JP2011175855A - Fuel cell module and fuel cell device - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a fuel cell module and fuel cell device, capable of preventing a decline in the efficiency of power generation. <P>SOLUTION: In the fuel cell module, a reaction gas introducing member 11 is inserted in a housing container 2 from its top to penetrate an inner wall 13. The reaction gas introducing member 11 extends to a side face of a cell stack 5, and includes a second reaction gas inlet 25 for allowing a second reaction gas to flow therein and a flange 26 at the upper end of the introducing member 11 and a second reaction gas outlet 16 for supplying the second reaction gas to a single fuel cell 3 at the lower end of the introducing member 11. The flange 26 of the reaction gas introducing member 11 is fixed to the inner wall 13 via a heat conduction suppressing member 27 having heat resistance and low heat conductivity. This suppresses a drop in the temperature of the reaction gas introducing member 11, thus suppresses a decline in the efficiency of power generation. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2011,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a fuel cell module in which a plurality of fuel cells are stored in a storage container, and a fuel cell device including the fuel cell module.

  In recent years, as a next-generation energy, a cell stack formed by arranging a plurality of fuel cells that can obtain electric power using fuel gas (hydrogen-containing gas) and air (oxygen-containing gas) is stored in a storage container. Various fuel cell modules and fuel cell devices in which the fuel cell module is housed in an outer case have been proposed (see, for example, Patent Document 1).

  In such a fuel cell module, for example, two cell stacks in which a plurality of fuel cells are arranged in a line are juxtaposed in a power generation chamber in a rectangular parallelepiped storage container, and oxygen cells are connected to the fuel cells between the cell stacks. A plate-like oxygen-containing gas introduction member for supplying the containing gas is arranged, and the oxygen-containing gas is supplied to the lower end side of the fuel cell.

JP 2007-59377 A

  In such a fuel cell module, heat such as reaction heat or Joule heat is generated during operation. These heats are transferred to the oxygen-containing gas introduction member, and the temperature of the oxygen-containing gas flowing through the oxygen-containing gas introduction member can be increased.

  However, in the fuel cell module described above, when the oxygen-containing gas introduction member and the inner wall of the storage container are directly connected by welding or the like, the heat in the power generation chamber transferred to the oxygen-containing gas introduction member is May be easily transferred to a low storage container (inner wall), and accordingly, the temperature of the oxygen-containing gas introduction member may be lowered, and the temperature of the cell stack may also be lowered due to this, and power generation efficiency may be lowered. was there.

  Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide a fuel cell module and a fuel cell device that can suppress a decrease in power generation efficiency of a cell stack.

The fuel cell module of the present invention includes a cell stack formed by arranging and electrically connecting a plurality of columnar fuel cells having gas flow paths therein, and a lower end of the fuel cell. And a manifold for supplying a first reaction gas to the fuel cell, and burning the first reaction gas discharged from the gas flow path on the upper end side of the fuel cell. A fuel cell module in which a fuel cell stack device configured as described above is housed in a housing container, wherein the housing container has a double structure having an inner wall and an outer wall, and a space between the inner wall and the outer wall. A reaction gas flow path through which a second reaction gas circulates extends to the side of the cell stack in the upper part of the storage container, and a second for the second reaction gas to flow into the upper end. The opposite of A reaction gas introduction member comprising a gas inflow port and a flange portion and having a second reaction gas outflow port for supplying the second reaction gas to the fuel cell at the lower end portion penetrates the inner wall. The flange portion of the reaction gas introduction member is fixed to the inner wall via a heat conduction suppressing member having heat resistance and low thermal conductivity.

  In such a fuel cell module, the flange portion of the reaction gas introduction member is fixed to the inner wall of the storage container via a heat conduction suppressing member having heat resistance and low thermal conductivity. It is possible to suppress the heat transferred to the introduction member from being transferred to the storage container (inner wall) having a low temperature. Thereby, it can suppress that the temperature of a reaction gas introduction member falls, can suppress that the temperature of a cell stack falls, and can suppress that power generation efficiency falls.

  In the fuel cell module of the present invention, it is preferable that the heat conduction suppressing member is a heat insulating material.

  In such a fuel cell module, since the heat conduction suppressing member is a heat insulating material, the heat transferred to the reaction gas introducing member is efficiently suppressed from being transferred to the storage container (inner wall) having a low temperature. It can suppress, and it can suppress that the power generation efficiency of a cell stack falls.

  The fuel cell device according to the present invention includes any one of the above-described fuel cell modules and an auxiliary machine for operating the fuel cell module in an outer case. It can be set as the fuel cell device which can be controlled.

  In the fuel cell module of the present invention, the storage container has a double structure having an inner wall and an outer wall, and a reaction gas flow path through which the second reaction gas flows between the inner wall and the outer wall. The cell stack extends to the side of the cell stack, and has a second reaction gas inlet and a flange for allowing the second reaction gas to flow into the upper end, and the second reaction gas is supplied to the fuel cell at the lower end. A reaction gas introduction member having a second reaction gas outlet for supplying is inserted through the inner wall, and the flange portion of the reaction gas introduction member has heat resistance and thermal conductivity on the inner wall. Since it is fixed via the low heat conduction suppressing member, it is possible to efficiently suppress the heat transferred to the reaction gas introducing member from being transferred to the storage container (inner wall) having a low temperature. The temperature of the reaction gas introduction member is lowered It can be suppressed Rukoto, whereby the power generation efficiency of the cell stack can be prevented from being lowered.

It is an external appearance perspective view which shows an example of the fuel cell module of this invention. FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view schematically showing the fuel cell module shown in FIG. 1. It is an external appearance perspective view which shows an example of the reactive gas introduction member shown in FIG. It is a perspective view showing roughly an example of the fuel cell device of the present invention.

  FIG. 1 is an external perspective view showing an example of a fuel cell module 1 (hereinafter sometimes referred to as a module) of the present invention. In the following drawings, the same numbers are assigned to the same members.

In the module 1 shown in FIG. 1, a columnar fuel cell 3 having a gas flow path (not shown) through which the first reaction gas flows is arranged inside the storage container 2 in an upright state. In addition, the adjacent fuel cells 3 are electrically connected in series via current collecting members (not shown in FIG. 1), and the lower end of the fuel cells 3 is connected to an insulating bonding material such as a glass sealing material. A cell stack 5 (cell stack device 12) formed by being fixed to the manifold 4 (not shown) is accommodated. At both ends of the cell stack 5, conductive members having current drawing portions for collecting and drawing the current generated by the power generation of the cell stack 4 (fuel cell 3) to the outside are arranged ( Not shown). The cell stack device 12 is configured by including the above-described members.

  In FIG. 1, the fuel cell 3 is a hollow flat plate type having a gas flow path through which the first reaction gas (hydrogen-containing gas) flows in the longitudinal direction, and the surface of the support body having the gas flow path. 2 illustrates a solid oxide fuel cell 3 in which a fuel electrode layer, a solid electrolyte layer, and an oxygen electrode layer are sequentially laminated. In the following description, unless otherwise specified, the first reaction gas is assumed to be a fuel gas (hydrogen-containing gas), and the second reaction gas described later is assumed to be an oxygen-containing gas.

  Further, in FIG. 1, in order to obtain the fuel gas (first reaction gas) used for power generation of the fuel cell 3, the raw fuel such as natural gas and kerosene supplied through the raw fuel supply pipe 10 is modified. A reformer 6 for producing a fuel gas is disposed above the cell stack 5 (fuel cell 3). The reformer 6 preferably has a structure capable of performing steam reforming, which is an efficient reforming reaction. The reformer 6 reforms the raw fuel into fuel gas, and a vaporizer 7 for vaporizing water. And a reforming unit 8 in which a reforming catalyst (not shown) is disposed. The fuel gas generated by the reformer 6 is supplied to the manifold 4 through the fuel gas flow pipe 9 and is supplied from the manifold 4 to a gas flow path provided inside the fuel battery cell 3. The configuration of the cell stack device 12 can be changed as appropriate depending on the type and shape of the fuel cell 3. For example, the reformer 6 can be included in the cell stack device 12.

  FIG. 1 shows a state in which a part (front and rear surfaces) of the storage container 2 is removed and the cell stack device 12 stored inside is taken out rearward. Here, in the module 1 shown in FIG. 1, the cell stack device 12 can be slid and stored in the storage container 2.

  In addition, the storage container 2 is arranged between the cell stacks 5 juxtaposed on the manifold 4, and the second reaction gas (oxygen-containing gas) moves from the lower end to the upper end of the fuel cell 3. The reaction gas introduction member 11 is arranged so as to flow toward the surface. The reactive gas introduction member 11 will be described later.

  Here, it is possible to raise the temperature of the fuel cell 3 by burning excess fuel gas and oxygen-containing gas discharged from the gas flow path of the fuel cell 3 on the upper end side of the fuel cell 3. The activation of the cell stack device 12 can be accelerated. In addition, the reformer 6 disposed above the fuel cell 3 (cell stack 5) can be warmed, and the reformer 6 can efficiently perform the reforming reaction.

  2 is a cross-sectional view of the module 1 shown in FIG. 1, and FIG. 3 is an external perspective view showing the reaction gas introduction member 11 shown in FIG.

  The storage container 2 constituting the module 1 has a double structure having an inner wall 13 and an outer wall 14, and an outer frame of the storage container 2 is formed by the outer wall 14, and the cell stack 5 (cell stack device 12) is formed by the inner wall 13. Is formed. Further, in the module 1 (storage container 2), a reaction gas flow path 21 through which an oxygen-containing gas (second reaction gas) introduced into the fuel cell 3 flows is provided between the inner wall 13 and the outer wall 14.

  Here, the storage container 2 includes a second reaction gas inlet 25 and a flange portion 26 for allowing the second reaction gas to flow into the upper end side from the upper portion of the storage container 2, and a fuel at the lower end portion. A reaction gas introduction member 11 provided with a reaction gas outlet 16 for introducing a second reaction gas to the lower end of the battery cell 3 is inserted through the inner wall 13 and fixed.

  In FIG. 2, the reaction gas introduction member 11 is disposed so as to be positioned between two cell stacks 5 juxtaposed side by side inside the storage container 2, but depending on the number of cell stacks 5, for example, the reaction gas The introduction member 11 may be disposed so as to be sandwiched from both side surfaces of the cell stack 5. Specifically, when only one cell stack 5 (cell stack device 12) is accommodated, two reaction gas introduction members 11 can be provided and disposed so as to sandwich the cell stack 5 from both side surfaces. .

  Also, in the power generation chamber 15, the temperature in the module 1 is maintained at a high temperature so that the heat in the module 1 is extremely dissipated and the temperature of the fuel cell 3 (cell stack 5) decreases and the power generation amount does not decrease. A heat insulating material 17 is appropriately provided.

  The heat insulating material 17 is preferably arranged in the vicinity of the cell stack 5. In particular, the heat insulating material 17 is arranged on the side surface side of the cell stack 5 along the arrangement direction of the fuel cell 3, and the fuel cell unit on the side surface of the cell stack 5. It is preferable to arrange the heat insulating material 17 having a width equal to or greater than the width along the three arrangement directions. In addition, it is preferable that the heat insulating material 17 is disposed on both side surfaces of the cell stack 5. Thereby, it can suppress effectively that the temperature of the cell stack 5 falls. Further, the second reaction gas (oxygen-containing gas) introduced from the reaction gas introduction member 11 can be suppressed from being discharged from the side surface side of the cell stack 5, and between the fuel cells 3 constituting the cell stack 5. The flow of oxygen-containing gas can be promoted. In the heat insulating material 17 disposed on both side surfaces of the cell stack 5, the flow of the oxygen-containing gas supplied to the fuel cell 3 is adjusted, and the longitudinal direction of the cell stack 5 and the stacking direction of the fuel cell 3 are adjusted. An opening 18 is provided for reducing the temperature distribution at.

  Further, an exhaust gas inner wall 19 is provided inside the inner wall 13 along the arrangement direction of the fuel cells 3, and the exhaust gas in the power generation chamber 15 is located between the inner wall 13 and the exhaust gas inner wall 19 from above. The exhaust gas flow path 22 flows downward. The exhaust gas passage communicates with an exhaust hole 20 provided at the bottom of the storage container 2.

  Thereby, the exhaust gas generated with the operation of the module 1 (during start-up processing, power generation, and stop processing) flows through the exhaust gas passage and is then exhausted from the exhaust hole 20. The exhaust hole 20 may be formed by cutting out a part of the bottom of the storage container 2 or may be formed by providing a tubular member.

  Note that a thermocouple 24 for measuring the temperature in the vicinity of the cell stack 5 is provided inside the reaction gas introduction member 11, and the temperature measuring portion 23 is the central portion in the longitudinal direction of the fuel cell 3 and the fuel cell 3. It is arrange | positioned so that it may be located in the center part in the arrangement direction.

  Here, in the module 1, heat such as reaction heat or Joule heat is generated with the operation of the module 1, and these heats are transferred to the reaction gas introduction member 11, thereby circulating inside the reaction gas introduction member 11. The temperature of the oxygen-containing gas (second reaction gas) to be increased can be increased, and the oxygen-containing gas having an increased temperature is supplied to the fuel cell 3, so that efficient power generation can be performed.

  However, when the reaction gas introduction member 11 and the inner wall 13 of the storage container 2 are directly connected by welding or the like, the heat in the power generation chamber 15 transferred to the reaction gas introduction member 11 is the inner wall having a low temperature. 13, the temperature of the reaction gas introduction member 11 may be lowered. Since the reaction gas introduction member 11 is disposed on the side of the cell stack 5, the temperature of the cell stack 5 decreases as the temperature of the reaction gas introduction member 11 decreases, and the power generation efficiency of the cell stack 5 is increased. May decrease.

  Therefore, in the module 1 of the present invention, the reaction gas introduction member 11 includes the second reaction gas inlet 25 and the flange portion 26 for allowing the second reaction gas to flow into the upper end side, and the flange. The interior of the power supply chamber 15 connected to the portion 26 and hanging down in the power generation chamber 15 has a shape including a reaction gas circulation portion 28 through which an oxygen-containing gas (second reaction gas) flows, and the flange portion 26 and the inner wall 13 A heat conduction suppressing member 27 having heat resistance and low thermal conductivity is disposed therebetween.

  Thereby, the heat in the power generation chamber 15 transferred to the reaction gas introduction member 11 can be suppressed from being transferred to the inner wall 13 having a low temperature, and the temperature of the reaction gas introduction member 11 can be suppressed from decreasing. Thereby, it can suppress that the temperature of the cell stack 5 falls, and can suppress that power generation efficiency falls.

  Such a heat conduction suppressing member 27 can be formed from a member having heat resistance and low heat conductivity. For example, a generally known heat insulating material, ceramic, mica, glass or the like is appropriately used as the material. You can choose. In particular, a heat insulating material is preferably used as the heat conduction suppressing member 27 for reasons such as heat resistance, cost, and ease of handling. The size of the heat conduction suppressing member 27 is preferably the same width as the flange portion 26 (in this case, a hole portion that matches the size of the reaction gas flow portion 28 so that the reaction gas flow portion 28 can be inserted). Preferably).

  Further, since the reaction gas introduction member 11 includes the flange portion 26, when the module 1 is assembled, the upper wall of the outer wall 14 is removed and the reaction gas introduction member 11 fitted with the heat conduction suppressing member 27 is placed in the storage container 2. Then, the reaction gas introduction member 11 can be easily fixed to the inner wall 13 by fixing the flange portion 26 and the inner wall 13 by screwing or the like via the heat conduction suppressing member 27.

  FIG. 4 is an exploded perspective view showing an example of the fuel cell device 29 of the present invention. In FIG. 4, a part of the configuration is omitted.

  The fuel cell device 29 shown in FIG. 4 divides the interior of the exterior case composed of the support columns 30 and the exterior plate 31 into upper and lower portions by the partition plate 32, and the module storage chamber 33 for accommodating the above-described fuel cell module 1 on the upper side. The lower side is configured as an auxiliary equipment storage chamber 34 for storing auxiliary equipment for operating the fuel cell module 1. It should be noted that auxiliary equipment stored in the auxiliary equipment storage chamber 34 is omitted.

  In addition, the partition plate 32 is provided with an air circulation port 35 for allowing the air in the auxiliary machine storage chamber 34 to flow toward the module storage chamber 33, and a module is provided in a part of the exterior plate 31 constituting the module storage chamber 33. An exhaust port 36 for exhausting the air in the storage chamber 33 is provided.

  In such a fuel cell device 29, as described above, the module 1 that can suppress a decrease in power generation efficiency is housed in the module storage chamber 33, so that the fuel cell device can suppress a decrease in power generation efficiency. 29.

  Although the present invention has been described in detail above, the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments, and various modifications and improvements can be made without departing from the scope of the present invention. .

For example, the fuel cell 3 may be a hollow plate type having a gas flow path in which an oxygen-containing gas that is the second reaction gas flows in the longitudinal direction. That is, the fuel battery cell 3 is
A solid oxide fuel cell in which an oxygen electrode layer, a solid electrolyte layer, and a fuel electrode layer are sequentially laminated on the surface of the support can also be obtained. In this case, the reaction gas flow path formed by the inner wall 13 and the outer wall 14 is a flow path through which the fuel gas that is the first reaction gas flows, and the fuel gas is supplied from the reaction gas introduction member 11 to each fuel cell 3. And the oxygen-containing gas is supplied to the manifold 4 (fuel cell 3).

  In this case as well, the power generation efficiency of the cell stack 5 decreases because the heat in the power generation chamber 15 transferred to the reaction gas introduction member 11 can be prevented from transferring to the inner wall 13 in the same manner as described above. Can be suppressed.

1: Fuel cell module 2: Storage container 3: Fuel cell 5: Cell stack 11: Reaction gas introduction member 13: Inner wall 14: Outer wall 15: Power generation chamber 26: Flange portion 27: Heat conduction suppressing member

Claims (3)

A cell stack formed by arranging and electrically connecting a plurality of columnar fuel cells having gas flow paths therein, and a lower end of the fuel cell fixed to the fuel cell A fuel cell having a manifold for supplying a first reaction gas, wherein the first reaction gas discharged from the gas flow path is combusted on an upper end side of the fuel cell. A fuel cell module in which a cell stack device is stored in a storage container,
The storage container has a double structure having an inner wall and an outer wall, and a reaction gas flow path through which a second reaction gas flows between the inner wall and the outer wall,
The upper part of the storage container is provided with a second reaction gas inlet and a flange part for allowing the second reaction gas to flow into the upper end part and extending to the side surface side of the cell stack, and at the lower end part. A reaction gas introduction member provided with a second reaction gas outlet for supplying the second reaction gas to the fuel battery cell is inserted through the inner wall, and the reaction gas introduction member A fuel cell module, wherein a flange portion is fixed to the inner wall via a heat conduction suppressing member having heat resistance and low thermal conductivity.   The fuel cell module according to claim 1, wherein the heat conduction suppressing member is a heat insulating material.   A fuel cell device comprising: the fuel cell module according to claim 1 or 2; and an auxiliary machine for operating the fuel cell module in an outer case.

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