Fuel cell, thermal apparatus thereof, and manufacturing method

Abstract

The present invention relates to the technical field of fuel cells, and provides a fuel cell, a thermal apparatus thereof and a manufacturing method. The fuel cell thermal apparatus (100) comprises: a casing (110), which is provided with at least two openings leading to an internal space thereof and comprising a first opening (101) and a second opening (102); a filler (120), which is arranged in the casing (110) and contains on its surface or therein a material having a heating function; a fluid, which flows into the internal space via the first opening (101) and flows out of the second opening (102); and a fluid driving apparatus, which is communicated with the first opening (101) and the second opening (102) by means of a pipe and provides power for the fluid to flow into or out of the internal space. The fuel cell thermal apparatus (100) is configured in such a way that: the fluid is in contact with the filler in the internal space and reacts with same to generate heat, which is transferred, by means of the casing (110), to an object device outside the casing (110); or heat generated by the object device outside the casing (110) is transferred to the filler (120) by means of the casing (110) and is taken away by the fluid flowing through the filler (120).

Description

Fuel cell, thermal device and manufacturing method thereof

[0001] This application claims priority and other related rights and interests of the Chinese patent application with application number 202410183327.0 filed on February 19, 2024. The entire content of the Chinese patent application is incorporated herein by reference. Technical Field

[0002] The present invention relates to a fuel cell, and more particularly, to a fuel cell thermal device and a fuel cell having the thermal device. Background Art

[0003] As a "chemical generator", the proton exchange membrane fuel cell utilizes the reverse reaction principle of water electrolysis, so that hydrogen (anode) and oxygen (cathode) generate electricity through electrochemical reaction under the action of catalyst.

[0004] The electrochemical reaction of the proton exchange membrane fuel cell occurs in the stack system (hereinafter referred to as the "stack"). The stack is the power generation system of the proton exchange membrane fuel cell, including stacked membrane electrode assemblies and bipolar plates.

[0005] Since the membrane electrode assembly can only generate electricity effectively within a limited operating temperature range, the membrane electrode assembly has very strict temperature requirements, which are manifested in the following two aspects:

[0006] First, when the temperature of the membrane electrode assembly is too high, it will cause irreversible damage to the membrane electrode assembly. When the temperature of the membrane electrode assembly is too low, the electrochemical reaction rate in the membrane electrode assembly is too slow, and it cannot effectively generate electricity, and users cannot use it. Therefore, it must be heated before use, so that it can be preheated to the lower limit of the operating temperature as soon as possible to reduce the user's waiting time. According to relevant research by Juhl Andreasen et al., the preheating time required for the electric heating stack to reach the lower limit of the operating temperature is usually around 30-60 minutes. Such a long waiting time will inevitably seriously affect the user's experience and limit the application scope of fuel cells.

[0007] Furthermore, the uniformity of the MEA's operating temperature also significantly impacts its power generation capacity. Operating temperatures across the MEA should be as consistent as possible, as should the operating temperatures across different layers of the MEA. Only in this way can the MEA's power generation capacity be maximized.

[0008] Therefore, in order to ensure the working state of the fuel cell, it is necessary to heat and dissipate heat from the fuel cell stack, fuel device, hydrogen production device and other components.

[0009] In existing technologies, heating or cooling fuel cells often relies on electrical heating or refrigerant circulation, requiring significant additional electricity consumption or the addition of heat exchangers, resulting in complex structures and numerous devices. Consequently, existing fuel cell stacks suffer from long startup times, poor power generation capabilities, and high manufacturing and operating costs, severely impacting user experience and reducing the value of fuel cells, creating a technological bottleneck hindering their development. Summary of the Invention

[0010] The present invention provides a fuel cell thermal device with short preheating time, fast heat dissipation speed, high temperature consistency, simple structure, low cost and wide application range, for example, it is particularly suitable for proton exchange membrane fuel cells.

[0011] In one aspect, according to one embodiment of the present invention, a fuel cell thermal device includes:

[0012] A housing having an interior space, wherein the housing is provided with at least two openings communicating with the interior space, wherein the at least two openings include a first opening and a second opening;

[0013] A filler is disposed in the internal space, wherein the surface of the filler has a material having a heat-generating function or the interior of the filler contains a material having a heat-generating function;

[0014] a fluid that flows into the interior space through the first opening and flows out of the second opening; and

[0015] a fluid driving device, which is connected to the first opening and the second opening via a pipeline and provides power for the fluid to flow into or out of the internal space;

[0016] The fuel cell thermal device is configured as follows: the fluid contacts the heat-generating material of the filler in the internal space and reacts to generate heat, and the heat is transferred to an object device outside the shell via the shell; or, the heat generated by the object device outside the shell is transferred to the filler in the internal space via the shell and is carried away by the fluid flowing through the filler.

[0017] In some embodiments of the present invention, the target device includes at least one of a fuel cell stack, a fuel device, and a hydrogen production device.

[0018] In some embodiments of the present invention, the material used to make the housing includes a metal material or a non-metallic material. In some embodiments of the present invention, the thermal conductivity of the metal material is greater than 1 W / m·K; the thermal conductivity of the non-metallic material is greater than 1 W / m·K. In some embodiments of the present invention, the metal material includes at least one of the following: copper, iron, aluminum, nickel, and titanium. In some embodiments of the present invention, the non-metallic material includes at least one of the following: aluminum nitride, aluminum oxide, silicon carbide, and carbon.

[0019] In some embodiments of the present invention, the material used to make the filler includes a metal material or a non-metallic material. In some embodiments of the present invention, the thermal conductivity of the metal material is greater than 1W / m·K; the thermal conductivity of the non-metallic material is greater than 0.1W / m·K. In some embodiments of the present invention, the metal material includes at least one of the following: foam metal, metal corrugated filler, metal mesh. In some embodiments of the present invention, the metal material includes at least one of the following: copper, iron, aluminum, nickel and titanium. In some embodiments of the present invention, the non-metallic material includes at least one of the following: ceramic, clay, clay, zeolite, medical stone, cordierite and carbon. In some embodiments of the present invention, the ceramic includes at least one of the following: aluminum nitride, aluminum oxide, silicon carbide.

[0020] In some embodiments of the present invention, the material having the heat generating function comprises a metal material. In some embodiments of the present invention, the metal material comprises at least one of the following: platinum, copper, iron, aluminum, nickel, and zinc.

[0021] In some embodiments of the present invention, the fluid comprises a liquid or a gas. In some embodiments of the present invention, the liquid or gas comprises at least one of the following: hydrogen, oxygen, carbon, or nitrogen. In some embodiments of the present invention, the liquid or gas comprises at least one of the following: oxygen, nitrogen, hydrogen, ammonia, or a hydrocarbon. In some embodiments of the present invention, the hydrocarbon comprises at least one of the following: methanol, ethanol, dimethyl ether, gasoline, or diesel.

[0022] In some embodiments of the present invention, the fluid driving device includes at least one of the following: a pump, a blower, a fan, an air compressor, and a compressor.

[0023] On the other hand, according to an embodiment of the present invention, a method for manufacturing a fuel cell thermal device includes:

[0024] A housing is provided, wherein the housing has an interior space, and at least two openings are formed in the housing and communicate with the interior space, wherein the at least two openings include a first opening and a second opening;

[0025] Providing a filler, which is arranged in the internal space, wherein the filler is configured to have a material having a heat-generating function on its surface or inside thereof;

[0026] providing a fluid driving device, which is in communication with the first opening and the second opening via a pipeline and is configured to drive the fluid into or out of the internal space to provide power, so that the fluid flows into the internal space through the first opening and flows out of the second opening; and

[0027] The fuel cell thermal device is configured such that: the fluid contacts the heat-generating material of the filler in the internal space and reacts to generate heat, and the heat is transferred to an object device located outside the shell via the shell; or, the heat generated by the object device outside the shell is transferred to the filler in the internal space via the shell and is carried away by the fluid flowing through the filler.

[0028] In addition, an embodiment of the present invention also provides a fuel cell, which may be a proton exchange membrane fuel cell, etc., which includes: the fuel cell thermal device described in any one of the above embodiments; and an object device arranged outside the fuel cell thermal device, the object device including at least one of a fuel cell stack, a fuel device, and a hydrogen production device.

[0029] In some embodiments of the present invention, the fuel cell thermal device includes at least two first fuel cell thermal devices, wherein the at least two first fuel cell thermal devices are arranged side by side, and the object device is arranged between two adjacent first fuel cell thermal devices.

[0030] In some embodiments of the present invention, the fuel cell thermal device includes at least one second fuel cell thermal device, wherein the second fuel cell thermal device passes through the object device located between two adjacent first fuel cell thermal devices.

[0031] In some embodiments of the present invention, at least two target devices are provided between two adjacent first fuel cell thermal devices, and each target device is provided with the second fuel cell thermal device passing through the target device.

[0032] In some embodiments of the present invention, another target device is further provided on the second fuel cell thermal device, thereby enabling thermal management of two different target devices.

[0033] In some embodiments of the present invention, the subject device comprises a tubular device.

[0034] According to the embodiment of the present invention, the fluid flows through the filler in the shell, contacts the heat-generating material on the surface or inside of the filler, generates heat, and transfers the heat through the shell to the external fuel cell stack, fuel device, and hydrogen production device to achieve the purpose of heating. On the other hand, the fluid flows in the shell and contacts the filler, absorbs the heat transferred from the external fuel cell stack, fuel device, and hydrogen production device to the shell and filler, and takes away the heat by flowing out of the shell through the fluid, thereby achieving the purpose of cooling. Therefore, the implementation of the present invention can not only effectively solve the problem of long waiting time for users caused by the long preheating time of the fuel cell, improve the consistency of the fuel cell temperature, but also reduce the manufacturing cost and processing difficulty of the fuel cell, and expand the scope of application of the fuel cell.

[0035] Various aspects, features, advantages, etc. of the embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail below in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. According to the following detailed description in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, the above aspects, features, advantages, etc. of the present invention will become more clear. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0036] FIG. 1 is a schematic perspective view showing a thermal device for a fuel cell according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

[0037] FIG. 2 is an exploded schematic diagram of the fuel cell thermal device according to the exemplary embodiment shown in FIG. 1 .

[0038] FIG. 3 is a schematic perspective view showing a fuel cell according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

[0039] FIG. 4 is a schematic perspective view showing a fuel cell according to another exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

[0040] FIG. 5 is a schematic perspective view showing a fuel cell according to another exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

[0041] FIG. 6 is a side view of the fuel cell according to the exemplary embodiment shown in FIG. 5 .

[0042] FIG. 7 is a schematic perspective view showing a fuel cell according to another exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

[0043] FIG. 8 is a schematic perspective view showing a fuel cell according to another exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

[0044] FIG. 9 is a schematic perspective view showing a fuel cell according to another exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

[0045] FIG. 10 is a schematic perspective view showing a fuel cell according to another exemplary embodiment of the present invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0046] Hereinafter, exemplary embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. It should be understood that the technical solutions of the present invention can be embodied in various different forms and should not be construed as being limited to the embodiments disclosed herein. On the contrary, these embodiments are provided as examples so that the disclosure of the present invention is thorough and comprehensive, and the various aspects and features of the present invention are fully conveyed to those skilled in the art. Therefore, processes, elements and techniques that are not necessary for those skilled in the art to fully understand the various aspects and features of the present invention may not be described. Unless otherwise stated, similar reference numerals represent similar elements throughout the drawings and text descriptions, and therefore, the relevant descriptions may not be repeated. In addition, the features or aspects of each exemplary embodiment should generally be considered to be applicable to other similar features or aspects in other exemplary embodiments.

[0047] Certain terms may be used in the following description, but these terms are not intended to limit the invention. For example, terms such as "top," "bottom," "upper," "lower," "above," and "below" may be used to refer to directions in the accompanying drawings with reference to the accompanying drawings. Terms such as "front," "back," "rear," "side," "outside," and "inside" may be used to describe the orientation and / or position of parts of a component within a consistent but arbitrary reference frame, which can be clearly understood by reference to the written description of the component and the associated drawings. Such terms may include the words specifically mentioned above, their derivatives, and words of similar meaning. Similarly, the terms "first," "second," and other such numerical terms referring to structures do not imply a sequence or order unless the context clearly indicates so.

[0048] It should be understood that when an element or feature is referred to as being "on," "connected to," or "coupled to" another element or layer, it can be directly on, connected to, or coupled to the other element or feature, or one or more intervening elements or features may be present. Additionally, it should be further understood that when an element or feature is referred to as being "between" two elements or features, it can be the only element or feature between the two elements or features, or one or more intervening elements or features may also be present.

[0049] The terms used herein are for the purpose of describing specific embodiments, but are not intended to limit the present invention. As used herein, "one" and "a kind of" are intended to also include plural forms, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise. It should also be understood that the terms "comprising", "including" and "having" are used in this manual to represent the existence of stated features, integral bodies, steps, operations, elements and / or parts, but do not exclude the existence or addition of one or more other features, integral bodies, steps, operations, elements, parts and / or their sets. As used herein, the term "and / or" includes any and all combinations of one or more of the associated listed items. Expressions such as "at least one of ..." modify the entire list of elements when they are before a list of elements, rather than modifying the separate elements of the list.

[0050] As used herein, the terms "substantially," "about," "substantially," and similar terms are used as terms of approximation rather than as terms of degree, and are intended to take into account the inherent variation in measurements or calculations that one of ordinary skill in the art will recognize. As used herein, the terms "use," "using," and "used" may be considered synonymous with the terms "utilize," "utilizing," and "utilized," respectively.

[0051] Unless otherwise defined, all terms (including technical and scientific terms) used herein have the same meaning as commonly understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to which the present invention belongs. It should also be understood that, unless expressly defined otherwise herein, terms (such as those defined in commonly used dictionaries) should be interpreted as having a meaning consistent with their meaning in the context of the relevant art and / or this specification, and should not be interpreted in an idealized or overly formal sense.

[0052] 1 and 2 show a fuel cell thermal device 100 according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention. The fuel cell thermal device 100 is mainly used for thermal management of a fuel cell, such as a proton exchange membrane fuel cell, including heating or cooling relevant components of the fuel cell.

[0053] As shown in Figures 1 and 2, a fuel cell thermal device 100 includes at least a housing 110 and a filler 120. The filler 120 is disposed within the interior space of the housing 110. Specifically, the housing 110 defines an interior space that accommodates or encapsulates the filler 120. The housing 110 is provided with at least two openings, such as openings 101, 102, and 103, communicating with the interior space. The fuel cell thermal device 100 also includes a fluid that flows into the interior space of the housing 110 through opening 101 and flows out through opening 103. The filler 120 within the housing 110 has a heat-generating material on its surface or within its interior. The fluid contacts the heat-generating material of the filler 120 within the interior space and reacts to generate heat. This heat is then transferred via the housing 110 to an external device. Alternatively, heat generated by the external device is transferred via the housing 110 to the filler 120 within the interior space and carried away by the fluid flowing through the filler 120. The fuel cell thermal device 100 further includes a fluid driving device, which is connected to an opening in the housing 110 via a pipeline and provides power for the fluid to flow into or out of the interior space of the housing 110. In some embodiments of the present invention, the fluid driving device includes at least one of the following: a pump, a blower, a fan, an air compressor, or a compressor.

[0054] In some embodiments of the present invention, the material with heat-generating function used to make the filler 120 includes a metal material. In some embodiments of the present invention, the metal material includes at least one of the following: platinum, copper, iron, aluminum, nickel, and zinc. In some embodiments of the present invention, the fluid includes a liquid or a gas. In some embodiments of the present invention, the liquid or gas includes at least one of the following: hydrogen, oxygen, carbon, and nitrogen. In some embodiments of the present invention, the liquid or gas includes at least one of the following: oxygen, nitrogen, hydrogen, ammonia, and hydrocarbons. In some embodiments of the present invention, the hydrocarbon includes at least one of the following: methanol, ethanol, dimethyl ether, gasoline, and diesel.

[0055] In some embodiments of the present invention, the material used to make the shell 110 includes a metal material or a non-metallic material. In some embodiments of the present invention, the thermal conductivity of the metal material used to make the shell 110 is greater than 1 W / m·K. In some embodiments of the present invention, the thermal conductivity of the non-metallic material used to make the shell 110 is greater than 1 W / m·K. In some embodiments of the present invention, the metal material includes at least one of the following: copper, iron, aluminum, nickel, and titanium. In some embodiments of the present invention, the non-metallic material includes at least one of the following: aluminum nitride, aluminum oxide, silicon carbide, and carbon.

[0056] In some embodiments of the present invention, the material used to make the filler 120 includes a metal material or a non-metallic material. In some embodiments of the present invention, the thermal conductivity of the metal material used to make the filler 120 is greater than 1W / m·K. In some embodiments of the present invention, the thermal conductivity of the non-metallic material used to make the filler 120 is greater than 0.1W / m·K. In some embodiments of the present invention, the metal material includes at least one of the following: foam metal, metal corrugated filler, metal mesh. In some embodiments of the present invention, the metal material includes at least one of the following: copper, iron, aluminum, nickel and titanium. In some embodiments of the present invention, the non-metallic material includes at least one of the following: ceramic, clay, clay, zeolite, medical stone, cordierite and carbon. In some embodiments of the present invention, the ceramic includes at least one of the following: aluminum nitride, aluminum oxide, silicon carbide.

[0057] In some embodiments of the present invention, the target device heated or cooled by the fuel cell thermal device 100 may include at least one of a fuel cell stack, a fuel device, and a hydrogen production device. The target device may also include a portion or component of at least one of the fuel cell stack, the fuel device, and the hydrogen production device.

[0058] The inventors of the present invention have proposed a manufacturing method for the fuel cell thermal device proposed in the present invention. According to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, the manufacturing method includes:

[0059] A housing is provided, wherein the housing has an interior space, and at least two openings are formed in the housing and communicate with the interior space, wherein the at least two openings include a first opening and a second opening;

[0060] Providing a filler, which is arranged in the internal space, wherein the filler is configured to have a material having a heat-generating function on its surface or inside thereof;

[0061] providing a fluid driving device, which is in communication with the first opening and the second opening via a pipeline and is configured to drive the fluid into or out of the internal space to provide power, so that the fluid flows into the internal space through the first opening and flows out of the second opening; and

[0062] The fuel cell thermal device is configured such that: the fluid contacts the heat-generating material of the filler in the internal space and reacts to generate heat, and the heat is transferred to an object device located outside the shell via the shell; or, the heat generated by the object device outside the shell is transferred to the filler in the internal space via the shell and is carried away by the fluid flowing through the filler.

[0063] It should be understood that the materials used to make the shell, filler, fluid, and heat-generating material are the same as those in the above embodiment and will not be described in detail here.

[0064] The fuel cell thermal device provided by the present invention is primarily used for thermal management of fuel cells, such as proton exchange membrane fuel cells, including heating or cooling relevant fuel cell components. Accordingly, the present invention also provides a fuel cell comprising the fuel cell thermal device and an external device, such as a proton exchange membrane fuel cell, disposed externally thereto. The external device may be a component of the fuel cell.

[0065] Figure 3 shows a fuel cell 200 according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, which utilizes the fuel cell thermal device of the present invention for thermal management. As shown in Figure 3, fuel cell 200 includes a first fuel cell thermal device 210 and a target device 220. Target device 220 includes at least one of a fuel cell stack, a fuel system, and a hydrogen production system, or a portion thereof. First fuel cell thermal device 210 can be any of the fuel cell thermal devices described in the aforementioned embodiments.

[0066] In this embodiment, the fuel cell thermal device 200 includes two first fuel cell thermal devices 210, which are arranged side by side, with the target device 220 positioned between the two adjacent first fuel cell thermal devices 210. This allows for thermal management of the target device 220 on both sides. This thermal management includes: when fluid within the first fuel cell thermal device 210 contacts and reacts with the heat-generating material of the corresponding filler, generating heat, this heat is transferred to the target device 220 located outside the first fuel cell thermal device 210 through the housing of the first fuel cell thermal device 210; and / or, heat generated by the target device 220 is transferred to the filler inside the first fuel cell thermal device 210 through the housing of the first fuel cell thermal device 210 and carried away by the fluid flowing through the filler.

[0067] It should be understood that the number of first fuel cell thermal devices 210 is not limited to two, and can be three or more, or of course, one. The number of first fuel cell thermal devices 210 depends on the configuration requirements of the fuel cell. Figure 4 shows a fuel cell 300 according to another exemplary embodiment of the present invention. The fuel cell thermal device 300 includes five first fuel cell thermal devices 310, wherein the five first fuel cell thermal devices 310 are arranged side by side, and an object device 320 is arranged between two adjacent first fuel cell thermal devices 310. The object device 320 can be a fuel cell stack. The present invention is not limited to this, and the object device 320 can also be a fuel device or a hydrogen production device.

[0068] In application, the arrangement of the fuel cell thermal device is not limited to the arrangement exemplified in the above embodiment, and other arrangements are also possible.

[0069] Figures 5 and 6 illustrate a fuel cell 400 according to another exemplary embodiment of the present invention. This fuel cell 400 includes a second fuel cell thermal device in addition to a first fuel cell thermal device. As shown in Figures 5 and 6, the fuel cell thermal device 400 includes two first fuel cell thermal devices 410 and one second fuel cell thermal device 430. The two first fuel cell thermal devices 410 are arranged side by side, with an object device 420 positioned between adjacent first fuel cell thermal devices 410. The second fuel cell thermal device 430 passes through the object device 420. This allows for comprehensive heating or cooling of the object device 420. It should be understood that in this example, the second fuel cell thermal device 430 has a structure similar to the first fuel cell thermal device in any of the aforementioned embodiments, and also includes: a shell having an internal space, the shell being provided with at least two openings connected to the internal space, the at least two openings including a first opening and a second opening; a filler disposed in the internal space, the surface of the filler having or the interior of the filler containing a material with a heat-generating function; a fluid flowing into the internal space through the first opening and flowing out from the second opening; and a fluid driving device connected to the first opening and the second opening via a pipeline to provide power for the fluid to flow into or out of the internal space; wherein the fuel cell thermal device is configured such that: the fluid contacts and reacts with the heat-generating material of the filler in the internal space to generate heat, and the heat is transferred to an object device disposed outside the shell via the shell; or, the heat generated by the object device outside the shell is transferred to the filler in the internal space via the shell and is carried away by the fluid flowing through the filler. In this embodiment, the second fuel cell thermal device 430 and the first fuel cell thermal device 410 have different housing shapes: the former is cylindrical, while the latter is rectangular. In other embodiments of the present invention, the second fuel cell thermal device and the first fuel cell thermal device may have the same housing shape.

[0070] The material of the housing of the second fuel cell thermal device and the first fuel cell thermal device may be the same or different. In some embodiments of the present invention, the material of the housing includes a metal material or a non-metallic material. In some embodiments of the present invention, the thermal conductivity of the metal material is greater than 1 W / m·K; the thermal conductivity of the non-metallic material is greater than 1 W / m·K. In some embodiments of the present invention, the metal material includes at least one of the following: copper, iron, aluminum, nickel, and titanium. In some embodiments of the present invention, the non-metallic material includes at least one of the following: aluminum nitride, aluminum oxide, silicon carbide, and carbon.

[0071] In some embodiments of the present invention, the material used to make the filler includes a metal material or a non-metallic material. In some embodiments of the present invention, the thermal conductivity of the metal material is greater than 1W / m·K; the thermal conductivity of the non-metallic material is greater than 0.1W / m·K. In some embodiments of the present invention, the metal material includes at least one of the following: foam metal, metal corrugated filler, metal mesh. In some embodiments of the present invention, the metal material includes at least one of the following: copper, iron, aluminum, nickel and titanium. In some embodiments of the present invention, the non-metallic material includes at least one of the following: ceramic, clay, clay, zeolite, medical stone, cordierite and carbon. In some embodiments of the present invention, the ceramic includes at least one of the following: aluminum nitride, aluminum oxide, silicon carbide.

[0072] In some embodiments of the present invention, the material having the heat generating function comprises a metal material. In some embodiments of the present invention, the metal material comprises at least one of the following: platinum, copper, iron, aluminum, nickel, and zinc.

[0073] In some embodiments of the present invention, the fluid comprises a liquid or a gas. In some embodiments of the present invention, the liquid or gas comprises at least one of the following: hydrogen, oxygen, carbon, or nitrogen. In some embodiments of the present invention, the liquid or gas comprises at least one of the following: oxygen, nitrogen, hydrogen, ammonia, or a hydrocarbon. In some embodiments of the present invention, the hydrocarbon comprises at least one of the following: methanol, ethanol, dimethyl ether, gasoline, or diesel.

[0074] In some embodiments of the present invention, a fluid driving device may be shared, and the fluid driving device includes at least one of the following: a pump, a blower, a fan, an air compressor, and a compressor.

[0075] It should be understood that the number of second fuel cell thermal devices is not limited to one and can be two or more. As shown in FIG7 , the fuel cell thermal device 500 includes five first fuel cell thermal devices 510 . At least two target devices 520 are disposed between two adjacent first fuel cell thermal devices 510 . Each target device 520 is provided with a second fuel cell thermal device 530 that passes through the target device. In the illustration, two target devices are disposed between two adjacent first fuel cell thermal devices 510 , and each target device 520 is provided with one second fuel cell thermal device 530 . Therefore, in this example, the fuel cell thermal device 500 includes eight second fuel cell thermal devices 530 .

[0076] In some embodiments of the present invention, the thermally managed device of a fuel cell thermal device may include a tubular device. As shown in Figure 8, the fuel cell thermal device 600 includes two first fuel cell thermal devices 610, wherein the two first fuel cell thermal devices 610 are arranged side by side. A tubular device 620 is disposed between the two adjacent first fuel cell thermal devices 610, and the thermally managed target material flows through the tubular device 620. The thermally managed target material includes hydrogen, oxygen, carbon, and nitrogen. In some embodiments of the present invention, the thermally managed target material includes methanol, water, or other fluids. In some embodiments of the present invention, the tubular device 620 may be at least one of the preheater, gasifier, reformer, or hydrogen generator of the hydrogen production device, or a portion thereof, or may be the fuel cell stack intake line or a portion thereof. It should be understood that the number of first fuel cell thermal devices 610 is not limited to two and may be more than two or even one. FIG9 shows a fuel cell 700 according to another exemplary embodiment of the present invention, wherein the fuel cell thermal device 700 includes five first fuel cell thermal devices 710 , wherein the first fuel cell thermal devices 710 are arranged side by side, and a tubular object device 720 is arranged between two adjacent first fuel cell thermal devices 710 .

[0077] Figure 10 illustrates an exemplary application of the fuel cell thermal device of the present invention. Figure 10 provides a schematic diagram of a fuel cell 800 utilizing the fuel cell thermal device of the present invention. Fuel cell 800 includes a first fuel cell thermal device 810, a second fuel cell thermal device 830, and target devices 820-1 and 820-2. In this exemplary embodiment, a square target device 820-1 is positioned between two first fuel cell thermal devices 810. A second fuel cell thermal device 830 is inserted into the center of the square target device 820-1, with another target device 820-2 wrapped around the second fuel cell thermal device 830. The first and second fuel cell thermal devices 810 and 830 have similar structures and functions to the fuel cell thermal devices described in any of the aforementioned embodiments, for example, comprising a housing, a packing material located within the housing, and a fluid flowing through the packing material. When the fluid contacts the heat-generating material in the packing material within the housing and reacts to generate heat, the heat is transferred through the housing to the target device located outside the housing. Alternatively, the heat generated by the target device outside the housing is transferred through the housing to the packing material within the housing and carried away by the fluid flowing through the packing material. In this exemplary embodiment, the first fuel cell thermal device 810 and the second fuel cell thermal device 830 can simultaneously perform thermal management, including heating and cooling, for two target devices 820-1 and 820-2. In some embodiments, target device 820-1 can be a reformer of a proton exchange membrane fuel cell, and target device 820-2 can be a preheater of a proton exchange membrane fuel cell. Thus, the fuel cell thermal device of the present invention can simultaneously perform thermal management for two different or identical target devices, improving thermal management efficiency while also reducing fuel cell production costs.

[0078] Those skilled in the art should understand that the above-disclosed contents are merely embodiments of the present invention and cannot be used to limit the scope of rights for which patent protection is requested. Equivalent changes made based on the embodiments of the present invention are still within the scope covered by the claims of the present invention.

Claims

1. A fuel cell thermal device comprising: A housing having an interior space, wherein the housing is provided with at least two openings communicating with the interior space, wherein the at least two openings include a first opening and a second opening; A filler is disposed in the internal space, wherein the surface of the filler has a material having a heat-generating function or the interior of the filler contains a material having a heat-generating function; a fluid that flows into the interior space through the first opening and flows out of the second opening; as well as a fluid driving device, which is connected to the first opening and the second opening via a pipeline and provides power for the fluid to flow into or out of the internal space; The fuel cell thermal device is configured as follows: the fluid contacts the heat-generating material of the filler in the internal space and reacts to generate heat, and the heat is transferred to an object device outside the shell via the shell; or, the heat generated by the object device outside the shell is transferred to the filler in the internal space via the shell and is carried away by the fluid flowing through the filler.

2. The fuel cell thermal device according to claim 1, characterized in that The target device includes at least one of a fuel cell stack, a fuel device, and a hydrogen production device.

3. The fuel cell thermal device according to claim 1, characterized in that The material for making the shell includes metal material or non-metal material.

4. The fuel cell thermal device according to claim 3, characterized in that The thermal conductivity of the metal material is greater than 1 W / m·K; The thermal conductivity of the non-metallic material is greater than 1 W / m·K.

5. The fuel cell thermal device according to claim 3, characterized in that The metal material includes at least one of the following: copper, iron, aluminum, nickel and titanium; And / or, the non-metallic material includes at least one of the following: aluminum nitride, aluminum oxide, silicon carbide and carbon.

6. The fuel cell thermal device according to claim 1, characterized in that The material used to make the filler includes metal material or non-metal material.

7. The fuel cell thermal device according to claim 6, characterized in that The thermal conductivity of the metal material is greater than 1 W / m·K; the thermal conductivity of the non-metallic material is greater than 0.1 W / m·K.

8. The fuel cell thermal device according to claim 7, characterized in that The metal material includes at least one of the following: foam metal, metal corrugated filler, and metal mesh.

9. The fuel cell thermal device according to claim 7, characterized in that The metal material includes at least one of the following: copper, iron, aluminum, nickel and titanium; And / or, the non-metallic material includes at least one of the following: ceramic, clay, clay, zeolite, medical stone, cordierite and carbon.

10. The fuel cell thermal device according to claim 9, characterized in that The ceramic includes at least one of the following: aluminum nitride, aluminum oxide, and silicon carbide.

11. The fuel cell thermal device according to claim 1, wherein: The material for making the heating element includes metal material.

12. The fuel cell thermal device according to claim 11, characterized in that The metal material includes at least one of the following: platinum, copper, iron, aluminum, nickel, and zinc.

13. The fuel cell thermal device according to claim 1, wherein: The fluid includes liquid or gas.

14. The fuel cell thermal device according to claim 13, characterized in that The liquid or gas contains at least one of the following: hydrogen, oxygen, carbon, and nitrogen.

15. The fuel cell thermal device according to claim 14, characterized in that The liquid or gas includes at least one of the following: oxygen, nitrogen, hydrogen, ammonia, and hydrocarbons.

16. The fuel cell thermal device according to claim 15, characterized in that The hydrocarbon includes at least one of the following: methanol, ethanol, dimethyl ether, gasoline, and diesel.

17. The fuel cell thermal device according to claim 1, wherein: The fluid driving device includes at least one of the following: a pump, a blower, a fan, an air compressor, and a compressor.

18. A fuel cell comprising: The fuel cell thermal device according to any one of claims 1 to 17; as well as The target device is arranged outside the fuel cell thermal device, and the target device includes at least one of a fuel cell stack, a fuel device, and a hydrogen production device.

19. The fuel cell according to claim 18, wherein The fuel cell thermal device comprises at least two first fuel cell thermal devices, The at least two first fuel cell thermal devices are arranged side by side, and the target device is arranged between two adjacent first fuel cell thermal devices.

20. The fuel cell according to claim 19, wherein The fuel cell thermal device comprises at least one second fuel cell thermal device, The second fuel cell thermal device passes through the target device located between two adjacent first fuel cell thermal devices.

21. The fuel cell according to claim 20, characterized in that At least two of the target devices are provided between two adjacent first fuel cell thermal devices. The second fuel cell thermal device is provided corresponding to each of the target devices and passes through the target device.

22. The fuel cell according to claim 20, characterized in that Another object device is also provided on the second fuel cell thermal device.

23. The fuel cell according to claim 19, wherein The object device includes a tubular device.

24. A method for manufacturing a fuel cell thermal device, comprising: A housing is provided, wherein the housing has an interior space, and at least two openings are formed in the housing and communicate with the interior space, wherein the at least two openings include a first opening and a second opening; Providing a filler, which is arranged in the internal space, wherein the filler is configured to have a material having a heat-generating function on its surface or inside thereof; providing a fluid driving device, which is in communication with the first opening and the second opening via a pipeline and is configured to drive the fluid into or out of the internal space to provide power, so that the fluid flows into the internal space through the first opening and flows out of the second opening; as well as The fuel cell thermal device is configured such that: the fluid contacts the heat-generating material of the filler in the internal space and reacts to generate heat, and the heat is transferred to an object device located outside the shell via the shell; or, the heat generated by the object device outside the shell is transferred to the filler in the internal space via the shell and is carried away by the fluid flowing through the filler.

Images