Fuel Cell Gas Liquid Separator with Stirring Booster
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
In fuel cell systems, excessive liquid water from the oxygen-containing gas inlet can enter the fuel cell, reducing efficiency and hindering rapid warming, especially at low temperatures, due to inadequate mixing and separation of fuel exhaust gas and oxygen-containing gas.
Innovation Solution
A fuel cell system design incorporating a humidifier, a gas liquid separator with a separator body that separates both oxygen-containing gas and fuel exhaust gas, and a stirring booster with specific gravity differences to efficiently separate and mix gases, preventing excessive water entry and promoting rapid warming.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a humidifier is provided in the oxygen-containing gas inlet channel to humidify the oxygen-containing gas, then the moisture in the electrolyte membrane is maintained, but excessive liquid water may flow into the fuel cell and reduce output
Solution Approach 1:
The gas liquid separator divides the gas flow path into separate regions for gas and liquid phases, allowing the oxygen-containing gas to pass through while directing liquid water to a drainage path. This segmentation prevents excessive liquid water from entering the fuel cell while maintaining the necessary humidity for the electrolyte membrane.
2Temperature
If fuel exhaust gas is mixed with oxygen-containing gas to warm up the fuel cell at low temperature, then heat is produced by cathode catalyst reaction, but if not mixed uniformly the warming efficiency is decreased
Solution Approach 1:
The stirring booster creates turbulent flow and mixing action between the fuel exhaust gas and oxygen-containing gas, enhancing the uniformity of mixing. This mechanical agitation ensures efficient heat transfer and rapid, uniform warming of the fuel cell at low temperatures.
3Object-generated harmful factors
If fuel exhaust gas containing liquid water is supplied to the gas liquid separator, then liquid water can be separated, but the device complexity increases with additional components
Solution Approach 1:
The gas liquid separator integrates multiple functions into a single component: it separates liquid water from the gas mixture, directs the separated gas to the fuel cell, and channels liquid water to drainage. This merging of functions achieves effective water separation without proportionally increasing device complexity.
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 system effectively suppresses excessive liquid water entry, enhances gas mixing, and rapidly warms the fuel cell by utilizing specific gravity differences in the stirring booster to induce chemical reactions at the cathode catalyst, thereby improving starting performance at low temperatures and reducing fuel gas concentration in exhaust gases.
Implementation Method 1
a specific gravity of the fuel exhaust gas flowing through the outlet channel is lighter than a specific gravity of the oxygen-containing gas
Implementation Method 2
heat is produced in reaction induced by a cathode catalyst to warm up the fuel cell
Implementation Method 3
reaction induced by a cathode catalyst
Implementation Method 4
a humidifier for humidifying an oxygen-containing gas is provided in an oxygen-containing gas inlet channel
Data Source
AI summary
A fuel cell system includes a fuel exhaust gas inlet channel for guiding a fuel exhaust gas containing liquid water discharged from a fuel cell stack to a gas liquid separator provided downstream of a humidifier in an oxygen-containing gas inlet channel. The specific gravity of the fuel exhaust gas is lighter than the specific gravity of the oxygen-containing exhaust gas. An outlet channel of the gas liquid separator includes a stirring booster having a first point and a second point positioned downstream of the first point. The second point is positioned ahead of the first point in the gravity direction.