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
  • H01M8/24—Grouping of fuel cells, e.g. stacking of fuel cells
  • H01M8/2465—Details of groupings of fuel cells
  • H01M8/2484—Details of groupings of fuel cells characterised by external manifolds
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  • 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
  • H01M8/02—Details
  • H01M8/0202—Collectors; Separators, e.g. bipolar separators; Interconnectors
  • H01M8/0258—Collectors; Separators, e.g. bipolar separators; Interconnectors characterised by the configuration of channels, e.g. by the flow field of the reactant or coolant
• • 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
  • H01M8/02—Details
• • 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
  • H01M8/04029—Heat exchange using liquids
• • 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
  • H01M8/04067—Heat exchange or temperature measuring elements, thermal insulation, e.g. heat pipes, heat pumps, fins
  • H01M8/04074—Heat exchange unit structures specially adapted for fuel cell
• • 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
  • H01M8/04082—Arrangements for control of reactant parameters, e.g. pressure or concentration
  • H01M8/04089—Arrangements for control of reactant parameters, e.g. pressure or concentration of gaseous 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
  • H01M8/04082—Arrangements for control of reactant parameters, e.g. pressure or concentration
  • H01M8/04089—Arrangements for control of reactant parameters, e.g. pressure or concentration of gaseous reactants
  • H01M8/04119—Arrangements for control of reactant parameters, e.g. pressure or concentration of gaseous reactants with simultaneous supply or evacuation of electrolyte; Humidifying or dehumidifying
  • H01M8/04156—Arrangements for control of reactant parameters, e.g. pressure or concentration of gaseous reactants with simultaneous supply or evacuation of electrolyte; Humidifying or dehumidifying with product water removal
  • H01M8/04164—Arrangements for control of reactant parameters, e.g. pressure or concentration of gaseous reactants with simultaneous supply or evacuation of electrolyte; Humidifying or dehumidifying with product water removal by condensers, gas-liquid separators or filters
• • 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
  • H01M8/04082—Arrangements for control of reactant parameters, e.g. pressure or concentration
  • H01M8/04201—Reactant storage and supply, e.g. means for feeding, pipes
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  • 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
  • H01M8/04291—Arrangements for managing water in solid electrolyte fuel cell systems
• • 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
  • H01M8/04298—Processes for controlling fuel cells or fuel cell systems
  • H01M8/043—Processes for controlling fuel cells or fuel cell systems applied during specific periods
  • H01M8/04302—Processes for controlling fuel cells or fuel cell systems applied during specific periods applied during start-up
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  • 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
  • H01M8/04298—Processes for controlling fuel cells or fuel cell systems
  • H01M8/04313—Processes for controlling fuel cells or fuel cell systems characterised by the detection or assessment of variables; characterised by the detection or assessment of failure or abnormal function
  • H01M8/0432—Temperature; Ambient temperature
  • H01M8/04358—Temperature; Ambient temperature of the coolant
• • H—ELECTRICITY
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  • 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
  • H01M8/04298—Processes for controlling fuel cells or fuel cell systems
  • H01M8/04313—Processes for controlling fuel cells or fuel cell systems characterised by the detection or assessment of variables; characterised by the detection or assessment of failure or abnormal function
  • H01M8/04492—Humidity; Ambient humidity; Water content
  • H01M8/04514—Humidity; Ambient humidity; Water content of anode exhausts
• • H—ELECTRICITY
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  • H01M8/00—Fuel cells; Manufacture thereof
  • H01M8/04—Auxiliary arrangements, e.g. for control of pressure or for circulation of fluids
  • H01M8/04298—Processes for controlling fuel cells or fuel cell systems
  • H01M8/04694—Processes for controlling fuel cells or fuel cell systems characterised by variables to be controlled
  • H01M8/04701—Temperature
  • H01M8/04723—Temperature of the coolant
• • H—ELECTRICITY
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  • 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
  • H01M8/04298—Processes for controlling fuel cells or fuel cell systems
  • H01M8/04694—Processes for controlling fuel cells or fuel cell systems characterised by variables to be controlled
  • H01M8/04828—Humidity; Water content
  • H01M8/04843—Humidity; Water content of fuel cell exhausts
• • 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
  • H01M8/04082—Arrangements for control of reactant parameters, e.g. pressure or concentration
  • H01M8/04089—Arrangements for control of reactant parameters, e.g. pressure or concentration of gaseous reactants
  • H01M8/04097—Arrangements for control of reactant parameters, e.g. pressure or concentration of gaseous reactants with recycling of the 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
  • H01M8/04225—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 during start-up
• • 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
  • H01M8/04298—Processes for controlling fuel cells or fuel cell systems
  • H01M8/04313—Processes for controlling fuel cells or fuel cell systems characterised by the detection or assessment of variables; characterised by the detection or assessment of failure or abnormal function
  • H01M8/0432—Temperature; Ambient temperature
  • H01M8/04328—Temperature; Ambient temperature of anode reactants at the inlet or inside the fuel cell
• • 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
  • H01M8/04298—Processes for controlling fuel cells or fuel cell systems
  • H01M8/04313—Processes for controlling fuel cells or fuel cell systems characterised by the detection or assessment of variables; characterised by the detection or assessment of failure or abnormal function
  • H01M8/0432—Temperature; Ambient temperature
  • H01M8/04335—Temperature; Ambient temperature of cathode reactants at the inlet or inside the fuel cell
• • 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
  • H01M8/04298—Processes for controlling fuel cells or fuel cell systems
  • H01M8/04313—Processes for controlling fuel cells or fuel cell systems characterised by the detection or assessment of variables; characterised by the detection or assessment of failure or abnormal function
  • H01M8/0432—Temperature; Ambient temperature
  • H01M8/04343—Temperature; Ambient temperature of anode exhausts
• • H—ELECTRICITY
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  • 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
  • H01M8/04298—Processes for controlling fuel cells or fuel cell systems
  • H01M8/04313—Processes for controlling fuel cells or fuel cell systems characterised by the detection or assessment of variables; characterised by the detection or assessment of failure or abnormal function
  • H01M8/0432—Temperature; Ambient temperature
  • H01M8/0435—Temperature; Ambient temperature of cathode exhausts
• • 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
  • H01M8/04298—Processes for controlling fuel cells or fuel cell systems
  • H01M8/04313—Processes for controlling fuel cells or fuel cell systems characterised by the detection or assessment of variables; characterised by the detection or assessment of failure or abnormal function
  • H01M8/0438—Pressure; Ambient pressure; Flow
  • H01M8/04388—Pressure; Ambient pressure; Flow of anode reactants at the inlet or inside the fuel cell
• • 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
  • H01M8/04298—Processes for controlling fuel cells or fuel cell systems
  • H01M8/04313—Processes for controlling fuel cells or fuel cell systems characterised by the detection or assessment of variables; characterised by the detection or assessment of failure or abnormal function
  • H01M8/0438—Pressure; Ambient pressure; Flow
  • H01M8/04395—Pressure; Ambient pressure; Flow of cathode reactants at the inlet or inside the fuel cell
• • 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
  • H01M8/04298—Processes for controlling fuel cells or fuel cell systems
  • H01M8/04313—Processes for controlling fuel cells or fuel cell systems characterised by the detection or assessment of variables; characterised by the detection or assessment of failure or abnormal function
  • H01M8/0438—Pressure; Ambient pressure; Flow
  • H01M8/04402—Pressure; Ambient pressure; Flow of anode exhausts
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  • 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
  • H01M8/04298—Processes for controlling fuel cells or fuel cell systems
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  • H01M8/0438—Pressure; Ambient pressure; Flow
  • H01M8/0441—Pressure; Ambient pressure; Flow of cathode exhausts
• • H—ELECTRICITY
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  • 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
  • H01M8/04298—Processes for controlling fuel cells or fuel cell systems
  • H01M8/04313—Processes for controlling fuel cells or fuel cell systems characterised by the detection or assessment of variables; characterised by the detection or assessment of failure or abnormal function
  • H01M8/04492—Humidity; Ambient humidity; Water content
• • 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
  • H01M8/04298—Processes for controlling fuel cells or fuel cell systems
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  • H01M8/04701—Temperature
  • H01M8/04708—Temperature of fuel cell reactants
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  • 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
  • H01M8/04298—Processes for controlling fuel cells or fuel cell systems
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  • H01M8/04716—Temperature of fuel cell exhausts
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  • H01M—PROCESSES OR MEANS, e.g. BATTERIES, FOR THE DIRECT CONVERSION OF CHEMICAL ENERGY INTO ELECTRICAL ENERGY
  • H01M8/00—Fuel cells; Manufacture thereof
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  • H01M8/04298—Processes for controlling fuel cells or fuel cell systems
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  • H01M8/04753—Pressure; Flow of fuel cell reactants
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  • 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
  • H01M8/04298—Processes for controlling fuel cells or fuel cell systems
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  • H01M8/04746—Pressure; Flow
  • H01M8/04761—Pressure; Flow of fuel cell exhausts
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  • H01M8/00—Fuel cells; Manufacture thereof
  • H01M8/04—Auxiliary arrangements, e.g. for control of pressure or for circulation of fluids
  • H01M8/04298—Processes for controlling fuel cells or fuel cell systems
  • H01M8/04694—Processes for controlling fuel cells or fuel cell systems characterised by variables to be controlled
  • H01M8/04828—Humidity; Water content
• • 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 present invention relates to a media management board incorporating the lines, sensors, and actuators necessary to supply the fuel cell media anode operating gas, cathode operating gas, and coolant, a fuel cell system with media management panel, and a method of operating a fuel cell system having a media management panel ,
• Fuel cells generate electrical energy from hydrogen and oxygen. In addition, they need a coolant, such as water or a glycol / water mixture for cooling. These fuel cell media must be supplied to the fuel cells and also discharged again after flowing through the fuel cells. Cooling water is usually conducted in a cooling water circuit and only occasionally supplemented or drained and refilled. Oxygen is typically supplied continuously in the form of air, and the oxygen-depleted air after passing through the fuel cells is continuously removed. Hydrogen or other anode operating gas must be supplied from a reservoir, such as a pressure bottle or LPG tank. The hydrogen must be brought to and maintained at the pressure suitable for the operation of the fuel cells, and after flowing through the fuel cells, unused hydrogen can not simply be released into the environment. That would be both dangerous and expensive.
• a coolant such as water or a glycol / water mixture for cooling.
• anode exhaust gas contains not only unspent hydrogen, but also water vapor, nitrogen, carbon dioxide and traces of other gaseous impurities, some of which have already been present as impurities in the freshly supplied hydrogen, partly generated by the fuel cell reaction, and partly from the cathode side by the electrolyte or have passed from the cooling water into the anode exhaust gas. If the anodes exhaust gas were simply recirculated continuously, these impurities would accumulate more and more, the fuel cell power would decrease, and eventually the fuel cell reaction would come to a standstill.
• the ports for supplying and draining the fuel cell media may be differently oriented relative to the direction of the action of gravity, which in turn implies that the components of a single unit hydrogen circuit may also have different orientations relative to the direction of the action of gravity.
• the fuel cell exhaust gases also contain water in liquid form, which tends to flow in the direction of the effect of gravity, there is a risk that the flow of fuel cell media in the lines is hindered by liquid water.
• the fuel cell is shut down at ambient temperatures below freezing, there is also the risk that freezing water will damage the pipes or other components.
• Fuel cells are often used in a wide temperature range. Fuel cells in motor vehicles should be able to cope with an operating range between -40 ° C and + 85 ° C. At temperatures that may well be well below freezing point of water, there may not only be problems with product water possibly freezing in the lines. Rather, it is necessary to keep all icing-prone components, ie lines, sensors, actuators (valves, regulators, etc.) free of ice, or to free them of ice very quickly when the fuel cell system starts up. Therefore, it is customary to equip all icing-prone components with a device for heating. For this purpose, the icing-endangered components are usually wrapped with heating wires. Even heating cartridges and resistors are used.
• the orientation of the components can be chosen such that problems with an unfavorable effect of gravity on the media flowing into the line are minimized, but this procedure is cumbersome, time-consuming and costly, especially because of the required safety devices. In addition, the result is often visually unsatisfactory.
• Object of the present invention is therefore to avoid the disadvantages of the prior art and to simplify the supply and discharge of the necessary for the operation of fuel cells media constructively.
• the object of the present invention is, in particular, to simplify the construction of the hydrogen circuit and its sealing.
• Another object of the present invention is to improve the safety of fuel cell systems when starting up after prolonged downtime at sub-freezing temperatures of the water.
• the supply and discharge of all necessary for the operation of fuel cells media should be such that a trouble-free supply and discharge at different locations of the fuel cell to be supplied is ensured.
• one of the fuel cell media, the coolant is used to keep lines, sensors, and actuators free of ice.
• the functionality of the media management plate is guaranteed even in freezing conditions and cold starts under freezing conditions.
• the serviceability of the media management panel under freezing conditions is improved by advantageous placement and shaping of the components of the media management panel.
• the individual components of the media management plate are designed and arranged such that the supply of the fuel cell media and the discharge of the used media, both horizontally installed fuel cells and vertically installed fuel cells is possible.
• Such an arrangement and design also has the advantage that located in the lines of water can flow into areas where frozen water is not or only slightly disturbing.
• the media management panel is compact and extremely easy to use due to the small number of components to handle. Since it can be dispensed with electric heaters, it is also safe in the application, but still easily used under freezing conditions.
• Media management panels that allow fuel cell media to be fed and drained both in a direction perpendicular to the action of gravity and in alignment parallel to the action of gravity assure a high degree of flexibility.
• Experience-proven media management plates in which at least particularly components susceptible to icing are particularly advantageous are heated by means of coolant lines for receiving coolant which has been heated outside the media management plate and which are in contact with the components susceptible to icing, and which are also flexible with regard to their installation position.
• the media management plate consists of a plate body, mounted on the plate body valves, measuring and control devices and connections for the supply and discharge of the media to be fed and discharged and for connection to a fuel cell assembly.
• the media to be supplied and discharged are anode operating gas, anode exhaust gas, liquid water separated from the anode exhaust gas, cathode operating gas, cathode exhaust gas, fresh coolant, and used coolant.
• the anode operating gas is typically hydrogen
• the cathode operating gas is typically air. It will be understood, however, that the invention is not limited to the use of hydrogen and air, but is basically applicable to all anode operating gases and cathode operating gases.
• An exemplary media management panel of the present invention comprises a panel body, such as metal or plastic.
• a panel body such as metal or plastic.
• Under a plate is a flat geometric body to be understood, which is bounded by two opposite major surfaces and narrow sides on its outer periphery.
• the main body may, in plan view, have any shape, but usually has a similar shape as the fuel cell assembly to which it is to be attached, that is, a rectangular shape.
• the major surface of the disc base body intended for attachment to a fuel cell assembly is referred to herein as the first major surface.
• the second major surface is a media conduit system with conduits for supplying the fuel cell media anode operating gas, cathode operating gas and coolant and for draining the used fuel cell media.
• the anode operating gas line for supplying anode operating gas has a terminal for connection to an anode operating gas source at the second main surface.
• the anode operating gas line passes through the plate body to the first major surface where there is a port for connection to an anode operating gas inlet of a fuel cell assembly.
• the anode exhaust gas conduit has a port on the first main surface for connection to an anode exhaust gas outlet of the fuel cell assembly.
• the anode exhaust gas line leads through the plate body to the second major surface of the plate body and to a water separator. There, entrained liquid water is separated in the anode exhaust gas and collected in a water reservoir.
• the anode exhaust gas line continues to lead to a A connection for a recirculation pump, which can be attached to the second main surface or can be provided separately.
• a further line is provided on the second main surface, which opens into the anode operating gas line and has a connection for connection to the recirculation pump.
• a jet nozzle (Venturi nozzle) can also be provided.
• Venturi nozzle When using a Venturi nozzle, this is located in the anode operating gas line, and the exhaust pipe coming from the water reservoir leads directly into the Venturi nozzle.
• an anode exhaust discharge line branches, through which periodically anode exhaust gas can be flushed out of the system.
• the anode exhaust discharge line has a port for connection to an anode exhaust gas disposal device. This can be, for example, a device which utilizes hydrogen thermally to a collecting container, or even to a line for discharge into the environment, if the place of use of the fuel cell system allows discharge of anode exhaust gas into the environment.
• valves, gauges, controllers, and safety devices required for the delivery of anode operating gas and the discharge of anode exhaust gas.
• the pipes have the appropriate connections, valve seats, and locations for mounting sensors such as pressure sensors and temperature sensors. Such sensors may be provided directly in the anode operating gas or anode exhaust gas lines or in a separate metering branch line.
• the cathode operating gas line for supplying cathode operating gas has a connection to a cathode operating gas source at the second main surface.
• the cathode operating gas source is a fan that provides air to the fuel cell system, but a pressurized gas container with an oxygen / nitrogen mixture or any other source of cathode operating gas may also be used.
• the cathode working gas line passes through the plate body to the first major surface where there is a port for a cathode operating gas inlet of a fuel cell assembly.
• the cathode exhaust gas conduit has a port on the first major surface of the disc body for communication with a cathode exhaust port of the fuel cell assembly. It leads through the plate body through from the first main surface to second main surface, where there is a connection for connecting the cathode exhaust gas line with a cathode exhaust gas disposal device.
• the cathode exhaust gas purifier is typically a conduit through which the cathode exhaust gas is released into the environment.
• sensors for measuring pressure and temperature, or the flow velocity are also required in the cathode operation gas line and the cathode exhaust line.
• valves or safety devices can be provided.
• the pipes have appropriate connections or seats for the required sensors, actuators, valves, or regulators located on the second main surface of the disk base in a ready-to-use media management board.
• the water reservoir On the second main surface of the plate body is also the water reservoir, in which the liquid water is collected, which is separated by means of a water separator at the entrance of the water reservoir from the anode exhaust gas.
• the water can be drained from the reservoir via a channel.
• the water reservoir is equipped with a level switch, which causes the opening of a valve in the water channel upon reaching a predetermined level.
• the level switch, the water drain valve and a port that allows the removal of water from the water channel are also attached to the second major surface of the plate body.
• the media management board has a coolant line for supplying coolant to the fuel cell assembly, and a used coolant line for discharging coolant from the fuel cell assembly.
• the coolant conduit has a port for connection to a coolant source at the second major surface of the disc body. It leads through the plate body to the first major surface where there is a port for connection to a coolant inlet of the fuel cell assembly.
• the used coolant line has a port on the first main surface for connection to a used coolant outlet of the fuel cell assembly.
• the used coolant line leads from the first main surface through the plate body to the second main surface, where there is a port for connection to a used coolant dispenser.
• the coolant can be circulated, that is to say the coolant source can be identical to the coolant removal device, for example a collecting container, the replenishment of the coolant as needed or replacement of the coolant if necessary allowed.
• the lines for coolant and used coolant preferably have sensors for measuring the temperature and optionally the coolant flow rate.
• the attachment of these sensors to the plate body also takes place on its second major surface.
• the lines and the other components, such as the water reservoir and a Venturi nozzle, the media conduit system may be completely on the second major surface of the disk base body, or they may be fully or partially integrated into the volume of the disk body.
• a part of the components of the media conduit system may be integrated in the disk base body, while the other part is located on the second main surface of the disk base body.
• the "hydrogen circle”, i. the anode operating gas line, the anode exhaust gas line, the anode exhaust gas recirculation line leading to a venturi nozzle, the venturi nozzle itself, the anode exhaust gas discharge line and possibly a measuring branch line are completely integrated into the volume of the plate main body, while the water reservoir with water reservoir is partially integrated into the plate main body.
• the cathode working gas line and the cathode exhaust gas line, as well as the refrigerant line and the used coolant line, may be simply passages through the plate body, i.e., through openings from the first main surface to the second main surface, depending on the position of the cathode operating gas inlet, the cathode exhaust outlet, the coolant inlet, and the used coolant outlet of the fuel cell assembly. be educated.
• At the inlet and outlet terminals can be attached, in which the required sensors and / or controllers are integrated.
• the plate body is preferably prepared in the 3D printing process.
• the production in the SD printing process allows a simple and precise training of all required cavities within the disk body. Also a production by casting is possible.
• a particular advantage of integrating as many components of the media conduit system as possible into the volume of the panel base body is that no seals are required within the panel base body. So there can be no leaks, which is very important especially for the very easily diffusing hydrogen.
• the lines of the media conduit system may be attached as separate components on the second main surface of the plate body and connect to each other.
• Mixed forms may also be advantageous, that is to say part of the components of the media conduit system may be integrated in the volume of the base body, while another part of the components may be fastened in the form of separate components to the second main surface of the panel base body and integrated with those in the panel base body Components of the media line system is connected.
• a preferred embodiment of the media management plate according to the invention is designed so that icing-prone components can be heated by means of the coolant.
• water is formed which can condense in the pipes. Normally this is not a problem during operation of a fuel cell system, but at a standstill of the fuel cell system at sub-zero temperatures of water, the entrained product water freezes in the conduits and other voids. This can result in a re-commissioning of the fuel cell system at a temperature below freezing point of water is not possible because lines are blocked by ice, valves can not be moved, or even sensors were destroyed by the pressure of the freezing water.
• the problem is counteracted by electrical heating of icing-prone components. There are electrical sparks in the immediate vicinity of the fuel cells.
• the coolant line of the media management board is laid so that a heat transfer from the coolant to icy or potentially icing components of the media management board is possible.
• the heat transfer should be as efficient as possible. Therefore, in the media management plate according to the invention, the coolant line is preferably in contact with the icing-prone components, wherein the contact surfaces between the coolant line and the components to be heated are made as large as possible.
• Preferred materials for the coolant line and the components to be heated are good heat-conducting materials such as metals.
• Particular icing-endangered components are in particular the lines of the hydrogen circuit with the required valves, measuring devices, control devices and the water separator with water reservoir.
• the cathode exhaust gas line is also highly susceptible to icing.
• the coolant line preferably runs in heat-conducting contact with these lines and their valves, measuring devices and control devices.
• heating and heating lines can be provided with common insulation. If heating and heated line are formed as cavities in the volume of the plate body, the corresponding cavities are preferably made with the smallest distance from each other, which is manufacturing technology possible.
• coolant branching lines which branch off from the coolant line or branch off and can be opened or closed by means of a valve for the throughflow with coolant.
• the valve is closed and the coolant flows into the fuel cell assembly by the shortest route. If there is any suspicion or certainty that frozen water is in the fluid line system, the valve leading to the coolant branch lines is opened so that coolant can flow to the icy parts and thaw the ice. Thereafter, the valve is closed again, so that the coolant flows by the shortest route in the fuel cell assembly.
• coolant manifold (s) the same as set forth above for the coolant line, that is the coolant branch line (s) must be laid so or run so that an efficient heat transfer can take place from the coolant on the icing-prone components ,
• the coolant is fed from a coolant reservoir into the coolant line.
• the used coolant is supplied to the same reservoir, ie the coolant is circulated.
• the coolant reservoir is heatable, so that the coolant in the container, which has assumed the ambient temperature after a prolonged downtime of the fuel cell system, so may have a temperature well below the freezing point of water or even frozen, suitable for preheating the media line system Temperature can be heated, for example to a temperature between 3 and 8 ° C.
• the heating of the coolant reservoir can be done, for example, electrically, wherein the coolant reservoir does not need to be located in the immediate vicinity of the fuel cell.
• the media management panel which allows heating of components susceptible to icing by coolant, therefore improves the flexibility of fuel cell systems equipped with it with respect to the service temperature range, i. in terms of ambient temperatures, where a reliable and safe operation, and in particular a safe restart after a longer downtime, is possible.
• Fuel cell assemblies may, in principle, consist of a single fuel cell, but typically consist of a fuel cell stack or multiple fuel cell stacks.
• the fuel cell assemblies have inputs for anode operating gas, cathode operating gas and coolant through which the medium in question is fed into a distribution system from where it is distributed to the individual fuel cells. Additionally, the fuel cell assemblies have anode exhaust, cathode off-gas, and second-hand coolant exits through which these media, coming from appropriate collection devices, are discharged.
• a media management panel has respective outlets and inlets for anode operating gas and anode exhaust gas, cathode operating gas and cathode exhaust gas, and coolants and used coolant at the appropriate locations such that by placing the media management panel on the fuel cell assembly and attaching to the fuel cell assembly, a gas tight connection between anode operating gas outlet of the media management panel and Anode operating gas inlet of the fuel cell assembly, between the anode exhaust inlet of the media management panel and anode exhaust outlet of the fuel cell assembly, between the cathode operating gas outlet of the media management panel and cathode operating gas inlet of the fuel cell assembly, between cathode exhaust inlet of the media management panel and cathode exhaust outlet of the fuel cell assembly, and a fluid tight connection between the coolant outlet of the media management panel and the coolant inlet of the fuel cell assembly fuel cell assembly, and between the used coolant inlet of the media management panel and the used coolant outlet of the fuel cell assembly.
• the fixation of the media management plate on the fuel cell assembly results in a change in the position of the fuel cell assembly, for example example, a rotation, a corresponding change in the position of the media management board conditionally.
• fuel cell assemblies are not normally operated as isolier te unit, but installed somewhere, for example in a motor vehicle, the orientation of the fuel cell assembly can vary according to the particular spatial conditions.
• the installation of fuel cell assemblies is such that the stacking direction of the fuel cells is either parallel or perpendicular to the direction of the action of gravity. Accordingly, then the main surfaces of the disk base body of the media management plate are aligned par ⁇ allel or perpendicular to the direction of the effect of gravity.
• the problem is solved by a suitable course of the lines of the media conduit system, by a suitable Nete shape or arrangement of water reservoir and sensor cavities, and by a suitable arrangement of the leads and outlets into the water reservoir in and out of it.
• areas are defined by means of which the spatial relationship of the components of the media management plate to one another can be defined.
• proximal and distal refer to relative positions in a direction perpendicular to the direction of extension of the disc body.
• the proximal region is closer to the first major surface of the disc body than the distal region, that is, when the media management plate is attached to a fuel cell assembly, it is “proximal” closer to the fuel cell assembly than “distal.”
• inside and outside denote relative positions in a direction parallel to the extension direction of the panel base body.
• the outer area is closer to the edge, i. on the outer circumference, the media management panel as the inner area.
• top and bottom or “top / top” and
• lower / lower range refers to relative positions with respect to the direction of the effect of gravity. By definition, gravity acts from top to bottom.
• a “vertical” media management panel is oriented parallel to the direction of the action of gravity, and a “horizontal” media management panel or “horizontal” panel body is oriented perpendicular to the direction of gravity action.
• the water reservoir is located in the outer region of the plate base body and has a shape which has a proximal and a distal region.
• the distal area of the water reservoir should at the same time be as far outside as possible so that the media management plate can be oriented vertically so that the distal area is at the bottom. In this way it is ensured that the product separated from the anode exhaust gas collected with horizontal alignment of the media management plate in the distal region of the water reservoir, and collects in vertical alignment of the media management plate in the lower part of the water reservoir.
• a water separator with an anode exhaust inlet and an anode exhaust outlet are located in the inner proximal region of the water reservoir, which is also the uppermost region of the water reservoir when the media management plate is aligned vertically. This is the area that is filled last with water as the water level in the reservoir rises.
• the reservoir is also provided with a level switch which is located more proximal than distal, and more internal than the outer region of the water reservoir, but more distal and more external than the anode exhaust inlet and the anode exhaust outlet. In this way, it is ensured that the water reservoir is never completely filled and that liquid water does not pass from the water reservoir into the anode exhaust gas inlet and the anode exhaust gas outlet in the case of horizontal or vertical alignment of the media management plate.
• the water outlet of the reservoir is located in the distal outer region of the reservoir, which is at the same time the lower region of the water reservoir with a vertical orientation of the media management plate. This ensures that product water separated from the anode exhaust gas can be released both when the media management plate is horizontal and vertical.
• the lines of the media conduit system are provided with sensors for temperature and pressure or the flow rate of the media flowing in the media conduit system.
• sensors are not housed directly in the lines in which the operating gases and exhaust gases flow, but in separate cavities (sensor cavities), which are in fluid communication with these lines.
• the sensor cavities are staggered relative to the respective conduit to be measured, distally, ie, spaced further from the first major surface of the media management panel than the conduit itself. The staggered arrangement is necessary to allow the sensors sufficient space have, ie do not come into spatial conflict with the disk base body.
• the sensor cavities must be above the conduit to which they are in fluid communication. This ensures that, when the media management plate is aligned vertically, water from the sensor cavities enters the associated lines and when the media management plate is oriented horizontally, so much water can not accumulate in the sensor cavities that it affects the sensor. If the water freezes, the sensor remains fully functional. Sensors integrated into ports eliminate the need for a staggered arrangement. It only has to be ensured that water can not accumulate on the sensors when the media management plate is horizontal or vertical.
• FIGS. 1 and 2 are schematic, highly simplified illustrations of alternative embodiments of fuel cell systems according to the invention.
• 3A, 3B show schematic perspective views of a media management plate according to the invention
• FIG. 3C is a schematic representation of the coolant flow in a coolant branch line of the media management plate of FIGS. 3A and 3B;
• FIGS. 4A to 4C show schematic representations of the water reservoir of a media management plate according to the invention with different orientations of the media management plate
• FIGS. 5A to 5F show schematic representations of various forms of a water reservoir
• FIGS. 6A to 6D are schematic representations of pressure sensor cavities and their arrangement on a media management plate
• FIG 7 is a schematic representation of the connection of a media management plate according to the invention with a fuel cell assembly.
• Figures 1 and 2 show schematically the structure of inventive fuel cell systems 10.
• the fuel cell systems 10 each have a fuel cell assembly 5, which are supplied by means of a media management panel 1 according to the invention the necessary media for operation, while used media are also derived again and optionally treated.
• the fuel cell system of Figure 1 and the fuel cell system of Figure 2 differ only in that in the embodiment of Figure 1, a recirculation pump 49 is used to recirculate the anode exhaust gas, while in the embodiment of Figure 2, a venturi 29 is used for recirculation of the anode exhaust gas.
• the fuel cell system 10 has a conventional fuel cell arrangement 5, which is shown schematically in FIG. 1 by a single fuel cell with an anode 6, a cathode 7 and a cooling plate 8.
• the fuel cell assembly 5 has an anode operating gas inlet 61, an anode exhaust outlet 62, a cathode operating gas inlet 71, a cathode exhaust outlet 72, a coolant inlet 81 and a used coolant outlet 82.
• the media management board 1 has a flat base, which is typically made of metal or plastic.
• the main body has a first main surface 3, with which it is attached to the fuel cell assembly and a second main surface 4, to which the conduit system for supplying and discharging fresh or used fuel cell media, and the required valves, sensors, actuators and treatment devices are attached.
• the individual elements are described in connection with the method for operating the fuel cell system.
• fresh anode operating gas such as hydrogen
• an anode operating gas source not shown
• the anode operating gas flows to an outlet 15 where it exits the media management panel 1.
• a shut-off valve 13 in the anode operating gas line 11
• the supply of fresh anode operating gas is started or stopped as needed.
• a pressure reducer 14 which serves to set the anode operating gas pressure required for fuel cell operation.
• the anode operating gas line 11 also contains a particle filter 39 which filters out particles entrained in the anode operating gas.
• the anode operating gas flowing out of the outlet 15 directly enters the anode operating gas inlet 61 of the fuel cell assembly 5.
• Used anode operating gas exits the fuel cell assembly 5 as anode exhaust gas through the anode exhaust outlet 62 and enters directly into the anode exhaust inlet 17 of the anode exhaust line 16 of the media management board 1.
• the anode exhaust gas flows to a water separator 30, for example to a swirl separator, in which the entrained product water is separated from the anode exhaust gas.
• the separated water collects in the reservoir 31 while the anode off-gas leaves the reservoir 31 through the anode off-gas outlet 32 and flows in an anode exhaust gas line 16 'and an anode off-gas recirculation line 22 to a connection point 23 for a recirculation pump 49.
• the recirculation pump 49 When the recirculation pump 49 is connected, the anode exhaust gas leaves the media management plate 1 at the connection point 23 and reenters the media management plate 1 through the connection point 24 for the recirculation pump. From there, the anode exhaust gas, which still contains unconsumed anode operating gas, flows to a point 25 at which the anode exhaust gas recirculation line 22 discharges into the anode operating gas line 11.
• anode exhaust gas must be purged from the line system to prevent accumulation of undesirable gases such as nitrogen or carbon dioxide in the anode exhaust gas.
• Rinsing occurs via the anode exhaust bleed line 19, which branches off at the location 18 from the anode exhaust line 16 'and leads to an anode exhaust gas outlet 20.
• An anode exhaust purge valve 21 closes the anode exhaust gas discharge line 19 and is regularly opened during fuel cell operation for purge of anode exhaust gas.
• pressure switches are provided for monitoring the anode operating gas pressure or the anode exhaust pressure in the lines for anode operating gas and anode exhaust pressure sensors are provided, and to ensure that a predetermined maximum pressure is not exceeded.
• pressure switches are provided in the illustrated embodiment, there are a pressure sensor 28 and two pressure switches 27, 27 '(redundant for safety reasons) in the measuring branch line 26, which branches off from the anode exhaust gas recirculation line 22.
• a measuring branch line does not necessarily have to be present. Rather, the pressure sensor 28 and the overpressure switches 27, 27 'may also be attached to other locations of the anode operating gas or anode exhaust line system, such as in the anode exhaust line 16 or in the anode exhaust recirculation line 22.
• the pressure sensor 28 continuously detects the pressure in the piping system during fuel cell operation , If the determined pressure is below the predetermined target pressure, the valve of the pressure reducer 14 is opened so far that the target pressure is maintained. Monitor the overpressure switches 27, 27 ' the pressure in the line system and switch when a predetermined maximum pressure is exceeded, the system via a safety circuit in a safe state, for example by closing the Anoden istsgasabsperrventils 13th
• Cathode operating gas from a cathode operating gas source (not shown) is fed to the cathode working gas line 50 through the inlet 51. It exits the cathode operating gas line through the outlet 52, from where it is directly fed to the cathode operating gas inlet 71 of the fuel cell assembly 5.
• the cathode operating gas line 50 is equipped with a sensor 53 for measuring the cathode operating gas pressure and a sensor 54 for measuring the cathode operating gas temperature.
• air is typically used, which is supplied from a blower as a cathode operating gas source.
• the invention is applicable to any cathode operating gases.
• the cathode exhaust gas leaves the fuel cell assembly 5 through the cathode exhaust outlet 72, from where it passes directly into the cathode exhaust inlet 56 of the cathode exhaust gas line 55.
• the cathode exhaust leaves the media management plate 1 through the cathode exhaust outlet 57, wherein in the case of the cathode exhaust gas, unlike the anode exhaust gas, discharge into the environment is easily possible.
• the cathode exhaust pipe 55 is equipped with a temperature sensor 58 and a check valve 59.
• the check valve allows the cathode exhaust gas to escape as long as it exceeds a desired setpoint pressure. Falls below the target pressure closes the check valve 59, so that no penetration of ambient air or other substances in the cathode exhaust gas line 55 is possible.
• Coolant is supplied through the coolant line 40 to the media management board 1 of the fuel cell assembly 5, and discharged again through the used coolant line 65 of the media management board 1.
• the coolant line 40 has a coolant inlet 41 through which coolant from a coolant reservoir (not shown) is fed into the coolant line 40.
• the coolant leaves the coolant line 40 through the coolant outlet 47, from where it is fed directly into the coolant inlet 81 of the fuel cell assembly 5.
• the heated coolant exits the fuel cell assembly 5 through the used coolant outlet 82, whence it directly enters the used coolant inlet 66 of the used coolant line 65.
• the used coolant exits the line 65 through the used coolant outlet 67, and is preferably directed back into the coolant reservoir from where it can be re-fed to the coolant line 40.
• Sensors 42, 68 in the coolant line 40 and the used coolant line 65 are used for the measurements of the temperature of the coolant and the used coolant.
• the water separated from the anode exhaust gas during operation of the fuel cell assembly and collected in the water reservoir 31 may be drained through the water channel 34.
• the water channel 34 is normally closed by the water drainage valve 35.
• Valve 35 is opened when a level switch 37 in communication with the water reservoir indicates that the maximum level of the reservoir has been reached.
• the water channel 34 opens into the cathode exhaust line 55 at location 36, and the drained water exits the media management panel 1 along with the cathode exhaust gas through the cathode exhaust outlet 57. After draining a predetermined amount of water, the water drain valve 35 is closed again.
• the recirculation pump 49 is replaced by a jet nozzle (venturi nozzle) 29.
• the anode off-gas leaves the water reservoir 31 through the anode exhaust gas line 16 ', which merges into the anode exhaust gas discharge line 19 and the anode exhaust gas recirculation line 22 at the point 18.
• the anode exhaust gas is sucked through the venturi 29 into the anode operation gas line 11.
• the coolant is used to heat icing-prone components, especially pipes and other cavities in which process water can accumulate.
• the coolant is passed, if necessary, through a coolant branch line 44, which branches off at the point 43 from the coolant line 40 and opens at the point 46 in the used coolant line 65.
• the coolant branch line 44 may be opened or closed by a valve 48. When the valve 48 is open, coolant flows both through the coolant branch line 44 and directly to the fuel cell arrangement 5.
• the branch line 44 is shown with branch lines 45 for reasons of clarity, rather than a line extending from the other components of the media management board 1.
• FIGS. 3A to 3C show plan views of the second main surface 4 of a panel base 2, to which the components explained in connection with FIGS. 1 and 2 are mounted.
• the coolant branch line 44 and its branch lines 45a, 45b are shown hatched. Since they are partially covered by the components to be heated, their course is again schematically shown in Figure 3C.
• the coolant line 40 (the coolant inlet 41, the ports 97 and the temperature sensor 42 are visible) are the used coolant line 65 (the used coolant outlet 67, the port 98 and the temperature sensor 68 are visible ), the cathode operating gas line 50 (the cathode operating gas inlet 51, the connecting pipe 95 and the sensors 53, 54 are visible), the cathode exhaust gas line 55 (the cathode exhaust gas outlet 57, the connecting pipe 96, the sensor 58 and the non-return valve 59 are visible) as feedthroughs formed the plate body 2.
• the coolant branch line 44 begins at the coolant inlet 41 and is in contact with the anode exhaust outlet 20 (port 92), anode operating gas shut-off valve 13, anode operating gas pressure reducer 14, pressure sensor 28, and over-pressure switches 27, 27 '(which in the illustrated embodiment in the anode working gas line) and eventually leads to the valve 48 and to the coolant outlet 67.
• the valve 48 in this embodiment is at the end of the branch line.
• a branch line 45a branches off the branch line 44 immediately after the coolant inlet 41 and passes under the water reservoir 31 to the water drain valve 35, the cathode exhaust outlet 57 and finally to the coolant valve 48.
• branch line 45b branches between the pressure reducer 14 and the pressure sensor 28 of FIG the branch line 44 and leads to the recirculation pump port 23 (visible is the connecting piece 93) and to the Anodeabgas Whyventil 21, to finally open into the branch line 45 a.
• the coolant is removed from a coolant reservoir and returned to the coolant reservoir after passing the media management plate.
• the coolant reservoir is preferably electrically heated, so that the coolant can be heated to a desired temperature before it is fed into the coolant line 40.
• the coolant is heated prior to startup of the fuel cell system at a temperature below freezing point of water to a temperature between 3 and 8 ° C, before it enters the coolant line is fed.
• the fuel cell system can be "thawed" within a few minutes, ie, any frozen water in the fluid line system is liquefied and the system is ready for trouble-free operation.
• Gefro renes water in the water reservoir 31 need not be completely thawed when the valve 48 is closed and so the coolant is passed exclusively to the fuel cell assembly 5.
• the plate body 2 of the media management board 1 is shown as a thin, honeycomb-reinforced plate on the second Schoflä surface 4 all lines, sensors, valves, and the water separator are mounted with water reservoir.
• the plate main body 2 has a correspondingly greater thickness, depending on whether the lines are to extend completely inside the plate main body or should still be visible on the second main surface 4, or if possibly the complete water reservoir 31 completely in the volume of the plate body should be included.
• Plate main body, the volume in the integrated lines and possibly other integrated into the volume components such as a Venturi integrated into the volume, are preferably prepared by casting or 3D printing.
• 3D printing is preferred because it can easily obtain a solid block with arbitrarily shaped cavities.
• the media management plates according to the invention are each fixed to a fuel cell arrangement such that the first main surface of the plate main body faces the fuel cell arrangement.
• the position of the fuel cell media inlets and the used fuel cell media outlets on a fuel cell assembly will respectively determine the position of the outlets for the respective fuel cell media and the inlets for the corresponding used fuel cell media.
• a preferred embodiment of the media management plate according to the invention is designed so that it is both horizontally lying (areal extent perpendicular to the direction of the effect of gravity) and vertically standing (planar extent parallel to the direction of the action of gravity) is functional.
• Vertically “standing”, the media management board is laterally attached to a fuel cell assembly, horizontally “lying” it is attached to the underside of a fuel cell assembly.
• “Above” and “below” refers to the direction of the action of gravity. By definition, gravity acts from top to bottom.
• the course of the lines as well as the shape and arrangement of cavities such as sensor cavities are selected so that as little water as possible can accumulate on both a vertical and a horizontal media management plate.
• the water reservoir is shaped and arranged so that both vertical and horizontal media management plate trouble-free inflow and outflow of anode exhaust gas and a discharge of the collected water is possible. As far as the lines are concerned, this is achieved in a simple way by avoiding line courses with bulges downwards. Water reservoirs and sensor cavities are described below.
• Figures 4A and 4B show a water reservoir 31 of a horizontal or a vertical plate main body 2.
• the reservoir 31 has a substantially square base with the corners A, B, C, D, with which it at the second Main surface 4 of the disk base is attached.
• the reservoir 31 extends away from the plate body 2 (distally) to the corners E and F.
• the anode exhaust inlet 38 and the anode exhaust outlet 32 are located in a region of the water reservoir 31 which is as close as possible to the plate body 2 (proximal) and as possible near the middle of the plate body 2 (inside) is.
• the anode exhaust gas inlet 38 and the anode exhaust gas outlet 32 are "upwards" both in the case of a horizontal media management plate and in the case of a vertical media management plate, ie at locations which are reached as late as possible in the reservoir 31 as the water level rises.
• the separated from the anode exhaust gas accumulates, following gravity, in the lower region of the reservoir 31st With the media management panel horizontal, the accumulation begins at the edge E / F, and with the media management panel vertical, the accumulation begins on the CDFE surface.
• Fig. 4C shows a plan view of the surface CEFD of the water reservoir shown in Fig. 4A.
• the discharged water in the channel 34 leading to the second major surface 4 of the disc main body 2 rises upward against the direction of gravity. Responsible for this is the prevailing in the reservoir 31 pressure of the anode exhaust gas.
• the reservoir 31 is mounted as close to the outer periphery of the plate body 2. This ensures that a vertical media management plate can be aligned or rotated so that the reservoir 31 is "down". It is understood that the vertical media management plate could theoretically also be rotated so that the reservoir is no longer “down”, but, for example, rotated by 180 ° exactly "up” is arranged. However, in a vertical media management panel, the directions “up” and “down” are dictated by the location of the ports for the delivery of fresh fuel cell media to the fuel cell assembly, and the discharge of used fuel cell media from the fuel cell assembly. These connections should be arranged so that, in the case of a vertical media management plate, the reservoir 31 is in a position which guarantees that anode exhaust gas can flow freely in and out and collected water can be released unhindered.
• the water reservoir 31 is also equipped with a level switch that opens the water outlet 33 as soon as a predetermined level is reached.
• this level switch becomes more proximal than distal, and more so inner than in the outer region of the water reservoir 31, but more distal and more outer than the anode exhaust inlet 38 and the anode exhaust outlet 32.
• the shape of the water reservoir 31 is basically arbitrary, as long as it is ensured that anode exhaust gas can flow in and out unhindered, and accumulated water can be drained if necessary, both in horizontal and vertical media management plate. Some exemplary shapes are shown in FIGS. 5A to 5G. The triangles each indicate possible positions for a level switch.
• Fig. 5A shows the reservoir shown in Fig. 4.
• the anode exhaust inlet 38 is in the area BCE
• the anode exhaust outlet 32 is in the area ABEF
• the level switch 37 is also mounted on the area ABEF
• the water outlet 33 is in the area ADF.
• FIG. 5E shows a section through the water reservoir shown in FIG. 5A along the dot-dash line.
• Fig. 5B shows a reservoir similar to Fig. 5A, but with the CDFE surface inclined downwardly, as viewed in the vertical media management plate.
• the water outlet 33 is located at the lowest point of the reservoir, so that the reservoir can be completely emptied with each orientation.
• FIG. 5F shows a sectional view through the reservoir of FIG. 5B along the dot-dash line.
• the reservoir 31 shown in Fig. 5C is a polyhedron in which the anode exhaust inlet 38 is in the area BEF, the anode exhaust outlet 32 and the level switch 37 are in the area ABFG, and the water outlet 33 is in the area AGH.
• the embodiment of a water reservoir 31 shown in FIGS. 5D and 5G has a pointed cone shape.
• the water outlet 33 is located at the top of the cone, the cone being distorted so that the water outlet is at the deepest point of the reservoir for a vertical media management plate.
• FIGS. 6A to 6D show how cavities for receiving sensors have to be arranged so that larger amounts of water, which freeze at low temperatures and thereby damage the sensor, can not accumulate in them either when the media management plate is horizontal or vertical. Illustrated by way of example is a pressure measuring cell 28 in a cavity 26 'of the measuring branch line 26.
• FIGS. 6B and 6D show the arrangement of the measuring branch line 26 on a horizontally oriented plate main body 2 (FIG. 6B) and on a vertically aligned plate main body 2 (FIG. 6D). Also shown is the water reservoir 31.
• the measuring branch line 26 is located above the water reservoir 31 when the base body 2 is vertical.
• “Above" means that the connection means to the fuel cell assembly 5 predetermine or at least allow such an orientation.
• the cavity 26 'for receiving the sensor 28 (sensor cavity 26') is disposed in fluid communication with the conduit 26 but offset from the conduit 26, i. H. it is further spaced from the first major surface 3 of the media management board 1 than the conduit 26. In addition, it is located in the vertical media management plate on the line 26. In this way it is ensured that with vertical media management plate water from the cavity 26 'flows into the conduit 26 (Fig. 6C, Fig. 6D), and with a horizontal media management plate, so much water can not accumulate in the sensor cavity 26 'that freezing water could damage the sensor 28 (Figs. 6A, 6B).
• Such sensor cavities are required in particular in the lines for anode operating gas or anode exhaust gas.
• the lines for cathode operating gas and for cathode exhaust gas are preferably designed as passages through the media management plate, so that sensors are usually housed in connecting pieces.
• FIG. 7 shows schematically how a media management panel according to the invention can be connected to a fuel cell system 10 with a fuel cell arrangement.
• the port 63 connects the anode working gas outlet to the first main surface 3 of the plate body 2 to the anode working gas inlet of the fuel cell assembly 5.
• the port 64 connects the anode exhaust inlet of the plate body 2 to the anode exhaust outlet of the fuel cell assembly 5.
• the port 73 connects the cathode operating gas outlet of the plate body 2 to the cathode operating gas inlet of the fuel cell assembly 5.
• the port 74 connects the cathode exhaust port of the fuel cell assembly 5 to the cathode exhaust inlet of the disk main body 2.
• the port 83 connects the coolant outlet of the disk main body 2 to the coolant inlet of the fuel cell assembly 5.
• the port 84 connects the used coolant outlet of the fuel cell assembly 5 to the used coolant inlet of the disk main body 2.
• connection 91 to the anode operating gas inlet 12 On the second main surface 4 of the plate main body 2 are the connection 91 to the anode operating gas inlet 12, the connection 92 to the anode exhaust gas outlet 20, the connection 95 to the cathode operating gas inlet 51, the connection 96 to the cathode exhaust outlet 57, the connection 97 to the coolant inlet 41 and the connection 98 to the used coolant outlet 67.
• Coolant lines 44, 45 for heating components susceptible to icing are schematically indicated between the coolant line 40 and the used coolant line 65.
• the embodiment shown in FIG. 7 has no connections for a recirculation pump. Rather, in the illustrated embodiment, a Venturi nozzle is provided for recirculating the anode exhaust gas.

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• 2017
  • 2017-04-07 DE DE102017107479.1A patent/DE102017107479A1/de active Pending
• 2018
  • 2018-03-27 WO PCT/EP2018/057759 patent/WO2018184912A1/de active Application Filing
  • 2018-03-27 US US16/603,575 patent/US11637295B2/en active Active
  • 2018-03-27 JP JP2019553206A patent/JP7196092B2/ja active Active
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