DE102021209884A1 - Valve module for a fuel cell system and fuel cell system - Google Patents

Abstract

Valve module for a fuel cell assembly and a fuel cell assembly with such a valve module. In the valve module, a shut-off valve and a control valve are provided in a common block of material. For a simple production of such a component, provision is made for the inlets of the valves to be arranged radially and the outlets axially. All recesses for the valve components as well as the flow channels for inlets and outlets can be implemented in a simple manner by means of bores or the like.

Description

technical field

The present invention relates to a valve module for a fuel cell system and a fuel cell system with such a valve module.

State of the art

Fuel cells are increasingly used as energy converters, including in vehicles, to convert chemical energy stored in a fuel, such as hydrogen, directly into electrical energy together with oxygen. Fuel cells typically have an anode, a cathode, and an electrolytic membrane positioned between the anode and the cathode. The fuel is oxidized at the anode and the oxygen is reduced at the cathode. This creates water on the cathode side.

The DE 10 2007 004 590 A1 discloses a fuel cell system with a gas delivery module, which has two jet pumps connected in parallel. Each of the jet pumps has a propulsion nozzle connected to a hydrogen supply and a suction connection, to which a recirculation line is connected in each case. An outlet of the jet pump is connected to a fuel supply line, which is connected to an anode-side inlet of a fuel cell stack. The recirculation line is connected to an anode-side outlet of the fuel cell stack. The two jet pumps can be operated individually or selectively in order to enable a more precise adaptation of the fuel supply to the power requirement, for example in part-load operation.

In a fuel cell system, the fuel, for example hydrogen, is supplied from a fuel source to the fuel cell in the anode circuit. As a rule, several valves are used here. A control valve can typically be used to meter the fuel as required. In addition, a further shut-off valve can be provided in front of such a control valve, for example. With such a shut-off valve, the fuel supply can be closed in an inactive state or in the event of a fault.

Disclosure of Invention

The present invention creates a valve module for a fuel cell and a fuel cell system with the features of the independent patent claims. Further advantageous embodiments are the subject matter of the dependent patent claims.

Accordingly, it is provided:

A valve module a fuel cell with a shut-off valve and a control valve. The shut-off valve is designed to interrupt or release a fuel supply from a fuel source to the fuel cell. The control valve is designed to meter a volume flow of the fuel supply from the fuel source to the fuel cell. The shut-off valve and the control valve are arranged in a common valve body. In particular, the check valve has an axial outflow and the control valve has a radial inflow. In this case, the flow channel for the axial outflow of the check valve can correspond to the flow channel for the radial inflow of the control valve.

Furthermore, it is provided:

A fuel cell system with a fuel cell arrangement, a fuel source and a valve module according to the invention. The fuel cell arrangement includes at least one fuel cell. The fuel source is designed to provide fuel for the fuel cell assembly. The valve module is positioned between the fuel source and the fuel cell assembly. In this case, the valve module is designed to adjust the volume flow of the fuel from the fuel source to the fuel cell arrangement.

Advantages of the Invention

The present invention is based on the finding that, in a fuel cell system, a plurality of components are generally provided between the fuel source, for example a tank with a liquid gas such as hydrogen or natural gas, and the fuel cell. In particular, several valves can be provided between the fuel source and the fuel cell arrangement. For example, the amount of fuel that is supplied to the fuel cell arrangement can be metered by means of a control valve. In addition, a shut-off valve can be provided which completely shuts off the fuel supply when the fuel cells are inactive.

The present invention is based in particular on the finding that it is advantageous for the construction of a fuel cell system to combine a number of components, in particular a number of valve elements, in a common structure integrate. However, the production of such components with several valves and possibly other components in a common structure represents a major challenge from a manufacturing point of view.

It is therefore an idea of the present invention to take this knowledge into account and to provide a valve module for a fuel cell system, which integrates several components, in particular a shut-off valve and a control valve in a common structure, the valve module according to the invention being particularly simple in simple production steps can be realized.

For this purpose, it is provided according to the invention to arrange a shut-off valve and a control valve in a common structure in such a way that the shut-off valve has an axial outflow and the control valve has a radial inflow. In particular, the flow channel for the axial outflow of the check valve can match the flow channel for the radial inflow of the control valve.

With such an axial outflow of the shut-off valve, the flow channel required for this can be realized by a simple bore in the valve area of the shut-off valve. Such a bore can in particular be designed in such a way that the resulting flow channel also simultaneously forms a radial inflow for a downstream control valve. Correspondingly, the valve module according to the invention with a combination of shut-off valve and control valve can be implemented particularly easily and thus also in a time-saving and cost-effective manner through such a bore for an axial outflow of the shut-off valve and the radial inflow for the control valve.

For the production of such valve modules with a combined shut-off valve and a control valve, almost all production steps for the recesses of the valve elements and the flow channels can be implemented using simple bores. This enables a simple manufacturing process. In addition, the structures for such valve modules can be manufactured with high quality and few rejects.

According to one embodiment, both the shut-off valve and the control valve each have a radial inflow and an axial outflow. As already explained above, flow channels of this type for the inflow and outflow can be implemented particularly easily by means of bores or the like in the structure of the valve module.

According to one embodiment, the axial outflow of the check valve opens into the radial inflow of the control valve. As already explained above, an arrangement can be realized in this way in which the flow channel for the outflow of the check valve corresponds to the flow channel for the inflow of the control valve.

According to one embodiment, the axial outflow of the shut-off valve and the radial inflow of the control valve are realized through a common bore in the valve body. In particular, if the control valve is implemented perpendicularly to the check valve, this flow channel for the outflow of the check valve and the inflow of the control valve can be implemented as a single, simple bore.

According to one embodiment, the valve body with the control valve and the shut-off valve also includes a connection for a pressure sensor. A particularly compact design can be achieved by integrating additional components, such as a pressure sensor.

According to one embodiment, the common valve body of the valve module with the shut-off valve and the control valve also includes a connection for a pressure relief valve. For example, the connection for the pressure relief valve can be arranged in the flow channel of the outflow of the control valve.

According to one embodiment, the common valve body with the shut-off valve and the control valve further comprises a jet pump. Jet pumps can be used, for example, to pump excess fuel from the fuel cell and to feed it back to the fuel cell together with the fuel from the fuel source.

In addition, any other suitable components can of course also be integrated into the valve body with the shut-off valve and the control valve.

According to one embodiment, several valve modules, each with a shut-off valve and a control valve, are integrated in a common structure.

The above configurations and developments can be combined with one another as desired, insofar as this makes sense. Further refinements, developments and implementations of the invention also include combinations of features of the invention described above or below with regard to the exemplary embodiments that are not explicitly mentioned. In particular, the specialist will also Add individual aspects as improvements or additions to the respective basic forms of the invention.

character list

• 1: eine schematische Darstellung eines Blockschaubilds eines Brennstoffzellensystems mit einem Ventilmodul gemäß einer Ausführungsform;
• 2: eine schematische Darstellung eines Querschnitts durch ein Ventilmodul gemäß einer Ausführungsform;
• 3: eine schematische Darstellung eines Querschnitts durch ein Ventilmodul gemäß einer alternativen Ausführungsform;
• 4: eine schematische Darstellung eines Querschnitts durch ein Ventilmodul gemäß einer weiteren Ausführungsform; und
• 5: eine schematische Darstellung eines Querschnitts durch ein Ventilmodul gemäß noch einer weiteren Ausführungsform.

Further features and advantages of the invention are explained below with reference to the figures. show:

• 1 1: a schematic representation of a block diagram of a fuel cell system with a valve module according to an embodiment;
• 2 1: a schematic representation of a cross section through a valve module according to an embodiment;
• 3 1: a schematic representation of a cross section through a valve module according to an alternative embodiment;
• 4 1: a schematic representation of a cross section through a valve module according to a further embodiment; and
• 5 1: a schematic representation of a cross section through a valve module according to yet another embodiment.

In the figures, the same reference symbols designate identical or functionally identical components, unless otherwise stated.

Description of Embodiments

1 12 shows a schematic representation of a block diagram of a fuel cell system 1. The fuel cell system 1 can be fed, for example, from a fuel source 10, for example a hydrogen tank. In the example shown here, the fuel from the fuel source 10 reaches a fuel cell arrangement 15 with a plurality of fuel cells via a shut-off valve 11 and a metering valve 12 . Optionally, for example, a jet pump 13 can be provided between the metering valve 12 . This jet pump 13 can draw in unused fuel, which is also referred to as excess fuel, from a fuel outlet of the fuel cell arrangement 15 via a recirculation line 25 . In this case, a check valve 14 can optionally be provided between the jet pump 13 and the fuel inlet of the fuel cell arrangement 15 in order to prevent fuel from flowing back.

The amount of fuel that is supplied to the fuel cell arrangement 15 from the fuel source 10 can be adjusted, for example, by means of the metering or control valve 12 . In addition, the fuel supply from the fuel source 10 can be completely shut off by means of the shut-off valve 11 . For example, the shut-off valve 11 can be closed in order to deactivate the fuel cell arrangement 15 or, in the event of a fault, to shut off the fuel supply quickly and reliably. In particular, by using a shut-off valve 11 in addition to the control valve 12, a redundancy for interrupting the fuel supply can be implemented.

Shut-off valve 11 and control valve 12 can, for example, be integrated in a common housing block. In particular, shut-off valve 11 and control valve 12 can be made from a common block of material. In this way one obtains a unit which combines a shut-off valve 11 and a control valve 12 in a common component.

2 shows a schematic representation of a cross section through a valve module 20 with a shut-off valve 11 and a control valve 12 according to an embodiment. As already explained above, the shut-off valve 11 and the control valve 12 are combined in a common valve body 2 . The shut-off valve 11 of the common valve body 2 has a first recess 31 . For example, this first recess 31 can be designed as a bore. A fuel inlet 21 is provided radially to this first recess 31 . This fuel inlet 21 can also be designed as a bore, for example. Furthermore, the section of the valve body 2 for the shut-off valve 11 has an outflow 22, which at the same time also forms the inlet for the control valve 12 described below. This outflow 22 is arranged radially or at least approximately radially to the recess 31 of the shut-off valve 11 . With such a configuration, the outflow 22 of the shut-off valve and thus the inlet 23 for the control valve 12 can also be implemented in a simple manner by means of a bore or the like. A valve element 31a, for example, can be introduced into the recess 31 of the shut-off valve 11, which shuts off the flow of fuel from the inlet 21 in order to close the shut-off valve 11.

As continues in 2 can be seen, the control valve 12 can also be formed by means of a further recess 32 . This further recess 32 for the control valve 12 can also be realized, for example, by means of a bore or the like. The inlet 23 for the control valve 12 is here arranged radially to the second recess 32 for the control valve. As already described above, the inflow 23 for the control valve 12 can correspond to the outflow 22 of the shut-off valve 11 men. Thus, this flow channel can be realized through a single bore starting from the first recess 31 to the second recess 32 . The outflow 24 of the control valve 12 follows axially to the recess 32 of the control valve 12 . Correspondingly, the outflow 24 of the control valve 12 can also be formed as a borehole from the second recess 32, into which the valve element 32a for the control valve is introduced.

It goes without saying that the orientations in the axial or radial direction are not strictly parallel or orthogonal to the axes of symmetry. Rather, the orientations described as axial or radial can also deviate from this within suitable tolerances. In particular, the orientations can deviate to such an extent that the inflows and outflows described from the respective recesses 31, 32 can still be realized by means of bores without damaging the recesses during manufacture. Such a different orientation of the flow channel for the outflow 22 from the shut-off valve 11 to the control valve 12 is described, for example, in the following 4 shown.

3 shows a schematic representation of a cross section through a valve body 2 according to a further embodiment. In the 3 illustrated embodiment is largely consistent with the previously associated with 2 described embodiment match. The explanations given above for the valve body 2 according to FIG 3 and also the valve bodies described below.

The valve body 2 according to 3 differs according to the valve body 2 in particular in that the outflow 24 of the control valve 12 was realized through two bores. A first part 24a of the outflow 24 of the control valve 12 is arranged axially to the second recess 32 of the control valve 12 . In the further course of the outflow 24, a partial area 24b follows, which has been realized, for example, by means of a further bore from an outside of the valve body 2. The two bores for the outflow 24 of the control valve 12 can be realized, for example, by two bores arranged perpendicularly or at least approximately perpendicularly to one another. In this way, the volume flow in the outflow 24 of the control valve 12 can be deflected in a desired direction.

4 shows a schematic representation of a cross section through a valve body 2 according to a further embodiment. Again, all of the above apply in connection with 2 and 3 statements made. The valve body 2 according to 4 can also have other arrangements, in particular openings. Additional components such as a pressure sensor 41 or a pressure relief valve 42 can be provided in these further openings. It goes without saying that the use of the pressure sensor 41 or the overpressure valve 42 is only to be understood as an example. Of course, any other suitable components can also be provided.

For example, a further opening can be provided in the flow channel that forms the outflow 22 of the shut-off valve 11 and the inlet 23 for the control valve 12 in order to attach an additional component, such as the pressure sensor 41 here. For this purpose, for example, a further bore can be made in the valve body 2 . This additional bore can be arranged, for example, at least approximately radially to the bore for the flow channel of the outflow 22 of the shut-off valve 11 or the inlet 23 of the control valve 12 . In particular, a larger recess in the form of a larger bore can be implemented for this purpose, for example, into which the pressure sensor 41 is introduced. A further bore with a smaller diameter up to the flow channel 22 , 23 can be introduced into the valve body 2 axially to this bore.

Accordingly, it is also possible to attach further components, such as the pressure relief valve 42 shown here, to the valve body 2 in the outflow 24 of the control valve 12 . Similar to the previously described opening for the pressure sensor 41, a larger opening, for example a larger bore, can also be introduced into the valve body 2, into which the overpressure valve 42 or another suitable component is introduced. Furthermore, for example, a further bore with a smaller diameter can be introduced in the axial direction to the larger opening for the pressure relief valve 42 up to the outflow 24 of the control valve 12 .

As can be seen easily, all openings or flow channels for the shut-off valve 11, the control valve 12 and the other components 41 or 42 as well as the inlets and outlets 21, 22, 23, 24 can easily be made in the valve body by means of bores or the like 2 are introduced. The entire valve body 2 can thus be manufactured in a simple manner.

5 shows a schematic representation of a cross section through a valve module 20 according to a further embodiment. the valve Body 2 according to this embodiment includes, in addition to the previously described shut-off valve 11 and the control valve 12 and optionally (not shown here) further components such as a pressure sensor or pressure relief valve, also a jet pump. A recirculation inlet 26 of the jet pump can be connected to a fuel outlet of the fuel cell arrangement 15, for example. The outlet 27 of the jet pump can also be connected to the fuel inlet of the fuel cell arrangement 15, for example. In this way, numerous components for a fuel cell system can be realized in a common block of material, such as the valve body 2 described here. If necessary, a necessary non-return valve can also be introduced into the valve body 2 when using a jet pump.

In addition to the above-described embodiments of a valve body 2 each with a shut-off valve 11 and a control valve 12, it is also possible in principle to integrate valve body 2 with a plurality of shut-off valves 11 and a plurality of control valves 12 and possibly also a plurality of jet pumps in a common block of material. Here, too, all openings and connections for inflows and outflows can advantageously be realized in a simple manner by means of suitable bores.

In summary, the present invention relates to a valve module for a fuel cell arrangement and a fuel cell arrangement with such a valve module, with a shut-off valve and a control valve being combined in a common block of material in the valve module. For a simple production of such a component, provision is made for the inlets of the valves to be arranged radially and the outlets axially. All recesses for the valve components as well as the flow channels for inlets and outlets can be implemented in a simple manner by means of bores or the like.

QUOTES INCLUDED IN DESCRIPTION

This list of documents cited by the applicant was generated automatically and is included solely for the better information of the reader. The list is not part of the German patent or utility model application. The DPMA assumes no liability for any errors or omissions.

Patent Literature Cited

• DE 102007004590 A1 [0003]

Claims (8)

Valve module (20) for a fuel cell, with: a shutoff valve (11) adapted to shut off fuel supply from a fuel source (10) to the fuel cell, and a control valve (12) which is designed to meter a volume flow of the fuel supply from the fuel source (10) to the fuel cell, wherein the shut-off valve (11) and the control valve (12) are arranged in a common valve body (2), and wherein the shut-off valve (11) has an axial outflow (22) and the control valve (12) has a radial inflow (23). Valve module (20) after claim 1 , wherein the shut-off valve (11) and the control valve (12) each have a radial inflow (21, 23) and an axial outflow (22, 24). Valve module (20) after claim 1 or 2 , wherein the axial outflow (22) of the check valve (11) opens into the radial inflow (23) of the control valve (12). Valve module (20) after claim 3 , wherein the axial outflow (22) of the check valve (11) and the radial inflow (23) of the control valve (12) is realized through a common bore in the valve body. Valve module (20) according to one of Claims 1 until 4 , wherein the common valve body (2) further comprises a connection for a pressure sensor (41). Valve module (20) according to one of Claims 1 until 5 , wherein the common valve body (2) further comprises a connection for a pressure relief valve (42). Valve module (20) according to one of Claims 1 until 6 , wherein the common valve body (2) further comprises a jet pump (13). Fuel cell system (1), comprising: a fuel cell arrangement (15) with at least one fuel cell; a fuel source (10) configured to provide fuel for the fuel cell assembly (15); and a valve module (20) according to any one of the preceding Claims 1 until 7 , which is arranged between the fuel source (10) and the fuel cell arrangement (15) and is designed to adjust the volume flow of the fuel from the fuel source (10) to the fuel cell arrangement (15).

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