CN115692812A

CN115692812A - Fuel cell apparatus

Info

Publication number: CN115692812A
Application number: CN202210854161.1A
Authority: CN
Inventors: J·温克勒; M·赫勒; S·奥伯迈尔
Original assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
Current assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
Priority date: 2021-07-21
Filing date: 2022-07-20
Publication date: 2023-02-03
Also published as: DE102021207778A1

Abstract

The invention relates to a fuel cell system for producing thermal and/or electrical energy, comprising at least one fuel cell stack (12) and a plurality of functional components (16, 18, 20, 22, 24). It is proposed that the functional components (16, 18, 20, 22, 24) form, in the assembled state, an assembly unit (14) which forms a supporting base structure to which the fuel cell stack (12) is connected.

Description

Fuel cell apparatus

Technical Field

The invention relates to a fuel cell device.

Background

A fuel cell system for generating thermal and/or electrical energy has already been proposed, which has at least one fuel cell stack and a plurality of functional components.

Disclosure of Invention

The invention relates to a fuel cell system for generating thermal and/or electrical energy, comprising at least one fuel cell stack and a plurality of functional components.

It is proposed that the functional components, in the assembled state, form an assembly unit which forms a supporting base structure to which the fuel cell stack is connected. A particularly advantageous reduction in installation space can be achieved by the inventive design of the fuel cell system. The design according to the invention advantageously allows a reduction in components, since an additional holding structure for the functional unit can be dispensed with. In addition, cost optimization can thereby also be achieved in particular. A "fuel cell system" is preferably intended to mean a system for stationary and/or mobile production of, in particular, electrical and/or thermal energy. The fuel cell system can in particular have at least one housing unit, which is advantageously designed as a heat box, and/or at least one fuel cell stack, which is in particular provided for converting at least one advantageously continuously conveyed fuel, preferably a fuel gas, such as, for example, hydrogen and/or natural gas, and at least one chemical reaction energy of at least one oxidant, such as, for example, air and/or oxygen, into electrical energy and thermal energy. The fuel cell stack preferably has a plurality of fuel cells, which are advantageously arranged together in a group. Furthermore, the at least one fuel cell is preferably designed as an Alkaline Fuel Cell (AFC), a polymer electrolyte fuel cell (PEMFC), a magnesium-air-fuel cell (MAFC) and/or advantageously as a Solid Oxide Fuel Cell (SOFC). "provided" is intended to mean, in particular, specially designed and/or equipped. The term "object is intended to mean, in particular, that the object performs and/or executes a specific function in at least one application state and/or operating state. "functional component" shall preferably mean a component which performs a part of the function of the fuel cell system, in particular a sub-function for generating electrical and/or thermal energy. The functional unit can be configured, for example, as a heat exchanger, a burner or as a reformer or other component deemed appropriate by the person skilled in the art for performing a subfunction of the fuel cell system. The term "supporting basic structure" is preferably intended to mean a structure by means of which the forces, in particular the weight forces, of the components fastened to the structure, such as in particular the functional components and the fuel cell stack, are conducted away into the floor or into another supporting structure. The assembly module formed from the functional components preferably forms the sole support structure for the fuel cell system.

It is also proposed that the functional components arranged adjacent to one another are each welded fixedly to one another. Two adjacent functional components are preferably welded together in a fixed manner with their housings. Preferably, all functional components are connected by welding and are connected to one another by the respective other functional components. The functional components together form a welded supporting basic frame. This makes it possible to connect the functional components to one another in a particularly advantageous and particularly temperature-resistant manner.

It is also proposed that the assembly unit formed from the functional components does not contain any additional support structure. By "free of additional supporting structures" should preferably be meant that the fuel cell device does not have a frame where the functional components are fixed or a fixing means forming the center of the supporting structure. The functional components are constructed as a supporting structure only by their fastening to one another, in particular by their welding to one another. This makes it possible to reduce the number of components particularly advantageously and thus to save costs and weight in particular.

Furthermore, it is proposed that the functional components which are fluidically coupled to one another each have a direct, tube-free fluidic connection. "functional components fluidically coupled to one another" shall preferably mean two functional components, so that the fluidic connection between the functional components or fuel cell stacks connected to the distributor columns (Verteilers 228ule) is extended by said distributor columns. The fluid connection provided by the distributor column can lead fluid from the functional component to the fuel cell stack and/or from the fuel cell stack to one or more functional components. "tubeless fluid connection" shall preferably mean a fluid connection which is constructed directly and without additional tubes or hoses. The direct fluidic connection is preferably formed by: the respective channel outlets and channel inlets of the functional components which are connected to one another in terms of flow technology directly adjoin one another. The respective channel outlet and channel inlet of the functional components which are connected to one another in terms of flow are preferably welded directly to one another. The design of the fuel cell system according to the invention makes it possible to achieve a particularly easy and simple assembly of the respective functional components at the same time as the fluidic coupling of the functional components.

It is further proposed that at least one of the functional components is designed as a heat exchanger. A "heat exchanger" shall preferably mean an apparatus which is arranged for transferring thermal energy from one material flow to another material flow. The material flow and the further material flow are preferably spatially separated from one another. Preferably, the heat exchanger is provided for transferring the heat energy of a fluid, for example exhaust gas, to another fluid, for example incoming gas or fresh air, or to a hot fluid. Preferably, the fuel cell system has a plurality of heat exchangers, which are each provided for heating a different fluid. The functional component can thereby be particularly advantageously configured.

It is further proposed that at least one of the functional components is designed as a recombustor. A "recombustor" is preferably intended to mean a burner which is arranged downstream of the fuel cell stack and which burns at least a part of the remaining fuel gas flowing out of the fuel cell stack and thus generates thermal energy. The functional component can thereby be particularly advantageously configured.

It is further proposed that at least one of the functional components is designed as a reformer. A "reformer" is preferably to be understood to mean a unit, in particular a unit, which is advantageously in operative connection with the fuel cell unit and which is provided in particular for treating a fluid, in particular a liquid, and/or advantageously a gas, preferably at least a fuel and/or an oxidizing agent, in particular for supplying the fuel cell unit. Preferably, the gas processing unit is arranged at least for: the fluid is treated, in particular for use within a reaction operating in the fuel cell unit, and/or at least one exhaust gas of a reaction of the fuel cell unit, in particular operating in the fuel cell unit, is treated before being conveyed to the fuel cell unit, in particular to an anode and/or a cathode of the fuel cell unit. The functional component can thereby be particularly advantageously configured.

The fuel cell system according to the invention should not be limited to the applications and embodiments described above. The fuel cell system according to the invention can have a number which differs from the number of individual elements, components and units mentioned in this respect, in particular in order to fulfill the functionality described in this respect. Furthermore, for the numerical ranges specified in the disclosure, values within the limits mentioned should also be regarded as being disclosed and can be used arbitrarily.

Drawings

Other advantages are derived from the following description of the figures. An embodiment of the invention is shown in the drawings. The figures, description and claims contain a number of features in combination. The person skilled in the art will also suitably consider the features individually and generalize them to other meaningful combinations.

Wherein:

fig. 1 shows a schematic view of a fuel cell system according to the invention with a plurality of functional components, which form an assembly unit.

Detailed Description

Fig. 1 shows a schematic view of a part of a fuel cell plant 10. The fuel cell installation 10 is provided for generating electrical and/or thermal energy. The fuel cell system 10 is designed as a stationary system for generating electrical and thermal energy. The stationary fuel cell installation 10 is provided, for example, as heating installation in a residential building. In principle, it is also conceivable for the fuel cell system to be designed as a mobile system. The fuel cell apparatus 10 has components that will not be described in detail in addition to the components described below.

The fuel cell device 10 includes a fuel cell stack 12. The fuel cell stack 12 has a plurality of fuel cells, which are not shown in detail. The fuel cell is configured as a Solid Oxide Fuel Cell (SOFC) by way of example. The fuel cell stack 12 includes a housing. The housing constitutes an assembly module of the fuel cell stack 12. A fuel cell stack 12 with solid fuel cells is generally known from the prior art and therefore will not be explained in detail here. The fuel cell stack 12 is shown in fig. 1 only in a strongly simplified manner.

The fuel cell device 10 includes a first functional component 16. The first functional component 16 is configured as a reformer. The first functional component 16, which is configured as a reformer, is provided for treating the incoming gas mixture. The functional component 16, which is designed as a reformer, is arranged in front of the fuel cell stack 12 in terms of flow technology. The functional component 16 embodied as a reformer has a fluid inlet, not shown in detail, through which a gas mixture, such as, for example, natural gas, can be introduced into the functional component 16 embodied as a reformer. The functional component 16, which is designed as a reformer, has a fluid outlet, through which the treated gas mixture can flow out of the functional component 16 and can be conducted to the fuel cell stack 12.

The fuel cell device 10 has a second functional component 18. The second functional component 18 is configured as a heat exchanger. The second functional component 18, which is designed as a heat exchanger, is provided to absorb thermal energy from the fuel flowing out of the fuel cell stack 12 and to transfer it to another fluid. The second functional component 18, which is embodied as a heat exchanger, is arranged directly behind the fuel cell stack 12. The fuel cell device 10 has a third functional component 20. The third functional component 20 is configured as a heat exchanger. The third functional component 20, which is designed as a heat exchanger, is provided to absorb thermal energy from the exhaust gas flowing out of the fuel cell stack 12 and to transfer it to a further fluid. The third functional component 20, which is designed as a heat exchanger, has a fuel connection 34, through which fuel can flow into the functional component 20 for heating.

The fuel cell apparatus 10 has a fourth functional component 22. The fourth functional component 22 is configured as a heat exchanger. The fourth functional component 22, which is designed as a heat exchanger, is provided to absorb the heat energy from the exhaust gas flowing out of the fuel cell stack 12 and to transfer it to another fluid, in particular to the incoming fresh air, and to heat it. The fourth functional component 22, which is designed as a heat exchanger, has a fresh air connection 36, through which fresh air can flow into the functional component 22. The fuel cell device 10 has a fifth functional component 24. The fifth functional component 24 is designed as a recombustor. The fifth functional component 24, which is designed as a recombustor, is provided for combusting a portion of the fuel gas flowing out of the fuel cell stack 12.

The fuel cell stack 12 and the

functional components

16, 18, 20, 22, 24 of the fuel cell system 10 are fluidically connected to one another. The warmed fresh air is conducted from the fourth functional component 24, which is designed as a heat exchanger, into the fuel cell stack 12 via the supply line 26 of the fuel cell system 10. The exhaust gas flowing out of the fuel cell stack 12 is first conducted via the outlet line 30 of the fuel cell system 10 to the third functional component 20, which is designed as a heat exchanger. Fuel is introduced from the first functional component 16, embodied as a reformer, into the fuel cell stack 12 via the fuel supply line 28 of the fuel cell system 10. The consumed fuel is conducted from the fuel cell stack 12 via the fuel outlet line 32 of the fuel cell system 10 into the second functional component 18, which is designed as a heat exchanger.

The

functional components

16, 18, 20, 22, 24 form the assembly unit 14 in the assembled state. The assembly unit 14, i.e. the

functional components

16, 18, 20, 22, 24 connected to one another, forms a supporting basic structure. The assembly unit 14, which is composed of the

functional components

16, 18, 20, 22, 24, constitutes a unit which is stable in itself. The assembly unit 14 composed of the

functional components

16, 18, 20, 22, 24 forms a basic structure which is stable in itself, in particular during operation with correspondingly high operating temperatures of more than 600 ℃. The

functional components

16, 18, 20, 22, 24 are each connected fixedly and rigidly to one another. The

functional components

16, 18, 20, 22, 24 are each welded to one another in a fixed manner. The

functional components

16, 18, 20, 22, 24 arranged adjacent to one another are welded together, in particular fixedly. The

functional components

16, 18, 20, 22, 24 form a stable welded unit. The assembly unit 14 formed from the

functional components

16, 18, 20, 22, 24 is free of additional supporting structures. In particular, the assembly unit 14 does not have an additional holding frame or other holding or supporting structure, which would be provided for connecting one of the

functional components

16, 18, 20, 22, 24. The

functional components

16, 18, 20, 22, 24 are each welded together in a fixed manner with their housing. The two

functional components

16, 18, 20, 22, 24 arranged adjacent to one another are each welded fixedly to one another by their housing. It is conceivable here for a plurality of

functional components

16, 18, 20, 22, 24 to be welded together with one another 16, 18, 20, 22, 24. In principle, it is also conceivable for one

functional component

16, 18, 20, 22, 24 to be welded together in a fixed manner only with another

functional component

16, 18, 20, 22, 24.

The

functional components

16, 18, 20, 22, 24, which are fluidically coupled to one another, each have a direct, pipe-free fluidic connection. The direct fluid connection is not explicitly shown in the drawings. The

functional components

16, 18, 20, 22, 24 each have a channel in their interior for conducting fuel, fresh air or exhaust gas, for example. The

functional components

16, 18, 20, 22, 24 each have a channel inlet and a channel outlet in their housing, through which the respective fluid can be introduced into the

functional components

16, 18, 20, 22, 24 or can be discharged therefrom. In order to directly, in a piping-free fluid connection, the channel outlet of one of the

functional components

16, 18, 20, 22, 24 is directly connected to the channel outlet of the other

functional component

16, 18, 20, 22, 24. In order to directly and fluidly connect the two

functional components

16, 18, 20, 22, 24, the channel outlet of one of the

functional components

16, 18, 20, 22, 24 is welded directly to the channel inlet of the other

functional component

16, 18, 20, 22, 24. The

functional components

16, 18, 20, 22, 24 are welded to one another, in particular, in such a way that the respective channel outlet of one of the

functional components

16, 18, 20, 22, 24 and the channel inlet of the other

functional component

16, 18, 20, 22, 24 are arranged in a congruent manner. The fluid can then flow directly from the channel outlet of one of the

functional components

16, 18, 20, 22, 24 directly into the channel inlet of the other

functional component

16, 18, 20, 22, 24. In particular, additional pipe or hose structures which would cause additional costs can thereby be dispensed with. The fresh fuel flowing in is heated up, for example, in the third functional component 20 designed as a heat exchanger before it is conducted into the functional component 16 designed as a reformer. The channel outlet of the fuel channel of the third functional component 20 configured as a heat exchanger is directly welded to the channel inlet of the fuel channel of the first functional component 16 configured as a reformer.

In the embodiment shown, the third functional component 20 embodied as a heat exchanger is welded directly to the first functional component 16 embodied as a reformer. The fuel passes through the fuel connection 34 into the third functional component 20 and is directly fluidically connected into the functional component 16 embodied as a reformer. The third functional component 20 is welded directly to the fifth functional component 24, which is designed as a burner. The fifth functional component 24 embodied as a burner is arranged between the third functional component 20 embodied as a heat exchanger and the fourth functional component 22 embodied as a heat exchanger and is each fixedly welded to the latter. The second functional component 18 embodied as a heat exchanger is arranged on the upper side of the third functional component 20 embodied as a heat exchanger and the fifth functional component 24 embodied as a burner. The second functional component 18, which is embodied as a heat exchanger, is fixedly welded to the third functional component 20 and the fifth functional component 24, respectively. Furthermore, the second functional component 18 is fixedly welded to the functional component 16, which is designed as a reformer. In principle, it is also conceivable for the different

functional components

16, 18, 20, 22, 24 to be welded directly to one another at other locations than those described above. In principle, it is also conceivable for the

functional components

16, 18, 20, 22, 24 to be arranged in other functional schematics and therefore to be welded directly to one another in other situations, and for the direct fluid connections to likewise be designed differently.

The fuel cell stack 12 is connected to an assembly module 14 formed from

functional components

16, 18, 20, 22, 24. The fuel cell stack 12 is preferably connected to the assembly module 14 by a connecting unit. It is conceivable for the fuel cell stack to be connected to the assembly module by means of a support frame. In principle, it is also conceivable for the fuel cell stack 12 to be connected directly to the assembly module 14 formed from the

functional components

16, 18, 20, 22, 24 by means of connecting plates. The fuel cell stack 12 is only schematically illustrated in fig. 1, the connections of which are also not illustrated in detail, since this is not critical to the concept according to the invention.

Claims

1. Fuel cell system for generating thermal and/or electrical energy, comprising at least one fuel cell stack (12) and comprising a plurality of functional components (16, 18, 20, 22, 24), characterized in that the functional components (16, 18, 20, 22, 24) form, in the assembled state, an assembly unit (14) which forms a supporting base structure to which the fuel cell stack (12) is connected.

2. The fuel cell installation according to claim 1, characterized in that the adjacently arranged functional components (16, 18, 20, 22, 24) are fixedly welded to one another, respectively.

3. The fuel cell plant according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the assembly unit (12) formed by the functional components (16, 18, 20, 22, 24) is free of additional supporting structures.

4. The fuel cell device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the functional components (16, 18, 20, 22, 24) which are fluidically coupled to one another each have a direct, pipe-free fluidic connection.

5. The fuel cell plant according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that at least one of the functional components (18, 20, 22) is configured as a heat exchanger.

6. The fuel cell plant according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that at least one of the functional components (24) is configured as a recombustor.

7. The fuel cell device according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that at least one of the functional components (16) is configured as a reformer.