Actuated flap configuration assembly for gas flow in a fuel cell system

Abstract

To provide a control flap configuration assembly which can prevent gas leakages.SOLUTION: There is provided a control flap configuration assembly for a gas flow in a fuel cell system, in particular in a vehicle. The control flap configuration assembly includes: a control flap housing 14 providing a gas flow channel 46; and a control flap 16 with a disk-like control flap body 24, the control flap 16 whose position being adjustable in the control flap housing 14 between a closed position substantially preventing a gas flow flowing through the gas flow channel 46 and at least one open position opening up the gas flow channel 46 for the throughflow. A control flap seat 26 is provided on the control flap housing 14, and a sealing region 40 bearing against the control flap seat 26 in the closed position of the control flap 16 is provided on the control flap 16, the sealing region 40 including a resilient sealing material 54, on an external peripheral region of the control flap body 24.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 3

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to an actuating flap arrangement assembly for gas flow in a fuel cell system that may be used in a vehicle, for example, to provide electrical energy.

[0002] In such fuel cell systems, depending on the operating conditions, it is necessary to guide different gas flows through or past the anode or cathode regions of the fuel cell or fuel cell stack, and high demands are placed on the tightness of the actuating flap arrangement assemblies used to regulate such gas flows, to ensure that leakage flows can be eliminated or that gases cannot substantially escape to the environment, particularly in operating conditions where it is desirable not to guide certain gas flows through or past the fuel cell.

[0003] SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is an object of the present invention to provide an actuating flap arrangement assembly for gas flow in a fuel cell system, particularly in a vehicle, which is structurally simple and can substantially prevent gas leakage.

[0004] According to the present invention, this problem is solved by an actuating flap structural assembly for gas flow in a fuel cell system, in particular in a vehicle, comprising an actuating flap casing providing a gas flow path, and an actuating flap that is positionable within the actuating flap casing between a closed position in which gas flow through the gas flow path is substantially blocked and at least one open position in which the gas flow path is open for flow, the actuating flap having a disk-shaped actuating flap body, the actuating flap casing being provided with an actuating flap seat, the actuating flap being provided with a closing area that abuts against the actuating flap seat in the closed position of the actuating flap, the closing area including an elastic sealing material, in particular an elastomer material, for example EPDM, in the outer peripheral area of ​​the actuating flap body.

[0005] By providing an elastic sealing material in the closing area of ​​the actuating flap, it can be ensured that substantially complete closure of the gas flow passage formed in the actuating flap casing to the flow of gas is achieved regardless of manufacturing tolerances and regardless of heat-induced dimensional changes in the components of the actuating flap component assembly in the closed position.

[0006] In particular, in order to be able to use the closing action of the elastic sealing material at the point where the actuating flap or the actuating flap body interacts with the actuating flap seat, it is proposed that at least one sealing material body formed by the sealing material is arranged in the peripheral region of the actuating flap body. The actuating flap body itself can be made of a substantially rigid material, for example plastic or metal, that is resistant to the gas to be guided through the actuating flap casing.

[0007] Since the sealing material can provide a sealing action substantially only at the point where the actuating flap body interacts with the actuating flap seat, at least one sealing material body can be formed to extend annularly along at least a portion of the outer peripheral region of the actuating flap body.

[0008] The actuation flap body may have a first end face and a second end face opposite the first end face, and the at least one seal material body may include a first seal material body segment disposed on the first end face, a second seal material body segment disposed on the second end face, and at least one seal material joining segment joining the first seal material body segment to the second seal material body segment.

[0009] For stable bonding of both sealing material body sections, it is proposed that at least one sealing material body comprises a plurality of sealing material bonding sections arranged in succession along the outer peripheral region of the operating flap body in a circumferential direction centered on the central region of the operating flap, and / or that at least one sealing material body comprises a plurality of sealing material bonding sections arranged stepped in the radial direction with respect to the central region of the operating flap.

[0010] Furthermore, a stable structure, which also leads to a positive connection between the sealing material body and the actuation flap body, can be supported by the fact that at least one sealing material body is formed integrally with the first sealing material body section, the second sealing material body section, and the at least one sealing material connecting section. Integral in the sense of the present invention implies that the different sections of the sealing material body are provided as a single material block, i.e., monolithically, and not by joining separately manufactured components.

[0011] This can be achieved, for example, by the at least one sealing material body being formed by integral molding onto the actuation flap body.

[0012] In order to stably connect at least one sealing material body to the actuation flap body, at least one sealing material connecting section may pass through an opening provided in the actuation flap body and / or at least one sealing material connecting section may cover the outer peripheral surface of the actuation flap body.

[0013] For a further improved sealing action utilizing the elasticity of the sealing material, it is proposed that at least one sealing material body includes at least one sealing lip in the first sealing material body section or in the second sealing material body section, which extends along the outer peripheral region of the actuating flap body, and that when the actuating flap is positioned in the closed position, the at least one sealing lip abuts against the actuating flap seat.

[0014] In an easily realizable configuration of the actuating flap configuration assembly according to the present invention, the actuating flap body may have a first flap vane and a second flap vane, wherein the first flap vane abuts against the actuating flap seat at a first sealing material body section arranged on a first end face of the actuating flap body when the actuating flap is in the closed position, and the second flap vane abuts against the actuating flap seat at a second sealing material body section arranged on a second end face of the actuating flap body when the actuating flap is in the closed position.

[0015] In order to be able to define and position the different flap vanes in a simple manner with respect to the sections of the actuating flap seat with which they cooperate, it is proposed that the first flap vane is provided by a first actuating flap body part and the second flap vane is provided by a second actuating flap body part formed separately from the first actuating flap body part.

[0016] The sealing effect to be achieved at the different end faces of the sealing material can be achieved in a simple manner by providing a first sealing material body on the first flap vane and a second sealing material body formed separately from the first sealing material body on the second flap vane.

[0017] In an alternative configuration, the seal material body may extend substantially along the entire outer peripheral region of the actuating flap body, and in the closed position of the actuating flap, only the first seal material body segment arranged on the first end face of the actuating flap body or only the second seal material body segment arranged on the second end face of the actuating flap body abuts against the actuating flap seat.

[0018] In this case, for a simple design, the actuating flap body can be formed integrally and / or in the form of a circular disk.

[0019] In order to enable the actuating flap to be moved between a closed position and at least one open position, it is proposed that the actuating flap body is supported on a pivot shaft, and that by rotating the pivot shaft about the pivot shaft axis, the actuating flap can be adjusted between the closed position and at least one open position.

[0020] The present invention further relates to a fuel cell system, particularly for a vehicle, including at least one actuating flap arrangement assembly constructed in accordance with the present invention.

[0021] The present invention will be described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0022] [Figure 1] 1 is a diagram illustrating the principle of a fuel cell system for a vehicle. [Figure 2] FIG. 1 illustrates an actuation flap arrangement assembly for a fuel cell system. [Figure 3] FIG. 2 is a longitudinal cross-sectional view showing an operating flap casing in which an operating flap is housed. [Figure 4] 4 is a perspective view showing an actuating flap body of the actuating flap shown in FIG. 3. FIG. [Figure 5] 5 shows the actuating flap body shown in FIG. 4 with a sealing material body disposed in the peripheral region of the actuating flap body. [Figure 6] 4 is a longitudinal cross-sectional view corresponding to FIG. 3 of an actuation flap casing with an alternative arrangement of actuation flaps; FIG. [Figure 7] 7 is a diagram illustrating an actuation flap body portion of the actuation flap shown in FIG. 6 with a sealing material body disposed on the outer peripheral region of the actuation flap body.

[0023] Before the inventive configuration of an actuating flap arrangement assembly for a fuel cell system is described in detail below with respect to the structure of the fuel cell system, which is provided in particular to provide a tight closure, the basic structure of a fuel cell system capable of supplying electrical energy in a vehicle will be described with reference to Figure 1, and the basic structure of the actuating flap arrangement assembly will be described with reference to Figure 2. This actuating flap arrangement assembly, which is particularly arranged in correspondence with the cathode region of such a fuel cell system, can be used to regulate the gas flow or to close the cathode region against flow.

[0024] The fuel cell system 100 shown in FIG. 1 includes a fuel cell generally designated by the reference numeral 102 with the main system regions being an anode region 104 to be supplied with hydrogen or a hydrogen-containing gas, and a cathode region 106 to be supplied with oxygen or an oxygen-containing gas, such as air.

[0025] The anode region 104 is associated with a supply line 108 and an outlet line 110 equipped with respective valves 112, 114, which allow hydrogen or a hydrogen-containing gas to be introduced into the anode region 104 or anode exhaust gas to be discharged from the anode region 104, and also allow the anode region 104 to be completely closed off if necessary.

[0026] The cathode region 106 is associated with a supply line 116 through which an oxygen-containing gas, e.g., air, can be introduced into the cathode region, e.g., by means of a compressor 118 or the like. An actuating flap assembly, generally designated 10, is provided within the supply line 116, and allows the gas flow to be regulated through the supply line 116 or the cathode region 106 to be substantially airtightly closed at its introduction region.

[0027] An outlet line 120 is assigned to the cathode region 106 for discharging the cathode exhaust gas. This outlet line 120 leads to a fuel cell exhaust gas device 122, where water contained in the cathode exhaust gas can be separated, for example, by a water separator. Furthermore, a further actuating flap assembly 10' is arranged in the outlet line 120, which can close the outlet line 120, and thus the outlet region of the cathode region 106, in a substantially gas-tight manner.

[0028] A bypass line 124 extends between the supply line 116 and the outlet line 120 of the cathode region 106. An actuating flap arrangement assembly 10'' is also disposed within the bypass line 124, and the actuating flap arrangement assembly 10'' can regulate gas flow through the bypass line 124 or can close the bypass line 124 substantially airtight.

[0029] 1 and described above is merely one example of many different possibilities for supplying and exhausting gases, particularly in the cathode region 106. What is important is that there is at least one, and possibly multiple, actuating flap arrangement assemblies 10, 10', 10" associated with the cathode region 106, and if multiple actuating flap arrangement assemblies 10, 10', 10" are provided, these may be essentially identical in structure to one another or may be configured differently depending on the region in which they are positioned and the level of gas tightness they can provide.

[0030] The actuation flap arrangement assembly 10 shown in FIG. 2 and used, for example, in the fuel cell system 100 shown in FIG. 1 includes an actuation flap drive 12, for example, an electric motor, and includes an actuation flap, generally designated 16, within an actuation flap casing 14 that is tubular and surrounds a gas flow path 46.

[0031] The actuating flap 16 includes a disk-shaped actuating flap body 24 with two actuating flap body parts 20, 22, each providing one flap blade, supported on the pivot shaft 18 so as to be pivotable about the pivot shaft axis A. The actuating flap casing 14 is provided with an actuating flap seat 26 corresponding to the actuating flap 16, against which the actuating flap 16 abuts in a closing region 40 located radially outward with respect to the central region Z of the actuating flap 16 or the actuating flap body 24 when in the closed position of the actuating flap 16.

[0032] To move the actuating flap 16 between a closed position and a fully open position in which the disk-shaped actuating flap body 24 is oriented substantially perpendicular to the plane of the drawing in Figure 1, thereby substantially fully opening the gas flow passage 46 in the actuating flap casing 14 for flow, the drive shaft 34 of the actuating flap drive device 12 is connected by a coupling device 32 for co-rotation with the pivot shaft 18, which is pivotally supported about the pivot axis A in the bearing areas 28, 30 of the actuating flap casing 14. The coupling device 32 includes, for example, a coupling part 38 non-rotatably connected to the drive shaft 34 and a coupling part 36 non-rotatably connected to the pivot shaft 18, the coupling part 36 being in rotational engagement with the coupling part 38.

[0033] The two bearing regions 28, 30 each include a bearing bushing 42, 44 supported on the operating flap casing 14, for example, fixed by welding to the outer circumferential surface of the operating flap casing 14, and the respective axial end sections of the pivot shaft 18 are accommodated in the bearing bushings 42, 44 so as to be rotatable about the pivot shaft axis A.

[0034] 3 to 5 show a configuration according to the present invention of the actuating flap configuration assembly 10 or the actuating flap 16 for the actuating flap configuration assembly 10. In the configuration shown in Fig. 3, the actuating flap 16 includes an actuating flap body 24 formed integrally in the shape of a circular disk. The actuating flap body 24 is supported by a support structure 48 provided on the pivot shaft 18 so as to be pivotable about a pivot axis A from the closed position shown in Fig. 3 to the open position. An actuating flap seat 26 provided in the actuating flap casing 14 to cooperate with the actuating flap 16 is provided by, for example, a substantially conically tapered section of the tubular actuating flap casing 14.

[0035] The outer peripheral region 50 of the actuating flap body 24 is provided with a plurality of openings 52, which in the illustrated embodiment are arranged in two radially offset annular formations. In particular, the openings 52 are arranged in the outer peripheral region 50 of the actuating flap body 24, where the actuating flap body 24 is angled obliquely from the radially inner side toward the radially outer side at the first end face 55 toward the second end face 57. Therefore, in the outer peripheral region 50, or at least in part of the outer peripheral region 50, the thickness of the actuating flap body 24 between the first end face 55 and the second end face 57 decreases from the radially inner side toward the radially outer side. At the second end face 57, the actuating flap body 24 may be substantially flat, for example, over its entire radial length. The actuating flap body 24 may be substantially disk-shaped and planar in the section extending from the central region Z to the outer peripheral region 50. At the transition to the outer peripheral region 50, the actuating flap body 24 can provide a stepped transition at both end faces 55, 57, whereby the thickness of the actuating flap body 24 decreases stepwise at both end faces 55, 57 radially outward.

[0036] An elastically deformable seal material 54, e.g., an elastomeric material such as EPDM, is disposed in the outer peripheral region 50 of the actuation flap body 24, substantially providing the closure region 40 of the actuation flap 16. The seal material 54 is provided in the form of an annular seal material body 56 that extends along and radially covers the outer peripheral region 50. The seal material body 56 has an annular first seal material body segment 58 at a first end face 55 and an annular second seal material body segment 60 at a second end face 57. The first seal material body segment 58 and the second seal material body segment 60 are connected to each other by a plurality of connecting segments 62 that extend through the openings 52. The seal material body segments 58, 60 are connected to each other around their entire outer peripheral region by another connecting segment 64 that axially overlaps the actuation flap body 24 radially outward.

[0037] The sealing material body 56 is provided as a monolithically constructed single block of material, for example by integrally molding the sealing material 54 in one piece on the outer peripheral region 50 of the actuating flap body 24. In this case, the sealing material body 56 provided on the actuating flap body 24 is integrally molded so as to adjoin stepped transitions formed on the end faces 55, 57 on the radially outer side, so that the sealing material body 56 connects essentially step-free to the surface of the radially inward extending section of the outer peripheral region 50 of the actuating flap body 24 at both end faces 55, 57.

[0038] For sealing interaction with the actuating flap seat 26 provided on the actuating flap casing 14, the sealing material body 56 is provided with a sealing lip 66, preferably continuous without interruption, over the entire periphery on the first end face 55 of the actuating flap body 24, which is provided for interaction with the actuating flap seat 26. In the closed position shown in Fig. 3, the sealing material body 56 with the sealing lip 66 abuts or is pressed against the actuating flap seat 26, whereby, due to the elasticity and thus the deformability of the sealing material 54, a substantially completely gas-tight closure of the gas flow channel 46 is achieved.

[0039] An alternative configuration of such an actuation flap component assembly 10 is shown in Figures 6 and 7. In this configuration, the actuation flap 16 has an actuation flap body 24 formed by two flap vanes 68, 70, each of which provides one actuation flap body portion 20 or 22. Each flap vane 68, 70 is provided with a sealing material body 56 or 56' of sealing material 54 at the outer circumferential region 50 of the actuation flap body 24 formed by both flap vanes 68, 70. The first sealing material body 56 provided on the first flap vane 68 extends over substantially the entire section of the outer circumferential region 50 of the actuation flap body 24 provided for the first flap vane 68, and the second sealing material body 56' provided on the second flap vane 70 correspondingly extends over substantially the entire section of the outer circumferential region 50 of the actuation flap body 24 provided for the second flap vane 70. In particular, both sealing material bodies 56, 56' extend circumferentially such that the circumferential ends of both sealing material bodies 56, 56' terminate in direct connection with the pivot shaft 18, thereby leaving no intermediate section between the outer peripheral region of the pivot shaft 18 and the sealing material bodies 56, 56' that could cause leakage.

[0040] Each of the sealing material bodies 56, 56' may be provided in a corresponding flap vane 68, 70, preferably by molding the sealing material 54, in a configuration corresponding to that described above with respect to the configuration shown in Figures 3 to 5. As is clear from Figure 6, the flap vanes 68, 70 also have openings 52 in which connecting sections 62 connect the sealing material body sections 58, 60 located on both end faces 55, 57 of the actuating flap body 24 to each other. Similarly, the actuating flap body 24 or each flap vane 68, 70 may be provided with a connecting section 64 that covers the radially outer side, thereby connecting the sealing material body sections 58, 60 located on both end faces 55, 57 of the actuating flap body 24 or each flap vane 68, 70 to each other.

[0041] As can be seen in particular in the view of Fig. 6, the two flap vanes 68, 70 are arranged on the pivot shaft 18 in such a way that they are offset from one another in the direction of the longitudinal axis L of the actuating flap casing 14 and therefore abut against different axial faces of the actuating flap seat 26 provided on the inner circumferential surface of the actuating flap casing 14. When the pivoting flap 16 rotates from the closed position shown in Fig. 6 by pivoting the pivot shaft 18 in the clockwise direction shown in Fig. 6, each of the flap vanes 68, 70 moves away from the section of the actuating flap seat 26 corresponding to it. Since both flap vanes 68, 70 move in substantially opposite directions away from their respective assigned sections of the operating flap seat 26, as already mentioned above, the configuration of the first sealing material section 58 or the second sealing material section 60 on which the sealing lip 66 may be formed is different from each other in both flap vanes 68, 70 with respect to both end faces 55, 57 of the operating flap body 24. In the actuating flap vane 68 visible on the right side in FIG. 6, the first sealing material body section 58 and the sealing lip 66 provided on this first sealing material body section 58 are arranged on a first end face 55 of the actuating flap body 24 formed by both flap vanes 68, 70, facing the actuating flap seat 26, and correspondingly, the second sealing material body section 60 is positioned on a second end face 57 of the actuating flap body 24, facing the actuating flap seat 26. Meanwhile, in the second flap vane 70 shown on the left side in FIG. 6, the first sealing material section 58 is arranged on the first end face 55 opposite the actuating flap seat 26, and the second sealing material body section provided with the sealing lip 66 is arranged on a second end face 57 of the actuating flap body 24, facing the actuating flap seat 26. This means that in the first flap vane 68, the first seal material body section 58 of the seal material 54 or seal material body 56 located on the first end surface 55 of the operating flap body 24 is shaped similarly to the second seal material body section in the second flap vane 60 located on the second end surface 57 of the operating flap body 24.This allows the structure of the actuating flap body 24 to use two flap vanes 68, 70 that are essentially identically configured or have the same sealing material 54, and to assemble these flap vanes 68, 70 in the actuating flap casing 14 in opposite orientations to each other.

[0042] 6 and 7 of the actuation flap arrangement assembly 10 also achieves substantially completely gas-tight closure of the gas flow passage 46 formed in the actuation flap casing 14 in the closed position of the actuation flap 16 shown in Fig. 6. This is particularly advantageous or necessary, as mentioned at the beginning, in order to be able to guarantee reliable gas-tight closure, especially in the corresponding arrangement with the cathode region 106 of the fuel cell 102.

Claims

1. An actuation flap configuration assembly for gas flow in a fuel cell system, comprising: an actuation flap casing (14) providing a gas flow path (46); and an actuation flap (16) within the actuation flap casing (14) that is positionable between a closed position that blocks gas flow through the gas flow path (46) and at least one open position that opens the gas flow path (46) for flow, the actuation flap (16) having a disk-shaped actuation flap body (24), wherein the actuation flap body ( the operating flap casing (14) has a first end surface (55) and a second end surface (57) opposite to the first end surface (55), the operating flap casing (14) is provided with an operating flap seat (26), the operating flap (16) is provided with a closing region (40) that abuts against the operating flap seat (26) when the operating flap (16) is in the closed position, and the closing region (40) includes an elastic sealing material (54) in an outer peripheral region (50) of the operating flap body (24); At least one sealing material body (56, 56') formed by the sealing material (54) is disposed on the outer peripheral region (50) of the actuating flap body (24), and the at least one sealing material body (56, 56') includes at least one sealing lip (66) extending along the outer peripheral region (50) of the actuating flap body (24), and the at least one sealing lip (66) abuts against the actuating flap seat (26) when the actuating flap (16) is positioned at the closed position. In the actuated flap configuration assembly: The at least one sealing material body (56, 56') includes a first sealing material body segment (58) disposed on the first end face (55), a second sealing material body segment (60) disposed on the second end face (57), and at least one sealing material joining segment (62, 64) joining the first sealing material body segment (58) to the second sealing material body segment (60), and in the outer circumferential region (50), the operating flap body (24) is angled obliquely from the radially inner side toward the radially outer side at the first end face (55) in a direction toward the second end face (57), so that a thickness of the operating flap body (24) decreases from the radially inner side toward the radially outer side in at least a portion of the outer circumferential region (50), and the at least one sealing lip (66) is provided on the first sealing material body segment (58) at the first end face (55). An actuating flap configuration assembly comprising:

2. the at least one sealing material body (56, 56') is formed to extend annularly along at least a portion of the outer peripheral region (50) of the actuating flap body (24); The actuated flap configuration assembly of claim 1 .

3. the at least one seal material body (56, 56') includes a plurality of seal material bonding sections (62) arranged successively along the outer peripheral region (50) of the actuating flap body (24) in a circumferential direction about a central region (Z) of the actuating flap (16), and / or the at least one seal material body (56, 56') includes a plurality of seal material bonding sections (62) arranged stepped in a radial direction with respect to the central region (Z) of the actuating flap (16). The actuated flap configuration assembly of claim 1 .

4. the at least one seal material body (56, 56') is integrally formed with the first seal material body section (58), the second seal material body section (60), and the at least one seal material bonding section (62, 64); The actuated flap configuration assembly of claim 1 .

5. the at least one sealing material body (56, 56') is formed by integral molding with the actuating flap body (24); 4. The actuated flap configuration assembly of claim 3.

6. At least one seal material bonding section (62) passes through an opening (52) provided in the actuating flap body (24) and / or at least one seal material bonding section (64) covers the outer peripheral surface of the actuating flap body (24). The actuated flap configuration assembly of claim 1 .

7. the actuating flap body (24) has a first flap vane (68) and a second flap vane (70), the first flap vane (68) abutting the actuating flap seat (26) at the first seal material body section (58) arranged on the first end surface (55) of the actuating flap body (24) when the actuating flap (16) is in the closed position, and the second flap vane (70) abutting the actuating flap seat (26) at the second seal material body section (60) arranged on the second end surface (57) of the actuating flap body (24) when the actuating flap (16) is in the closed position; The actuated flap configuration assembly of claim 1 .

8. the first flap vane (68) is provided by a first actuating flap body portion (20), and the second flap vane (70) is provided by a second actuating flap body portion (22) formed separately from the first actuating flap body portion (20); The actuated flap configuration assembly of claim 7.

9. The first flap vane (68) is provided with a first seal material body (56), and the second flap vane (70) is provided with a second seal material body (56') formed separately from the first seal material body (56). The actuated flap configuration assembly of claim 7.

10. the sealing material body (56) extends along the entire outer peripheral region (50) of the actuating flap body (24), and when the actuating flap (16) is in the closed position, only the first sealing material body section (58) arranged on the first end face (55) of the actuating flap body (24) or only the second sealing material body section (60) arranged on the second end face (57) of the actuating flap body (24) abuts against the actuating flap seat (26). The actuated flap configuration assembly of claim 1 .

11. the actuating flap body (24) is formed integrally and / or in the form of a circular disk, The actuated flap configuration assembly of claim 10.

12. The actuating flap body (24) is supported on a pivot shaft (18), and the position of the actuating flap (16) is adjustable between the closed position and the at least one open position by rotation of the pivot shaft (18) about a pivot axis (A). The actuated flap configuration assembly of claim 1 .

13. A fuel cell system comprising at least one actuating flap arrangement assembly according to any one of claims 1 to 12.

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