Blower for a fuel cell assembly for a vehicle, in particular a utility vehicle, fuel cell assembly, and vehicle

Abstract

The invention relates to a blower (1) for a fuel cell assembly (205) for a vehicle (200a), in particular a utility vehicle (200b); wherein the blower (1), in order to recirculate a gas mixture (40) used for the operation of the fuel cell assembly (205), has a drive motor (7, 8, 9) with a motor shaft (7), a rotor (9) coupled to the motor shaft (7), and a stator (8) arranged radially outside the rotor (9); the blower (1) has an annular channel (10) for guiding the gas mixture (40), which annular channel is arranged radially between the rotor (9) and the stator (8) and has an inlet side (41) and an outlet side (42); the blower (1) has a blower impeller (5) coupled to the motor shaft (7), the blower impeller (5) being designed to convey the gas mixture (40) from the inlet side (41) to the outlet side (42) during rotation of the motor shaft (7); the blower (1) has a main housing (2) which at least partially forms the annular channel (10); the blower (1) has an outlet-side bearing (12) for rotatably supporting the motor shaft (7); the blower (1) has an inlet-side bearing (11) for rotatably supporting the motor shaft (7); and the main housing (2) has a bearing seat (18) which receives the inlet-side bearing (11).

Description

[0001] Blower for a fuel cell arrangement for a vehicle, in particular

[0002] commercial vehicle, fuel cell arrangement, vehicle

[0003] The disclosure relates to a blower for a fuel cell assembly for a vehicle, in particular a commercial vehicle. The disclosure equally relates to a fuel cell assembly for a vehicle, in particular a commercial vehicle, comprising a fuel cell stack that can be supplied with a gas mixture on the anode side and a blower, and to a vehicle, in particular a commercial vehicle, comprising a fuel cell assembly.

[0004] Such blowers for fuel cell assemblies are known from the prior art. Such a fuel cell assemblies comprise a fuel cell system with galvanic cells that can be used to convert chemical energy into electrical energy. The electrical energy is obtained from a so-called fuel cell reaction, a chemical reaction between a supplied fuel, for example hydrogen, and an oxidizing agent, usually oxygen. To increase energy generation, several cells or fuel cells can be combined to form a fuel cell stack. In addition to the fuel cell stack, the fuel cell assembly typically comprises other components, such as a compressor or compressor for supplying the oxidizing agent, for example air, to the cathode side of the fuel cell stack.

[0005] For fuel cell arrangements, it is particularly useful for mobile applications with different operating points, for example for vehicles, especially commercial vehicles, to provide recirculation of a gas mixture comprising the fuel in the anode path. The aim is to return unused fuel to the system, remove harmful gases such as nitrogen (also known as "purging") and / or enable the fuel cell stack to be blown through in order to prevent and / or remove liquid and / or water accumulation. Recirculation can be carried out passively and / or actively. Active recirculation means that the blower is provided to convey the fuel or gas mixture within the anode path according to the operating points and other requirements.

[0006] The design of a recirculation blower, i.e., a blower for recirculation in the anode path, is challenging because hydrogen, nitrogen, and moisture are challenging characteristics of the gas mixture, requiring special measures regarding tightness, robustness, and service life. Therefore, known recirculation blowers sometimes exhibit features of compressors, particularly Roots compressors, scroll compressors, claw compressors, and / or turbomachinery.

[0007] WO 2021 / 094491 A1 discloses a media gap motor, in particular for a turbocharger. The proposed media gap motor includes a rotor and a stator, wherein the stator has fins that extend radially toward the rotor with an inner portion in a flow space formed between the stator and the rotor. The fins do not extend to the rotor with their inner portions, so that a gap is formed between an inner end of the fins and the rotor.

[0008] EP 1 995 426 A1 discloses an electric motor for conveying media, comprising a stator, a rotor with a rotor magnet, and a media passage opening between the stator and rotor. The smallest inner diameter of the stator is 1.5 to 8 times the largest outer diameter of the rotor magnet.

[0009] German patent application 102023210206.4, which had not yet been published on the filing date of the present disclosure, describes a blower for a fuel cell assembly for recirculating a gas mixture used to operate the fuel cell assembly, comprising a drive motor having a rotor coupled to a motor shaft and a stator arranged radially outside the rotor. Radially between the rotor and the stator, an annular channel is provided for conveying the gas mixture from an inlet side to an outlet side of the annular channel. A blower impeller coupled to the motor shaft is provided in the region of the outlet side of the annular channel to convey the gas mixture from the inlet side to the outlet side of the annular channel upon rotation. Furthermore, a flow guide device is provided for imparting a swirl in the circumferential direction of the annular channel to the gas mixture entering the annular channel.To support the motor shaft, a bearing is arranged on a housing flange, and a bearing is provided on the radially inner side of the inner wall to support the motor shaft. In this case, the bearing can be supported relative to the inner tube that defines the annular channel, and thus relative to the housing of the fan. Alternatively, a bearing seat for a bearing to support the motor shaft can be formed on an inner circumference of the flow installation. The motor shaft is thus supported by a structure with two mechanical interfaces: a first mechanical interface forms a transition between the flow installation and / or the annular channel and the main housing, and a second mechanical interface forms a transition between the main housing and the housing flange.

[0010] The various interfaces between the fan components are associated with a tolerance regarding the arrangement of the bearings or bearing seats. This can result in a deviation in the arrangement of the bearings and thus in the bearings of the motor shaft, which can lead to wear, rough running, and / or reduced efficiency. Coaxiality deviations, in particular, can significantly reduce the service life of the bearing, especially at high speeds. Furthermore, each mechanical interface requires assembly effort.

[0011] Against the background of this prior art, one object of the present disclosure is to provide a blower for a fuel cell assembly of a vehicle, in particular a commercial vehicle, which is suitable for enriching the prior art and improving at least the above-mentioned aspects of the prior art. In particular, the object of the disclosure is to achieve improved tolerance with regard to the arrangement of the bearings and / or reduced assembly effort. This object is achieved by the features of the independent claims. The subclaims contain further developments of the disclosure.

[0012] According to one aspect of the disclosure, the object is achieved by a blower for a fuel cell arrangement for a vehicle, in particular a commercial vehicle; wherein the blower, for recirculating a gas mixture used for operating the fuel cell arrangement, has a drive motor with a motor shaft, a rotor coupled to the motor shaft, and a stator arranged radially outside the rotor; the blower has an annular channel arranged radially between the rotor and the stator and having an inlet side and an outlet side for conveying the gas mixture; the blower has a blower impeller coupled to the motor shaft, wherein the blower impeller is configured to convey the gas mixture from the inlet side to the outlet side upon rotation of the motor shaft; the blower has a main housing that at least partially forms the annular channel.the fan has an outlet-side bearing for rotatably supporting the motor shaft; the fan has an inlet-side bearing for rotatably supporting the motor shaft; and the main housing has a bearing seat receiving the inlet-side bearing.

[0013] In other words, according to the disclosure, it is proposed to integrate the bearing seat into the main housing. In contrast, in the prior art, the bearing seat is integrated into a flow insert and / or an annular channel, each of which requires a mechanical interface to the main housing. The inlet-side bearing can thus be arranged on the main housing. The outlet-side bearing can be arranged elsewhere, for example, on a housing cover attached to the main housing. The provision of the bearing seat in the main housing can already reduce the number of mechanical interfaces between the inlet-side bearing and the outlet-side bearing, since one mechanical interface between the inlet-side bearing and the main housing can be eliminated.

[0014] The disclosure thus makes it possible to reduce the tolerance for the arrangement of the bearings for supporting the motor shaft by reducing the number of mechanical interfaces. Furthermore, the assembly of the fan can be simplified by eliminating at least one mechanical interface.

[0015] The blower can be used to recirculate a gas mixture associated with an anode region of the fuel cell assembly. The gas mixture can contain hydrogen as fuel. The gas mixture can also contain other components that can result, in particular, from the reaction of the hydrogen in the anode region of the fuel cell assembly. The gas mixture can contain water, which results from the reaction of the hydrogen. The gas mixture can be passed through the anode region of the fuel cell assembly.

[0016] The fan can be operated by the drive motor, which can be configured as an electric motor. The electric motor can be a brushless motor. The drive motor can be a media gap motor. In this case, the medium conveyed by the fan, in particular the gas mixture used in the fuel cell arrangement, can be conveyed through the annular channel.

[0017] The fan impeller coupled to the motor shaft can be arranged on the outlet side of the annular channel such that the gas mixture can be conveyed through the annular channel upon rotation of the fan impeller. The fan impeller can have an arrangement of blades distributed around the circumference of the fan impeller. By rotating the fan impeller, the gas mixture can be conveyed based on a corresponding pumping function. Due to its rotation, the fan impeller can convey the gas mixture in a radial direction relative to the annular channel.

[0018] Optionally, the fan has a housing cover attached to the main housing, and the housing cover has a second bearing seat that accommodates the outlet-side bearing. In this embodiment, only one mechanical interface is provided between the bearing seats, i.e., between the inlet-side bearing and the outlet-side bearing, namely between the housing cover and the main housing. This allows for a reduction in the tolerance in the bearing arrangement.

[0019] Optionally, the blower includes fasteners for attaching the housing cover to the main housing. The fasteners, such as screws, can be used to attach the housing cover to the main housing. The fasteners serve to mechanically connect the housing cover and the main housing at the interface between the main housing and the housing cover. Attaching the housing cover to the main housing completes the assembly of the blower with regard to its mechanical components.

[0020] Optionally, the fan has a tube forming an outer wall of the annular channel and separating the gas mixture from the stator. The tube serves as a can, sealing the stator from the rotor chamber through which the gas mixture can flow.

[0021] The tube can be a component of the blower that can be arranged in the main housing and is separate from the main housing, which can allow for a more diverse geometry, the integration of functional features into the tube and / or a more diverse choice of material for the tube.

[0022] The blower optionally features a flow guide device integrated into the main housing. This allows the inlet guide vane and bearing seat to be integrated into the main housing. This enables particularly advantageous functional integration, reducing the number of blower components. The bearing seat is integrated into the inlet guide vane, which is housed in the main housing, and thus integrated into the main housing.

[0023] Optionally, the housing cover has a volute, which is designed to be operatively connected to the fan impeller during operation. In other words, the volute is no longer integrated into the main housing or stator housing, but rather into the housing cover. This can make it easier to arrange, for example, a functional component for separating and / or discharging liquid from the gas mixture upstream of the fan impeller, projecting axially outward, while the geometry of the fan impeller allows for effective and reliable sealing of the volute, for example, from the functional component.

[0024] The fan is optionally designed to allow the stator to be inserted into the main housing on the outlet side for assembly. Specifically, this means that the stator can now be inserted from the volute side. This can simplify the assembly of the fan. This design is made possible or even facilitated by the integration of the bearing seat into the main housing.

[0025] According to one aspect of the disclosure, a fuel cell assembly for a vehicle, in particular a commercial vehicle, is provided, comprising a fuel cell stack that can be supplied with a gas mixture on the anode side and a blower as described above. Optionally, the blower has one or more features described as optional and / or advantageous in order to achieve an associated technical effect.

[0026] The blower can be connected to one or more fuel cell modules or fuel cell stacks via appropriate piping within the fuel cell assembly such that the blower can direct the gas mixture through the anode region of the fuel cell assembly. The blower can also be connected to a fuel source or fuel storage device, via which the fuel content of the recirculated gas mixture can be adjusted.

[0027] The blower can be connected to a fuel cell module via a line arrangement in the fuel cell arrangement. The blower can be provided for recirculating hydrogen-containing gas for the fuel cell arrangement. In particular, the recirculation of the hydrogen-containing gas can be designed for the anode side of the fuel cell arrangement. The blower can be controlled via a control device as needed, whereby an operating state of the fuel cell arrangement can be taken into account. The fuel cell arrangement can also have several blowers of the type described above, which are integrated into the fuel cell arrangement via lines.

[0028] According to one aspect of the disclosure, a vehicle, in particular a commercial vehicle, is provided, comprising a fuel cell assembly as described above. Optionally, the fan and / or the fuel cell assembly has one or more features described as optional and / or advantageous in order to achieve an associated technical effect.

[0029] The blower and / or the fuel cell assembly can be used in a mobile application. In particular, the blower and / or the fuel cell assembly can be used in an electrically powered vehicle, wherein the electrical power can be generated by the fuel cell assembly and optionally supplied to a buffer battery or traction battery. Alternatively, the fuel cell assembly with the blower can be used in a stationary application. Alternatively, the blower can be used to provide a gas flow in other areas. In particular, the blower can be used to achieve a flow through the cathode side of the fuel cell assembly.

[0030] Further features of the disclosure as well as its technical effects emerge from the figures and the description of the preferred embodiments shown in the figures.

[0031] Fig. 1 is a schematic representation of a vehicle, in particular a commercial vehicle, according to one aspect of the disclosure; and

[0032] Fig. 2 is a cross-section of a blower according to one aspect of the disclosure.

[0033] Figure 1 shows a schematic representation of a vehicle 200a, in particular a commercial vehicle 200b, according to one aspect of the disclosure. The vehicle 200a, in particular a commercial vehicle 200b, is referred to below as vehicle 200a, 200b. The vehicle 200a, 200b is, for example, a land vehicle or a watercraft.

[0034] The vehicle 200a, 200b has a fuel cell assembly 205, an energy storage device 260, and an electric main drive 250. The fuel cell assembly 205 is configured to provide electrical energy 65 to the energy storage device 260. The energy storage device 260 is, for example, a rechargeable energy storage device 260 and serves as a buffer battery for buffering electrical energy 65. The energy storage device 260 is also referred to as a traction battery. The energy storage device 260 is connected to the electric main drive 250 to supply the electric main drive 250 with electrical energy 65 so that the electric main drive 250 can drive the vehicle 200a, 200b.

[0035] The fuel cell assembly 205 comprises a blower 1, a compressor 210, a fuel cell system 204 or a fuel cell stack 206 and optionally an expander 270. The fuel cell stack 206 has a cathode 207 and an anode 208.

[0036] The blower 1 of the present embodiments is used in a fuel cell assembly 205 in which hydrogen-containing gas as a fuel is circulated as a gas mixture 40 and reacts electrochemically to generate electrical energy 65. In particular, the blower 1 described here is used to purge an anode region of the fuel cell stack 206 and / or to ensure a predetermined composition of the gas mixture 40 located in the anode region. The blower 1 is configured to supply the anode 208 with the gas mixture 40 and thus with the fuel.

[0037] Several of the above-described blowers 1 can be used in the fuel cell arrangement 205. Furthermore, the fuel cell arrangement 205 generally has a control device (not shown) which, among other things, controls the operation of the blower 1. This includes controlling a rotational speed of the blower 1, with which the blower power can be adjusted. Furthermore, taking into account the operating state of the fuel cell arrangement 205, it is determined whether operation of the blower 1 is required or not. In the event that the blower 1 is not operated, the structure of the blower 1 as a media gap motor easily allows the gas mixture 40 to pass through the blower 1.Due to the above-described structure of the blower 1 and in particular of the flow guide device 14 or the guide grille 14, the separation function for separating water from the gas mixture 40 can be brought about by the flow through the blower 1 even when the blower 1 is not in operation, since the guide grille 14 imparts a swirl to the gas flow.

[0038] The compressor 210 is configured to supply an air flow to the fuel cell stack 206 on the cathode side, i.e., the cathode 207. For this purpose, the compressor 210 is configured to be supplied with electrical energy 65 in order to draw in air, compress it, and supply it to the fuel cell stack 206 as supply air 240. The expander 270 is configured to be supplied with exhaust air 245 from the fuel cell stack 206 in order to convert energy from the exhaust air 245 into electrical energy 65.

[0039] The blower 1 is further described with reference to Figure 2.

[0040] Figure 2 shows a cross-section of a blower 1 according to one aspect of the disclosure. The blower 1 according to Figure 2 is a blower 1 for a fuel cell assembly 205 for a vehicle 200a, in particular a commercial vehicle 200b. Such a blower 1 and vehicle 200a, 200b are each described with reference to Figure 1. Figure 2 is described with reference to Figure 1.

[0041] The blower 1 is configured to recirculate the gas mixture 40 used to operate the fuel cell assembly 205. For this purpose, the blower 1 comprises a drive motor 7, 8, 9 with a motor shaft 7, a rotor 9 coupled to the motor shaft 7, and a stator 8 arranged radially outside the rotor 9. The blower 1 comprises an annular channel 10. The annular channel 10 is configured to conduct the gas mixture 40. For this purpose, the annular channel 10 has an inlet side 41 and an outlet side 42 and is arranged radially between the rotor 9 and the stator 8.

[0042] The fan 1 has a main housing 2 that at least partially forms the annular channel 10. The main housing 2 forms an outer periphery of a main section of the fan 1 and, in the present embodiment, is substantially cylindrical. Arranged radially inside the main housing 2 is the drive motor 7, 8, 9, which has the radially outer stator 8, the radially inner rotor 9, and the motor shaft 7 connected to the rotor 9.

[0043] The stator 8 is rotationally fixedly connected to the main housing 2. In the present embodiment, the rotor 9 comprises one or more permanent magnet elements 9a (only schematically indicated in Figure 2). When energized, the stator 8 generates a rotating magnetic field, so that the rotor 9 rotates together with the motor shaft 7 when energized.

[0044] The rotor 9 is connected to the rotatable motor shaft 7 so that the rotor 9 can rotate together with the motor shaft 7. The motor shaft 7 is rotatably supported on both sides via bearings 11, 12. For this purpose, the blower 1 has an outlet-side bearing 12 for rotatably supporting the motor shaft 7. The outlet-side bearing 12 is arranged on the outlet side 42 of the annular channel 10. The blower 1 has an inlet-side bearing 11 for rotatably supporting the motor shaft 7. The inlet-side bearing 11 is arranged on the inlet side 41 of the annular channel 10.

[0045] On the left side in Figure 2, the fan 1 has a housing cover 6 attached to the main housing 2. The fan 1 has fastening elements 45 for fastening the housing cover 6 to the main housing 2. The fastening elements 45 are, for example, screws and / or bolts and are designed to fix a mechanical interface between the main housing 2 and the housing cover 6. The housing cover 6 has a passage and / or a recess in the center through which the motor shaft 7 passes.

[0046] The blower 1 has a blower impeller 5 coupled to the motor shaft 7. In the area of ​​the housing cover 6, the blower impeller 5 is connected to the motor shaft 7 in a rotationally fixed manner. Rotation of the motor shaft 7 thus causes rotation of the blower impeller 5. The housing cover 6 has a volute 43 or outlet volute radially outside the blower impeller 5, which has a circumferentially variable diameter and is open towards the blower impeller 5. The volute 43 is designed to be operatively connected to the blower impeller 5 during operation in order to improve the blower performance 1. A housing flange 6a is attached to the housing cover 6, which has a passage in the center into which the motor shaft 7 projects.

[0047] The fan impeller 5 is configured to convey the gas mixture 40 from the inlet side 41 to the outlet side 42 upon rotation of the motor shaft 7. For this purpose, the fan impeller 5 has blades configured with a predetermined shape to achieve a conveying or pumping function. The inside of the housing cover 6 and the volute 43 are adapted to the contour of the fan impeller 5 in the radial region where the fan impeller 5 is provided. Radially outside the fan impeller 5 is an annular gap that is open to the volute 43.

[0048] The annular channel 10 is provided radially between the stator 8 and the rotor 9. A radial inner wall 17 of the annular channel 10 is formed by an outer circumference of the rotor 9 and by an outer circumference of a flow insert 15. In an alternative embodiment, the radial inner wall 17 is formed by an inner tube surrounding the rotor 9 and by the outer circumference of the flow insert 15. On the side of the guide vane 14 facing away from the rotor 9, the flow insert 15 is provided in the form of an axisymmetric flow body. The flow insert 15 has a dome or spherical shape. The outer diameter of the flow insert 15 is smaller than the diameter of the outer tube of the annular channel 10. The flow insert 15 projects axially upstream from the rotor 9 into an inlet-side region of the main housing 2, in which a constriction is provided. The flow installation 15 has a flow-optimized outer contour with respect to the inflow.The flow installation 15 has an outer circumferential surface which serves as the inner wall 17 of the annular channel 10, at least at the inlet area.

[0049] The annular channel 10 can have a cylindrical inner wall 17 and a cylindrical outer wall 16. Between the cylindrical inner wall 17 and the cylindrical outer wall 16 of the annular channel 10, the gas mixture 40 can flow from the inlet side 41 to the outlet side 42. The cylindrical outer wall 16 can be designed, at least in sections, as a tube 10a that is arranged radially inside the stator 8. The cylindrical inner wall 17 can be formed, at least in sections, by an outer circumference of the rotor 9. Alternatively, the cylindrical inner wall 17 can be formed, at least in sections, by an inner tube that is arranged radially outside the rotor and inside the (outer) tube 10a.

[0050] The outer tube 10a at least partially forms the radial outer wall 16 and has a diameter that is larger than the diameter of the rotor 9. The stator 8 is located radially outside the outer tube 10a. This forms the annular channel 10, through which a fluid or the gas mixture 40 can flow. The annular channel 10 opens on the left side in Figure 2 at the outlet side in the area of ​​the fan impeller 5. The described flow guide device 15 is located on the right side of the annular channel 10.

[0051] The blower 1 has an inlet flange 13. The inlet flange 13 serves to be connected to a pipe of the fuel cell assembly 205.

[0052] The main housing 2 has a bearing seat 18 receiving the inlet-side bearing 11. The bearing seat 18 is arranged in the region of the flow guide device 14 integrated into the main housing 2. Downstream of an inlet-side tip of the flow guide device 14, which is enclosed by the flow insert 15, the bearing seat 18 is arranged radially inward in the inner wall 17 formed by the flow guide device 14 and radially outside the motor shaft 7. The bearing seat 18 and the flow guide device 14 form a section or an assembly of the fan integrated into the main housing 2. The inlet-side bearing 18 is arranged on the bearing seat 18. The flow insert 15 is arranged on the flow guide device 14.

[0053] The integrated arrangement of the flow guide device 14 and the bearing seat 18 or the inlet-side bearing 11 enables the fan 1 to be configured to insert the stator 8 into the main housing 2 on the outlet side for assembly of the fan 1. The stator 8 can be pushed into the interior space 2a formed by the main housing 2 when the fan 1 is open, i.e., when the housing cover 6 is removed from the main housing 2.

[0054] The housing cover 6 has a second bearing seat 18a that accommodates the outlet-side bearing 12. The second bearing seat 18a is arranged downstream of the first bearing seat 18 and in the axial direction in the region of the housing cover 6. The second bearing seat 18a is arranged radially inside the housing cover 6, or in the through-opening, and radially outside the motor shaft 7. The outlet-side bearing 12 is arranged on the second bearing seat 18a.

[0055] The flow guide device 14 is explained below. As shown in Figure 2, the flow guide device 14 is provided in the form of a guide vane 14 on the right-hand section of the annular channel 10 in Figure 2, i.e., on the inlet side 41. The guide vane 14 has an arrangement of guide vanes (not shown) distributed around a circumference of the flow guide device 14. The guide vanes are provided in particular in the region that forms an inlet region of the annular channel 10. The guide vane 14 can be flowed through via a passage in the direction of the annular channel 10.

[0056] In the present embodiment, the guide vane 14 is designed with the elements of the annular duct 10 as two separate components of the fan 1. The annular duct 10 and the guide vane 14 abut one another in a fluid-tight manner. This allows for greater diversity in the design and construction of the individual components. In another embodiment, the guide vane 14 is integrated with the elements of the annular duct 10 (not shown). In particular, the radial outer wall 16 in the inlet region of the annular duct 10 has the guide vanes of the guide vane 14. The guide vanes are formed integrally with the outer tube of the annular duct 10. This design enables simplified manufacture of the annular duct 10, since the outer tube with the guide vanes of the guide vane 14 and the bearing seat 18 can be manufactured as a single part.

[0057] In the present embodiment, the bearings 11, 12 each comprise a set of rolling bearings, which are inserted into the respective bearing seat 18, 18a with an outer ring and which are mounted on the motor shaft 7 with an inner ring.

[0058] Reference symbol (part of the description)

[0059] 1 fan

[0060] 2 main housings

[0061] 2a Interior

[0062] 5 Fan impeller

[0063] 6 housing cover

[0064] 6a Housing flange

[0065] 7 Motor shaft

[0066] 8 Stator

[0067] 9 Rotor

[0068] 9a Permanent magnet element

[0069] 10 ring canal

[0070] 10a pipe

[0071] 11 camps

[0072] 12 camps

[0073] 13 Inlet flange

[0074] 14 Flow guide device, guide vane

[0075] 15 Flow installation

[0076] 16 Exterior wall

[0077] 17 Interior wall

[0078] 18 bearing seat

[0079] 18a second bearing seat

[0080] 19 Water drainage arrangement

[0081] 40 gas mixture

[0082] 41 Entrance side

[0083] 42 Exit side

[0084] 43 Volute

[0085] 45 fasteners

[0086] 46 Fuel

[0087] 47 anode-side exhaust air

[0088] 65 electrical energy a vehicle b commercial vehicle

[0089] Fuel cell system

[0090] Fuel cell arrangement

[0091] Fuel cell stack

[0092] cathode

[0093] anode

[0094] Supply air

[0095] exhaust air

[0096] Main drive

[0097] Energy storage device

Claims

Patent claims 1 . Blower (1) for a fuel cell arrangement (205) for a vehicle (200a), in particular a commercial vehicle (200b); wherein - the blower (1) for recirculating a gas mixture (40) used for operating the fuel cell arrangement (205) has a drive motor (7, 8, 9) with a motor shaft (7), a rotor (9) coupled to the motor shaft (7) and a stator (8) arranged radially outside the rotor (9); - the fan (1) has an annular channel (10) arranged radially between the rotor (9) and the stator (8) and having an inlet side (41) and an outlet side (42) for conducting the gas mixture (40); - the fan (1) has a fan impeller (5) coupled to the motor shaft (7), wherein the fan impeller (5) is designed to convey the gas mixture (40) from the inlet side (41) to the outlet side (42) upon rotation of the motor shaft (7); - the blower (1) has a main housing (2) which at least partially forms the annular channel (10); - the fan (1) has an outlet-side bearing (12) for rotatably supporting the motor shaft (7); - the fan (1 ) has an inlet-side bearing (11 ) for rotatably supporting the motor shaft (7); and - the main housing (2) has a bearing seat (18) receiving the inlet-side bearing (11).

2. Blower (1 ) according to claim 1 , wherein - the fan (1) has a housing cover (6) attached to the main housing (2); and - the housing cover (6) has a second bearing seat (18a) which accommodates the outlet-side bearing (12).

3. Blower (1) according to claim 2, wherein the blower (1) has fastening elements (45) for fastening the housing cover (6) to the main housing (2).

4. Blower (1) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the blower (1) has a tube (10a) forming an outer wall (16) of the annular channel (10) and separating the gas mixture (40) and the stator (8) from one another.

5. Blower (1) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the blower (1) has a flow guide device (14) integrated into the main housing (2).

6. Blower (1) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the housing cover (5) has a volute (43), wherein the volute (43) is designed to be in operative connection with the blower impeller (5) during operation.

7. Blower (1) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the blower (1) is designed to insert the stator (8) into the main housing (2) on the outlet side for mounting the blower (1).

8. Fuel cell arrangement (205) for a vehicle (200a), in particular a commercial vehicle (200b), comprising a fuel cell stack (206) which can be supplied with a gas mixture (40) on the anode side and a blower (1) according to one of the preceding claims.

9. Vehicle (200a), in particular commercial vehicle (200b), comprising a fuel cell arrangement (205) according to claim 8.

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