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WO2009071169A1 - Fuel cell system - Google Patents

Fuel cell system Download PDF

Info

Publication number
WO2009071169A1
WO2009071169A1 PCT/EP2008/009584 EP2008009584W WO2009071169A1 WO 2009071169 A1 WO2009071169 A1 WO 2009071169A1 EP 2008009584 W EP2008009584 W EP 2008009584W WO 2009071169 A1 WO2009071169 A1 WO 2009071169A1
Authority
WO
WIPO (PCT)
Prior art keywords
fuel cell
cell stack
bypass line
cell system
compressed air
Prior art date
Application number
PCT/EP2008/009584
Other languages
French (fr)
Inventor
Jochen Sang
Original Assignee
Daimler Ag
Ford Global Technologies, Llc
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Daimler Ag, Ford Global Technologies, Llc filed Critical Daimler Ag
Publication of WO2009071169A1 publication Critical patent/WO2009071169A1/en

Links

Classifications

    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
    • H01M—PROCESSES OR MEANS, e.g. BATTERIES, FOR THE DIRECT CONVERSION OF CHEMICAL ENERGY INTO ELECTRICAL ENERGY
    • H01M8/00—Fuel cells; Manufacture thereof
    • H01M8/04—Auxiliary arrangements, e.g. for control of pressure or for circulation of fluids
    • H01M8/04007—Auxiliary arrangements, e.g. for control of pressure or for circulation of fluids related to heat exchange
    • H01M8/04014—Heat exchange using gaseous fluids; Heat exchange by combustion of reactants
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
    • H01M—PROCESSES OR MEANS, e.g. BATTERIES, FOR THE DIRECT CONVERSION OF CHEMICAL ENERGY INTO ELECTRICAL ENERGY
    • H01M8/00—Fuel cells; Manufacture thereof
    • H01M8/04—Auxiliary arrangements, e.g. for control of pressure or for circulation of fluids
    • H01M8/04223—Auxiliary arrangements, e.g. for control of pressure or for circulation of fluids during start-up or shut-down; Depolarisation or activation, e.g. purging; Means for short-circuiting defective fuel cells
    • H01M8/04253—Means for solving freezing problems
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
    • H01M—PROCESSES OR MEANS, e.g. BATTERIES, FOR THE DIRECT CONVERSION OF CHEMICAL ENERGY INTO ELECTRICAL ENERGY
    • H01M8/00—Fuel cells; Manufacture thereof
    • H01M8/04—Auxiliary arrangements, e.g. for control of pressure or for circulation of fluids
    • H01M8/04223—Auxiliary arrangements, e.g. for control of pressure or for circulation of fluids during start-up or shut-down; Depolarisation or activation, e.g. purging; Means for short-circuiting defective fuel cells
    • H01M8/04268—Heating of fuel cells during the start-up of the fuel cells
    • Y—GENERAL TAGGING OF NEW TECHNOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENTS; GENERAL TAGGING OF CROSS-SECTIONAL TECHNOLOGIES SPANNING OVER SEVERAL SECTIONS OF THE IPC; TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS
    • Y02—TECHNOLOGIES OR APPLICATIONS FOR MITIGATION OR ADAPTATION AGAINST CLIMATE CHANGE
    • Y02E—REDUCTION OF GREENHOUSE GAS [GHG] EMISSIONS, RELATED TO ENERGY GENERATION, TRANSMISSION OR DISTRIBUTION
    • Y02E60/00—Enabling technologies; Technologies with a potential or indirect contribution to GHG emissions mitigation
    • Y02E60/30—Hydrogen technology
    • Y02E60/50—Fuel cells

Definitions

  • the invention relates to a fuel cell system according to the preamble of claim 1.
  • the fuel cell system comprises a fuel cell stack.
  • a compressor compresses air.
  • the compressed air is supplied to the fuel cell stack via a main line, in which a charge air cooler is provided.
  • the charge air cooler cools the air which has previously been heated during compression to suitable operating temperatures.
  • a bypass line is also provided between compressor and fuel cell stack, through which compressed air can be supplied, so not passing through the charge air cooler. The bypass line thus in particular bypasses the charge air cooler. This is advisable in particular on cold starting of the fuel cell system, during which the fuel cell stack should initially be heated up.
  • a fuel cell system according to the preamble of claim 1 is described, for example, in DE 102 48 611 A1.
  • the hot compressed air conveyed through the bypass line is also conveyed past a separate heat exchanger on its way to the fuel cell.
  • the heat from the compressed air is transferred into the hydrogen gas feed line to the fuel cell stack and thus to the hydrogen gas conveyed therein.
  • the fuel cell stack Since the hydrogen gas reaching the fuel cell stack is also heated when the bypass line is in use, the fuel cell stack is all in all heated particularly rapidly. In the system of DE 102 48 611 A1 , this applies in particular to the active reaction chamber of the fuel cell stack. However, there are also fuel cell system elements and components, the functionality of which is impaired on cold starting, which are located on the far side of the active reaction chamber of the fuel cell stack.
  • the bypass line is thermally coupled with an element of the fuel cell system, and specifically beyond the disclosure of DE 102 48 611 A1 with such an element which is other than the (hydrogen) gas feed lines leading to the fuel cell stack (and above all must in principle have nothing at all to do with the hydrogen gas feed to the active reaction chamber of the fuel cell stack). Due to the thermal coupling, heat from the precompressed air flowing through the bypass line is released to said element.
  • the element may be any element, the functionality of which is impaired on cold starting. These are in principle those elements in or on which water may freeze or have been frozen to ice. This may be the case in a hydrogen recirculation blower of the fuel cell system, i.e. such a blower which conveys the hydrogen in a circuit until it reacts with oxygen to yield water in the active reaction chamber of the fuel cell stack. Ice may naturally also occur in a water separator at low ambient temperatures.
  • Another element typically affected by icing may be any desired valve, whether it be a valve which controls gas feed or gas exhaust. Due to the release of heat by the compressed air to the particular element or a plurality of such elements, the ice may in each case be caused to melt and serviceability of the element reestablished as quickly as possible. The cold starting capability of the fuel cell system is enhanced in this manner.
  • bypass line does itself anyway already convey the precompressed air to the fuel cell stack, it does so in particular into the active reaction chamber thereof. It is not excluded for different parts of the fuel cell stack other than the reaction chamber of the fuel cell stack additionally to be heated. This is in particular made possible if the element thermally coupled with the bypass line is part of the fuel cell stack. Troublesome ice outside the active reaction chamber may thus also be rapidly cleared from the fuel cell stack on cold starting.
  • a valve for example a 2/2-way valve, may be provided in the bypass line to enable maximally optimized control. The proportion of compressed air passing via the main line and via the bypass line may then be controlled.
  • the main line optionally also comprises a humidifier, such that the extent of humidification of the air reaching the fuel cell stack may possibly be established by the valve in the bypass line.
  • the invention is preferably used in a motor vehicle.
  • a fuel cell stack 10 At the heart of a fuel cell system is a fuel cell stack 10, in which hydrogen reacts with atmospheric oxygen to form water. Air is supplied to the fuel cell stack 10 in compressed form, the compression work being performed by a compressor 12. A main line 14 leads from the compressor 12 to the fuel cell stack 10. In this main line, the air, which has been heated during compression, is cooled back down to optimum operating temperatures, specifically by means of a charge air cooler 16. After passing through the charge air cooler 16, the compressed air is humidified in a humidifier 18.
  • bypass line 20 which likewise connects the compressor 12 with the fuel cell stack 10.
  • the bypass line 20 in particular bypasses the charge air cooler 16 and preferably also the humidifier 18. The air is thus not actively cooled in the bypass line 20 and is also not intended to be humidified therein.
  • the bypass line 20 comes into its own in particular during a cold start, when it is a matter of particularly quickly heating up the fuel cell stack 10, in particular the active reaction chamber thereof, which is not specifically shown in the figure.
  • the bypass line 20 optionally comprises a valve 22, specifically if possible a 2/2-way valve. It is then possible to control what proportion of the air compressed by the compressor 12 flows through the bypass line 20.
  • the thermal energy in the compressed air may then also be used for heating a further element 24.
  • the latter merely needs to be coupled thermally with the bypass line, at least in a predetermined portion thereof.
  • the bypass line may, for example, simply be formed in this portion of a material with good thermal conductivity which is passed closely past this element 24.
  • a typical heat exchanger may also be used, via which heat is supplied to the element 24.
  • the element 24 is intended to be other than a gas line leading to the fuel cell stack 10.
  • the element 24 may be a hydrogen recirculation blower, a water separator or valve or may comprise these elements simultaneously.
  • the element 24 may also be part of the fuel cell stack and for example belong to an outer portion thereof which is separate from the active reaction chamber, which is after all already heated during cold starting by the hot air supplied to it via the bypass line 20.
  • the hot compressed air is capable of rapidly deicing these elements on cold starting and consequently of particularly rapidly reestablishing serviceability.

Landscapes

  • Chemical & Material Sciences (AREA)
  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Life Sciences & Earth Sciences (AREA)
  • Manufacturing & Machinery (AREA)
  • Sustainable Development (AREA)
  • Sustainable Energy (AREA)
  • Chemical Kinetics & Catalysis (AREA)
  • Electrochemistry (AREA)
  • General Chemical & Material Sciences (AREA)
  • Combustion & Propulsion (AREA)
  • Fuel Cell (AREA)

Abstract

It is known in a fuel cell system, instead of conveying the air compressed by a compressor (12) via a charge air cooler (16) in a main line (14) to a fuel cell stack (10), to convey said air past the charge air cooler (16) in a bypass line (20). According to the invention, the bypass line is thermally coupled with an element (24) which is other than gas feed lines to the fuel cell stack (10). The compressed air which flows through the bypass line (20) then releases heat to this element (24). As a consequence, on cold starting, the element (24) can rapidly be cleared of ice which impairs its functionality.

Description

FUEL CELL SYSTEM
The invention relates to a fuel cell system according to the preamble of claim 1.
In a manner known per se, the fuel cell system comprises a fuel cell stack. A compressor compresses air. The compressed air is supplied to the fuel cell stack via a main line, in which a charge air cooler is provided. As its name would suggest, the charge air cooler cools the air which has previously been heated during compression to suitable operating temperatures. A bypass line is also provided between compressor and fuel cell stack, through which compressed air can be supplied, so not passing through the charge air cooler. The bypass line thus in particular bypasses the charge air cooler. This is advisable in particular on cold starting of the fuel cell system, during which the fuel cell stack should initially be heated up.
A fuel cell system according to the preamble of claim 1 is described, for example, in DE 102 48 611 A1. In order to carry out the cold start as efficiently as possible, the hot compressed air conveyed through the bypass line is also conveyed past a separate heat exchanger on its way to the fuel cell. In the heat exchanger, the heat from the compressed air is transferred into the hydrogen gas feed line to the fuel cell stack and thus to the hydrogen gas conveyed therein.
Since the hydrogen gas reaching the fuel cell stack is also heated when the bypass line is in use, the fuel cell stack is all in all heated particularly rapidly. In the system of DE 102 48 611 A1 , this applies in particular to the active reaction chamber of the fuel cell stack. However, there are also fuel cell system elements and components, the functionality of which is impaired on cold starting, which are located on the far side of the active reaction chamber of the fuel cell stack.
It is an object of the invention to improve the cold starting capability of a fuel cell system according to the preamble of claim 1.
The object is achieved by a fuel cell system having the features as claimed in claim 1. According to the invention, the bypass line is thermally coupled with an element of the fuel cell system, and specifically beyond the disclosure of DE 102 48 611 A1 with such an element which is other than the (hydrogen) gas feed lines leading to the fuel cell stack (and above all must in principle have nothing at all to do with the hydrogen gas feed to the active reaction chamber of the fuel cell stack). Due to the thermal coupling, heat from the precompressed air flowing through the bypass line is released to said element.
The element may be any element, the functionality of which is impaired on cold starting. These are in principle those elements in or on which water may freeze or have been frozen to ice. This may be the case in a hydrogen recirculation blower of the fuel cell system, i.e. such a blower which conveys the hydrogen in a circuit until it reacts with oxygen to yield water in the active reaction chamber of the fuel cell stack. Ice may naturally also occur in a water separator at low ambient temperatures. Another element typically affected by icing may be any desired valve, whether it be a valve which controls gas feed or gas exhaust. Due to the release of heat by the compressed air to the particular element or a plurality of such elements, the ice may in each case be caused to melt and serviceability of the element reestablished as quickly as possible. The cold starting capability of the fuel cell system is enhanced in this manner.
Although the bypass line does itself anyway already convey the precompressed air to the fuel cell stack, it does so in particular into the active reaction chamber thereof. It is not excluded for different parts of the fuel cell stack other than the reaction chamber of the fuel cell stack additionally to be heated. This is in particular made possible if the element thermally coupled with the bypass line is part of the fuel cell stack. Troublesome ice outside the active reaction chamber may thus also be rapidly cleared from the fuel cell stack on cold starting. A valve, for example a 2/2-way valve, may be provided in the bypass line to enable maximally optimized control. The proportion of compressed air passing via the main line and via the bypass line may then be controlled. The main line optionally also comprises a humidifier, such that the extent of humidification of the air reaching the fuel cell stack may possibly be established by the valve in the bypass line.
The invention is preferably used in a motor vehicle.
A preferred embodiment of the invention is described below with reference to the drawing, the single figure schematically illustrating the structure of part of a fuel cell system according to the invention, by means of which the invention can be explained.
At the heart of a fuel cell system is a fuel cell stack 10, in which hydrogen reacts with atmospheric oxygen to form water. Air is supplied to the fuel cell stack 10 in compressed form, the compression work being performed by a compressor 12. A main line 14 leads from the compressor 12 to the fuel cell stack 10. In this main line, the air, which has been heated during compression, is cooled back down to optimum operating temperatures, specifically by means of a charge air cooler 16. After passing through the charge air cooler 16, the compressed air is humidified in a humidifier 18.
In addition to the main line 14, there is a bypass line 20, which likewise connects the compressor 12 with the fuel cell stack 10. The bypass line 20 in particular bypasses the charge air cooler 16 and preferably also the humidifier 18. The air is thus not actively cooled in the bypass line 20 and is also not intended to be humidified therein. The bypass line 20 comes into its own in particular during a cold start, when it is a matter of particularly quickly heating up the fuel cell stack 10, in particular the active reaction chamber thereof, which is not specifically shown in the figure. The bypass line 20 optionally comprises a valve 22, specifically if possible a 2/2-way valve. It is then possible to control what proportion of the air compressed by the compressor 12 flows through the bypass line 20. On cold starting, the thermal energy in the compressed air may then also be used for heating a further element 24. The latter merely needs to be coupled thermally with the bypass line, at least in a predetermined portion thereof. The bypass line may, for example, simply be formed in this portion of a material with good thermal conductivity which is passed closely past this element 24. A typical heat exchanger may also be used, via which heat is supplied to the element 24. In the present case, the element 24 is intended to be other than a gas line leading to the fuel cell stack 10. The element 24 may be a hydrogen recirculation blower, a water separator or valve or may comprise these elements simultaneously. Although not so shown in the figure, the element 24 may also be part of the fuel cell stack and for example belong to an outer portion thereof which is separate from the active reaction chamber, which is after all already heated during cold starting by the hot air supplied to it via the bypass line 20.
In particular at low ambient temperatures, many elements of the fuel cell system may ice up and consequently no longer be serviceable or no longer adequately serviceable. Thanks to the thermal coupling of these elements with the bypass line 20, the hot compressed air is capable of rapidly deicing these elements on cold starting and consequently of particularly rapidly reestablishing serviceability.
List of designations
10 fuel cell stack
12 compressor
14 main line
16 charge air cooler
18 humidifier
20 bypass line
22 valve
24 element

Claims

Patent Claims
1. A fuel cell system comprising a compressor (12) and a fuel cell stack (10), to which compressed air is supplied in operation from the compressor (12) via a main line (14), which comprises a charge air cooler (16), and the compressor (12) and fuel cell stack (10) also being connected to one another via a bypass line (20), through which compressed air can be supplied to the fuel cell stack (10), which compressed air does not here pass through the charge air cooler (16), characterized in that the bypass line (20) is thermally coupled with an element (24) of the fuel cell system other than a gas feed line leading to the fuel cell stack (10), such that the compressed air flowing through the bypass line (20) releases heat to said element (24).
2. The fuel cell system as claimed in claim 1 , characterized in that the element (24) comprises a hydrogen recirculation blower and/or a valve and/or a water separator.
3. The fuel cell system as claimed in claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the element (24) is part of the fuel cell stack (10).
4. The fuel cell system as claimed in one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the bypass line (20) comprises a valve (22).
5. A motor vehicle comprising a fuel cell system as claimed in one of the preceding claims.
PCT/EP2008/009584 2007-12-05 2008-11-13 Fuel cell system WO2009071169A1 (en)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
DE102007058422.0 2007-12-05
DE102007058422A DE102007058422A1 (en) 2007-12-05 2007-12-05 The fuel cell system

Publications (1)

Publication Number Publication Date
WO2009071169A1 true WO2009071169A1 (en) 2009-06-11

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ID=40291357

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
PCT/EP2008/009584 WO2009071169A1 (en) 2007-12-05 2008-11-13 Fuel cell system

Country Status (2)

Country Link
DE (1) DE102007058422A1 (en)
WO (1) WO2009071169A1 (en)

Cited By (2)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
WO2011110911A1 (en) * 2010-03-09 2011-09-15 Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha High pressure gas supply system and fuel cell system
WO2025040746A1 (en) * 2023-08-23 2025-02-27 Symbio France Fuel cell system and method for controlling this system

Citations (4)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US20020146602A1 (en) * 2001-04-10 2002-10-10 Honda Giken Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha Start control device for fuel cell system
US20020146606A1 (en) * 2001-04-06 2002-10-10 Honda Giken Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha Warm-up apparatus for fuel cell
US20030072984A1 (en) * 2001-10-17 2003-04-17 Saloka George Steve System and method for rapid preheating of an automotive fuel cell
US20050214605A1 (en) * 2004-03-24 2005-09-29 Honda Motor Co., Ltd. Fuel cell system and method of discontinuing same

Patent Citations (4)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US20020146606A1 (en) * 2001-04-06 2002-10-10 Honda Giken Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha Warm-up apparatus for fuel cell
US20020146602A1 (en) * 2001-04-10 2002-10-10 Honda Giken Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha Start control device for fuel cell system
US20030072984A1 (en) * 2001-10-17 2003-04-17 Saloka George Steve System and method for rapid preheating of an automotive fuel cell
US20050214605A1 (en) * 2004-03-24 2005-09-29 Honda Motor Co., Ltd. Fuel cell system and method of discontinuing same

Cited By (4)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
WO2011110911A1 (en) * 2010-03-09 2011-09-15 Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha High pressure gas supply system and fuel cell system
US9343754B2 (en) 2010-03-09 2016-05-17 Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha High pressure gas supply system and fuel cell system
WO2025040746A1 (en) * 2023-08-23 2025-02-27 Symbio France Fuel cell system and method for controlling this system
FR3152341A1 (en) * 2023-08-23 2025-02-28 Symbio France Fuel cell system and method for controlling this system

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
DE102007058422A1 (en) 2009-06-10

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