Assembly of blower and air filter

Abstract

The outlet of the blower extends through a hole in the circuit board to which the blower is attached. Electronic devices on the board control the operation of the blower. The blower can be configured as two consecutive blowers to provide more accurate control of the air flow. An air filter, such as an N95 filter, is removably attached to the air inlet of the blower on the front side of the circuit board. The front side of the board can be attached to the support panel with a gap between them and with the air filter facing and in fluid communication with the gap. An air filter gasket is disposed around the perimeter of the front edge of the circuit board such that air drawn through the air filter covering the air inlet of the blower first passes through the air filter gasket between the circuit board and the support panel. The air filter gasket can have a coarser mesh than the air filter. The blower is suitable for use in a fuel cell device to supply an electronically controlled air flow to a fuel cell.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to an assembly of a blower having an air filter and a circuit board, and more specifically, to an assembly for a filtered air blower with a circuit board having an electronic device for controlling a blower for use in a fuel processor, a fuel cell assembly, a fuel combustor, etc., which requires a well-controlled flow of filtered air or other oxygen-containing gas. As used herein, the term air will be understood to include oxygen-enriched air, or air diluted with nitrogen or otherwise with oxygen.

Background Art

[0002] Heat generating mechanisms such as catalytic oxidation devices, combustion devices, fuel reforming devices, or fuel cell devices are often controlled in various electronic systems. In this situation, an accurately controlled air flow is required to regulate the oxygen level of a chemical reaction or an electrochemical reaction to appropriately control the reaction. In many cases, the gas flow valve and the speed of the blower need to be electronically controlled to appropriately regulate the chemical reaction. It may be important to shield the electronic device from the heat generated by these mechanisms. Also, it may be important to filter the air being sent to the reactor.

[0003] Internal combustion engines, fuel cells, and fuel reformers generate a significant amount of heat. For this reason, difficulties may arise when attempting to install these mechanisms in close proximity to an individual or within a house, office, or other inhabited building. For this reason, difficulties may also arise when attempting to provide a compact device within a compact housing, and some of the mechanisms such as an electronic controller including an electronic device for controlling the air flow must be thermally isolated from the heat generating reaction while being in close proximity to the heat generating reaction.

[0004] Fuel-consuming devices may require an accurate air flow to ensure that the oxidation of the fuel proceeds in a well-controlled manner. For example, blowers for supplying air to these devices are often controlled by electronic devices that receive information from sensors, monitoring devices, and the like. Some of these electronic devices and other balance of plant (BOP) components need to be protected from the heat generated by the exothermic reactions they control and / or monitor.

[0005] The structures of conventional heat generation mechanisms such as internal combustion engines, fuel cells, and fuel reformers create additional difficulties in incorporating these mechanisms into an environment where occupants are present and / or installing these mechanisms in a compact housing. If the need to protect electronic devices and other components from the heat generated by the device results in too much space being taken up by the physical separation of components and electronic devices from the heat generating element, efforts to configure the device compactly can become complicated.

[0006] Air blowers can be useful for supplying air as an oxygen source to fuel-consuming devices. Some blowers are provided with air filters. However, these filters are bulky and tend to interfere with a compact configuration. Also, these filters can be inconvenient to replace and some are inadequate for protecting internal electronic devices from dust, moisture, droplets of impurities, etc. Many fuel cell assemblies and reformers utilize ambient air as an oxygen source for the electrical and chemical reactions occurring inside and for temperature control within the unit. Ambient air often contains particulate matter (e.g., dirt / dust), contaminants (e.g., sulfur, hydrocarbons), and / or moisture, each of which can potentially damage the fuel cell and reformer units. Unfortunately, existing filtration systems have been found to be insufficient for use with these systems.

[0007] Therefore, it is desirable to provide an improved structure for a heat generation mechanism that overcomes the drawbacks of the prior art.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0008]

Patent Document 1

Patent Document 2

Patent Document 3

Patent Document 4

Patent Document 5

Patent Document 6

Patent Document 7

Patent Document 8

Summary of the Invention

[0009] Generally speaking, according to the present invention, the device has at least two regions that are thermally isolated from each other. Using the air flow of ambient air from the air intake of the device, these regions can be maintained at different temperatures, such as one or more low-temperature regions and one or more high-temperature regions with temperatures above that of the low-temperature regions. Preferably, the low-temperature regions are suitable for electronic components. In one embodiment of the present invention, the air flow passes around the outside of the exothermic reactor or other exothermic device, thermally isolating the exothermic device contained therein from the outer surface of the outer housing of the device. In another embodiment of the present invention, using the air flow at the air intake, the temperature of one, two, or more than two low-temperature regions of the device is cooled so that heat-sensitive components such as electronic devices are not damaged by the heat generated by the exothermic device.

[0010] In one embodiment of the present invention, the device includes a heat generation mechanism such as a fuel combustor, a fuel reformer, a fuel cell, or a fuel cell stack. The fuel cell system according to the present invention can include a fuel reforming unit integrated with an electricity generation unit in a single fuel cell structure. The air flow from the air inlet can be used as an oxygen source for the heat generation mechanism. Using this air flow, it is possible to help keep the area thermally cool even in the vicinity of the heat generation mechanism from the heat of the heat generation mechanism. For example, the flow of ambient air can be blown or drawn through various components of the mechanism such as electronic components to keep these components cool. The inhaled air flow can also thermally isolate the outer surface of the device from the heat generated inside. This can be achieved by drawing in the inhaled air around the outside of the heating element. This air flow can be blown or drawn through any electronic device or other element that needs to be kept cool. This air then flows into the device and can serve as an oxygen source for any chemical reactions inside.

[0011] In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the heat generating mechanism can be housed within the double-walled housing of the device's overall housing. The internal space between the outer wall and the inner wall of the housing can act as an intake duct that can function as a structure with a tube within a tube. The arrangement of fins extends across the gap between the outer wall and the inner wall, transforming this structure into an assembly of intake cylinders that surround the entire length of the heat generating mechanism. This intake air flow can be drawn or blown from one or more internal low-temperature compartments or sub-compartments of the device and then sent to the heat generating compartment of the mechanism as an air source and / or an oxygen source. All of the high-temperature exhaust and excess intake air not required for the heat generating reaction can be sent directly outside the housing and piped to a convenient discharge location. Thus, when the air intake is at the rear end of the device, cold ambient air can be drawn into and around the entire upper and / or bottom and / or sides of the device, including the cold open space inside the device. Then, at least a portion of the intake air can be sent to the high-temperature compartment that generates heat, and the exhaust can be discharged from the rear end. The intake and exhaust ports can be aligned or concentric. For example, the intake port can surround the exhaust port.

[0012] In one embodiment of the present invention, the housing for the device has a double-walled structure, and both the inlet and the outlet are at the rear end. The heat generating mechanism is mounted on a platform and can be slid in and out from the front end of the housing. A blower can be arranged at the front end. The blower can draw in cooling air at the rear end of the housing and draw it into the internal low-temperature area on the front side of the housing through the air passage of the double wall around the length of the device. The internal area at the front end of the housing can function as a low-temperature area where at least some of the electronic devices and other elements that need to be kept at a low temperature can be mounted. After passing through the low-temperature area around the outside of the heat generating device, at least a portion of the intake air flow can be received by the heat generating mechanism, and the high-temperature exhaust and excess intake air not required by the heat generating device can be discharged outside the device.

[0013] According to the present invention, there is provided a blower device including a blower unit having a blower casing with an axial inlet and a radial outlet. An impeller for drawing in a gaseous medium (e.g., air) at a first pressure through the axial inlet and discharging the gaseous medium at a second, higher pressure from the radial outlet is disposed within the casing. A motor for driving the impeller is provided. The blower also includes an intake assembly. The casing has an air inlet and an air outlet. The air outlet is connected to the axial inlet of the blower casing of the blower unit. A check valve can be mounted within the casing and arranged to allow an air flow from the air inlet through the check valve to the air outlet and prevent an air flow from the air outlet from passing through the check valve and returning to the air inlet.

[0014] Before the air enters the intake of the blower, it may be advantageous to filter the incoming air to filter out particulate matter, volatile compounds, sulfur compounds, hydrocarbons, impurities, etc. from the environment and / or reduce moisture. The check valve prevents backflow from the fan or other process air from occurring in the zero-flow state. The filter can be a certain type of reticulated foam (low pressure loss) and may be doped with a specific material to perform the tasks listed above. In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the filter can meet the N95 certification standard. In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, a standard off-the-shelf N95 mask filter can be employed without the need for custom manufacturing. In other embodiments, a custom N95-compatible filter is used. The filter can have two layers and can have a structure in which the inner surfaces of the two layers are kept separated to increase the filter surface area and thus allow for a greater filtered air flow. The check valve can be a soft elastomer that opens with little induced pressure loss and closes and seals using a slight inherent stiffness and spring constant of the material.

[0015] The blower that feeds air into the heating device is preferably configured as a two-stage blower assembled continuously. Utilizing a system of a plurality of connected blowers according to the present invention may be useful for achieving the airflow requirements of a fuel cell or other sensitive heating mechanisms. A dual blower can help enable the system to benefit from both a low-inertia impeller for control and a low driving motor rpm and power consumption to provide the required airflow and pressure.

[0016] Assemblies of a fuel cell and a blower and assemblies of a fuel reformer and a blower are described, for example, in U.S. Patent No. 9,017,893, U.S. Patent No. 9,593,686, and U.S. Patent No. 9,512,846. The entire contents of each of these patents are hereby incorporated by reference. Further assemblies of a fuel cell and a blower characterized by the arrangement of a plurality of centrifugal blowers are described, for example, in International Application No. PCT / US2012 / 020707 filed on March 16, 2015, and International Publication No. 2016 / 148681 published on September 22, 2016, and the entire contents of each of these are hereby incorporated by reference.

[0017] The centrifugal blower according to the present invention can include a blower unit having a blower casing with an axial inlet and a radial outlet. Inside the casing, an impeller is disposed for drawing in a gaseous medium at a first pressure through the axial inlet and discharging the gaseous medium at a second, higher pressure from the radial outlet. A motor for driving the impeller is provided inside the housing. The intake assembly of the blower includes an intake casing having an air inlet and an air outlet. The air outlet is connected to the axial inlet of the blower casing of the blower unit. Advantageously, a check valve is mounted inside the casing and arranged to allow air flow from the air inlet to the air outlet and prevent air flow from the air outlet to the air inlet.

[0018] A suitable blower system comprises successive blower units. Each successive blower unit comprises a blower unit casing having an axial inlet and a radial outlet, an impeller, and a motor for driving the impeller. A duct connects the radial outlet of a successive first blower unit to the axial inlet of at least a second blower unit. The intake assembly of the blower assembly comprises an intake assembly casing having an air inlet and an air outlet. The air outlet is connectable to the axial inlet of the blower unit casing of a first one of the successive blower units. A check valve should be mounted within the intake assembly casing and adapted and arranged to permit air flow from the air inlet to the outlet but to prevent air flow from the air outlet to the air inlet.

[0019] The intake assembly for the centrifugal blower system herein provides several advantages compared to a single-stage blower. The blower includes, for example, a filter for the incoming air upstream of the check valve to filter particulate matter, volatile compounds, sulfur compounds, and other impurities that may be present in the ambient air. The filter can also include a desiccant to reduce moisture.

[0020] The check valve according to the present invention can prevent the zero-flow state from allowing backflow of air pushed from the intake fan to near the blower and other air treatment. High-temperature backflow may damage the solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC) and the catalyst by oxidation. The present invention can prevent this from occurring.

[0021] By utilizing the multiple blower system of the present invention to meet the requirements of the air flow of a fuel cell or other heat generating device, the system can benefit from both a low-inertia impeller for control and a low drive motor rpm and power consumption to provide the required air flow and pressure. Thus, in this integrated / interconnected arrangement of multiple centrifugal blowers, inherently, the inertial force is smaller than that of a single larger centrifugal blower with equivalent air flow capacity. Therefore, the centrifugal blower system here has improved response time and control over a wide range of gas pressure and air flow requirements compared to that of a single centrifugal blower unit. A fuel cell and blower assembly characterized by this arrangement of multiple centrifugal blowers is described, for example, in U.S. Patent Nos. 9,017,893, 9,593,686, and 9,512,846, the entire contents of each of which are hereby incorporated by reference. Further fuel cell and blower assemblies characterized by this arrangement of multiple centrifugal blowers are described, for example, in International Application No. PCT / US2012 / 020707 filed on March 16, 2015, and International Publication No. 2016 / 148681 published on September 22, 2016, the entire contents of each of which are hereby incorporated by reference.

[0022] It may be particularly advantageous to filter the air entering a fuel consumption device such as a fuel reformer or a fuel cell. In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the air blower is in fluid communication with the intake air. The blower comprises a housing having an axial inlet and a radial outlet. The inlet can include a mounting mechanism, and a filter having a mounting portion designed to fit and engage with the mounting mechanism of the housing can provide a removable mounting mechanism for installing the filter to cover the air inlet of the blower.

[0023] The filter according to the present invention can preferably meet the N95 standard. To improve the surface area and thus filtration and air flow, the filter should be a two-layer filter having an internal structure that separates the layers and an outer surface entirely available for air filtration.

[0024] The electronic device for flow control preferably measures the resistance of the air flow passing through the blower and determines whether it is necessary to change the filter. In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the filter can be screwed on or removed from the inlet of the blower so that it can be conveniently replaced and is securely and tightly sealed when installed.

[0025] In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the blower (including a dual impeller blower) is mounted on the same circuit board that controls the operation of the blower. For example, the circuit board can have holes, i.e., the nominal outer diameter of the air inlet. The blower can be mounted on the front side of the circuit board, and the inlet can extend through the hole to the rear side of the board. The front side can have most or all of the circuits and chips. The filter can be mounted on the inlet at the rear side of the board, e.g., the upper side.

[0026] The rear (bottom) side of the board, together with the exposed filter, can be mounted on a support panel within a low-temperature section of the device or a high-temperature sub-section that is sufficiently low in temperature for the control electronics. A gasket, such as a gasket formed of an air filter material, can be sandwiched between the outer edge of the rear side of the circuit board and the support panel to separate the board and the panel by an air flow. When the blower operates, the blower draws air into the gap between the circuit board and the support panel, through the air filter gasket, through the filter, and then into the heat-generating device. This helps to keep the board at a low temperature. The filter gasket can capture impurities and help prevent the blower filter from clogging.

[0027] By adjusting the dimensions of the double-walled air duct and / or the clearance around the circuit board on which the intake blower is installed, the air flow through the intake duct of the outer housing and the air flow through the circuit board attached to the blower can be increased to provide a highly efficient cooling system that can isolate the heat-generating element from the device and / or heat-sensitive components in the (one or more) low-temperature areas. Therefore, the device can be installed in close proximity to an individual near the device, and the internal electronic devices can be protected. Also, the device can be made relatively compact. Any electronic devices or other elements for the device can be kept at a low temperature in the low-temperature area without being physically separated greatly.

[0028] The fuel cell system according to the present invention can be connected to supply power to a home, an R / V, or other dwelling. The overall dimensions can be relatively small, being able to be 6 to 24 inches × 6 to 24 inches × 12 to 36 inches, and preferably the overall length is less than 4 feet, and similarly preferably the overall length exceeds 6 inches. A fuel line for providing a reformable fuel should also be included. When attempting to use a liquid fuel, a vaporizer for vaporizing the liquid fuel is useful.

[0029] The fuel cell, blower, circuit board, and filter can all be mounted on a platform that can be slid out from the housing. When sliding out the internal components on the platform for inspection and repair, the electrical connection to a dwelling or the like can be maintained.

[0030] Other advantages and objects of the present invention will become apparent from the following drawings and description.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0031] The following drawings are presented for illustrative purposes only and should not be considered as limiting the scope of the present invention. Although the drawings have a certain ratio, other ratios are also acceptable within the spirit and scope of the present invention.

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Mode for Carrying Out the Invention

[0032] This disclosure can be more easily understood by referring to the following detailed description of the disclosure in conjunction with the accompanying drawings that form a part of the disclosure. It is to be understood that the disclosure is not limited to the specific devices, methods, conditions, or parameters described and / or illustrated herein, and that the terms used herein are for the purpose of describing particular embodiments by way of example only and are not intended to be limiting of the claims.

[0033] Also, as used herein, including in the appended claims, the singular forms “a,” “an,” and “the” include the plural, and when referring to a particular numerical value, include at least that particular value unless the context clearly dictates otherwise. Ranges may herein be expressed as from “about” or “approximately” a particular value and / or to “about” or “approximately” another particular value. When such a range is expressed, another embodiment includes from a particular value and / or to another particular value. Similarly, when values are expressed as approximations using the antecedent “about,” it will be understood that the particular value forms another embodiment.

[0034] The present invention relates to a heat generating mechanism. Examples include catalytic fuel oxidizers or reformers, fuel cell systems, fuel consuming devices, fuel processing devices, or other heat generating devices. The terms heat generating mechanism, heat generating device, or heat generating device can include any type of heat generating device based on any kind of fuel, including the devices described in U.S. Patent No. 17267095, U.S. Patent No. 9627700, and U.S. Patent No. 9627701, filed on February 9, 2021. The content of this application and these patents are hereby incorporated by reference. Examples of heat generating devices and / or heat generating devices include generators, fuel reformers, internal combustion engines, fuel cell systems, etc. The expression fuel is to be understood to include both liquid fuels and gaseous fuels, including vaporized liquid fuels. The term fuel cell will be taken to include an integrated device that reforms fuel and generates electricity in an integrated device.

[0035] As used herein, the term fuel cell stack may include a plurality of integrated fuel cells. Each fuel cell may generate electricity in the form of direct current from an electrochemical reaction occurring therein. The individual fuel cells can be combined into a stack, and as balance of plant (BOP) components, various systems and structures for power generation can be cited, including fuel reformers, chemical reactors, gaskets, pumps, sensors, vaporizers, heat exchangers, fuel lines, blowers, switches, relays, thermistors, thermocouples, conduits, control electronics, and the like.

[0036] Examples of the heat generating device according to the present invention include those described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 9,627,700 and 9,627,701. The entire contents of these patents are hereby incorporated by reference. The fuel reformer according to the present invention can be configured to supply a reformed fuel such as a hydrogen-rich reformed fuel to the fuel cell stack. The fuel cell stack may operate at a relatively high temperature to maximize power generation. Therefore, a sufficient amount of air flow may be required for the fuel cell stack and / or BOP components. Part or all of the air flow may be mixed with the fuel to provide, for example, a fuel-air mixture and a hydrogen-rich reformed fuel. The air flow can also be used for the purpose of diluting the fuel to control the intensity of the chemical reaction. Further, other electronic components of the fuel cell system may act as heat generating sources that need to be cooled for proper operation.

[0037] Therefore, depending on the type and function of the individual internal components, there may be various thermal zones that need to be maintained at different temperatures and thermal sub-zones of those thermal zones.

[0038] As used herein, the terms hot zone or cool or cold zone are inherently relative. For example, a cool or cold zone may be well above room temperature but below the temperature of a hot zone. Further, the (one or more) hot zones and the (one or more) cold zones can include various sub - zones of different relative temperatures.

[0039] A heat - generating device according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention can include a low - temperature heat zone and a high - temperature heat zone. A heat - insulating wall can be installed at the interface between the two zones. The low - temperature (cold) heat zone can be in fluid communication with an air inlet through which an ambient air flow is drawn into the device. The high - temperature (hot) heat zone includes heat - generating devices such as a fuel reformer, a fuel cell, an internal combustion engine, etc. The two zones can be separated by a heat - insulating wall. A main air blower can be present at the interface between the two zones. The main air blower can draw ambient air into the low - temperature zone and maintain the low temperature of the low - temperature zone by a constant flow of ambient air. The blower can then blow this air directly or indirectly into the high - temperature zone as needed for proper operation of the exothermic reaction inside. For example, a sub - zone can be installed between the main blower and the high - temperature zone, and air for the heat - generating device can be drawn from the sub - zone.

[0040] Ambient air may contain undesirable particulate matter, contaminants, and / or moisture that may affect the proper operation of the fuel cell assembly and / or reformer. These particulate matters or contaminants may include sulfur or hydrocarbons and / or moisture that may damage the fuel cell and reformer unit. This damage can take the form, inter alia, of oxidation to internal components, hot spots from deposited particulate matter, or sudden cooling, which may cause structural defects in the components.

[0041] The components of the fuel cell assembly are designed to maintain their mechanical, chemical, and / or electrical integrity during start-up and normal operating modes when they are exposed to high operating temperatures. Problems can occur during the cooling period, for example, when transitioning to a low power mode or a shutdown procedure. For example, when the system is cooling, the air inside the fuel cell assembly can condense, creating a vacuum that may cause the fuel cell assembly to continuously draw outside air in through the air inlet and / or exhaust outlet. Exposure of the fuel cell assembly to this additional outside air may result in oxidation of the fuel cell stack or damage to its structural integrity. The check valves and filters described herein can help prevent these problems.

[0042] The device described in the present invention can be configured such that a heat generating device is mounted on a platform and a housing surrounds the platform. The housing can have a two-layer double wall with an intake conduit therebetween. The inner and outer layers of the double wall can be divided by a plurality of fins running along the length of the wall to create a cylindrical structure of a plurality of air passages along the length of the double wall, enhancing the efficiency of the air flow.

[0043] A surrounding air inlet can be present at the rear end of the housing, and an air blower can be present inside the front end of the housing. Thus, air can be drawn into the inlet, flow through the housing, flow around the outside of the entire device, and flow to its front side region. Thereby, a low temperature region can be created around the outer surface of the device. The rear end can also contain a low temperature region where surrounding air is drawn in. The front end can also contain a low temperature region since surrounding air flows from the air passage to the open front end of the housing. As a result, the low temperature region can be isolated from the high temperature region by the air flow across the air blower. Therefore, components that need to be at a low temperature, such as electronic components, can be mounted in the low temperature region (front, rear, or bottom), and the outer surface of the device can be kept relatively cool.

[0044] In one embodiment of the present invention, the apparatus includes a fuel cell system having one or more fuel processing components. These one or more fuel processing components can include one or more balance of plant (BOP) components configured to supply reformed fuel mixed with air to the fuel reforming section of the fuel cell stack. The fuel cell stack can be configured to generate electricity based on the reformed fuel provided from the reforming section. An electronically controlled blower can be installed in the air flow control area. These blowers control the accurate flow of air to the fuel cell components. These blowers can be installed in a flow control area that is kept cool by the flow of ambient air inside. All of the excess air blown into this flow control area can be discharged from the exhaust port of the apparatus.

[0045] In one embodiment of the present invention, the BOP component can include a flow switch unit configured to regulate the speed of the blower and stop when the air flow does not meet a preset requirement. The air flow can be measured by the flow switch unit. When the amount of air flow meets the preset requirement, the air flow in one or more of the blowers can be adjusted to maintain proper performance of the apparatus. In one embodiment of the present invention, the air flow switch unit can include a flat top or differential pressure switch. A dual blower that can be electronically controlled to operate at different speeds can be employed to adjust the air flow as needed. These flow control blowers of the BOP component can be attached to a low-temperature area for flow control, and keep the area cool to help protect any electronic components of the flow control system from the air flow into the flow control area.

[0046] The housing for the apparatus can include a thermal separation wall formed of a heat insulating material to separate high-temperature and low-temperature areas and sub-areas. Further, the (one or more) low-temperature areas or (one or more) high-temperature areas can be divided into different sub-areas maintained at different temperatures from each other.

[0047] In one embodiment of the present invention, a fuel cell system and one or more fuel processing components can include one or more BOP components configured to supply reformed fuel to a fuel cell stack. The fuel cell stack can be configured to generate power based on the reformed fuel provided from the one or more BOP components. The fuel cell stack can be installed in a first high-temperature sub-region, and the BOP components can be provided in a second high-temperature sub-region that is cooler than the first high-temperature sub-region.

[0048] In one embodiment of the present invention, the port of the air inlet is arranged at the front end of the housing and can be configured to draw ambient air into the low-temperature region. The high-temperature region can include a high-temperature region exhaust port for discharging the high-temperature gas generated by the exothermic reaction inside. The high-temperature region exhaust port can also be installed at the front of the housing. The exhaust port and the inlet can be concentric. In one embodiment of the present invention, the port of the exhaust is surrounded by the port of the air inlet. The exhaust port and the inlet can also be arranged side by side at the rear of the device.

[0049] During operation, the main blower can draw air from the inlet into the internal open space at the rear end defined by the housing, and then draw it into the internal space at the open front end of the housing through the air ducts in the surrounding housing walls outside the housing. The blower then comprises an electronically controlled blower system for feeding an electronically controlled amount of air into a high-temperature zone or into a high- or low-temperature sub-zone such as a flow control zone that feeds air into a heat-generating device that consumes oxygen, such as a fuel cell device, a fuel reformer, a fuel processor, or a fuel combustor. The blower can also blow the intake air into a low-temperature zone for flow control that controls the exact air flow to the fuel consumption / combustion / reformulation device. The high-temperature exhaust exits from the exhaust port of the high-temperature zone. The electronic components can be installed in the low-temperature zone, and the heat-generating components can be installed in the high-temperature zone of the device, with the low-temperature zone being in fluid communication with the inlet of the surrounding intake air upstream from the (one or more) high-temperature zones. The high-temperature zone is downstream from the air blower and can be in fluid communication with the exhaust port. In one embodiment of the present invention, the high-temperature zone can be completely surrounded by at least one of the low-temperature zones at the front, side, and / or rear, except for the exhaust port.

[0050] A preferred embodiment of a heat-generating fuel consumption device configured according to the present invention is shown generally in FIG. 1 as fuel cell 100. Fuel cell 100 includes a rear end 110, a central section 150, and a front end cap 180 including a front end. Central section 150 extends from a central section front portion 150f to a central section rear portion 150r. The central section rear portion 150r of central section 150 is located at the rear end 110 of reformer 100. The central section front portion 150f of central section 150 is located at the front cap 180 of reformer 100. The rear end 110 of the reformer includes an inlet 111 that is concentric with an outlet 112 formed to penetrate a rear cap 113. Central section 150 includes a housing cover 160 around a fuel cell 171 mounted within a high temperature region 170 maintained at a high temperature by heat given off by the heat-generating fuel cell 171. Fuel cell 171 includes, at its anode end, an array of fuel reforming reactors that produce a hydrogen-rich reformed fuel, and at its cathode end where electricity is generated from the reformed fuel, a blower 172 for drawing air into inlet 111 and an electronic equipment assembly 183 mounted in a low temperature region 182 within front cap 180. Front cap 180 can be removably and fixedly held to central section front portion 150f with bolts.

[0051] A flow control blower and an electronic system for regulating the precise flow of air to fuel cell 171 by controlling the speed of these flow control blowers can be mounted in a low temperature flow control region 200. Fuel cell 171, blower 172, electronic equipment 183, and the (following) system of flow control region 200 can all be mounted together on a mounting platform as a unit that can be slid in and out from front end cap 180 of the housing for maintenance, inspection, repair, or component replacement. Fuel cell system 100 can remain electrically connected to the destination of the electricity generated by fuel cell system 100.

[0052] The housing cover 160 is formed by an outer wall 161 and an inner wall 162. The housing duct 165 for the intake air flow is formed between the outer wall 161 and the inner wall 162. The arrangement of fins 166 extends from the inner surface of the outer wall 161 into the housing duct 165 and extends to the inner wall 162, forming an array of cylindrical ducts along the inner surface of the outer wall 161.

[0053] The inner wall 162 is shorter than the outer wall 161. Accordingly, the housing duct 165 is exposed at the rear end 150r of the central section 150 and at the rear end 150r. There is a gasket 115 around the outer peripheral edge of the inner surface of the rear cap 113. The rear end 150r of the central section 150 is pressed into the gasket 115. Since the inner wall 162 of the central section 150 is shorter than the outer wall 161 and the fins 166, the internal duct 165 can be in contact with the rear end 150r of the central section 150. Similarly, there is a gasket 181 around the outer peripheral edge of the inner surface of the front cap 180. Accordingly, the internal duct 165 can also be in contact with the front end 150f. As a result, an internal space is created within the rear cap 113 and the front cap 180. The housing duct 165 is in fluid communication with these internal spaces.

[0054] The air inlet 111 is in fluid communication with the interior defined by the rear cap 113 / front end 110. However, the outlet 112 is sealed from the interior of the rear cap 113. Thus, all the air entering the inlet 111 enters the interior of the rear cap 113 which is in fluid communication with the housing conduit 165 at the rear end 150r of the central compartment 150. The housing conduit 165 is in fluid communication with the front interior 182 surrounded by the front cap 180 at the front end 150f of the central compartment 150. The inlet end 173 of the blower 172 is in fluid communication with the interior 182 of the front cap 180. The radial outlet 174 of the blower 172 is in fluid communication with the fuel cell 171. Thus, when the blower 172 operates, the blower 172 draws air into the inlet 111 in the direction of arrow A, along the housing conduit 165 in the direction of arrow B, and then into the front interior 182 in the direction of arrow C. An electronic device assembly 183 is attached to the front interior 182. Thus, the intake air is blown through over the electronic device 183 before entering the fuel cell 171 upstream of the fuel cell 171, keeping the electronic device 183 cool in the low - temperature zone for the electronic device.

[0055] By the intake air flowing along the outside of the fuel cell 100 and flowing into the interior 182 of the front cap 180, a low - temperature zone is formed outside the fuel cell 100 and in the front interior 182. Thus, the outer surface of the fuel cell 100 and the front interior 182 containing the electronic device 183 and other elements that need to be kept cool can be provided. A heat - insulating wall 167 is provided at the rear end of the low - temperature zone 182 for the electronic device. The blower 172 is attached to the heat - insulating wall 167. The wall 167 and the blower 172, and the intake air flowing through the conduit 165 all help to isolate the heat - generating part of the fuel cell 100.

[0056] The blower 172 guides the intake air into the flow control region 200 in the direction of arrow D. At least a part of the air from the flow control region 200 flows into the high-temperature region 170, and a part is directly blown into the fuel cell 171, where it participates in the exothermic reaction, generating a high-temperature exhaust flow that moves in the direction of arrow E. The exhaust flow and the high-temperature air heated by the heat from the exothermic process of the fuel cell 171 then exit from the exhaust port 112 of the fuel cell 100 in the direction of arrow F. The exhaust port 112 can be elongated to transport the high-temperature exhaust to a suitable chimney, exhaust pipe, or other structure. However, since the exhaust port 112 is concentric within the intake port 111, the intake air helps with this thermal isolation.

[0057] The low-temperature flow control region 200 is in fluid communication with the ambient air drawn in by the blower 172. The blower controlled in the flow control region 200 regulates the exact amount of air entering the fuel cell 171. Excess air can flow around the fuel cell 171.

[0058] A fuel cell device combining a fuel reformer and a fuel cell stack is shown generally in FIG. 2 as a heating device 201. A flow of intake air 216 at ambient temperature enters the device 201 from the intake port 211. The intake air 216 flows along a conduit 265 formed by a double-walled outer housing 250 similar to the housing of the reformer 100. The intake air 216 is drawn into the device 201 by a main blower 273. An open front recess 282 is located at the front end of the device 201 and is defined by a removable front cap 280. The front cap 280 is bolted and held in place with respect to the conduit 265. An assembly of electronic equipment 283 is attached to the rear recess 282. The intake air 216 is directed to blow over the rear end of the electronic equipment 283, or to pass in front of the electronic equipment 283, or both.

[0059] The device 201 includes an integrated fuel reformer and a fuel cell 271. The fuel reformer section receives the flow of fuel from a fuel line and the flow of air from the intake hose 276 of the reformer. The fuel cell section that generates electricity from the reformed fuel receives the flow of air from the fuel cell hose 275. The air flows from hoses 275 and 276 are controlled by an assembly of electronic devices 290 for flow control. The electronic devices 290 for flow control control the air flow from the blower assembly 350 for the fuel cell. The electronic devices 290 for flow control and the blower 300 are located in a flow control area 202 below the high-temperature area 270 that houses the fuel cell 271. The high-temperature area 270 can be surrounded by a heat-insulating wall.

[0060] The flow control area 202 is in fluid communication with the ambient intake air 216. Thus, the flow of flow control air 217 flows from the blower 272 into the flow control area 202, keeping the flow control area 202 as a relatively low-temperature area within the heating device 201. When the air supply 217 is controlled by the electronic devices 290 for flow control, it supplies the intake air to the fuel cell 271. The excess air blown into the flow control area 202 flows into the high-temperature area 270 and will flow around the fuel cell 271. This air helps to cool the outside of the fuel cell 271 and prevent the high-temperature area 270 from getting too hot.

[0061] The dual-fan blower 300 of the blower assembly 350 is shown generally in FIGS. 3 and 4. The blower 300 includes a housing 301 having an axial inlet 310 and a radial outlet 320. In FIG. 3, the filter 400 is shown attached to the inlet 310. In FIG. 4, the filter 400 is shown removed from the inlet 310. The filter 400 fits with the inlet 310 in the direction of arrow A. Thus, all the air supplied to the fuel cell 271 can be filtered. A suitable filter meets the requirements of N95 certification.

[0062] Fig. 5 shows a top perspective view of a part of the blower housing 500 of the blower 300. Fig. 6 shows a top view of the housing 500, and Fig. 7 shows a side view of the housing 500. The housing 500 includes a fan area 510 for accommodating an electronically controlled fan (not shown) that draws air into the inlet 310 and blows the air out from the outlet 320.

[0063] The inlet 310 is configured to removably fix the filter 400 to the inlet 310. The inlet 310 is circular and has a plurality (three) of claws 315 extending outward from the inlet 310. Each claw 315 has a base 316 extending axially upward from the inlet 310, a smooth transition portion 317, and a hook portion 318 extending radially from the transition portion 317. Each claw 315 is offset toward the center of the inlet 310 at the shelf-like portion 319. Since the claws 315 are offset toward the center of the inlet 310, the inlet 310 can provide a circular base 314 that is continuous for effective sealing with the filter 400.

[0064] The filter 400 is shown in Figs. 8, 9, and 10 in a bottom perspective view, a bottom view, and a side view, respectively. The filter 400 includes a central mounting portion 410 extending axially from the bottom surface of the filter 400. The mounting portion 410 includes a circular fitting shelf portion 414 for engaging and sealing with the base 314 of the blower housing 500 of the blower 300. The filter 400 also includes an engaging edge portion 411 that fits snugly inside the inner surface of the base 314 to help seal the filter 400 to the air inlet 310.

[0065] The mounting portion 410 at the center of the filter 400 also includes a plurality (three) of engaging slots 415 for receiving each (e.g., three) of the claws 315 of the blower housing 500. The mounting portion 400 also includes a plurality (three) of cam ribs 418. To attach the filter 400 to the blower 300, the mounting portion 410 is pressed upward in the direction of arrow A (FIG. 4) with respect to the inlet 310. Then, the filter 400 is rotated radially until the hooks 318 of the claws 315 of the housing 500 pass downward through the slots 415 of the filter 400. The upper surface 420 of the cam rib 418 is inclined. The left end of each cam rib 418 is inside the filter 400 that is farther from the surface of the engaging shelf portion 414 than the right end. Therefore, after inserting the claw 315 below the slot 415, the filter 400 is rotated. Thereby, the upward-facing surface of the hook 318 hits the thin / low downward-facing surface of the cam rib 418. When the filter 400 is further rotated, the engagement of the downward-facing surface of the lower surface 420 becomes a tighter engagement with the upward-facing surface of the hook 318, and the engagement between the engaging shelf-like portion 414 of the filter 400 and the base 314 of the inlet 310 is tightened, and an effective seal between the filter 400 and the inlet 310 of the blower 300 is achieved.

[0066] The filter 400 can be formed of any suitable filter material. The filter 400 is preferably a two-layer filter having spaces between layers so that the surface area is increased and thus the filter surface for filtering the air flow into the inlet 310 is increased. The filter 400 preferably complies with the N95 certification standard. Also, it is preferable to configure the filter 400 so that the upper and lower surfaces are separated so that air can be filtered through both the upper and lower surfaces of the filter 400 before flowing into the inlet 310.

[0067] The electronic device 290 for flow control includes sensors for measuring the air flow. These sensors will be able to detect whether the filter 400 is too clogged for proper air flow and / or proper filtration. In this case, the electronic device 290 can activate a warning signal such as a flash lamp and / or an audible signal. At this time, the heating device 201 can be stopped and the filter 400 can be replaced. This can be done by rotating the filter 400 in the reverse direction and sliding the hook 318 towards the slot 415, thereby removing the filter 400 from the inlet 310 in the opposite direction of the arrow A.

[0068] The attachment of the blower 300 to the printed circuit board (PCB) 375 is clearly shown in FIG. 13. The circuit board 375 includes a hole 376 for receiving the axial inlet 310 of the blower 300. With the axial inlet 310 inserted into the hole 376, the blower 300 is mounted on the substrate 375 in the direction of the arrow Z. Then, the filter 400 is attached to the exposed axial inlet 310 extending from the hole 376 to provide an inlet for filtered air for the air received by the blower 300, and when controlled by the flow control network 290, the filtered air is supplied to the fuel cell 271.

[0069] Referring to FIGS. 12 and 13, the blower assembly 300 and the control circuitry 290 are mounted on the circuit board 375. The BOP support panel 380 is used to mount the PCB 375 within the flow control region 202 of the heating device 201. FIG. 11 is a bottom perspective view of the PCB 375 mounted on the support panel 380, and FIG. 12 shows an exploded view. An air filter gasket 385 is sandwiched between the upper surface of the PCB 375 and the support panel 380. The support panel 380 is fixed within the flow control region 202. Air flows through the filter gasket 385 in the direction of arrow X. The filter gasket 385 allows the air flow in the direction of arrow X to reach the filter 400. If the filter 385 is coarser than the filter 400, it will prevent the filter 400 from clogging with larger particles that can be filtered by the filter gasket 385.

[0070] The airflow through the blower 300 is clearly shown in FIGS. 14 and 15. Air from the relatively low-temperature flow control area 202 is drawn in by the blower 300 so as to pass through the filter 385 in the direction of arrow X. The filter gasket 385 acts as a primary filter and can prevent larger particles from being blocked and reaching the filter 400 to cause clogging. This helps to extend the life of the filter 400. After passing through the filter 385, the air flows between the panel 380 and the substrate 375. Due to the narrow dimensions, the flow rate can be increased, which helps to keep the substrate 375 at a low temperature. After passing between the substrate 375 and the panel 380, the air is drawn through the filter 400. The gap between the substrate 375 and the panel 380 can be made wider than the height of the filter 400 so as to allow air flow both above and below the filter 400 so that all of the filter 400 can be used for filtration. After passing through the blower 300, the air passes through the outlet 320 and is finally led to the fuel cell 271. In a specific embodiment of the present invention, it is not necessary to use an N95-certified filter. In fact, in a specific embodiment of the present invention, the filter 400 can be omitted, and only the filter gasket 385 can be used around the outer edge of the interface between the PCB and the plate.

[0071] Note that if the present application lists steps of a method or procedure in a specific order, the order in which some steps are performed may be changed, or it may be more convenient in a specific situation. The specific steps of the claims of the method or procedure described below are not construed as being ordered unless the specificity of such order is clearly stated in the claims.

[0072] The preferred embodiments of the device and method have been described with reference to the environment in which they are deployed, but the preferred embodiments merely illustrate the principles of the present invention. Modifications or combinations of the above assemblies, other embodiments, configurations, and methods for carrying out the present invention, and variations of aspects of the present invention that are obvious to those skilled in the art are intended to be within the scope of the claims.

Claims

1. A circuit board having a front side, a rear side, and a hole passing through the front side and the rear side; A blower unit attached to the front side of the substrate, having an axial inlet and a radial outlet, wherein the inlet extends through the hole to the rear side of the substrate; A filter attached to the inlet on the rear side of the substrate; A blower assembly comprising the above.

2. The blower assembly according to claim 1, wherein the circuit board is a printed circuit board.

3. The blower assembly according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the filter is an air filter.

4. The blower assembly according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the filter meets the N95 certification filter standard.

5. The inlet and the outlet are part of a blower casing, the blower unit comprises a centrifugal blower having an impeller disposed within the casing, the impeller and the casing are configured and adapted to draw in a gaseous medium at a first pressure through the axial inlet and discharge the gaseous medium at a second, higher pressure from the radial outlet, a motor is mounted within the casing, and the motor is configured and adapted to drive the impeller. The blower assembly according to any one of claims 1 to 4.

6. The blower assembly according to any one of claims 1 to 5, further comprising a check valve mounted within the casing and arranged and adapted to permit air flow from the inlet to the outlet and prevent air flow from the outlet to the inlet.

7. The blower assembly according to any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein the check valve comprises a flexible diaphragm attached to the inlet of the casing.

8. The blower unit comprises a continuous blower, and each of the continuous blowers comprises a blower casing having an axial inlet and a radial outlet, an impeller disposed within the casing for drawing in a gaseous medium at a first pressure through the axial inlet and discharging the gaseous medium at a second, higher pressure from the radial outlet, and a motor for driving the impeller. The blower assembly according to any one of claims 1 to 7, wherein each blower casing comprises a duct connecting the radial outlet of at least the first blower in the continuous blowers to the axial inlet of a second blower among the continuous blowers.

9. A second blower unit is attached to the rear side of the circuit board, an air intake of the second blower unit extends to the front side of the circuit board through a second hole penetrating the circuit board, and a second filter is attached to the air intake of the second blower unit on the front side of the circuit board. The blower assembly according to any one of claims 1 to 8.

10. The circuit board is attached to the support panel in a state where the front side of the circuit board faces and is parallel to the support panel, a gasket is disposed around the outer edge of the circuit board between the circuit board and the support panel, the gasket is composed of a filter material, and is adapted to allow an air flow through the gasket to the filter attached to the intake. The blower assembly according to any one of claims 1 to 9.

11. The gasket is a primary filter adapted to be a filter with a coarser mesh than the filter attached to the intake, so that particles that are too small to be collected by the primary filter are collected by the filter attached to the intake. The blower assembly according to any one of claims 1 to 10.

12. A blower assembly according to any one of claims 1 to 11, installed in a fuel cell device, wherein the outlet of the blower unit is coupled to the fuel cell device to supply air to the fuel cell device.

13. A blower assembly according to any one of claims 1 to 12, installed in a fuel cell device, wherein the outlet of the blower unit is coupled to the anode of the fuel cell device, and the outlet of the second blower unit is coupled to the cathode of the fuel cell device.

14. A blower assembly according to any one of claims 1 to 13, which is mounted inside a fuel cell device and adapted to supply air to the fuel cell device, wherein the circuit board contains an electronic controller for controlling the speed of air flowing from the one or more blower units to the fuel cell device.

15. A blower assembly according to any one of claims 1 to 14, which is mounted inside a fuel cell device, wherein the one or more blowers are mounted in a flow control chamber, ambient air is blown into the flow control chamber from a main fan, and the one or more blowers draw in the air in the flow control chamber and blow the air into the fuel cell device.

16. A blower assembly according to any one of claims 1 to 15, wherein the support panel is mounted to the flow control chamber.

17. A method of operating a fuel cell, comprising: drawing in ambient air into a flow control chamber; drawing air into one or more blowers in the flow control chamber through an air filter gasket as a primary filter disposed between a support panel and a circuit board mounted on the support panel; drawing in the air that has passed through the air filter gasket through an air filter above the inlets of the one or more blowers, and then blowing the filtered air into the fuel cell.

18. The method according to claim 17, further comprising electronically controlling the operation of the one or more blowers with electronic devices on the circuit board.

19. The method according to claim 18, wherein the fuel cell gives off heat to the circuit board, and the circuit board is cooled by the flow of ambient air around the flow control chamber.

20. An apparatus having a heat generating mechanism for generating heat, comprising: a housing having an outer surface and an inner surface defining an interior of the housing, the housing having a front portion, a rear portion, and a length from the front portion to the rear portion; the heat generating mechanism having an upper portion, a bottom portion, a front portion, a rear portion, and side portions, mounted within a high temperature region inside the housing; an intake conduit in fluid communication with an ambient air source at an air inlet of the housing, the intake conduit being in fluid communication with a low temperature region inside the housing, the low temperature region being at a temperature lower than the temperature of the high temperature region. An air blower having an axial inlet and a radial outlet, the air blower being mounted on the rear side of a circuit board mounted within the low temperature region, with the inlet extending through a hole in the circuit board, an air filter covering the axial inlet on the front side of the circuit board, the axial inlet in fluid communication with the intake conduit, the heat generating mechanism having an air inlet in fluid communication with the outlet of the blower, the circuit board having an assembly of electronic devices for flow control adapted to control the operation of the blower to control the flow of air to the heat generating mechanism, a primary filter disposed on the circuit board upstream of the air filter, whereby air is first drawn through the primary filter before reaching the air filter covering the axial inlet, the primary filter having a coarser mesh than the air filter, a device comprising.

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