CN1949575A

CN1949575A - Magnetic force driven fuel cell hydrogen circulation fan

Info

Publication number: CN1949575A
Application number: CNA2005100304173A
Authority: CN
Inventors: 胡里清; 夏建伟; 章波; 付明竹
Original assignee: Shanghai Shen Li High Tech Co Ltd
Current assignee: Shanghai Shenli Technology Co Ltd
Priority date: 2005-10-12
Filing date: 2005-10-12
Publication date: 2007-04-18

Abstract

The invention relates to a magnetic force driven fuel cell hydrogen gas circulating fan, comprising ceramic bearing, impeller, hydrogen gas inlet, hydrogen gas outlet, magnetic cylinder, volute casing, magnetic ring cover and brushless motor. As compared with the existing technique, it has advantages of good sealing property, corrosion resistance, low power, high efficiency and low noise.

Description

Magnetically-driven fuel cell hydrogen circulating fan

Technical Field

The invention relates to a fuel cell, in particular to a magnetically-driven hydrogen circulating fan for the fuel cell.

Background

An electrochemical fuel cell is a device capable of converting hydrogen and an oxidant into electrical energy and reaction products. The inner core component of the device is a Membrane Electrode (MEA), which is composed of a proton exchange Membrane and two porous conductive materials sandwiched between two surfaces of the Membrane, such as carbon paper. The membrane contains a uniform and finely dispersed catalyst, such as a platinum metal catalyst, for initiating an electrochemical reaction at the interface between the membrane and the carbon paper. The electrons generated in the electrochemical reaction process can be led out by conductive objects at two sides of the membrane electrode through an external circuit to form a current loop.

At the anode end of the membrane electrode, fuel can permeate through a porous diffusion material (carbon paper) and undergo electrochemical reaction on the surface of a catalyst to lose electrons to form positive ions, and the positive ions can pass through a proton exchange membrane through migration to reach the cathode end at the other end of the membrane electrode. At the cathode end of the membrane electrode, a gas containing an oxidant (e.g., oxygen), such as air, forms negative ions by permeating through a porous diffusion material (carbon paper) and electrochemically reacting on the surface of the catalyst to give electrons. The anions formed at the cathode end react with the positive ions transferred from the anode end to form reaction products.

In a pem fuel cell using hydrogen as the fuel and oxygen-containing air as the oxidant (or pure oxygen as the oxidant), the catalytic electrochemical reaction of the fuel hydrogen in the anode region produces hydrogen cations (or protons). The proton exchange membrane assists the migration of positive hydrogen ions from the anode region to the cathode region. In addition, the proton exchange membrane separates the hydrogen-containing fuel gas stream from the oxygen-containing gas stream so that they do not mix with each other to cause explosive reactions.

In the cathode region, oxygen gains electrons on the catalyst surface, forming negative ions, which react withthe hydrogen positive ions transported from the anode region to produce water as a reaction product. In a proton exchange membrane fuel cell using hydrogen, air (oxygen), the anode reaction and the cathode reaction can be expressed by the following equations:

and (3) anode reaction:

and (3) cathode reaction:

in a typical pem fuel cell, a Membrane Electrode (MEA) is generally placed between two conductive plates, and the surface of each guide plate in contact with the MEA is die-cast, stamped, or mechanically milled to form at least one or more channels. The flow guide polar plates can be polar plates made of metal materials or polar plates made of graphite materials. The fluid pore channels and the diversion trenches on the diversion polar plates respectively guide the fuel and the oxidant into the anode area and the cathode area on two sides of the membrane electrode. In the structure of a single proton exchange membrane fuel cell, only one membrane electrode is present, and a guide plate of anode fuel and a guide plate of cathode oxidant are respectively arranged on two sides of the membrane electrode. The guide plates are used as current collector plates and mechanical supports at two sides of the membrane electrode, and the guide grooves on the guide plates are also used as channels for fuel and oxidant to enter the surfaces of the anode and the cathode and as channels for taking away water generated in the operation process of the fuel cell.

In order to increase the total power of the whole proton exchange membrane fuel cell, two or more single cells can be connected in series to form a battery pack in a straight-stacked manner or connected in a flat-laid manner to form a battery pack. In the direct-stacking and serial-type battery pack, two surfaces of one polar plate can be provided with flow guide grooves, wherein one surface can be used as an anode flow guide surface of one membrane electrode, and the other surface can be used as a cathode flow guide surface of another adjacent membrane electrode, and the polar plate is called a bipolar plate. A series of cells are connected together in a manner to form a battery pack. The battery pack is generally fastened together into one body by a front end plate, a rear end plate and a tie rod.

A typical battery pack generally includes: (1) the fuel (such as hydrogen, methanol or hydrogen-rich gas obtained by reforming methanol, natural gas and gasoline) and the oxidant (mainly oxygen or air) are uniformly distributed in the diversion trenches of the anode surface and the cathode surface; (2) the inlet and outlet of cooling fluid (such as water) and the flow guide channel uniformly distribute the cooling fluid into the cooling channels in each battery pack, and the heat generated by the electrochemical exothermic reaction of hydrogen and oxygen in the fuel cell is absorbed and taken out of the battery pack for heat dissipation; (3) the outlets of the fuel gas and the oxidant gas and the corresponding flow guide channels can carry out liquid and vapor water generated in the fuel cell when the fuel gas and the oxidant gas are discharged. Typically, all fuel, oxidant, and cooling fluid inlets and outlets are provided in one or both end plates of the fuel cell stack.

The proton exchange membrane fuel cell can be used as a power system of vehicles, ships and other vehicles, and can also be used as a movable and fixed power generation device.

The typical fuel cell power generation system at present comprises a fuel cell stack, a hydrogen storage bottle or other hydrogen storage devices, a pressure reducing valve, an air filtering device, an air compression supply device, a hydrogen water-vapor separator, an air water-vapor separator, a water tank, a cooling water circulating pump, a cooling water radiator, a hydrogen circulating pump, a hydrogen humidifying device and an air humidifying device.

The fuel cell hydrogen of the Ballard power system company of canada operates in a high-pressure mode, and a volume compression type press device such as hydrogen, a diaphragm pump, a scroll compressor and the like is needed, so that the pressure difference delta P between a hydrogen inlet and a hydrogen outlet of the fuel cell is larger than 0.1-0.5 standard atmospheric pressure, and the unreacted excessive hydrogen in the fuel cell is circulated.

Shanghai Shenli company invented a hydrogen compression device (see patent number) suitable for low pressure operation. The device is a pipeline circulating fan, and the pressure difference between the hydrogen gas entering the fuel cell inlet and the hydrogen gas outlet is lower and is 0.01-0.2 standard atmospheric pressure. The pipeline fan is characterized in that:

① no hydrogen leak condition occurs;

② the rotating speed can be regulated and controlled, and the noise is low;

③ the power is small;

④ the pipeline fan is internally provided with a rotary impeller which can rapidly rotate to drive the hydrogen and other fluids to rapidly flow and achieve the effect of hydrogen compression circulation flow.

However, with the continuous development of fuel cell technology, the pipeline fan hydrogen circulation device must meet the following technical requirements:

① can withstand hydrogen gas pressure;

② resist corrosion;

③ are driven by high efficiency motors;

④ is absolutely leak-free.

Disclosure of Invention

The invention aims to provide a magnetically-driven fuel cell hydrogen circulating fan for meeting the technical requirements of the pipeline fan hydrogen circulating device.

The purpose of the invention can be realized by the following technical scheme: a magnetically-driven hydrogen circulating fan for fuel cell is composed of ceramic bearing, vane wheel, hydrogen inlet, hydrogen outlet, magnetic cylinder, volute, magnetic ring cover and brushless motor.

The impeller is driven by a ceramic bearing and is connected with the magnetic cylinder through the ceramic bearing.

The sectional area of the magnetic cylinder is smaller than that of the volute, and the magnetic cylinder, the impeller and the ceramic bearing are packaged in the volute.

The hydrogen inlet and the hydrogen outlet are positioned on the volute, the hydrogen inlet is connected with a hydrogen outlet pipeline of the fuel cell stack, and the hydrogen outlet is connected with a hydrogen inlet pipeline of the fuel cell stack.

The magnetic ring cover is driven by the brushless motor to rotate and drives the magnetic cylinder to rotate.

The impeller, the bearing and the magnetic cylinder are made of corrosion-resistant materials.

The volute casing packaging material is high-pressure-resistant stainless steel alloy metal or high-strength engineering plastic.

Compared with the prior art, the invention has the following advantages:

1. the magnetic cylinder, the impeller and the ceramic bearing are all packaged in the impeller volute, and the packaging material is high-pressure-resistant stainless steel alloy metal or high-strength engineering plastic, can resist hydrogen pressure and absolutely cannot leak.

2. The volute casing is provided with two ports for hydrogen to enter and exit, and is connected with the hydrogen inlet and outlet pipelines of the fuel cell stack, so that leakage is avoided.

3. The impeller, the bearing and the magnetic cylinder are made of corrosion-resistant alloy metal or high-strength engineering materials and are corrosion-resistant.

4. The magnetic ring cover is driven by the brushless motor, so that the speed can be adjusted, and the magnetic ring cover has low power, high efficiency and low noise.

5. The magnetic ring cover is not directly contacted with the volute, so that friction is not generated, the power consumption is low, and the noise is low.

Drawings

FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of a magnetically driven fuel cell hydrogen circulation fan according to the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a front view of a magnetically actuated fuel cell hydrogen recycle blower impeller of the present invention;

figure 3 is a flow chart of a 50KW fuel cell engine operation.

Detailed Description

The invention is further described with reference to the following drawings and specific embodiments.

As shown in fig. 1 and 2, a magnetically-driven fuel cell hydrogen circulating fan comprises a ceramic bearing 1, an impeller 2, a hydrogen inlet 3, a hydrogen outlet 4, a magnetic cylinder 5, a volute 6, a magnetic ring cover 7 and a brushless motor 8.

The impeller 2 is driven by the ceramic bearing 1, and the impeller 2 is connected with the magnetic cylinder 5 through the ceramic bearing 1. The sectional area of the magnetic cylinder 5 is smaller than that of the volute 6, and the magnetic cylinder 5, the impeller 2 and the ceramic bearing 1 are packaged in the volute 6. The hydrogen inlet 3 and the hydrogen outlet 4 are positioned on the volute 6, the hydrogen inlet 3 is connected with a hydrogen outlet pipeline of the fuel cell stack, and the hydrogen outlet 4 is connected with a hydrogen inlet pipeline of the fuel cell stack. The magnetic ring cover 7 is driven by the brushless motor 8 to rotate and drives the magnetic cylinder 5 to rotate. The impeller 2, the ceramic bearing 1 and the magnetic cylinder 5 are made of corrosion-resistant materials. The volute 6 packaging material is high-pressure-resistant stainless steel alloy metal or high-strength engineering plastic.

As shown in fig. 3, a 50KW fuel cell engine includes a hydrogen storage cylinder 1 ', a pressure reducing valve 2', a fuel cell stack 3 ', a hydrogen-water-vapor separator 4', a hydrogen circulation fan 5 ', and a pressure gauge 6'. The hydrogen circulating fan is driven by a 200W motor, the diameter of the hydrogen circulating fan is 10cm, the total weight of the hydrogen circulating fan is 5kg, and the rotating speed of the hydrogen circulating fan is 0-4000 revolutions per minute; the impeller is made of stainless steel, the pressure difference delta P between the hydrogen inlet and the hydrogen outlet of the fuel cell is 0.1atm, the hydrogen flow is 150L/min, and the 50KW fuel cell engine can be ensured to run stably and reliably.

Claims

1. A magnetically-driven fuel cell hydrogen circulating fan is characterized by comprising a ceramic bearing, an impeller, a hydrogen inlet, a hydrogen outlet, a magnetic cylinder, a volute, a magnetic ring cover and a brushless motor.

2. A magnetically actuated fuel cell hydrogen recycle blower according to claim 1 wherein said impeller is driven by ceramic bearings, the impeller being connected to the magnetic cylinder by ceramic bearings.

3. A magnetically actuated fuel cell hydrogen recycle blower according to claim 1 wherein said magnetic cylinder is smaller in cross-sectional area than the scroll housing in which the magnetic cylinder, impeller and ceramic bearings are housed.

4. The magnetically-actuated fuel cell hydrogen recirculation fan according to claim 1, wherein the hydrogen inlet and the hydrogen outlet are located on the volute, the hydrogen inlet is connected to a hydrogen outlet of the fuel cell stack, and the hydrogen outlet is connected to a hydrogen inlet of the fuel cell stack.

5. A magnetically actuated fuel cell hydrogen recycle blower according to claim 1 wherein said magnetic shroud is rotated by a brushless motor and drives the magnetic cylinder.

6. A magnetically actuated fuel cell hydrogen recycle blower in accordance with claim 1 wherein said impeller, bearings and magnetic cylinder are made of corrosion resistant materials.

7. The magnetically-actuated fuel cell hydrogen recycle blower of claim 1 wherein said scroll casing is made of a high pressure resistant stainless steel alloy or a high strength engineering plastic.