Gas-water separator device for low-power fuel cell

By designing a gas-water separator device for low-power fuel cells, using a wire mesh layer to capture small droplets and a hot water inlet pipe to prevent freezing, the problems of insufficient water separation efficiency and freezing in low-power fuel cell systems are solved, and the stability and reliability of the system are improved.

CN223363165UActive Publication Date: 2025-09-19SUZHOU HYWAVE TECH CO LTD
View PDF 0 Cites 0 Cited by

Patent Information

Application Number
CN202422049248.9
Authority / Receiving Office
CN · China
Patent Type
Utility models(China)
Current Assignee / Owner
Filing Date
2024-08-23
Publication Date
2025-09-19
Estimated Expiration
2034-08-23

AI Technical Summary

Technical Problem

In low-power fuel cell systems, traditional gas-water separators have insufficient water separation efficiency under low flow and low flow rate conditions and cannot meet the needs of high-efficiency gas-water separation. There is also a risk of freezing during cold start or low-temperature environments, affecting the stability and reliability of the system.

Method used

An air-water separator device including a separation component and a cooling component was designed. The separation component includes an air inlet pipe, a sealing ring, a wire mesh layer, an exhaust and drain valve, and a drain pipe. The cooling component includes a hot water inlet pipe and a hot water outlet pipe. The wire mesh layer is used to capture small droplets. Heat exchange is achieved through the hot water inlet and outlet pipes to prevent freezing, and accumulated water is automatically discharged through the exhaust and drain valve.

Benefits of technology

It achieves efficient gas-water separation, improves the performance and stability of the fuel cell, reduces maintenance frequency, ensures normal operation of the device in various environments, and prevents equipment damage caused by freezing or flooding.

✦ Generated by Eureka AI based on patent content.

Smart Images

  • Figure CN223363165U_ABST
    Figure CN223363165U_ABST
Patent Text Reader

Abstract

The gas-water separator device comprises a lower body, an upper cover, a separation assembly arranged on one side of the upper cover and a cooling assembly arranged on one side of the lower body, the bottom of the upper cover is fixedly connected with the top of the lower body, a water storage cavity is formed in the lower body, the separation assembly comprises a gas inlet pipe, a gas outlet pipe and a gas outlet pipe, through the arrangement of a sealing ring arranged on the circumferential outer wall of the gas inlet pipe, a silk screen layer arranged in the water storage cavity, an exhaust and drainage valve arranged at the bottom of the lower body and a separation assembly, the efficient gas-water separation effect can be achieved, the flow rate of hydrogen is rapidly reduced after the hydrogen enters due to the arrangement of the volume of the water storage cavity, large liquid drops can rapidly settle under the action of gravity, and the gas-water separation effect is improved. In addition, due to the mesh arrangement of the silk screen layer, small liquid drops of micron can be effectively captured, and the separation efficiency is further improved. And the separation mechanism of the device body ensures that gas discharged from the hydrogen outlet basically does not contain small liquid drops, so that the stability and optimization of the performance of the fuel cell are ensured.
Need to check novelty before this filing date? Find Prior Art

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The utility model relates to the technical field of hydrogen fuel cells, in particular to a gas-water separator device for low-power fuel cells. Background Art

[0002] As a highly efficient and environmentally friendly energy conversion technology, hydrogen fuel cells have garnered widespread attention worldwide due to their clean energy properties and high energy conversion efficiency. Hydrogen fuel cells generate direct current through an electrochemical reaction between hydrogen and oxygen, with water as their only byproduct, making hydrogen a leading clean energy source. However, in practical applications, when the anode of a hydrogen fuel cell operates at high current densities, the hydrogen leaving the stack carries a significant amount of condensed water. If this liquid water is not effectively separated, it can cause flooding when circulated back into the stack, leading to a drop in stack voltage, an increase in range, and, in severe cases, irreversible damage.

[0003] In high-power fuel cell systems, baffle-type or cyclone-type gas-water separators are typically used to address this issue. These separators achieve high water separation efficiency under conditions of high hydrogen flow rates and rapid flow rates. However, in low-power fuel cell systems, due to the low hydrogen flow rates and slow flow rates, baffle-type or cyclone-type separators have low water separation efficiency and cannot meet the requirements of low-power systems.

[0004] In response to the special needs of low-power fuel cell systems, traditional gas-water separation technology has limitations. Baffle or cyclone separators cannot effectively separate liquid water from hydrogen under conditions of small flow and low flow rate, resulting in insufficient water separation efficiency and unable to meet the requirements of low-power fuel cell systems for high-efficiency gas-water separation. In addition, these traditional separators may face the risk of freezing when operating in cold start or low-temperature environments, affecting the stability and reliability of the system.

[0005] Therefore, in order to solve the shortcomings of the above problems, a gas-water separator device for a low-power fuel cell is proposed. Summary of the Invention

[0006] The utility model overcomes the deficiencies of the prior art and provides a gas-water separator device for a low-power fuel cell.

[0007] To achieve the above-mentioned object, the technical solution adopted by the present invention is as follows: a gas-water separator device for a low-power fuel cell, comprising: a lower body and an upper cover, a separation component arranged on one side of the upper cover, and a cooling component arranged on one side of the lower body;

[0008] The bottom of the upper cover is fixedly connected to the top of the lower body, a water storage cavity is defined in the lower body, and the separation assembly includes: an air intake pipe, a sealing ring provided on the circumferential outer wall of the air intake pipe, a wire mesh layer provided in the water storage cavity, an exhaust and drain valve provided at the bottom of the lower body, and a drain pipe provided on the upper cover and on one side of the exhaust and drain valve;

[0009] The cooling assembly includes a hot water inlet pipe, a water cavity arranged in the lower body, and a hot water outlet pipe arranged on one side of the lower body.

[0010] In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the top end of the air intake pipe is connected to the upper surface pipe of the lower body, the bottom end of the air intake pipe is located in the water storage cavity, the circumferential outer wall of the air intake pipe is fixedly connected to the circumferential inner wall of the sealing ring, and the sealing ring is located between the air intake pipe and the lower body.

[0011] In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the outer wall of the wire mesh layer is fixedly connected to the inner wall of the water storage cavity, and the air inlet pipe passes through the wire mesh layer and is fixedly connected.

[0012] In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the bottom of the lower body is connected to the top pipe of the exhaust and drain valve, one side of the exhaust and drain valve is connected to the drain pipe, a hydrogen inlet is opened on one side of the upper cover, the bottom inner wall of the hydrogen inlet is connected to the bottom of the air inlet pipe, and a hydrogen outlet is opened on the other side of the upper cover, and the hydrogen outlet is connected to the water storage cavity.

[0013] In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, a hydrogen inlet is provided on one side of the upper cover, and the bottom inner wall of the hydrogen inlet is communicated with the bottom of the air inlet pipe.

[0014] In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, a hydrogen outlet is provided on the other side of the upper cover, and the hydrogen outlet is communicated with the water storage cavity.

[0015] In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the water cavity is opened in the lower body, one end of the hot water introduction pipe is connected to one side of the lower body, and the hot water introduction pipe is communicated with the water cavity.

[0016] In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, one end of the hot water outlet pipe is connected to the other side of the lower body, and the hot water outlet pipe is communicated with the water cavity.

[0017] In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the mesh number of the screen layer is 325 meshes.

[0018] In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, a PTC heater is provided in the exhaust and drain valve.

[0019] The present invention solves the defects in the background technology and has the following beneficial effects:

[0020] (1) The present invention provides a gas-water separator device for a low-power fuel cell. The device achieves efficient gas-water separation through the arrangement of a separation component. The volume of the water storage chamber is configured so that the hydrogen flow rate decreases rapidly after entering the chamber, facilitating the rapid sedimentation of larger droplets under the action of gravity. Furthermore, the mesh size of the wire mesh layer effectively captures small droplets of -μm, further improving the separation efficiency. The separation mechanism of the device ensures that the gas discharged from the hydrogen outlet is substantially free of small droplets, thereby ensuring stable and optimized fuel cell performance.

[0021] (2) The present invention provides a gas-water separator device for a small-power fuel cell. By setting an exhaust and drain valve, the exhaust and drain valve is intermittently opened to promptly remove the water accumulated in the water storage chamber, thereby avoiding secondary pollution or equipment damage that may be caused by long-term retention of water. Automatic drainage and exhaust not only reduces the frequency and complexity of manual maintenance, but also improves the reliability of the entire device and the convenience of maintenance.

[0022] (3) The present invention provides a gas-water separator device for a small-power fuel cell. Through the setting of the cooling component, the device body utilizes the hot water of the fuel cell small cycle, which enters through the hot water inlet pipe and flows out through the hot water outlet pipe, thereby realizing rapid ice melting and temperature difference control inside the device body, effectively preventing equipment failure caused by freezing. At the same time, the PTC heater integrated in the exhaust and drain valve further ensures that the exhaust and drain valve can work normally even under extremely cold conditions, preventing maintenance problems caused by freezing and enhancing the adaptability of the device body. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0023] The present invention is further described below with reference to the accompanying drawings and embodiments;

[0024] Figure 1 This is a cross-sectional structural diagram of a gas-water separator according to a preferred embodiment of the present utility model;

[0025] Figure 2 This is a top view of the water separator according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention;

[0026] Figure 3 It is a positive triaxial structural diagram of the gas-water separator of the preferred embodiment of the present utility model.

[0027] In the figure: 1. Gas-water separator upper cover; 2. Hydrogen inlet; 3. Sealing ring; 4. Air inlet pipe; 5. Water cavity; 6. Gas-water separator lower shell; 7. Hot water inlet pipe; 8. Hydrogen outlet; 9. Wire mesh layer; 10. Hot water outlet pipe; 11. Water storage chamber; 12. Exhaust and drain valve; 13. Drain pipe. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0028] The present invention will now be described in further detail with reference to the accompanying drawings and embodiments. These drawings are simplified schematic diagrams that only illustrate the basic structure of the present invention in a schematic manner, and therefore only show components related to the present invention.

[0029] like Figure 1 As shown, a gas-water separator device for a low-power fuel cell comprises: a gas-water separator lower shell 6 and a gas-water separator upper cover 1, a separation component arranged on one side of the gas-water separator upper cover 1, and a cooling component arranged on one side of the gas-water separator lower shell 6;

[0030] like Figure 2-Figure 3 As shown, the bottom of the gas-water separator upper cover 1 is fixedly connected to the top of the gas-water separator lower shell 6. A water storage chamber 11 is opened in the gas-water separator lower shell 6. The separation component includes: an air inlet pipe 4, a sealing ring 3 arranged on the outer wall of the air inlet pipe 4, a wire mesh layer 9 arranged in the water storage chamber 11, an exhaust and drain valve 12 arranged at the bottom of the gas-water separator lower shell 6, and a drain pipe 13 arranged on the gas-water separator upper cover 1 and on one side of the exhaust and drain valve 12.

[0031] The top end of the air intake pipe 4 is connected to the upper surface pipe of the lower shell 6 of the air-water separator. The bottom end of the air intake pipe 4 is located in the water storage cavity 11. The circumferential outer wall of the air intake pipe 4 is fixedly connected to the circumferential inner wall of the sealing ring 3. The sealing ring 3 is located between the air intake pipe 4 and the lower shell 6 of the air-water separator. The outer wall of the wire mesh layer 9 is fixedly connected to the inner wall of the water storage cavity 11. The air intake pipe 4 passes through the wire mesh layer 9 and is fixedly connected.

[0032] The bottom of the lower shell 6 of the gas-water separator is connected to the top pipeline of the exhaust and drain valve 12, and one side of the exhaust and drain valve 12 is connected to the drain pipe 13. A hydrogen inlet 2 is provided on one side of the gas-water separator upper cover 1, and the bottom inner wall of the hydrogen inlet 2 is connected to the bottom of the air inlet pipe 4. A hydrogen outlet 8 is provided on the other side of the gas-water separator upper cover 1, and the hydrogen outlet 8 is connected to the water storage cavity 11. A hydrogen inlet 2 is provided on one side of the gas-water separator upper cover 1, and the bottom inner wall of the hydrogen inlet 2 is connected to the bottom of the air inlet pipe 4. A hydrogen outlet 8 is provided on the other side of the gas-water separator upper cover 1, and the hydrogen outlet 8 is connected to the water storage cavity 11.

[0033] It should be noted that the provision of the water storage chamber 11 can provide sufficient space for collecting condensed water, and the wire mesh layer 9 effectively captures small droplets carried by the hydrogen flow through physical interception, ensuring the purity of the gas, thereby improving the performance and life of the fuel cell and reducing the maintenance requirements caused by moisture and pollutants; the exhaust and drain valve 12 and the drain pipe 13 are used in conjunction with each other to provide an automated drainage solution, allowing the accumulated moisture in the water storage chamber 11 to be automatically discharged regularly or as needed, avoiding manual intervention, and improving the reliability of the device body and the convenience of maintenance; the provision of the sealing ring 3 ensures the seal between the air inlet pipe 4 and the lower shell 6 of the gas-water separator to prevent gas leakage, while also protecting the internal components from the influence of the external environment, and the hydrogen inlet 2 and the hydrogen outlet 8 can ensure the smoothness of the hydrogen flow and the separation efficiency. The provision of the hydrogen inlet 2 allows hydrogen to directly enter the water storage chamber 11, while the hydrogen outlet 8 ensures that the purified hydrogen can flow out smoothly, thereby optimizing the entire gas-water separation process and improving the overall performance of the fuel cell.

[0034] like Figure 1-Figure 3 As shown, the cooling assembly includes: a hot water inlet pipe 7, a water cavity 5 provided in the lower shell 6 of the gas-water separator, and a hot water outlet pipe 10 provided on one side of the lower shell 6 of the gas-water separator;

[0035] The water chamber 5 is opened in the lower shell 6 of the air-water separator, one end of the hot water inlet pipe 7 is connected to one side of the lower shell 6 of the air-water separator, and the hot water inlet pipe 7 is connected to the water chamber 5. One end of the hot water outlet pipe 10 is connected to the other side of the lower shell 6 of the air-water separator, and the hot water outlet pipe 10 is connected to the water chamber 5. The mesh number of the wire mesh layer 9 is 325 meshes, and a PTC heater is provided in the exhaust and drain valve 12.

[0036] It should be noted that, by setting up the hot water inlet pipe 7 and the hot water outlet pipe 10, an effective heat exchange mechanism is realized, and the water cavity 5 can ensure the uniformity and continuity of the hot water flow, thereby forming a stable heat circulation system in the entire device body, which helps to maintain the temperature balance inside the device and avoid affecting the separation efficiency or causing equipment damage due to excessive temperature difference. The 325 mesh setting of the wire mesh layer 9 not only provides an efficient gas-water separation effect, but also helps to evenly distribute the gas when passing through, further promoting the heat exchange process. The fine wire mesh increases the contact area between the gas and hot water, improves the heat exchange efficiency, and helps to quickly remove moisture from the hydrogen. The PTC heater integrated in the exhaust and drain valve 12 provides additional anti-freeze protection for the device, so that the PTC heater can heat the device body in a cold environment in time to prevent residual water from freezing, ensuring that the device body can operate stably under various climatic conditions.

[0037] When the present invention is used, the water-containing hydrogen coming out of the anode side of the fuel cell enters from the hydrogen inlet 2, enters from the air inlet pipe 4, and flows into the water storage chamber 11. Due to the large volume of the water storage chamber 11, the flow rate of the hydrogen drops rapidly after entering the water storage chamber 11. The larger droplets in the hydrogen flow downward under the action of gravity and remain in the water storage chamber 11. The hydrogen with the remaining 3-5um small liquid flows upward through the 5cm wire mesh layer 9, the mesh number of the wire mesh layer 9 is 325 meshes. When the small droplets gather into large droplets, they also flow downward under the action of gravity into the water storage chamber 11 and flow out from the hydrogen outlet 8. The water in the water storage chamber 11 is discharged from the gas-water separator through the drain pipe 13 after the exhaust and drain valve 12 is intermittently opened.

[0038] During a cold start: To prevent residual water in the gas-water separator from freezing, the outlet is blocked. During a cold start, hot water from the fuel cell's small cycle enters the hot water inlet pipe 7 and exits the hot water outlet pipe 10. The overall hot water flow direction is bottom-in, top-out, which can quickly melt the ice in the gas-water separator. This also reduces the temperature difference between the hydrogen leaving the stack and the low temperature outside the gas-water separator, reducing condensation and further improving the water separation efficiency of the gas-water separator. Furthermore, the exhaust and drain valve 12 has a built-in PTC heater to prevent the valve core of the exhaust and drain valve 12 from freezing.

[0039] In summary, the device body adopts a wire mesh gas-water separator and utilizes the condensation water separation principle to solve the water separation problem on the hydrogen side of the low-power fuel cell system, improve the water separation efficiency, and reduce the risk of fuel cell flooding.

[0040] The above description is based on the ideal embodiment of the present invention. Based on the above description, relevant personnel can make various changes and modifications without departing from the technical scope of the present invention. The technical scope of the present invention is not limited to the content of the specification, but must be determined according to the scope of the claims.

Claims

1. A gas-water separator device for a low-power fuel cell, comprising: The gas-water separator lower shell (6) and the gas-water separator upper cover (1), a separation component arranged on one side of the gas-water separator upper cover (1), and a cooling component arranged on one side of the gas-water separator lower shell (6), are characterized in that; The bottom of the gas-water separator upper cover (1) is fixedly connected to the top of the gas-water separator lower shell (6); a water storage chamber (11) is provided in the gas-water separator lower shell (6); and the separation assembly comprises: an air inlet pipe (4), a sealing ring (3) arranged on the circumferential outer wall of the air inlet pipe (4), a wire mesh layer (9) arranged in the water storage chamber (11), an exhaust and drain valve (12) arranged at the bottom of the gas-water separator lower shell (6), and a drain pipe (13) arranged on the gas-water separator upper cover (1) and on one side of the exhaust and drain valve (12); The cooling assembly comprises: a hot water inlet pipe (7), a water cavity (5) arranged in the lower shell (6) of the gas-water separator, and a hot water outlet pipe (10) arranged on one side of the lower shell (6) of the gas-water separator.

2. The gas-water separator device for a low-power fuel cell according to claim 1, characterized in that: The top end of the air intake pipe (4) is connected to the upper surface pipe of the lower shell (6) of the air-water separator, the bottom end of the air intake pipe (4) is located in the water storage cavity (11), the circumferential outer wall of the air intake pipe (4) is fixedly connected to the circumferential inner wall of the sealing ring (3), and the sealing ring (3) is located between the air intake pipe (4) and the lower shell (6) of the air-water separator.

3. The gas-water separator device for a low-power fuel cell according to claim 1, characterized in that: The outer wall of the wire mesh layer (9) is fixedly connected to the inner wall of the water storage cavity (11), and the air inlet pipe (4) passes through the wire mesh layer (9) and is fixedly connected.

4. The gas-water separator device for a low-power fuel cell according to claim 1, characterized in that: The bottom of the gas-water separator lower shell (6) is connected to the top pipeline of the exhaust and drain valve (12), and one side of the exhaust and drain valve (12) is connected to the drain pipe (13). A hydrogen inlet (2) is provided on one side of the gas-water separator upper cover (1), and the bottom inner wall of the hydrogen inlet (2) is connected to the bottom of the air inlet pipe (4). A hydrogen outlet (8) is provided on the other side of the gas-water separator upper cover (1), and the hydrogen outlet (8) is connected to the water storage chamber (11).

5. The gas-water separator device for a low-power fuel cell according to claim 1, characterized in that: A hydrogen inlet (2) is provided on one side of the gas-water separator upper cover (1), and the bottom inner wall of the hydrogen inlet (2) is communicated with the bottom of the air inlet pipe (4).

6. The gas-water separator device for a low-power fuel cell according to claim 1, characterized in that: A hydrogen outlet (8) is provided on the other side of the gas-water separator upper cover (1), and the hydrogen outlet (8) is communicated with the water storage chamber (11).

7. The gas-water separator device for a low-power fuel cell according to claim 1, characterized in that: The water cavity (5) is opened in the lower shell (6) of the gas-water separator, one end of the hot water inlet pipe (7) is connected to one side of the lower shell (6) of the gas-water separator, and the hot water inlet pipe (7) is communicated with the water cavity (5).

8. The gas-water separator device for a low-power fuel cell according to claim 1, characterized in that: One end of the hot water outlet pipe (10) is connected to the other side of the lower shell (6) of the gas-water separator, and the hot water outlet pipe (10) is communicated with the water cavity (5).

9. The gas-water separator device for a low-power fuel cell according to claim 1, characterized in that: The mesh number of the silk screen layer (9) is 325 meshes.

10. The gas-water separator device for a low-power fuel cell according to claim 1, characterized in that: A PTC heater is provided in the exhaust and drain valve (12).