Hydrogen Recirculation Blower Water Separator and Humidifier
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional hydrogen recirculation systems in fuel cell vehicles face issues with flooding and performance degradation due to condensed water in the blower and within the fuel cell stack, leading to frequent breakdowns and reduced humidity, which are not effectively addressed by existing systems.
Innovation Solution
A hydrogen recirculation apparatus that incorporates a water separator and a humidifier/heat exchanger to manage humidity and temperature, ensuring dry hydrogen is humidified and heat-exchanged, preventing condensed water from entering the blower and stack, and utilizing reused water for cooling and humidification.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If a hydrogen recirculation blower is used to recirculate unreacted hydrogen, then hydrogen utilization is improved, but condensed water causes severe damage and frequent breakdowns
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts and removes condensed water from the hydrogen recirculation line using a water separator before the hydrogen enters the blower. This prevents the condensed water from causing damage to the blower while maintaining the hydrogen recirculation function for improved hydrogen utilization.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a water separator as an intermediary component between the fuel cell stack and the blower. This mediator removes harmful condensed water from the hydrogen stream before it reaches the blower, protecting the blower from damage while allowing continuous operation for improved hydrogen utilization.
2Reliability
If water is condensed in the hydrogen recirculation line, then the blower experiences load increase and breakdown, but removing water reduces humidity
Solution Approach 1:
The water separator acts as an intermediary that selectively removes condensed water while allowing humid hydrogen gas to pass through. The separator distinguishes between liquid water (harmful) and water vapor (useful for humidity), removing only the harmful condensed phase while preserving the beneficial humidity in the gas phase.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent utilizes phase transition principles by removing liquid condensed water from the hydrogen stream while maintaining water vapor in the gas phase. The water separator exploits the phase difference between liquid water and water vapor to selectively remove harmful condensed water while preserving humidity-providing water vapor.
3Reliability
If a water separator is added to remove condensed water, then blower breakdown is prevented, but system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The water separator is introduced as a relatively simple intermediary component that can be integrated into the existing recirculation line. Despite adding one component, the overall system complexity remains manageable because the separator is a straightforward device that performs a single function: removing condensed water.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent extracts only the essential function of water removal from the recirculation system, adding minimal complexity. By focusing on extracting only the harmful condensed water rather than redesigning the entire system, the complexity increase is kept to a minimum while achieving reliable blower operation.
4Productivity
If hydrogen is recirculated to prevent flooding, then fuel efficiency improves, but condensed water blocks hydrogen flow
Solution Approach 1:
The water separator extracts and removes condensed water from the recirculated hydrogen stream before it re-enters the fuel cell stack. This prevents condensed water from blocking hydrogen flow in the recirculation line and at the stack inlet, maintaining uninterrupted hydrogen supply for improved fuel efficiency.
Solution Approach 2:
The water separator serves as an intermediary component in the recirculation path, removing harmful condensed water while allowing clean, dry hydrogen to reach the stack. This mediator ensures that the beneficial recirculation effect (preventing flooding and improving fuel efficiency) is maintained without the harmful side effect of water blocking.
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 stabilizes the hydrogen recirculation blower operation, increases hydrogen utilization, prevents flooding, and enhances the performance and durability of the fuel cell stack by maintaining proper humidity and temperature control, reducing the risk of malfunction and improving startability at low temperatures.
Implementation Method 1
a water separator for separating condensed water from the recirculated hydrogen
Implementation Method 2
a humidifier/heat exchanger for humidifying dry hydrogen flowing through the low-pressure regulator and recirculated hydrogen flowing through the hydrogen recirculation blower
Implementation Method 3
humidifying dry hydrogen flowing through the low-pressure regulator and recirculated hydrogen flowing through the hydrogen recirculation blower
Data Source
AI summary
Disclosed is a hydrogen recirculation apparatus for a fuel cell vehicle. More specifically, the apparatus described herein includes a humidifier/heat exchanger humidifies and heat-exchanges dry hydrogen flowing through a low-pressure regulator and recirculated hydrogen flowing through a hydrogen recirculation blower. The humidifier/heat exchanger utilizes the condensed water flowing from a water separator as a source of humidity. The water heat-exchanged with hydrogen by the humidifier/heat exchanger is reused for cooling the hydrogen recirculation blower, and the water used in the hydrogen recirculation blower. The temperature increased by the operation of the hydrogen recirculation blower, is mixed with water flowing from the water separator before introduction into humidifier/heat exchanger.