Fuel Cell Water Extraction Drying Units
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Solution Overview
Problem
Fuel cell systems face challenges in rapidly adapting to power demand changes and effectively drying exhaust air to prevent water supply to inerted spaces, such as aircraft fuel tanks, due to limitations in existing air supply and drying methods.
Innovation Solution
A fuel cell system with a water extraction device comprising multiple regenerable drying units, using a combination of air compressing and extracting means, and a condensation device to optimize air supply and exhaust gas drying, allowing for selective connection of drying units to either the air supply or exhaust side, and utilizing hygroscopic materials to absorb and release water vapor.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If a single drying unit is used in the exhaust gas path, then the structure is simple, but the drying capacity is insufficient and cannot handle rapid power demand changes
Solution Approach 1:
The exhaust gas path is divided into multiple parallel drying units (first drying unit, second drying unit, third drying unit) that can operate independently or in combination. This segmentation allows the system to handle higher drying capacities by activating multiple units simultaneously while maintaining structural modularity that manages complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The system dynamically switches between different drying units based on power demand and humidity conditions. The control system can activate specific drying units as needed, allowing the drying capacity to adapt rapidly to changing conditions without requiring all units to be permanently active, thus managing energy consumption and system complexity.
2Adaptability or versatility
If multiple drying units are used in parallel, then the drying capacity increases for rapid power demand changes, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The control system dynamically selects and activates specific drying units based on real-time power demand and humidity conditions. This dynamic operation allows the system to respond rapidly to changing conditions by activating only the necessary number of drying units, maintaining high adaptability while managing system complexity through intelligent control rather than permanently operating all units at full capacity.
3Object-affected harmful factors
If conventional drying methods are used, then the structure is simple, but water vapor removal is insufficient to prevent water supply to inerted spaces
Solution Approach 1:
The exhaust gas path is segmented into multiple parallel drying units with different drying mechanisms. This segmentation allows the system to achieve superior water vapor removal by combining the effects of multiple drying units, ensuring that exhaust gas is sufficiently dried before entering inerted spaces while maintaining a modular structure that manages complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The system employs multiple drying units with potentially different drying mechanisms or materials working in parallel or sequence. This composite approach combines different drying capabilities to achieve superior water vapor removal that would be difficult to attain with a single conventional drying method, while the modular arrangement manages the overall system 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
This solution enables rapid power demand changes and improved exhaust air drying, ensuring efficient operation of fuel cell systems, particularly in aircraft, by maintaining optimal humidity levels and reducing water vapor in inert gas, thus preventing water accumulation and bacterial growth in fuel tanks.
Implementation Method 1
it is known to use a sorption means-based drying process, e.g. rotatable sorption wheels, containing a hygroscopic material that absorbs water vapour from exhaust gas
Implementation Method 2
an active air supply by a compressing device at an air inlet
Implementation Method 3
an extracting device, which extracting device sucks off air from the exhaust gas outlet
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2
AI summary
A fuel cell system (2) comprises at least one fuel cell (4) having an air inlet (36) and an exhaust gas outlet (44), an air supply device (8) connectable to the air inlet (36) and an exhaust gas extracting device (10) connectable to the exhaust gast outlet (44). Further, a water extraction device (6) has at least two drying units (14, 16, 18), wherein the water extraction device (6) is adapted for selectively providing a fluid connection from the air supply device (8) to the air inlet (36) of the fuel cell (4) be means of one of the at least two drying units (14, 16, 18) and from the exhaust gas extracting device (10) to the exhaust gas outlet (44) by means of another one of the at least two drying units (14, 16, 18). Thereby, an optimal drying process is conducted that does not influence a dynamic power generation.