JP2008004393A - Drop removing device - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a drop removing device capable of efficiently removing drops contained in humidification gas. <P>SOLUTION: A drop removing device 10 removes drops in the humidification gas 11 which is continuously supplied to a solid-polymer fuel cell. It comprises a water tank 15 which is packed with many balls 13 inside, and holds water 14 in which balls 13 are submerged; a water level adjusting means 16 which supply or discharge the water 14a, while keeping a water level within the water tank 15; a humidification gas supply means 17 which supplies humidification gas 11 from the lower part of the water tank 15 into the water tank 15; and a water temperature adjusting means 18 which adjusts the water 14 in the water tank 15 to be a specified temperature. The drops in the humidification gas 11 are removed to provide a humidification gas 12 having a specified dewing-point temperature. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2008,JPO&INPIT

Description

The present invention relates to a droplet removing apparatus that removes droplets contained in a humidified gas supplied to a fixed polymer fuel cell, for example.

The product humidified gas having a predetermined flow rate, temperature, and humidity continuously supplied to the polymer electrolyte fuel cell is, for example, an evaporation unit that heats raw water to generate water vapor, and a raw material gas to the generated water vapor. A mixing and heating unit that mixes and heats to generate superheated humidified gas and a cooling unit that cools the generated superheated humidified gas and generates product humidified gas at a predetermined temperature are stacked in order from the bottom in the height direction. The droplets (mist) produced by the humidified gas supply system and generated when the dew point of the superheated humidified gas is lowered in the cooling unit are dropped into the evaporation unit by gravity so that the droplets are not supplied to the fuel cell (for example, , See Patent Document 1).

However, in this humidified gas supply system, when the flow rate of the supplied gas increases, the droplets do not fall completely, the droplets remain in the product humidified gas, the droplets are supplied to the fuel cell, and the fuel cell There was a problem that the power generation efficiency decreased. Therefore, the generated droplets are collected and removed by contacting with a demister composed of a porous ceramic, a fibrous ceramic, a metal wire mesh, or a laminated screen (see, for example, Patent Document 2).

JP 2005-203324 A JP-A-6-283186

However, the conventional demister described above has a problem that a mechanism for discharging the collected liquid droplets out of the system is required, and the equipment becomes large. In addition, there has been a problem that the dew point is lowered by the water vapor coming into contact with the demister as droplets. In this case, in order to obtain a humidified gas having a predetermined temperature and humidity, there is a problem that the dew point must be increased by further heating the droplets to form water vapor.

The present invention has been made in view of such circumstances, and an object of the present invention is to provide a droplet removing apparatus that efficiently removes droplets contained in a humidified gas continuously supplied to a solid polymer fuel cell. .

A droplet removing device according to the present invention that meets the above object is a droplet removing device that removes droplets in a humidified gas continuously supplied to a solid polymer fuel cell,
A water tank in which a large number of balls are filled and water for immersing the balls is stored;
Water level adjusting means for supplying or discharging water while keeping the water level in the water tank;
Humidified gas supply means for supplying the humidified gas into the reservoir from the lower part of the reservoir;
Water temperature adjusting means for adjusting the water in the water storage tank to a predetermined temperature (for example, 40 to 100 ° C.),
Droplets in the humidified gas are removed to obtain a humidified gas having a predetermined dew point temperature (a temperature required by the product, for example, 40 to 100 ° C.).

In the droplet removing apparatus according to the present invention, it is preferable that the ball is made of any one or more of alumina, silicon nitride, glass, and stainless steel.
In the droplet removing apparatus according to the present invention, it is preferable that the ball has a diameter of 3 to 12 mm, preferably 5 to 10 mm.
In the droplet removing apparatus according to the present invention, it is preferable that the water level in the water storage tank is adjusted to be 10 to 50 mm above the upper end of the filled ball.
In the droplet removing apparatus according to the present invention, it is preferable that the water level adjusting means is a water supply means, and the water supply means supplies water from the upper part of the water storage tank and discharges it from the lower part.

In the droplet removing apparatus according to the present invention, the water temperature adjusting means may be provided in the water supply means, and water adjusted in temperature by the water temperature adjusting means may be supplied to the water storage tank.
In the droplet removing apparatus according to the present invention, the water temperature adjusting means may include a heater for warming water in the water storage tank, and the heater may be provided inside or outside the water storage tank. Good.
In the droplet removing apparatus according to the present invention, the water temperature adjusting means may have a heater for heating the gas in the water storage tank, and the water in the water storage tank may be warmed by the warmed gas.
The heater may be provided in one or both of the inside and outside of the water tank.

In the droplet removing device according to any one of claims 1 to 8, the humidified gas containing the droplet contacts the water in the water tank, so that the droplet is removed. Also, the water tank is filled with a large number of balls, and the humidified gas is supplied from the lower part of the water tank where the balls are immersed in water, so that the humidified gas becomes a small bubble when passing through the gap between the balls, Even if it ruptures on the surface of the water, it is difficult to form droplets. Since the water in the water tank is adjusted to a predetermined temperature by the water temperature adjusting means, the dew point can be adjusted.

In particular, in the droplet removing apparatus according to claim 2, since the ball is made of any one or more of alumina, silicon nitride, glass, and stainless steel, the surface is hardly broken (chemical reaction is difficult). .
In the droplet removing device according to claim 3, since the diameter of the ball is 3 to 12 mm, the humidified gas is made to be a small bubble (a size that comes out of the gap between the balls, for example, the diameter is 0.5 to 3 mm). Can be.
In the droplet removing apparatus according to claim 4, since the water level in the water storage tank is adjusted so as to be 10 to 50 mm above the upper end of the filled ball, the generated small bubbles remain on the water surface as they are. Can be reached.
In the droplet removing device according to claim 5, since the water supply means supplies water from the upper part of the water tank and discharges it from the lower part, if the drain pipe is arranged at a distance below the humidified gas supply means, the lower part The gas generated in is not introduced into the drain pipe.

In the droplet removing device according to claim 6, since the water temperature adjusting means is provided in the water supply means and the water whose temperature is adjusted by the water temperature adjusting means is supplied to the water tank, the water temperature of the water tank is adjusted to be constant. it can.
In the droplet removing device according to claim 7, the water temperature adjusting means has a heater for heating the water in the water tank, and the heater is provided either or both inside and outside the water tank. The water temperature of the water tank can be adjusted to a certain level.
In the droplet removing device according to claim 8, the water temperature adjusting means has a heater for heating the gas in the water tank, and the water in the water tank is heated by the heated gas, so that the water temperature of the water tank is kept constant. Can be adjusted.

Next, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings for understanding of the present invention.
Here, FIG. 1 is an explanatory view of a droplet removing apparatus according to the first embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 2 is an explanatory view of a droplet removing apparatus according to the second embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. It is explanatory drawing of the droplet removal apparatus which concerns on the 3rd Embodiment of this invention.

With reference to FIG. 1, a droplet removing apparatus 10 according to a first embodiment of the present invention will be described.
The droplet removing device 10 removes droplets in the humidified gas 11 supplied from a humidified gas supply system (not shown) to produce a humidified gas (hereinafter also referred to as “adjusted humidified gas”) 12 having a predetermined temperature and humidity. And a device 15 for continuously supplying to a polymer electrolyte fuel cell (not shown), in which a large number of balls 13 are filled and a water tank 15 in which water 14 for immersing the balls 13 is stored; A water supply means (an example of a water level adjusting means) 16 that supplies water 14a while keeping the water level in the water storage tank 15 and a humidified gas 11 that is connected to the humidified gas supply system and is sent from the humidified gas supply system to the water storage tank 15 A humidified gas supply pipe 17 that is an example of a humidified gas supply means that supplies the water tank 15 from below is provided, and a water temperature adjusting means 18 that adjusts the water 14 in the water tank 15 to a predetermined temperature. This will be described in detail below.

The water storage tank 15 has a substantially cylindrical shape with a diameter of 20 to 150 mm and a height of 150 to 500 mm (in this embodiment, a diameter of 50 mm and a height of 150 mm), for example, and a ceiling plate 19 and a bottom plate 20 above and below it. Is installed and sealed. The ball 13 is made of alumina and has a spherical shape with a diameter of 3 to 12 mm, preferably 5 to 10 mm (5 mm in the present embodiment), and is, for example, 90 mm high from the bottom plate 20 of the water storage tank 15. It is filled up to this. The balls may be made of ceramic other than alumina, such as silicon nitride, glass subjected to heat strengthening treatment, or stainless steel, or balls made of these materials may be mixed and used.

The water supply means 16 includes a water supply pipe 22 in which a water supply port 21 is disposed at an upper portion of the water storage tank 15 and filled with the balls 13, for example, a position 75 mm above the bottom plate 20 of the water storage tank 15, and a water storage tank. 15 is connected to a drain pipe 24 having a drain outlet 23 provided in the bottom plate 20, a water supply pipe 22 and a drain pipe 24, and water is circulated from the drain pipe 24 to the water supply pipe 22 to supply water 14 a into the water storage tank 15. And a pump 25 to be supplied.

The water supply means 16 is a water supply provided with a water level gauge 26 for measuring the water level in the water tank 15, a water level control device (not shown), and a water supply valve 27 connected to the drain pipe 24 and operated by the water level control device. A water discharge pipe 30 having a pipe 28 and a drain valve 29, and the water level in the water storage tank 15 is 10 to 50 mm (20 mm in this embodiment) above the upper end of the filled ball 13. It has been adjusted to be. Here, the filled portion of the ball 13 from the bottom plate 20 to the upper end of the ball 13 in the water tank 15 is the ball layer 31, the portion from the upper end of the ball 13 to the water surface is the liquid phase 32, and from the water surface The upper part is referred to as the gas phase 33.

Further, the water supply means 16 is provided with a thermometer 34 disposed below the liquid phase 32 and the water supply pipe 22, and the water 14 a in the water supply pipe 22 is supplied so that the measured value of the thermometer 34 becomes a predetermined value. A water temperature adjusting means 18 having a heater 35 for heating and a temperature control device (not shown) for controlling the heater 35 is provided, and water 14 a having a predetermined temperature is supplied to the water storage tank 15.

The humidified gas supply pipe 17 is attached to the lower side wall of the water storage tank 15 so that the humidified gas 11 is not sucked from the drain port 23 provided at the bottom. There is no failure. Further, the supplied humidified gas 11 becomes small bubbles (small bubbles) when passing through the gaps between the balls 13 filled in the storage tank 15, and comes into contact with the water 14 and drops in the humidified gas 11. Are removed together with the water 14.

Furthermore, since the height of the liquid phase 32 is 10 to 50 mm, the humidified gas 11 that has passed through the balls 13 and became small bubbles does not collect into large bubbles, but when the bubbles break on the water surface. It is difficult for the droplets to be generated, and the adjusted humidified gas 12 does not contain any droplets. Moreover, since the liquid temperature of the liquid phase 32 is adjusted to a predetermined value, the adjusted humidified gas 12 having a predetermined temperature and humidity can be produced. The produced adjusted humidified gas 12 is supplied to the fuel cell from the humidified gas discharge pipe 36 provided on the ceiling plate 19 of the water storage tank 15. Further, a heater for keeping the produced adjusted humidified gas 12 at a predetermined temperature may be provided outside the gas phase 33 portion of the water storage tank 15 and outside the humidified gas discharge pipe 36.

Next, a method for removing droplets in the humidified gas 11 using the droplet removing apparatus 10 will be described.
The water 14a filled in the water tank 15 filled with the balls 13 is adjusted so that the liquid phase 32 has a height of 20 mm by the water level control device of the water supply means 16, and the water temperature is adjusted to a predetermined value by the water temperature adjusting means 18. Supply. The water temperature adjusting means refers to either or both of a temperature raising means using a heater or the like and a temperature lowering means using a heat exchanger. Next, the humidified gas 11 is supplied from the humidified gas supply pipe 17 into the water storage tank 15. Although the water level rises depending on the volume of the humidified gas 11 supplied, the height of the liquid phase 32 is adjusted to a predetermined value by the water level control device.

In the humidified gas 11 supplied from the humidified gas supply pipe 17, the ball 13 filled in the water storage tank 15 becomes resistance to the rising of the humidified gas 11, and the bubbles are reduced by passing through the gap of the ball 13. The contact area with the water 14 is increased, and the droplets of the humidified gas 11 can be removed. These small bubbles do not gather and become large in the liquid phase 32 whose height is adjusted to 20 mm, and it is difficult for droplets to be generated even if they break on the water surface, and the adjusted humidified gas 12 containing substantially no droplets. The power generation effect of the fuel cell due to the droplets is not reduced.

With reference to FIG. 2, a droplet removing apparatus 40 according to a second embodiment of the present invention will be described. The same components as those of the droplet removing device 10 are denoted by the same reference numerals, and detailed description thereof is omitted.
In the droplet removing device 40, the water temperature adjusting means 41 is attached to the thermometer 34 disposed below the liquid phase 32, the ball layer 31 of the water tank 15 and the outside of the liquid phase 32, and the measured value of the thermometer 34 is It differs from the droplet removing device 10 in that it includes a heater 42 that heats the water 14 in the water storage tank 15 to a predetermined value and a temperature control device (not shown) that controls the heater 42.

In order to reduce the difference in temperature between the water 14 in the water tank 15 and the water 14a supplied by the water supply means 16, the temperature of the water 14a supplied into the water tank 15 may be adjusted. Further, in order to keep the manufactured adjusted humidified gas 12 at a predetermined temperature, a heater may be provided outside the gas phase 33 portion of the water storage tank 15 and outside the humidified gas discharge pipe 36. Furthermore, a water temperature may be adjusted by arranging a heater in one or both of the ball layer 31 and the liquid phase 32 in the water storage tank 15.

With reference to FIG. 3, a droplet removing apparatus 50 according to a third embodiment of the present invention will be described. Note that the same components as those of the droplet removing apparatuses 10 and 40 are denoted by the same reference numerals and detailed description thereof is omitted.
In the droplet removing device 50, the water temperature adjusting means 51 is attached to the outside of the gas phase 33 of the water tank 15 and the thermometer 34 disposed below the liquid phase 32, and the measured value of the thermometer 34 becomes a predetermined value. A heater 52 that heats the adjusted humidified gas 12 in the water storage tank 15 and sets the water 14 in the water storage tank 15 to a predetermined temperature by the heated adjusted humidified gas 12, and a temperature control device (not shown) that controls the heater 52 Is different from the droplet removing devices 10 and 40.
Usually, the droplet removal devices 10 and 40 are used in parallel with the heater device used to adjust the minute temperature, and if this is possible, the water temperature of the water 14 can be regarded as the dew point.

In order to reduce the difference in temperature between the water 14 in the water tank 15 and the water 14a supplied by the water supply means 16, the temperature of the water 14a supplied into the water tank 15 may be adjusted. In addition, a heater may be provided outside or inside the ball layer 31 and the liquid phase 32 of the water tank 15 to adjust the temperature of the water 14 in the water tank 15.

The present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment, and can be changed without changing the gist of the present invention. For example, some or all of the above-described embodiments and modifications are possible. The case where the droplet removing device of the present invention is configured by combining the above is also included in the scope of the present invention.
For example, in the droplet removing apparatus of the above embodiment, the humidified gas is supplied from the humidified gas supply system to the water storage tank, but the humidified gas produced by humidifying the dry gas can also be supplied.
Moreover, in the said embodiment, although the water supply means was used as a water level adjustment means, when a large amount of water generate | occur | produces, the means to discharge | emit water may be sufficient. Further, water may be automatically supplied and discharged.

It is explanatory drawing of the droplet removal apparatus which concerns on the 1st Embodiment of this invention. It is explanatory drawing of the droplet removal apparatus which concerns on the 2nd Embodiment of this invention. It is explanatory drawing of the droplet removal apparatus which concerns on the 3rd Embodiment of this invention.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10: Droplet removal apparatus 11, 12: Humidification gas, 13: Ball | bowl, 14, 14a: Water, 15: Water storage tank, 16: Water supply means, 17: Humidification gas supply pipe, 18: Water temperature adjustment means, 19: Ceiling board, 20: Bottom plate, 21: Water supply port, 22: Water supply pipe, 23: Drainage port, 24: Drainage pipe, 25: Pump, 26: Water level gauge, 27: Water supply valve, 28: Water supply pipe, 29: Drainage Valve: 30: Water discharge pipe, 31: Ball layer, 32: Liquid phase, 33: Gas phase, 34: Thermometer, 35: Heater, 36: Humidified gas discharge pipe, 40: Droplet removal device, 41: Water temperature adjustment Means: 42: heater, 50: droplet removing device, 51: water temperature adjusting means, 52: heater

Claims (8)

A droplet removing device for removing droplets in a humidified gas continuously supplied to a polymer electrolyte fuel cell,
A water tank in which a large number of balls are filled and water for immersing the balls is stored;
Water level adjusting means for supplying or discharging water while keeping the water level in the water tank;
Humidified gas supply means for supplying the humidified gas into the reservoir from the lower part of the reservoir;
Water temperature adjusting means for adjusting the water in the water reservoir to a predetermined temperature;
A droplet removing apparatus, wherein a droplet in the humidified gas is removed to obtain a humidified gas having a predetermined dew point temperature. 2. The droplet removing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the ball is made of one or more of alumina, silicon nitride, glass, and stainless steel. 3. The droplet removing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the ball has a diameter of 3 to 12 mm. 4. 4. The droplet removing device according to claim 1, wherein the water level in the water storage tank is adjusted to be 10 to 50 mm above the upper end of the filled ball. A featured droplet removal apparatus. 5. The droplet removing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the water level adjusting means is a water supply means, and the water supply means supplies water from the upper part of the water storage tank and discharges it from the lower part. A droplet removing apparatus characterized by: 6. The droplet removing apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the water temperature adjusting means is provided in the water supply means, and water adjusted in temperature by the water temperature adjusting means is supplied to the water storage tank. Removal device. 6. The droplet removing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the water temperature adjusting means includes a heater that warms water in the water storage tank, and the heater is either inside or outside the water storage tank. A droplet removing apparatus, which is provided on one or both of them. 6. The droplet removing device according to claim 1, wherein the water temperature adjusting means includes a heater that warms a gas in the water reservoir, and water in the water reservoir is heated by the warmed gas. A droplet removing device characterized in that the liquid is warmed.

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