual battery stacks due to fuel starvation and ensuring the power generation efficiency of the SOFC power generation module.

[0038] In one implementation, please refer to Figure 2 and Figure 6 An anode exhaust pipe 400 can also be installed inside the heat exchange chamber 111 to prevent the anode waste gas and cathode waste gas from mixing within the heat exchange chamber 111, ensuring the independent subsequent recovery of the anode waste gas and cathode waste gas. The anode exhaust pipe 400 can include a main pipe 410 and branch pipes 420. There can be multiple branch pipes 420, and they can be configured one-to-one with multiple single battery stacks 10. Setting multiple branch pipes 420 can ensure the independence of the anode waste gas discharge of each battery stack.

[0039] In one implementation, please refer to Figure 1 and Figure 4 The base 100 has an anode vent 161 and a cathode vent 162. The anode outlet pipe 400 is connected to the anode vent 161, and the anode exhaust gas leaves the heat exchange chamber 111 after passing through the anode outlet pipe 400 and the anode vent 161. The cathode vent 162 is connected to the heat exchange chamber 111, and the cathode exhaust gas can leave the heat exchange chamber 111 through the cathode vent 162.

[0040] In one implementation, please refer to Figure 2 and Figure 6 The main pipe 410 can be square and can be attached to the cavity wall of the heat exchange chamber 111. Multiple cathode air inlet pipes 300 can be spaced apart in the square frame, saving installation space for multiple cathode air inlet pipes 300 and facilitating the miniaturization design of the base 100.

[0041] In one implementation, please refer to Figure 3 The upper surface of the base 100 may be provided with a groove 171, which can be used to accommodate the single battery stack 10, facilitating the installation and positioning of the battery stack.

[0042] The preferred embodiments of this disclosure have been described in detail above with reference to the accompanying drawings. However, this disclosure is not limited to the specific details of the above embodiments. Within the scope of the technical concept of this disclosure, various simple modifications can be made to the technical solutions of this disclosure, and these simple modifications all fall within the protection scope of this disclosure.

[0043] It should also be noted that the various specific technical features described in the above specific embodiments can be combined in any suitable manner without contradiction. In order to avoid unnecessary repetition, this disclosure will not describe the various possible combinations separately.

[0044] Furthermore, various different embodiments of this disclosure can be combined in any way, as long as they do not violate the spirit of this disclosure, they should also be regarded as the content disclosed in this disclosure.

Claims

1. A gas distribution device based on an SOFC power generation module, wherein the SOFC power generation module comprises a single cell stack, characterized in that, The gas distribution device based on the SOFC power generation module includes: A base is provided for placing the single battery stack and a heat exchange chamber is provided for containing the cathode exhaust gas and anode exhaust gas discharged from the single battery stack. An anode inlet pipe is located in the heat exchange chamber and communicates with the single-cell stack; and A cathode inlet pipe is located in the heat exchange chamber and is connected to the single battery stack. In this process, the lower-temperature anode inlet gas and cathode inlet gas exchange heat with the higher-temperature cathode exhaust gas and anode exhaust gas respectively within the heat exchange chamber.

2. The gas distribution device based on an SOFC power generation module according to claim 1, characterized in that, The base includes a top plate, a middle support, and a lower support stacked in sequence. The single battery is placed on the top plate, and the middle support is configured to be hollow. The top plate, the middle support, and the lower support together form the heat exchange cavity.

3. The gas distribution device based on an SOFC power generation module according to claim 2, characterized in that, The lower support is provided with a buffer chamber, which is connected to the cathode air inlet pipe. The cathode air enters the cathode air inlet pipe after passing through the buffer chamber.

4. The gas distribution device based on an SOFC power generation module according to claim 3, characterized in that, The middle support has an opening, the cathode air inlet pipe is connected to the opening and the buffer cavity respectively, the top plate has a cathode air inlet, the cathode air inlet is not aligned with the opening, but is connected to the opening.

5. The gas distribution device based on an SOFC power generation module according to claim 4, characterized in that, The number of cathode air inlets and the number of openings are both twice the number of single battery stacks. The two ends of the cathode air inlet pipe are respectively connected to two of the openings, and the middle part of the cathode air inlet pipe is connected to the buffer cavity.

6. The gas distribution device based on an SOFC power generation module according to claim 1, characterized in that, The number of individual battery stacks is multiple, the number of cathode inlet pipes is multiple, and each cathode inlet pipe is configured to correspond one-to-one with the individual battery stacks. The anode inlet pipe includes a main pipe and branch pipes. The branch pipes are connected to the main pipe. The number of branch pipes is multiple, and each branch pipe is configured to correspond one-to-one with the individual battery stacks.

7. The gas distribution device based on an SOFC power generation module according to claim 6, characterized in that, The branch pipes have equal winding lengths, one end of the main pipe is used for the anode air intake, and the other end of the main pipe is connected to one end of each of the branch pipes, and the distance to the other end of each branch pipe is equal.

8. The gas distribution device based on an SOFC power generation module according to claim 6, characterized in that, The heat exchange chamber is also equipped with an anode outlet pipeline, which includes a main pipeline and branch pipelines. There are multiple branch pipelines, and each branch pipeline corresponds to one of the multiple single battery stacks.

9. The gas distribution device based on an SOFC power generation module according to claim 8, characterized in that, The main pipe is square and is attached to the wall of the heat exchange chamber, and multiple cathode inlet pipes are spaced apart in the square frame.

10. The gas distribution device based on an SOFC power generation module according to claim 1, characterized in that, The upper surface of the base is provided with a groove for accommodating the single battery stack.

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