Centralized gas supply fuel cell system

Abstract

The embodiment of the utility model provides a fuel cell system for centralized gas supply. The fuel cell system comprises a fuel cell stack, an air inlet pipe, a communicating air pipe, a cooling liquid circulating pipe and a heat exchange component. The heat exchange component is provided with a heat pipe cavity and a cold pipe cavity, the fuel cell stack is communicated with the heat pipe cavity of the heat exchange component through the cooling liquid circulating pipe, and the air inlet pipe is sequentially communicated with the cold pipe cavity of the heat exchange component, the communicating air pipe and the fuel cell stack; therefore, heat exchange between the cooling liquid and the air in the heat exchange component is achieved. The cooling liquid led out of the fuel cell stack is led out to heat the air before entering the stack, so that the problem that the performance of a membrane electrode is reduced due to the fact that the voltage of a single fuel cell is too low is avoided. Therefore, the fuel cell system for centralized gas supply disclosed by the embodiment of the utility model has the advantage of improving the output performance of the fuel cell.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The utility model relates to the technical field of batteries, in particular to a fuel cell system with centralized gas supply. Background Art

[0002] Currently, the power of a single fuel cell system is generally low. For high-power applications, multiple fuel cells are connected in parallel to provide independent air supply. This fuel cell air subsystem typically includes key components such as an air filter, air compressor, intercooler, and humidifier. The air compressor is the primary source of heat for the incoming air. Consequently, multiple air compressors and auxiliary components are used, resulting in a large number of components, bulky design, and complex control, leading to high equipment investment costs. Furthermore, the generated power is typically only 200-300 kW, making it difficult to meet the requirements of high-power power generation scenarios. Utility Model Content

[0003] This utility model is based on the inventor's discovery and understanding of the following facts and problems: centralized air supply, which uses a single air compressor to simultaneously supply air to multiple fuel cell stacks, can significantly increase power generation, potentially reaching megawatts and above. During research, it was discovered that the temperature of the centralized air, after being compressed by the air compressor and then entering the fuel cell stack through a pipeline, is typically around 20-40°C. This low air inlet temperature can easily cause the fuel cell single-chip voltage to be too low, which in turn can lead to a decrease in membrane electrode performance.

[0004] The present invention aims to address, at least to some extent, one of the technical problems in the related art. To this end, embodiments of the present invention provide a fuel cell system with centralized gas supply. This fuel cell system has the advantages of reducing equipment investment costs and improving fuel cell output performance.

[0005] The centralized gas supply fuel cell system of the embodiment of the present invention includes a fuel cell stack, an air intake pipe, a connecting air pipe, a coolant circulation pipe and heat exchange components.

[0006] The heat exchange component has a hot tube cavity and a cold tube cavity. The fuel cell stack is connected to the hot tube cavity of the heat exchange component through the coolant circulation pipe. The air intake pipe is connected to the cold tube cavity of the heat exchange component, and the cold tube cavity is connected to the fuel cell stack through the connecting air pipe. It can be understood that the air entering the fuel cell stack is heated by the coolant inside the stack to increase the temperature of the air entering the stack.

[0007] The centralized air supply fuel cell system of the embodiment of the present invention heats the air entering the fuel cell stack by draining the coolant inside the fuel cell stack and exchanging heat with the air before entering the stack, thereby avoiding the problem of too low voltage of the fuel cell single chip and degradation of membrane electrode performance due to too low temperature of the air entering the stack. At the same time, the coolant inside the stack exchanges heat with the air entering the stack, and the coolant after heat exchange with the air also alleviates the pressure on cooling and cooling the coolant circulation to a certain extent. In addition, appropriately increasing the intake temperature can better control the humidity level in the battery and avoid the problem of battery performance degradation due to over-humidity or over-dryness. For example, at lower temperatures, water may more easily condense into liquid to block the gas channel; at higher temperatures, it is more conducive to maintaining an appropriate humidity state to ensure good ion conductivity.

[0008] Meanwhile, independent air supply generally produces air at a high temperature (over 100°C) after being compressed by an air compressor, often requiring an additional intercooler for cooling. However, centralized air supply not only saves equipment investment costs but also eliminates the need for cooling equipment. This reduces equipment investment costs and effectively avoids additional power consumption. Therefore, this centralized air supply fuel cell system offers the advantages of reduced costs and increased efficiency.

[0009] Furthermore, to address the low inlet temperature problem associated with centralized air supply, the air can be heated without installing a new heating device, reducing equipment investment costs while also synergistically cooling the coolant within the fuel cell stack, thereby reducing the electrical power consumed to lower the coolant temperature. Therefore, the centralized air supply fuel cell system of the present invention has the advantages of reduced costs and increased efficiency.

[0010] Therefore, the centralized gas supply fuel cell system of the embodiment of the present invention has the advantages of reducing equipment investment costs and improving performance.

[0011] In some embodiments, the coolant circulation pipe includes an inlet pipe and a return pipe, the two ends of the inlet pipe are respectively connected to the coolant outlet of the fuel cell stack and the coolant inlet of the heat pipe cavity of the heat exchange component, and the two ends of the return pipe are respectively connected to the coolant inlet of the fuel cell stack and the coolant outlet of the heat pipe cavity of the heat exchange component.

[0012] In some embodiments, the centralized gas supply fuel cell system also includes a coolant flow controller and a first temperature sensor. The coolant flow controller and the first temperature sensor signals correspond to each other. The coolant flow controller is arranged on the liquid inlet pipe, and the first temperature sensor is arranged in the coolant chamber in the fuel cell stack to obtain the current temperature of the coolant in the coolant chamber.

[0013] In some embodiments, the centralized air supply fuel cell system also includes an air flow controller and at least one of the proportional valves and a first temperature sensor. The air flow controller and / or the proportional valve are arranged on the intake pipe, and the first temperature sensor is arranged on the intake pipe to obtain the temperature of the air before heat exchange.

[0014] In some embodiments, the centralized air supply fuel cell system further includes an air filter, which is disposed on the air intake pipe and at the front end of the air flow controller.

[0015] In some embodiments, the centralized gas supply fuel cell system further includes a gas storage tank, which is connected to the inlet of the air intake pipe.

[0016] In some embodiments, the heat exchange component is a heat exchanger or an intercooler.

[0017] In some embodiments, the heat exchanger is at least one of a plate heat exchanger, a spiral plate heat exchanger, a shell and tube heat exchanger, and a shell and tube heat exchanger.

[0018] In some embodiments, the centralized gas supply fuel cell system further includes a humidifier, which is disposed on the communicating air pipe to increase the humidity of the air in the communicating air pipe.

[0019] In some embodiments, the cathode outlet of the fuel cell stack is in communication with the wet-side inlet of the humidifier.

[0020] In some embodiments, the centralized gas supply fuel cell system further includes a back pressure valve, which is disposed downstream of the wet side outlet of the humidifier. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0021] Figure 1 It is a schematic diagram of the process flow of the fuel cell system with centralized gas supply of the present utility model.

[0022] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of a heat exchange device of the present invention.

[0023] Reference numerals:

[0024] Fuel cell stack 1;

[0025] Intake pipe 2; connecting air pipe 3;

[0026] Liquid inlet pipe 41; Liquid return pipe 42;

[0027] Heat exchange component 5; hot tube cavity 51; cold tube cavity 52;

[0028] Coolant flow controller 6;

[0029] Air filter 7;

[0030] Air flow controller 8;

[0031] Humidifier 9;

[0032] Back pressure valve 10. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0033] The embodiments of the present invention are described in detail below, and examples of the embodiments are shown in the accompanying drawings. The embodiments described below with reference to the accompanying drawings are exemplary and intended to be used to explain the present invention, but should not be understood as limiting the present invention.

[0034] Reference below Figure 1-Figure 2 The fuel cell system with centralized gas supply according to an embodiment of the present invention is described.

[0035] The centralized gas supply fuel cell system of the embodiment of the present invention includes a fuel cell stack 1 , an air intake pipe 2 , a connecting air pipe 3 , a coolant circulation pipe and a heat exchange component 5 .

[0036] The heat exchange component 5 has a hot lumen 51 and a cold lumen 52. The fuel cell stack 1 is connected to the hot lumen 51 of the heat exchange component 5 via a coolant circulation pipe. The air intake pipe 2 is connected to the cold lumen 52 of the heat exchange component 5, and the cold lumen 52 is connected to the fuel cell stack 1 via a connecting air pipe 3. It can be understood that the air entering the fuel cell stack 1 is heated by the coolant inside the stack, thereby raising the temperature of the air entering the stack.

[0037] The centralized air supply fuel cell system of the embodiment of the present invention heats the air entering the fuel cell stack by draining the coolant inside the fuel cell stack and exchanging heat with the air before entering the stack, thereby avoiding the problem of too low voltage of the fuel cell single chip and degradation of membrane electrode performance due to too low temperature of the air entering the stack. At the same time, the coolant inside the stack exchanges heat with the air entering the stack, and the coolant after heat exchange with the air also alleviates the pressure on cooling and cooling the coolant circulation to a certain extent. In addition, appropriately increasing the intake temperature can better control the humidity level in the battery and avoid the problem of battery performance degradation due to over-humidity or over-dryness. For example, at lower temperatures, water may more easily condense into liquid to block the gas channel; at higher temperatures, it is more conducive to maintaining an appropriate humidity state to ensure good ion conductivity.

[0038] Meanwhile, independent air supply generally produces air at a high temperature (over 100°C) after being compressed by an air compressor, often requiring an additional intercooler for cooling. However, centralized air supply not only saves equipment investment costs but also eliminates the need for cooling equipment. This reduces equipment investment costs and effectively avoids additional power consumption. Therefore, this centralized air supply fuel cell system offers the advantages of reduced costs and increased efficiency.

[0039] Furthermore, to address the low inlet temperature problem associated with centralized air supply, the air can be heated without installing a new heating device, reducing equipment investment costs while also synergistically cooling the coolant within the fuel cell stack, thereby reducing the electrical power consumed to lower the coolant temperature. Therefore, the centralized air supply fuel cell system of the present invention has the advantages of reduced costs and increased efficiency.

[0040] Therefore, the centralized gas supply fuel cell system of the embodiment of the present invention has the advantages of reducing equipment investment costs and improving performance.

[0041] like Figure 1 and Figure 2 As shown, the coolant circulation pipe includes an inlet pipe 41 and a return pipe 42. The two ends of the inlet pipe 41 are respectively connected to the coolant outlet of the fuel cell stack 1 and the coolant inlet of the heat pipe cavity 51 of the heat exchange component 5. The two ends of the return pipe 42 are respectively connected to the coolant inlet of the fuel cell stack 1 and the coolant outlet of the heat pipe cavity 51 of the heat exchange component 5.

[0042] The centralized gas supply fuel cell system of the present embodiment divides the coolant circulation pipe into an inlet pipe 41 and a return pipe 42, and then the two ends of the inlet pipe 41 are respectively connected to the coolant outlet of the fuel cell stack 1 and the coolant inlet of the heat pipe cavity 51 of the heat exchange component 5, and the two ends of the return pipe 42 are respectively connected to the coolant inlet of the fuel cell stack 1 and the coolant outlet of the heat pipe cavity 51 of the heat exchange component 5, thereby drawing the coolant from the fuel cell stack 1 and exchanging heat with the heat exchange component 5. As a result, the centralized gas supply fuel cell system of the present embodiment has the advantages of simple structure and strong adaptability.

[0043] Furthermore, the liquid inlet pipe 41 and the liquid return pipe 42 are both connected to the cooling liquid cavity in the fuel cell stack 1 , and the liquid inlet pipe 41 and the liquid return pipe 42 can be connected to the cooling liquid cavity through a connector.

[0044] like Figure 1 As shown, the centralized gas supply fuel cell system of an embodiment of the present invention also includes a signal-corresponding coolant flow controller 6 and a first temperature sensor. The coolant flow controller 6 is arranged on the liquid inlet pipe 41, and the first temperature sensor is arranged in the coolant chamber in the fuel cell stack 1 to obtain the current temperature of the coolant in the coolant chamber.

[0045] The centralized gas supply fuel cell system of the present invention, through the cooperation between the coolant flow controller 6 and the first temperature sensor, can control the flow rate of the coolant, thereby facilitating stable gas exchange and mass transfer with the intake air, thereby ensuring the stability of the intake air temperature, thereby improving the overall performance of the fuel cell.

[0046] like Figure 1 As shown, the centralized air supply fuel cell system of the present invention also includes an air flow controller 8 and / or a proportional valve and a second temperature sensor. The air flow controller 8 and / or the proportional valve are provided on the intake pipe 2. The second temperature sensor is provided on the intake pipe 2 to obtain the temperature of the air before heat exchange. This helps to control the stability of the intake air temperature and intake air volume to maintain normal operation of the fuel cell.

[0047] Furthermore, the proportional valve is a proportional valve that controls the opening.

[0048] like Figure 1 As shown, the centralized air supply fuel cell system of the embodiment of the present invention further includes an air filter 7 , which is arranged on the air intake pipe 2 , and the air filter 7 is arranged at the front end of the air flow controller 8 .

[0049] The centralized air supply fuel cell system of the present invention embodiment purifies the air before it enters the fuel cell stack 1 through the provided air filter 7, thereby preventing dust in the air from entering the fuel cell stack 1 and affecting the fuel cell performance and mass transfer performance. As a result, the centralized air supply fuel cell system improves the performance of the centralized air supply fuel cell system.

[0050] like Figure 1 As shown, the centralized gas supply fuel cell system of the present invention further includes a gas storage tank connected to the inlet of the air intake pipe 2. According to the operating conditions of the fuel cell stack, the air flow in the pipeline is regulated to meet the flow control requirements of different operating conditions.

[0051] The heat exchange component 5 is a heat exchanger or an intercooler.

[0052] Optionally, the heat exchanger can be a plate heat exchanger, a spiral plate heat exchanger, a shell and tube heat exchanger, or a shell and tube heat exchanger, which can heat the incoming air without requiring additional auxiliary components, thus reducing equipment investment costs.

[0053] In addition, when the heat exchange element 5 is an intercooler, the intercooler coolant inlet and outlet for the fuel cell are reversed, that is, the stack coolant outlet is connected to the intercooler coolant inlet, and vice versa, both of which can achieve the purpose of fuel cell air heating under centralized air supply mode.

[0054] like Figure 1 As shown, the centralized gas supply fuel cell system of the embodiment of the present invention further includes a humidifier 9 , which is arranged on the communicating air pipe 3 to increase the air humidity in the communicating air pipe 3 .

[0055] The air heated by the heat exchanger enters the dry-side inlet of the humidifier 9 for humidification. The outlet of the humidifier 9 is connected to the air inlet of the fuel cell stack 1, and the humidified heated air is input into the fuel cell stack 1. The high-temperature, high-humidity gas at the outlet of the fuel cell stack 1 is connected to the wet inlet of the humidifier 9, providing the humidity for the humidifier 9.

[0056] The cathode outlet of the fuel cell stack 1 is connected to the wet side inlet of the humidifier 9. Since the exhaust gas temperature is relatively high, the exhaust gas can be reused to heat the intake air, further improving the energy utilization of the fuel cell stack.

[0057] The centralized air supply fuel cell system of the present embodiment further includes a back pressure valve 10, which is disposed downstream of the wet side outlet of the humidifier 9. Thus, while exhaust gas is being discharged, the air inlet pressure to the stack is regulated by adjusting the opening of the back pressure valve 10.

[0058] In the description of the present invention, it should be understood that the terms "center", "longitudinal", "lateral", "length", "width", "thickness", "up", "down", "front", "back", "left", "right", "vertical", "horizontal", "top", "bottom", "inside", "outside", "clockwise", "counterclockwise", "axial", "radial", "circumferential" and the like to indicate orientations or positional relationships based on the orientations or positional relationships shown in the accompanying drawings, and are only for the convenience of describing the present invention and simplifying the description, and do not indicate or imply that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, be constructed and operated in a specific orientation, and therefore should not be understood as a limitation to the present invention.

[0059] Furthermore, the terms "first" and "second" are used for descriptive purposes only and should not be construed as indicating or implying relative importance or implicitly specifying the number of the technical features being referred to. Thus, a feature specified as "first" or "second" may explicitly or implicitly include at least one such feature. In the description of this utility model, "plurality" means at least two, such as two, three, etc., unless otherwise specifically defined.

[0060] In this utility model, unless otherwise specified or limited, the terms "installed," "connected," "connect," "fixed," etc. should be understood in a broad sense. For example, they can refer to fixed connection, detachable connection, or integration; mechanical connection, electrical connection, or communication; direct connection or indirect connection through an intermediate medium; internal communication between two elements or interaction between two elements, unless otherwise specified. For those skilled in the art, the specific meanings of the above terms in this utility model can be understood according to specific circumstances.

[0061] In the present invention, unless otherwise expressly specified or limited, when a first feature is "above" or "below" a second feature, it may mean that the first and second features are in direct contact, or the first and second features are in indirect contact through an intermediary. Furthermore, when a first feature is "above," "above," or "above" a second feature, it may mean that the first feature is directly above or diagonally above the second feature, or simply means that the first feature is at a higher level than the second feature. When a first feature is "below," "below," or "below" a second feature, it may mean that the first feature is directly below or diagonally below the second feature, or simply means that the first feature is at a lower level than the second feature.

[0062] In the present invention, the terms "one embodiment", "some embodiments", "example", "specific example", or "some examples" mean 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 expressions of the above terms do not necessarily refer to the same embodiment or example. Moreover, the specific features, structures, materials or characteristics described can be combined in any one or more embodiments or examples in a suitable manner. In addition, those skilled in the art can combine and combine different embodiments or examples described in this specification and the features of different embodiments or examples without contradiction.

[0063] Although the embodiments of the present invention have been shown and described above, it can be understood that the above embodiments are illustrative and cannot be understood as limitations on the present invention. Ordinary technicians in this field can change, modify, replace and modify the above embodiments within the scope of the present invention.

Claims

1. A fuel cell system with centralized gas supply, characterized in that: include: A fuel cell stack, an air intake pipe, a connecting air pipe, a coolant circulation pipe and a heat exchange component, wherein the heat exchange component has a hot tube cavity and a cold tube cavity, the fuel cell stack is connected to the hot tube cavity of the heat exchange component through the coolant circulation pipe, the air intake pipe is connected to the cold tube cavity of the heat exchange component, the connecting air pipe and the fuel cell stack are connected in sequence, so as to realize heat exchange between coolant and air in the heat exchange component.

2. The centralized gas supply fuel cell system according to claim 1, characterized in that: The coolant circulation pipe includes an inlet pipe and a return pipe. The two ends of the inlet pipe are respectively connected to the coolant outlet of the fuel cell stack and the coolant inlet of the heat pipe cavity of the heat exchange component. The two ends of the return pipe are respectively connected to the coolant inlet of the fuel cell stack and the coolant outlet of the heat pipe cavity of the heat exchange component.

3. The centralized gas supply fuel cell system according to claim 2, characterized in that: It also includes a coolant flow controller and a first temperature sensor, the coolant flow controller and the first temperature sensor signals correspond to each other, the coolant flow controller is arranged on the liquid inlet pipe, and the first temperature sensor is arranged in the coolant chamber in the fuel cell stack to obtain the current temperature of the coolant in the coolant chamber.

4. The centralized gas supply fuel cell system according to claim 1, characterized in that: It also includes at least one of an air flow controller and a proportional valve and a second temperature sensor, the air flow controller and / or the proportional valve are arranged on the intake pipe, and the second temperature sensor is arranged on the intake pipe to obtain the temperature of the air before intake.

5. The centralized gas supply fuel cell system according to claim 4, characterized in that: An air filter is also included. The air filter is arranged on the air intake pipe, and the air filter is arranged at the front end of the air flow controller.

6. The centralized gas supply fuel cell system according to claim 1, characterized in that: It also includes an air storage tank, which is connected to the inlet of the air intake pipe; and / or the heat exchange component is a heat exchanger or an intercooler.

7. The fuel cell system with centralized gas supply according to claim 6, characterized in that: The heat exchanger is at least one of a plate heat exchanger, a spiral plate heat exchanger, a shell and tube heat exchanger, and a shell and tube heat exchanger.

8. The centralized gas supply fuel cell system according to claim 1, characterized in that: A humidifier is also included, and the humidifier is arranged on the communicating air pipe to increase the humidity of the air in the communicating air pipe.

9. The fuel cell system with centralized gas supply according to claim 8, characterized in that: The cathode outlet of the fuel cell stack is in communication with the wet-side inlet of the humidifier.

10. The centralized gas supply fuel cell system according to claim 9, characterized in that: A back-pressure valve is also included, and the back-pressure valve is arranged downstream of the wet-side outlet of the humidifier.

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