Fuel Cell Rectification Mesh with Opening Parts
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Solution Overview
Problem
In fuel cell systems, water generated during electrochemical reactions can adhere to metal meshes on pipes, causing pressure loss and channel blocking, especially when it freezes.
Innovation Solution
A fuel cell system design featuring a butterfly valve and a rectification mesh with a mesh that rectifies gas flow, including a first opening part at the lower end and optionally a second opening part in the center, to minimize turbulence and prevent channel blocking by allowing water to flow through and reducing the risk of freezing.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Object-affected harmful factors
If a metal mesh is provided on a pipe to suppress vibration and noise from turbulence, then vibration and noise are reduced, but water adheres to the mesh causing pressure loss increase and channel blocking
Solution Approach 1:
The rectification mesh is divided into multiple sections: an upper section with mesh for noise suppression, a lower section with the first opening part free of mesh for water drainage, and optionally a center section with a second opening part. This segmentation allows different regions to serve different functions - the meshed areas suppress turbulence noise while the opening parts prevent water accumulation and channel blocking.
Solution Approach 2:
Different parts of the rectification mesh have different properties: the upper part has mesh structure for noise reduction, while the lower part has opening parts without mesh for water flow. This local differentiation of structure and function resolves the contradiction by allowing each region to optimize for its specific purpose without compromising the other.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If a rectification mesh is provided to reduce turbulence noise, then noise is suppressed, but water can freeze on the mesh blocking the channel
Solution Approach 1:
The mesh is extracted or removed from specific critical areas where water accumulates, particularly the lower end part and center part of the rectification mesh. By taking out the mesh from these locations and creating opening parts, the design prevents water from adhering and freezing on the mesh structure, thereby eliminating the channel blocking problem while retaining noise suppression capabilities in the remaining meshed areas.
3Object-affected harmful factors
If the mesh is made dense to improve noise suppression, then noise reduction is enhanced, but water adhesion and pressure loss increase
Solution Approach 1:
The rectification mesh is segmented into regions with different mesh densities and configurations. The upper part may have denser mesh for noise suppression, while the lower part has opening parts with no mesh to minimize water adhesion and pressure loss. This spatial segmentation of mesh density allows the system to achieve noise reduction without excessive pressure loss.
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
The design reduces noise from turbulence, suppresses pressure loss, and prevents channel blocking by ensuring water can flow through and avoid freezing, maintaining system efficiency.
Implementation Method 1
a metal mesh is provided on a pipe connecting the fuel cell and another component together in order to suppress vibration caused by turbulence and to suppress noise
Implementation Method 2
When this generated water adheres to a metal mesh provided on a pipe, a pressure loss increases in a channel of the pipe on which the metal mesh is provided
Implementation Method 3
The rectification mesh has a first opening part in its lower end part in vertical direction. The mesh is not formed in the first opening part.
Data Source
AI summary
To suppress increase of a pressure loss in a channel and blocking of the channel due to water adhering to a rectification mesh provided downstream of a butterfly valve. A fuel cell system includes: a butterfly valve provided on a pipe between a fuel cell and another component; and a rectification mesh provided on a downstream side of gas flowing in the pipe relative to the butterfly valve, a mesh that rectifies a flow of the gas being formed in the rectification mesh. The rectification mesh has, in its lower end part in a vertical direction, a first opening part in which the mesh is not formed.