JP3327673B2 - Module structure of solid oxide fuel cell - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a solid oxide fuel cell module structure for efficiently maintaining an operating temperature.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art FIG. 2 shows a conventional solid oxide fuel cell (S
OFC: Solid Oxide Fuel Cell
The outline of the module 1) is shown. In this figure, reference numeral 1 denotes a module main body, 2 denotes a fuel cell power generation unit having a plurality of cell units, 3A denotes a fuel supply pipe for supplying fuel to the power generation unit, 3B denotes a fuel exhaust pipe, 4A Represents an air supply pipe for supplying air to the power generation unit, and 4B represents an air exhaust pipe.

In general, the operating temperature of a self-contained fuel cell module is as high as 1000 ° C., and therefore, it is necessary to maintain a high temperature in a power generation section 2 as an internal structure in the module body 1.

When the fuel and air at room temperature are supplied to the power generation unit 2 through the fuel supply pipe 3A and the air supply pipe 4A, the internal structure is cooled by each supply gas and the operating temperature cannot be maintained. Was.

Therefore, conventionally, a fuel-side regenerative heat exchanger 5 and an air-side regenerative heat exchanger 6 are provided on a fuel supply pipe 3A and an air supply pipe 4A for supplying fuel and air, respectively. The temperature of the intake gas to be supplied into the power generation unit 2 is heated to about 800 ° C. and supplied to the power generation unit 2.

Further, a heat insulating material 8 is arranged between the outer wall 7 of the module main body 1 and the power generation unit 2 in order to insulate the inside of the module from the outside so as to keep the inside warm.

[0007]

In the case where the above-mentioned conventional heat insulating material 8 is disposed to hold the inside, heat is released to the outside depending on the material and the thickness of the heat insulating material. There is a problem that a temperature distribution occurs in the internal power generation unit 2 and the cell temperature in the vicinity of the outer periphery decreases, and the power generation efficiency decreases.

In order to solve this problem, the heat insulating material 8 is changed to a material having good heat insulating properties, or the thickness of the heat insulating material 8 is increased to maintain the operating temperature. In addition, there is a problem that the size of the entire module increases due to the increase in the thickness.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In view of the above problems, an object of the present invention is to provide a module structure of a solid oxide fuel cell which can maintain an operating temperature efficiently.

[0010]

A solid oxide fuel cell module according to the present invention, which achieves the above object, comprises an air- fuel module.
Module of the solid oxide fuel cell which generates power by supplying the charge
From the bottom to the center of the fuel cell
Toward the upper part of the regenerative heat exchanger,
A high-temperature waste heat flowing in the bypass pipe flows from the top surface of the power generation unit toward the periphery, and further flows downward between the heat insulating material and the power generation unit. It is characterized in that it flows, forms an air heat insulating layer covering the outer peripheral portion, maintains the power generation operating temperature, and then exhausts air from a return pipe communicating with an exhaust pipe at the outlet of an air outlet side regenerative heat exchanger.

[0011]

[0012]

According to the above construction, the temperature of the exhaust gas is substantially equal to the maximum temperature of the power generation unit, and a part of this high-temperature waste heat gas is used for the air insulation layer of the power generation unit, so that the temperature of the exhaust gas from the internal structure to the surroundings is reduced. Direct heat release is reduced, the temperature distribution of the cell temperature of the power generation unit is reduced, and the operating temperature can be maintained efficiently.

[0013]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Preferred embodiments of the present invention will be specifically described below with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a schematic view of a module structure of a solid oxide fuel cell according to the present embodiment. here,
In the figure, reference numeral 11 denotes a module main body, 12 denotes a fuel cell power generation section having a plurality of cell sections, 13A denotes a fuel supply pipe for supplying fuel to the power generation section, 13B denotes a fuel exhaust pipe, 14A
Is an air supply pipe for supplying air to the power generation unit, 14B is an air exhaust pipe, 15 is a fuel-side regenerative heat exchanger, 16 is an air-side regenerative heat exchanger, 17 is an outer wall of the module body, and 18 is a heat insulating material. .

As shown in FIG. 1, in this embodiment, a bypass pipe 19 for communicating waste heat of power generation from the air electrode side to the fuel electrode side is disposed inside the power generation part 12 in the module main body 11, The high-temperature waste heat H, which is heat, is sent from the air electrode side to the fuel electrode side, and the high-temperature waste heat H sent to the fuel electrode side is passed through the outer periphery of the power generation unit 12. An overlying air insulation layer is formed. That is, the high temperature waste heat (exhaust air) H from the power generation unit 12 on the air electrode side is provided inside the fuel cell power generation unit 12 from the air electrode side to the fuel electrode side.
A high-temperature waste heat H having a temperature substantially equal to the maximum temperature during power generation is supplied from the air electrode side to the fuel electrode side. Further, the supplied waste heat H is sent to the outer peripheral portion along the outer surface of the power generation unit 12 on the fuel electrode side of the power generation unit 12 and is formed between the outer wall 17 and the side wall of the power generation unit 12. The air is again supplied to the air electrode side through the passage 20, and heat insulation around the power generation unit 12 is achieved. As a result, it is possible to form a high-temperature air heat insulating layer by high-temperature waste heat H that efficiently insulates the outer periphery of the power generation unit 12 so as to cover the outer periphery of the power generation unit.

This high-temperature air heat insulating layer is formed to
The waste heat obtained after heating from the surroundings is exhausted to the outside together with the main exhaust gas via the return pipe 21 communicating with the air exhaust pipe 14B on the air electrode side.

According to the above configuration, the temperature of the high-temperature waste heat H after power generation is substantially equal to the maximum temperature of the power generation unit 12, and a part of this high-temperature gas is used for the air heat insulation layer of the internal power generation unit. Direct heat release from the power generation unit 12 to the surroundings is reduced,
As a result, the temperature distribution of the cell temperature of the power generation unit 12 is reduced,
The operating temperature can be maintained efficiently.

[0017]

As described above, according to the present invention,
The temperature of waste heat immediately after power generation is almost equal to the maximum temperature of the power generation unit, and by using a part of this high-temperature gas for the air insulation layer of the internal power generation unit, direct heat release from the power generation unit to the surroundings is reduced. As a result, the temperature distribution of the cell temperature of the power generation unit is relaxed, and the operating temperature can be efficiently maintained.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a schematic configuration diagram of an SOFC module according to one embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a schematic configuration diagram of a conventional SOFC module.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 11 Module main body 12 Fuel cell power generation part 13A Fuel supply pipe which supplies fuel to this power generation part 13B Fuel exhaust pipe 14A Air supply pipe which supplies air to a power generation part 14B Exhaust pipe 15, 16 Regeneration heat exchanger 17 Outer wall of module main body 18 Insulation material 19 Bypass pipe 20 Passage 21 Return pipe H High temperature waste heat

──────────────────────────────────────────────────続 き Continuation of front page (72) Inventor Katsumi Nagata 1-1, Akunouramachi, Nagasaki City, Nagasaki Prefecture Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Ltd. Nagasaki Shipyard (56) References JP-A-62-283570 (JP, A) Hei 2-220363 (JP, A) JP-A-61-198571 (JP, A) (58) Fields investigated (Int. Cl. ⁷ , DB name) H01M 8/24 H01M 8/04 H01M 8/12

Claims (1)

(57) [Claims] 1. A solid oxide fuel cell module that generates power by supplying air and fuel, wherein a fuel-side regenerative heat exchanger side is located at the center of a fuel cell power generation section from below.
Upward, forming a bypass pipe communicating with the air electrode outlet side regenerative heat exchanger inlet, the high-temperature waste heat flowing in the bypass pipe flows from the top surface of the power generation unit to the periphery,
Further, the gas flows downward between the heat insulating material and the power generation unit to form an air heat insulation layer covering the outer peripheral portion to maintain the power generation operation temperature, and thereafter, the exhaust pipe at the air outlet side regenerative heat exchanger outlet A solid oxide fuel cell module, wherein the exhaust gas is exhausted from a return pipe communicating with the fuel cell .