Fuel Cell Combustor Air Flow Guidance
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional fuel cell systems inadequately address the mixing of air and reformed gas in the combustor and the heating of the reformer, leading to inefficiencies in electric power generation and increased manufacturing costs.
Innovation Solution
A fuel cell system configuration that includes a reformer, solid-oxide fuel cells, a fuel collecting portion, an air flow-through portion, and a covering body to guide air to the fuel jetting opening, ensuring appropriate mixing of air and reformed gas and efficient heating of the reformer using combustor heat.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If the fuel utilization ratio of the fuel cell is increased to improve electric power generation efficiency, then the electric power generation efficiency is improved, but the amount of combustible gas available for the combustor decreases leading to deterioration of combustibility
Solution Approach 1:
A porous plug is introduced as an intermediary component between the fuel cell and combustor. This porous plug mediates the interaction between unconsumed reformed gas and combustion exhaust gas, enabling effective mixing that restores combustibility even when combustible gas concentration is low due to high fuel utilization ratio in the fuel cell.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention changes the physical and chemical parameters of the gas mixture by introducing a porous plug that facilitates mixing. This alters the concentration distribution of combustible and oxidizing gases, transforming the gas composition to achieve stable combustion conditions despite high fuel cell fuel utilization.
2Productivity
If the fuel utilization ratio of the fuel cell is increased, then electric power generation efficiency is improved, but the amount of heat generated by the combustor decreases making it difficult to maintain appropriate temperatures for the reformer and fuel cell
Solution Approach 1:
The porous plug acts as a mediator that mixes combustion exhaust gas (containing heat) with unconsumed reformed gas before entering the combustor. This pre-mixing ensures that heat from the exhaust gas is effectively transferred to the incoming fuel gas, maintaining combustion temperature and enabling the combustor to provide adequate heat for the reformer and fuel cell even when combustible gas amount is reduced.
3Temperature
If heat insulation performance is improved or heat recovery performance is enhanced to compensate for decreased combustor heat, then temperature maintenance is improved, but manufacturing cost increases and system configuration becomes complex
Solution Approach 1:
The porous plug enables the system to be self-sufficient by utilizing the heat already present in the combustion exhaust gas. Instead of requiring external heat insulation improvements or additional heat recovery equipment, the system self-regulates temperature by internally mixing hot exhaust gas with incoming fuel gas, eliminating the need for complex external heat management systems.
4Productivity
If the fuel utilization ratio is increased, then electric power generation efficiency is improved, but uncombusted components remain in combustion exhaust gas increasing burden on exhaust gas treatment catalyst
Solution Approach 1:
The porous plug serves as a mixing zone that ensures thorough combustion of unconsumed reformed gas by facilitating contact between fuel gas and oxidizing components in the exhaust gas. This intermediate mixing stage promotes complete combustion, minimizing uncombusted components in the final exhaust gas and reducing the burden on downstream exhaust gas treatment catalysts.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This configuration improves the fuel utilization ratio, stabilizes combustion, reduces uncombusted components, and maintains a compact, cost-effective system design by enhancing mixing and heat transfer within the combustor.
Implementation Method 1
a reformer (4), which reforms raw fuel to generate reformed gas
Implementation Method 2
a solid-oxide fuel cell (2), which generates electric power by a reaction between the reformed gas and air
Implementation Method 3
a combustor (34), which mixes the reformed gas discharged from a fuel jetting opening (13) of the fuel collecting portion (9) with air flowing through the air flow-through portion (3), to combust the reformed gas
Implementation Method 4
a covering body (8)... supplies the air toward the fuel jetting opening (13) of the fuel collecting portion (9)
Implementation Method 5
the reformer (4) reforms the raw fuel using combustion heat of the combustor (34)
Data Source
Figure 1
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AI summary
A fuel cell system includes: a reformer configured to reform raw fuel to generate reformed gas; a solid-oxide fuel cell configured to generate electric power by a reaction between the reformed gas and air; a fuel collecting portion provided adjacent to the solid-oxide fuel cell, the reformed gas remaining after the reaction of the solid-oxide fuel cell being collected at the fuel collecting portion; an air flow-through portion formed along an outer periphery of the fuel collecting portion; a combustor configured to mix the reformed gas discharged from a fuel jetting opening of the fuel collecting portion with the air flowing through the air flow-through portion, to combust the reformed gas and configured to mix the reformed gas discharged from a fuel jetting opening of the fuel collecting portion with the air flowing through the air flow-through portion, to combust the reformed gas; and a covering body provided so as to block flow of the air in a direction from the air flow-through portion toward the combustor along the reformer, wherein: the reformer reforms the raw fuel using combustion heat of the combustor; and the covering body supplies the air toward the fuel jetting opening of the fuel collecting portion.