CN217983421U - Fuel supply module for fuel cell system and fuel cell system - Google Patents

Abstract

The application discloses a fuel supply module for a fuel cell system, comprising: a housing having a first fuel inlet, a second fuel inlet, and a fuel outlet; a fuel injection passage formed in the housing, the fuel injection passage being of venturi configuration and having a converging section, a throat section and a diverging section connected in series between a first fuel inlet and a fuel outlet; and a fuel recirculation pump housed within the housing, wherein a fuel recirculation pump chamber of the housing that houses the fuel recirculation pump is fluidly connected to and disposed proximate the fuel injection passage and the second fuel inlet. The application also discloses a fuel cell system.

Description

Fuel supply module for fuel cell system and fuel cell system

Technical Field

The present application relates to the field of fuel cell technology, and more particularly to a fuel supply module for a fuel cell system and a fuel cell system comprising such a fuel supply module.

Background

With the increasing concern of environmental problems caused by fossil energy consumption, the development and utilization of new pollution-free renewable energy sources become a new direction for energy development. Among many new energy projects being developed, the utilization of fuel cells has been leading to the mass production and manufacturing stage. Fuel cell technology converts Gibbs free energy in fuel chemical energy directly into electrical energy by means of electrochemical reaction of fuel with oxidant. Compared with the traditional combustion power generation technology, the fuel cell technology has the advantages of high conversion efficiency, less pollutant emission and the like.

To ensure smooth power output of the fuel cell system, an excessive amount of fuel is often supplied to the anode input of the fuel cell. Unreacted or unconsumed fuel is then discharged from the anode output of the fuel cell and returned to the fuel injection passage by means of the fuel recirculation pump to be supplied to the anode input of the fuel cell together with fresh fuel from the fuel source. The operating efficiency of a fuel cell system is affected by aspects including reactant supply conditions, electrolyte conditions, and ambient environmental conditions of the fuel cell. On the fuel supply side of the fuel cell system there is often provided an adjustment mechanism to regulate one or more physical and/or chemical properties of the fuel supplied to the fuel cell anode, such as temperature, water content, etc.

How to reasonably arrange corresponding devices on a fuel supply side in a limited space to improve the comprehensive utilization efficiency of the fuel supply side and reduce the waste of resources and available energy at the same time is a problem to be solved urgently in the prior art.

SUMMERY OF THE UTILITY MODEL

The present application aims to provide an improved solution to the above-mentioned problems.

According to one aspect of the present application, there is provided a fuel supply module for a fuel cell system, the fuel supply module comprising: a housing having a first fuel inlet, a second fuel inlet, and a fuel outlet; a fuel injection passage formed in the housing, the fuel injection passage being of venturi configuration and having a converging section, a roar section and a diverging section connected in series between the first fuel inlet and the fuel outlet; and a fuel recirculation pump housed within the housing, wherein a fuel recirculation pump chamber of the housing that houses the fuel recirculation pump is fluidly connected to and disposed proximate the fuel injection passage and the second fuel inlet.

According to an alternative embodiment, the fuel recirculation pump chamber is fluidly connected by a first recirculation passage to a portion of the throat section of the fuel eductor passage adjacent the converging section.

According to an alternative embodiment, the portion of the fuel recirculation pump chamber which houses the electric drive and control components of the fuel recirculation pump has a common wall with the throat section of the fuel gallery.

According to an alternative embodiment, a heat rejection structure is provided in the fuel recirculation pump chamber, the heat rejection structure being arranged along and/or around the electrical drive and control component of the fuel recirculation pump, one end of the heat rejection structure being connected to the liquid access port of the fuel recirculation pump chamber and the other end being connected to the liquid discharge port of the fuel recirculation pump chamber, wherein the liquid access port is positioned higher than the liquid discharge port when in use.

According to an alternative embodiment, the fuel supply module further comprises a water separator device housed within the housing, the water separator chamber of the housing the water separator device having an outlet opening to the fuel recirculation pump chamber and an inlet opening to the second fuel inlet, and a bottom of the water separator chamber remote from the inlet opening and/or the outlet opening in the direction of gravity is in fluid communication with the liquid access port of the fuel recirculation pump chamber and is positioned, in use, above the heat rejection structure.

According to an alternative embodiment, the water separator chamber is arranged against the fuel bleed passage from a different orientation than the fuel recirculation pump chamber.

According to an alternative embodiment, the water separator chamber is arranged next to the fuel bleed passage on the side opposite the fuel recirculation pump chamber.

According to an alternative embodiment, the heat extraction structure forms a meandering and/or spirally wound flow channel, and/or the heat extraction structure is detachable.

According to an alternative embodiment, the fuel supply module further comprises a drain valve electrically connected to the fuel recirculation arrangement and arranged in a liquid outlet passage of the housing, wherein the liquid outlet passage of the housing is at least partially defined by the liquid outlet port of the fuel recirculation pump chamber.

According to another aspect of the present application, there is provided a fuel cell system comprising a fuel supply module as described above, a fuel source fluidly connected to a first fuel inlet of the fuel supply module, and a fuel cell fluidly connected at an anode input to a fuel outlet of the fuel supply module and at an anode output to a second fuel inlet of the fuel supply module.

The integrated fuel supply module obtained with the housing according to the present application has an improved space utilization rate, allowing a reduction in the space required for installation of the fuel cell system, as compared with a conventional fuel cell system arrangement in which devices or components on the fuel supply side are separated and dispersed. In addition, compared with the traditional arrangement structure that each device or component on the fuel supply side is independent, the shell of the fuel supply module can carry out overall thermal management and flow management on the corresponding device on the fuel supply side, so that the fuel supply module can obviously reduce the use of heating components, heat exchange mechanisms, related pipelines and the like compared with the traditional separated and independent arrangement, and therefore the overall structural configuration optimization, the energy consumption reduction and the comprehensive utilization efficiency improvement of the fuel supply side are achieved.

Drawings

The drawings illustrate embodiments in accordance with the principles of the present application in an intuitive manner. It will be understood that the shape and size of some of the features or elements in the figures may be arbitrarily exaggerated or reduced or shown in schematic form for clarity. Accordingly, the shapes, sizes of the features or elements illustrated in the drawings do not limit the scope of the present application in any way. In the drawings:

FIG. 1 illustrates a schematic cross-section taken along a fuel flow path of a first embodiment of a fuel supply module including a housing, a fuel gallery formed in the housing, and a fuel recirculation pump housed within the housing, not shown for clarity, according to the principles of the present application;

FIG. 2 illustrates a schematic cross-section taken along a fuel flowpath of a second embodiment of a fuel supply module according to the principles of the present application, the fuel supply module including a housing, a fuel injection passage formed in the housing, and a fuel recirculation pump and water separation device housed within the housing, the fuel recirculation pump and water separation device not shown in the figures for clarity; and

fig. 3 is a block diagram illustrating a third embodiment of a fuel supply module and portions of a fuel cell system having the fuel supply module according to the principles of the present application.

Like reference numerals are used to refer to like parts throughout the drawings.

Detailed Description

A fuel supply module for a fuel cell system and a housing thereof according to the principles of the present application will be described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

For ease of description, terms such as "fluidly connected," "fluidly communicating," and the like, are used herein to describe one element or feature as forming a flow path with another element or feature by direct (e.g., contacting, abutting) or indirect (e.g., via intermediate elements or features such as channels, lines, chambers, etc.) means that fluid is permitted to flow from or to the one element or feature to the other element or feature.

Accordingly, the term "electrically connected" is used herein to describe one element or feature forming a circuit with another element or feature by way of direct (e.g., contact, weld, crimp, etc.) or indirect (e.g., via an intermediate element or feature such as a conductor, wire, etc.) that allows for the transport of charged particles from or to the one element or feature.

Fig. 1 schematically illustrates a cross section of a housing 100 of a fuel supply module according to a first embodiment of the present application, cut along a fuel flow path. As shown in fig. 1, the housing 100 defines a fuel gallery 110 extending through the housing in a generally straight direction and a fuel recirculation pump chamber 120 formed adjacent the fuel gallery 110.

The fuel injection passage 110 is of venturi configuration having a converging section 113, a throat section 114 and a diverging section 115 connected in series between a first fuel inlet 111 and a fuel outlet 112 of the housing 100. The converging section 113 has a cross-sectional area that decreases progressively from the first fuel inlet 111 towards the throat section 114, thereby causing low temperature, high pressure fuel from the fuel source entering the fuel supply module via the first fuel inlet 111 to convert pressure energy into kinetic energy. Accordingly, the throat section 114, which is connected downstream of the constriction 113, has a substantially constant cross-sectional area equal to the minimum cross-sectional area of the constriction 113, and the cross-sectional area of the diffuser section 115 downstream of the throat section 114 increases from the throat section 114 towards the fuel outlet 112. In other words, the narrowest flow area of the fuel gallery 110 is defined by the throat section 114 of the fuel gallery 110. Based on the continuity equation and Bernoulli's law, those skilled in the art will readily appreciate that the fuel flow will have a faster velocity of flow and a lower pressure at the throat section 114 than at the converging section 113 and the diverging section 115.

The fuel recirculation pump chamber 120 is used to house a fuel recirculation pump. The fuel recirculation pump is used to pressurize the recirculated fuel entering the fuel supply module from the recirculated fuel inlet 132 (also referred to as the "secondary fuel inlet") of the housing 100 to enter the fuel injection passage 110 to be provided to the anode input of the fuel cell with fuel from the fuel source. Since the fuel gallery 110 has a lower pressure at the throat section 114, the fuel recirculation pump chamber 120 is preferably fluidly connected to a portion of the throat section 114 of the fuel gallery 110 adjacent the diffuser section 113 (also referred to as the upstream side of the throat section) via a first recirculation passage 131, in order to relieve the operating load of the fuel recirculation pump. The flow of recirculating fuel merging upstream of the throat section 114 causes the fuel flow in the throat section 114 to increase further than the source fuel flow. The lower flow temperature and faster velocity of the flow causes the throat section 114 to be an advantageous heat sink channel for the housing 100 and hence the fuel supply module. The heat generated by operation of the recirculation pump housed in the fuel recirculation pump chamber 120 is advantageously conducted to the fuel gallery 110 by means of the common wall 140 between the fuel recirculation pump chamber 120 and the throat section 114, so as to prevent heat build-up in the fuel recirculation pump chamber, on the one hand, leading to increased fuel recirculation pump operating load and increased energy consumption, and on the other hand, this heat can be utilised to heat the fuel flow in the fuel gallery to a higher temperature close to the electrolyte in the fuel cell. Preferably, the common wall 140 and the housing 100 may be formed of a material having good thermal conductivity (e.g., metal). For example, the housing 100 may be composed primarily of an aluminum alloy casting.

When assembling the fuel supply module, the fuel recirculation pump is mounted in the fuel recirculation pump chamber 120 in such a way that the rotating parts (e.g. the impeller) are close to the first recirculation channel 131 and the electric drive parts and control parts are routed away from the first recirculation channel 131. Since the heat generated by the fuel recirculation pump during operation originates primarily from the electric drive and control components located away from the first recirculation passage 131, it is advantageous to form the region of the fuel recirculation pump chamber 120 remote from the first recirculation passage 131 immediately adjacent the throat section 114 of the fuel bleed passage 110, as this helps to shorten the heat transfer path between the fuel bleed passage and the fuel recirculation pump chamber and improves heat transfer efficiency.

Furthermore, as also shown in fig. 1, a heat discharge structure 150 is also provided in a portion of the fuel recirculation pump chamber 120 remote from the first recirculation passage 131 for further evacuating heat generated by the electric drive components and control components of the recirculation pump. The heat rejection structure 150 has one end connected to the liquid access port 123 of the fuel recirculation pump chamber 120 and the other end connected to the liquid discharge port 124 of the fuel recirculation pump chamber 120. The liquid access port 123 may be fluidly connected to a suitable liquid source including, but not limited to, condensed water accumulated elsewhere within the enclosure 100, a water tank of the fuel cell system, and/or combinations thereof, and the like. The liquid drain port 124 may be part of the liquid outlet passage 135 of the housing 100, or the liquid drain port 124 may additionally be in fluid communication with the liquid outlet passage 135 of the housing 100. As illustrated in fig. 1, the liquid access port 123 is disposed higher than the liquid drain port 124 when in use. Heat removal structure 150 connected between liquid access port 123 and liquid drain port 124 may form a serpentine and/or helically wound flow path to increase heat transfer area. By way of example, heat rejection structure 150 may be in the form of water cooled panels, coils, and/or combinations thereof. Further, the heat rejection structure 150 may be a removable portion of the housing 100 such that the configuration of the heat rejection structure 150 can be adjusted, modified, replaced, and/or combined depending on the specifics of the fuel recirculation pump installed in the fuel recirculation pump chamber 120 (e.g., the shape, size, configuration, etc. of the electrically driven components and control components of the fuel recirculation pump).

The flow path of fuel from the fuel source through the fuel supply module is indicated in fig. 1 by open arrows, the flow path of recycled fuel received from the anode outlet end of the fuel cell through the fuel supply module is indicated by solid arrows, and the flow path of liquid for the heat rejection structure 150 is indicated by dashed arrows. Although only the fuel recirculation pumping chamber 120 is illustrated in the recirculation fuel flow path of fig. 1, it is understood that a cavity and associated plumbing channels for housing other recirculation fuel handling mechanisms may also be formed in the module housing according to the present application.

Fig. 2 schematically illustrates a cross section of a housing 200 of a fuel supply module according to a second embodiment of the present application, cut along a fuel flow path. The above description of the fuel injection gallery 110, the fuel recirculation pump chamber 120, the first recirculation gallery 131, the recirculated fuel inlet 132, the liquid outlet gallery 135, the heat rejection structure 150, the liquid access port 123, and the liquid discharge port 124 of fig. 1 applies equally to the fuel injection gallery 210, the fuel recirculation pump chamber 220, the first recirculation gallery 231, the recirculated fuel inlet 232, the liquid outlet gallery 235, the heat rejection structure 250, the liquid access port 223, and the liquid discharge port 224, respectively, illustrated in fig. 2. The housing 200 differs from the housing 100 in that the housing 200 also defines a water separator chamber 260, the water separator chamber 260 being disposed along the flow path of the recirculated fuel (as shown by the solid arrows in fig. 2) upstream of the fuel recirculation pump chamber 220 and downstream of the recirculated fuel inlet 232.

The water separator chamber 260 is used to house water separation means. The water separator is configured to remove water vapor from the recirculated fuel stream flowing through the water separator chamber to prevent flooding of the fuel cell due to excessive water content in the fuel supplied by the fuel supply module to the anode input of the fuel cell. The recirculating fuel stream undergoing water separation processing is provided to the fuel recirculation pump chamber 220 for further processing through a second recirculation passage 239 fluidly connecting the water separator chamber 260 with the fuel recirculation pump chamber 220. The water separated from the fuel recirculation flow accumulates in liquid form at the bottom of the water separator chamber 260 away from the second recirculation passage 239 in the direction of gravity, and in the example illustrated in fig. 2, the liquid water accumulated at the bottom of the water separator chamber can be further provided to the heat rejection structure 250 in the fuel recirculation pump chamber 220 through a liquid delivery passage 237 communicating the bottom of the water separator chamber 260 with the liquid access port 223 of the fuel recirculation pump chamber 220. Thus, the condensed water obtained in the water separator chamber 260 flows through the bottom of the fuel recirculation pump chamber 220 and more specifically the area of the fuel recirculation pump chamber 220 where the electric drive and control components of the fuel recirculation pump are mounted, before finally being discharged from the liquid outlet passage 235 of the housing 200, thereby absorbing and removing the heat generated by these components. Preferably, as shown in fig. 2, the bottom of the water separator chamber 260 is positioned above the heat draining structure 250, and the heat draining structure 250 is positioned above the liquid outlet channel 235 of the housing 200, thereby at least partially gravity-driven water flow in the heat draining structure 250 and obviating the use of pumps. Optionally, the liquid outlet passage 235 opens in a bottom wall 225 of the fuel recirculation pump chamber 220 remote from the first recirculation passage 231 and/or the second recirculation passage 239. Also, an electrically actuated drain valve (not shown in fig. 2, see fig. 3) may be disposed in the liquid outlet passage 235 and may be electrically connected to a control component of a fuel recirculation pump mounted in the fuel recirculation pump chamber 220 to open and close the valve and/or to adjust the valve opening and thus the water flow rate in the heat rejection structure 250 in response to commands received from the control component of the fuel recirculation pump.

Although the water separator chamber 260 is shown in fig. 2 as being further from the fuel gallery 210 along the fuel flow path than the fuel recirculation pump chamber 220, it will be understood that this does not imply that the water separator chamber 260 must be disposed further from the fuel gallery 210 than the fuel recirculation pump chamber 220. Conversely, the water separator chamber 260 may also be disposed immediately adjacent the fuel gallery 210 from a different orientation than the fuel recirculation pump chamber 220. As is well known to those skilled in the art, the latent heat released by the water during the conversion from the gaseous state (water vapor) to the liquid state (condensed water) warms the water separator chamber 260 inhibiting further water separation in the water separator chamber 260, which significantly affects the separation of water vapor from the recirculated fuel stream. By positioning the water separator chamber 260 in close proximity to the fuel injection passage 210, as is similar to the fuel recirculation pump chamber 120 in close proximity to the fuel injection passage 110 described above, the lower fuel temperature and higher fuel flow rate characteristics of the fuel injection passage 110 are exploited to cause heat exchange between the water separator chamber 220 and the fuel injection passage 210 and thereby achieve efficient water separation in the water separator chamber 220, while also promoting the fuel supplied through the fuel injection passage 210 of the fuel supply module to reach a temperature closer to the reaction temperature within the fuel cell before entering the fuel cell to ensure that the electrochemical reaction proceeds smoothly. Preferably, the water separator chamber 260 is disposed immediately adjacent the fuel injection passage 210 on the opposite side from the fuel recirculation pump chamber 220.

Fig. 3 schematically illustrates, in block diagram form, a fuel supply module 10 (hereinafter sometimes also simply referred to as "module 10") according to the principles of the present application and a portion of the fuel cell system 1 to which it is applied. The fuel supply module 10 includes a housing 300 (shown schematically in a dashed box) and a fuel recirculation pump 12 mounted in a fuel recirculation pump chamber of the housing 300, a water separation device 16 mounted in a water separator chamber of the housing 300, and a drain valve 18 electrically connected to a control component of the fuel recirculation pump and disposed in a liquid outlet passage of the housing 300. As shown by the open arrows in fig. 3, the fuel supply module 10 receives fuel from the fuel source 2 through a first fuel inlet 311 and supplies the fuel to the anode input 4 of the fuel cell 3 through a fuel outlet 312. The fuel that is not consumed in the fuel cell 3 is discharged from the anode output terminal 5 of the fuel cell 3 while carrying a part of the water. The fuel with water is fed via the recirculating fuel inlet 332 of the housing 300 to the water separator chamber of the fuel supply module 10 for water separation by the water separation means 16 therein, the fuel after water separation is further fed to the fuel recirculating pump chamber for pressurisation by the fuel recirculating pump 12 therein, and the pressurised fuel is then fed again to the anode input 4 of the fuel cell 2 via the fuel bleed passage 310, as shown by the solid arrow in fig. 3. The separated liquid water is drained out of housing 300 of module 10 via drain valve 18 after passing along and/or around fuel recirculation pump 12 and, in particular, the electrically driven and control components (not shown in the figures) of fuel recirculation pump 12, as additionally illustrated in fig. 3 with dashed arrows. Housing 300 is substantially identical to housing 200 illustrated by FIG. 2, except that vent valve 18 at least partially defines a liquid outlet passage of the housing. Further, it is understood that the fuel cell 3 is not limited to a single cell, but may also include a fuel cell stack composed of a plurality of fuel cells.

Although the present application has been described in detail in connection with the accompanying drawings and the specific embodiments, it is to be understood that the illustrations of the accompanying drawings and the above description of the specific embodiments are intended to illustrate the manner in which the principles of the present application can be practiced and are not intended to be an exhaustive list of such manners. Those skilled in the art upon reading the foregoing may modify, substitute, alter, combine features described herein to arrive at additional embodiments as appropriate. These embodiments are also intended to be encompassed within the spirit and scope of the present application, as defined by the appended claims.

Claims (10)

1. A fuel supply module (10) for a fuel cell system, characterized by comprising:

a housing (100, 200, 300) having a first fuel inlet (111, 311), a second fuel inlet (132, 232, 332), and a fuel outlet (112, 312);

a fuel eductor passage (110, 210, 310) formed in the housing (100, 200, 300), the fuel eductor passage (110, 210, 310) being of venturi configuration and having a converging section (113), a throat section (114) and a diverging section (115) connected in series between the first fuel inlet (111, 311) and the fuel outlet (112, 312); and

a fuel recirculation pump (12) housed within the housing (100, 200, 300), wherein a fuel recirculation pump chamber (120, 220) of the housing (100, 200, 300) housing the fuel recirculation pump (12) is fluidly connected to the second fuel inlet (132, 232, 332) and the fuel bleed passage (110, 210, 310) and is disposed proximate the fuel bleed passage (110, 210, 310).

2. A fuel supply module (10) for a fuel cell system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the fuel recirculation pump chamber (120, 220) is fluidly connected to the section of the throat section (114) of the fuel bleed passage (110, 210, 310) adjacent the converging section (113) by a first recirculation passage (131, 231).

3. A fuel supply module (10) for a fuel cell system as claimed in claim 2, characterised in that the part of the fuel recirculation pump chamber (120, 220) which houses the electrical drive and control components of the fuel recirculation pump (12) has a common wall (140) with the throat section (114) of the fuel injection passage (110, 210, 310).

4. Fuel supply module (10) for a fuel cell system according to claim 3, characterized in that a heat exhaust structure (150, 250) is provided in the fuel recirculation pump chamber (120, 220), said heat exhaust structure (150, 250) being arranged along and/or around the electric drive and control components of the fuel recirculation pump (12), one end of the heat exhaust structure (150, 250) being connected to the liquid access port (123, 223) of the fuel recirculation pump chamber (120, 220) and the other end being connected to the liquid exhaust port (124, 224) of the fuel recirculation pump chamber (120, 220), wherein the liquid access port (123, 223) is positioned higher than the liquid exhaust port (124, 224) when in use.

5. The fuel supply module (10) for a fuel cell system of claim 4, characterized in that the fuel supply module (10) further comprises a water separation device (16) housed within the housing (100, 200, 300), the water separator chamber (260) of the housing the water separation device (16) having an outlet opening to the fuel recirculation pump chamber (120, 220) and an inlet opening to the second fuel inlet (132, 232, 332), and the bottom of the water separator chamber (260) facing away from the inlet opening and/or the outlet opening in the direction of gravity being in fluid communication with the liquid access port (123, 223) of the fuel recirculation pump chamber (120, 220) and being located higher than the heat rejection structure (150, 250) when in use.

6. The fuel supply module (10) for a fuel cell system of claim 5, wherein the water separator chamber (260) is disposed against the fuel injection passage (110, 210, 310) from a different orientation than the fuel recirculation pump chamber (120, 220).

7. The fuel supply module (10) for a fuel cell system according to claim 6, characterized in that the water separator chamber (260) is arranged next to the fuel injection passage (110, 210, 310) on the other side opposite to the fuel recirculation pump chamber (120, 220).

8. Fuel supply module (10) for a fuel cell system according to any one of claims 4 to 7, characterized in that the heat exhaust structure (150, 250) forms a meandering and/or spirally wound flow channel and/or that the heat exhaust structure (150, 250) is detachable.

9. The fuel supply module (10) for a fuel cell system of claim 8, wherein the fuel supply module (10) further comprises a drain valve (18) electrically connected to the fuel recirculation pump (12) and disposed in a liquid outlet passage (135, 235) of the housing (100, 200, 300), wherein the liquid outlet passage of the housing is at least partially defined by the liquid drain port (124, 224) of the fuel recirculation pump chamber (120, 220).

10. A fuel cell system (1), characterized by comprising a fuel supply module (10) according to any one of claims 1 to 9, a fuel source (2) in fluid connection with a first fuel inlet (111, 311) of the fuel supply module (10), and a fuel cell (3) in fluid connection with an anode input (4) with a fuel outlet (112, 312) of the fuel supply module (10) and with an anode output (5) with a second fuel inlet (132, 232, 332) of the fuel supply module (10).

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