JP2019036469A - Fuel cell system - Google Patents

Abstract

To provide a fuel cell system which allows improvement in cooling performance.SOLUTION: A vortex tube 34 for separating exhaust air into cool air and warm air is provided on an exhaust air path 52 for discharging, from a fuel cell stack 12, the exhaust air after reaction. With the use of condensed water obtained by using the cool air, an intercooler 26 and eventually a fuel cell system 10 can be cooled. In particular, according to the present embodiment, a condenser 30 is provided upstream the vortex tube 34 so that the condenser 30 reduces the amount of moisture contained in the exhaust air. As a result, heat separation performance of the vortex tube 34 may be improved, thereby making it possible to obtain the cool air at a lower temperature. This can improve cooling performance. Further, it is possible to reduce the weight and suppress the cost because a radiator 42 can be downsized.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

  The present invention relates to a fuel cell system.

  Patent Document 1 discloses a fuel cell system. In this fuel cell system, a vortex tube is provided on a discharge path of exhaust discharged from the fuel cell stack, and the exhaust gas flowing out from the cold air outlet is used for the fuel cell stack, etc. by utilizing the thermal separation action of the vortex tube. Used for cooling. Further, the exhaust gas flowing out from the warm air outlet of the vortex tube is used for heating the fuel cell stack or the like. In other words, the exhaust is reused for cooling and heating the equipment.

JP 2008-226676 A

  By the way, the vortex tube generally has a characteristic that the heat separation performance is lowered when the introduced gas contains a large amount of moisture. On the other hand, the hydrogen fuel fuel cell stack contains a large amount of water components. For this reason, in the fuel cell system disclosed in Patent Document 1, the heat separation performance of the vortex tube is lowered, and there is a possibility that the fuel cell stack cannot be sufficiently cooled. Therefore, the above prior art has room for improvement in this respect.

  An object of the present invention is to obtain a fuel cell system capable of improving the cooling performance in consideration of the above facts.

  A fuel cell system according to claim 1 is provided on an exhaust path for discharging exhaust gas after reaction from a fuel cell stack, and separates the exhaust gas into cold air and warm air, and the exhaust gas And a condenser that is provided on the upstream side of the vortex tube in the path and reduces the amount of water contained in the exhaust gas.

  According to the first aspect of the present invention, the vortex tube for separating the exhaust gas into the cool air and the warm air is provided on the exhaust path for discharging the exhaust gas after the reaction from the fuel cell stack. The equipment can be cooled. By the way, generally, when the gas introduced into the vortex tube contains a large amount of moisture, the heat separation performance of separating into cold air and warm air decreases. However, in the present invention, a condenser is provided on the upstream side of the vortex tube, and this condenser reduces the amount of water contained in the exhaust gas, so that the heat separation performance of the vortex tube is improved and the temperature is further increased. Low cold can be obtained.

  The fuel cell system according to the first aspect of the present invention has an excellent effect that the cooling performance can be improved.

It is a block diagram which shows an example of schematic structure of the fuel cell system which concerns on 1st Embodiment. It is a block diagram which shows an example of schematic structure of the fuel cell system which concerns on 2nd Embodiment.

  DETAILED DESCRIPTION Hereinafter, exemplary embodiments for carrying out the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. In each of the following embodiments, an example in which the fuel cell system is mounted on a vehicle will be described.

(First embodiment)
With reference to FIG. 1, the structure of the fuel cell system 10 which concerns on this embodiment is demonstrated. As shown in FIG. 1, the fuel cell system 10 includes a fuel cell stack 12, a pressure regulating valve 14, a gas-liquid separator 16, a first pump 18, a drain valve 20, a radiator 42, a second pump 46, a flow meter 22, a compressor. 24 and an intercooler 26. The fuel cell system 10 further includes an air adjustment valve 28, a condenser 30, a water storage tank 32, a vortex tube 34, a muffler 36, and a third pump 38.

  The fuel cell stack 12 is a unit that generates electricity by an electrochemical reaction between hydrogen supplied from a hydrogen tank (not shown) and oxygen in the air supplied from the compressor 24, and is formed by stacking a plurality of single cells. Yes. The pressure regulating valve 14 is an example of a decompression unit of the disclosed technology, and decompresses hydrogen in the hydrogen supply path 40 that supplies hydrogen from the hydrogen tank to the fuel cell stack 12.

  The gas-liquid separator 16 separates hydrogen and reaction gas discharged from the fuel cell stack 12 into a gas component and a liquid component. The first pump 18 functions as a circulation pump that sends out hydrogen contained in the gas component separated by the gas-liquid separator 16 onto the hydrogen supply path 40. The liquid component separated by the gas-liquid separation unit 16 is discharged to the condenser 30 through the drain valve 20.

  The radiator 42 has a fan (not shown) that takes in outside air, for example, and cools the cooling water flowing through the cooling water circulation path 44 by rotating the fan. The cooling water flowing through the cooling water circulation path 44 is sent from the radiator 42 to the fuel cell stack 12 by the second pump 46 to cool the fuel cell stack 12 and then returned to the radiator 42. A three-way valve 48 is provided on the cooling water circulation path 44, and the three-way valve 48 allows the cooling water from the fuel cell stack 12 to the radiator 42 to bypass the radiator 42.

  The flow meter 22 is provided on the air supply path 50 that supplies air to the fuel cell stack 12, and measures the amount of air flowing through the air supply path 50. The compressor 24 compresses the air flowing through the air supply path 50. The intercooler 26 cools the air in the air supply path 50 whose temperature has been increased by being compressed by the compressor 24. The cooled compressed air is supplied to the fuel cell stack 12.

  The air adjustment valve 28 is provided on an exhaust path 52 through which exhaust (used air) exhausted from the fuel cell stack 12 is exhausted, and adjusts the exhaust amount of this air. The condenser 30 is provided on the exhaust path 52, and the exhaust flowing through the supplied exhaust path 52 is condensed by a condensing core 54 (heat exchanger) that is cooled to low temperature by the cold air supplied from the vortex tube 34. It is separated into liquid and gas by cooling. The liquid separated by the condenser 30 and the liquid component discharged from the drain valve 20 are stored in the water storage tank 32.

  The vortex tube 34 separates the air supplied from the condenser 30 into cold air and warm air. Warm air ejected from the vortex tube 34 is discharged outside the vehicle through the muffler 36. Further, the cold air ejected from the vortex tube 34 is supplied to the condensing core 54 in the condenser 30 and then discharged outside the vehicle.

  The third pump 38 discharges the liquid in the water storage tank 32 to the outside of the vehicle through the heat exchanging unit 56 provided in the intercooler 26. In the heat exchange unit 56, heat exchange is performed between the air supplied by the compressor 24 and the liquid from the water storage tank 32.

(Operation and effect of the first embodiment)
Next, the operation and effect of this embodiment will be described.

  Here, the operation of the fuel cell system 10 according to the present embodiment will be described. When hydrogen reduced in pressure is supplied to the fuel cell stack 12 from the hydrogen tank through the pressure regulating valve 14 and air compressed by the compressor 24 is supplied to the fuel cell stack 12, power generation by an electrochemical reaction is accompanied. Hydrogen and reaction gas are discharged to the gas-liquid separator 16, and used air is discharged to the condenser 30 through the air adjustment valve 28. In the gas-liquid separator 16, the hydrogen and the reaction gas are separated into a gas component and a liquid component, and the liquid component is discharged to the condenser 30 via the drain valve 20.

  In the condenser 30, the exhaust gas is separated into liquid and gas, and the separated liquid and the liquid component from the gas-liquid separation unit 16 are stored in the water storage tank 32. On the other hand, the exhaust gas separated from the liquid is sent to the vortex tube 34. The exhaust gas is thermally separated into cold air and warm air by the vortex tube 34. Warm air is discharged outside the vehicle through the muffler 36.

  The cold air ejected from the vortex tube 34 is supplied to the condensation core 54 in the condenser 30. Accordingly, the exhaust gas with a large amount of water discharged from the fuel cell stack 12 is cooled by the condensation core 54 cooled in the condenser 30, thereby further promoting the generation of condensed water. That is, the separation of the exhaust gas into the liquid component is further promoted. Thereby, while the moisture content in the gas which passed through the condenser 30 falls, the amount of liquid stored in the water storage tank 32 increases.

  By supplying the gas having a reduced water content from the condenser 30 to the vortex tube 34, the heat separation performance of the vortex tube 34 is improved, and the temperature of the cold air ejected from the vortex tube 34 is further decreased. Thereby, the generation of condensed water is further promoted in the condenser 30.

  The increase in the amount of liquid stored in the water storage tank 32 promotes heat exchange in the intercooler 26. That is, the cooling performance in the intercooler 26 is improved. As a result, the amount of heat input to the radiator 42 is reduced.

  As described above, in the present embodiment, as shown in FIG. 1, the vortex tube 34 that separates the exhaust into cold air and warm air is provided on the exhaust path 52 for exhausting the exhaust gas after reaction from the fuel cell stack 12. The intercooler 26 and thus the fuel cell system 10 can be cooled using the condensed water obtained by using this cold air. In particular, in the present embodiment, the condenser 30 is provided on the upstream side of the vortex tube 34, and the condenser 30 reduces the amount of water contained in the exhaust gas, so that the heat separation performance of the vortex tube 34 is improved. As a result, cold air having a lower temperature can be obtained. Thereby, cooling performance can be improved. Moreover, since the radiator 42 can be reduced in size, weight reduction and cost reduction can be achieved.

(Second Embodiment)
Next, a fuel cell system 60 according to a second embodiment of the present invention will be described using FIG. In addition, about the same component as 1st Embodiment mentioned above, the same number is attached | subjected and the description is abbreviate | omitted.

  As shown in FIG. 2, the basic configuration of the fuel cell system 60 according to the second embodiment is the same as that of the first embodiment, and the liquid in the water storage tank 32 is sprayed onto the radiator 42. There are features.

  That is, the third pump 38 supplies the liquid in the water storage tank 32 to the sprayer 62 provided at the front portion of the radiator 42. The sprayer 62 sprays the supplied liquid onto the front surface of the radiator 42 in a substantially mist form.

  An intercooler cooling path 64 is provided in the cooling water circulation path 44. The cooling water flowing through the intercooler cooling path 64 is sent from the radiator 42 to the intercooler 26 by the second pump 46 to cool the intercooler 26, and then returned to the radiator 42.

(Operation and effect of the second embodiment)
Next, the operation and effect of this embodiment will be described.

  Here, the operation of the fuel cell system 60 according to the present embodiment will be described. When hydrogen reduced in pressure is supplied to the fuel cell stack 12 from the hydrogen tank through the pressure regulating valve 14 and air compressed by the compressor 24 is supplied to the fuel cell stack 12, power generation by an electrochemical reaction is accompanied. Hydrogen and reaction gas are discharged to the gas-liquid separator 16, and used air is discharged to the condenser 30 through the air adjustment valve 28. In the gas-liquid separator 16, the hydrogen and the reaction gas are separated into a gas component and a liquid component, and the liquid component is discharged to the condenser 30 via the drain valve 20.

  In the condenser 30, the exhaust gas is separated into liquid and gas, and the separated liquid and the liquid component from the gas-liquid separation unit 16 are stored in the water storage tank 32. On the other hand, the exhaust gas separated from the liquid is sent to the vortex tube 34. The exhaust gas is thermally separated into cold air and warm air by the vortex tube 34. Warm air is discharged outside the vehicle through the muffler 36.

  The cold air ejected from the vortex tube 34 is supplied to the condensation core 54 in the condenser 30. Accordingly, the exhaust gas with a large amount of water discharged from the fuel cell stack 12 is cooled by the condensation core 54 cooled in the condenser 30, thereby further promoting the generation of condensed water. That is, the separation of the exhaust gas into the liquid component is further promoted. Thereby, while the moisture content in the gas which passed through the condenser 30 falls, the amount of liquid stored in the water storage tank 32 increases.

  By supplying the gas having a reduced water content from the condenser 30 to the vortex tube 34, the heat separation performance of the vortex tube 34 is improved, and the temperature of the cold air ejected from the vortex tube 34 is further decreased. Thereby, the generation of condensed water is further promoted in the condenser 30.

  The liquid stored in the water storage tank 32 is supplied to the sprayer 62 by the third pump 38 and sprayed from the sprayer 62 to the front surface of the radiator 42 in a substantially mist form. The cooling performance of the radiator 42 is improved by the heat of vaporization of the sprayed liquid.

  As described above, the above configuration is the same as that of the fuel cell system 10 of the first embodiment except that the liquid in the water storage tank 32 is sprayed on the radiator 42, so that it is the same as the first embodiment. The effect is obtained.

  The present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments, and it is needless to say that the present invention can be variously modified and implemented without departing from the gist of the present invention.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10 Fuel cell system 12 Fuel cell stack 30 Condenser 34 Vortex tube 52 Exhaust path 60 Fuel cell system

Claims (1)

A vortex tube provided on an exhaust path for discharging exhaust gas after reaction from the fuel cell stack and separating the exhaust gas into cold air and warm air;
A condenser that is provided upstream of the vortex tube in the exhaust path, and that reduces the amount of water contained in the exhaust;
A fuel cell system.