JP4059431B2 - Fuel cell system - Google Patents

Description

[0001]
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a fuel cell system .
[0002]
[Prior art]
In general, a fuel cell system is configured such that a cathode electrode is partitioned on one side and an anode electrode is partitioned on the other side with a proton conductive polymer electrolyte membrane (PEM membrane) interposed therebetween, and is supplied to the cathode electrode. Power is generated by an electrochemical reaction between oxygen in the air and hydrogen in the fuel gas supplied to the anode electrode. And as such a fuel cell system, in order to humidify the said polymer electrolyte membrane moderately, the humidifier which humidifies the hydrogen and oxygen supplied in a fuel cell, or the remainder which was not able to react within a fuel cell A structure having a hydrogen circulation path for supplying hydrogen to the fuel cell again is generally known (see, for example, Patent Document 1).
[0003]
[Patent Document 1]
JP 2000-58092 A (FIG. 3)
[0004]
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
By the way, in the conventional fuel cell system, vibration is generated from a passage for supplying hydrogen or oxygen to the fuel cell, a solenoid for switching a shut-off valve, a purge valve or the like provided in the hydrogen circulation path. Therefore, it has been desired to suppress this vibration.
[0005]
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION An object of the present invention is to provide a fuel cell system that can suppress vibrations generated from a solenoid for switching valves provided in a hydrogen or oxygen supply passage or a hydrogen circulation passage.
[0006]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
The present invention that has solved the above problems includes an anode humidifier that humidifies fuel gas supplied to the anode side of the fuel cell, a cathode humidifier that humidifies air supplied to the cathode side of the fuel cell, and the fuel gas or air. provided in a passage through which, and a fuel cell system Ru integrally includes a vibration generating device that generates vibrations.
[0007]
Here, the “vibration generating device” refers to a device that generates vibration, such as a shut-off valve, a regulator, a check valve, and a purge valve. For example, in a shut-off valve and a purge valve, vibration is generated from a solenoid that opens and closes the valve.
[0008]
According to such a fuel cell system , for example, vibration (operation noise) generated by switching a shut-off valve that is a vibration generating device is absorbed by the integrated anode humidifier and cathode humidifier and reliably suppressed. It will be.
[0009]
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
Hereinafter, details of the humidifier unit according to the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. In the drawings to be referred to, FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing a humidifier unit of the present invention, and FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing a configuration of a fuel cell system including devices constituting the hydrogen circulation unit of FIG.
[0010]
As shown in FIG. 1, the humidifier unit U humidifies the anode humidifier 1 that humidifies hydrogen (fuel gas) H supplied to the anode side of the fuel cell FC and the air A supplied to the cathode side of the fuel cell FC. The cathode humidifier 2 and the hydrogen circulation unit (vibration generating device) 3 are integrally provided. Specifically, the two anode humidifiers 1 are arranged vertically, and the three cathode humidifiers 2 are arranged so that their planar positions are shifted from each other so as to be adjacent to the anode humidifier 1. Has been. Then, the two anode humidifiers 1 are disposed in a space generated by being displaced in the longitudinal direction with respect to the three cathode humidifiers 2 longer than the length of the anode humidifier 1. A unit 3 is provided. The hydrogen circulation unit 3 is fixed to a head 11 formed of a highly rigid member provided at both ends of the anode humidifier 1.
[0011]
As shown in FIG. 2, the hydrogen circulation unit 3 is configured by integrating a specific unit among a plurality of devices provided in a passage through which hydrogen H passes. In the following, the fuel cell system S as a whole will be briefly described in order to understand the functions of the devices constituting the hydrogen circulation unit 3.
[0012]
First, the flow of hydrogen H in the fuel cell system S will be described.
First, the pressure of the hydrogen H released from the hydrogen tank T by opening a solenoid valve (not shown) provided in the hydrogen tank T and the shutoff valve 31 is adjusted by the regulator 32. The pressure-adjusted hydrogen H is supplied to the humidifier unit U via the ejector 34. The ejector 34 mixes the hydrogen H from the hydrogen tank T and the hydrogen H returned from the fuel cell FC, re-supplyes them to the fuel cell FC, and circulates the hydrogen H.
[0013]
Then, the hydrogen H humidified by the humidifier unit U is supplied into the fuel cell FC, and the surplus hydrogen H that could not be chemically reacted passes through the check valve 35 and is passed to the humidifier unit U by the ejector 34. Returned and reused. Here, the check valve 35 prevents the backflow of hydrogen H flowing toward the ejector 34. Incidentally, a purge valve 36 for discharging the fluid is provided in the passage for returning the hydrogen H discharged from the fuel cell FC to the humidifier unit U, and hydrogen or the like in the circulation passage is appropriately removed from the system by the purge valve 36. To be discharged.
[0014]
Next, the flow of air A will be described.
The hot air A compressed by the supercharger SP is cooled by the intercooler IC, and then supplied to the fuel cell FC via the humidifier unit U.
[0015]
The excess air A (generally referred to as off-gas, which contains a large amount of water) that has not been chemically reacted in the air A supplied into the fuel cell FC is supplied to the hydrogen H in the humidifier unit U. And air A humidification. Thereafter, the air A coming out of the humidifier unit U is discharged via the back pressure valve V2.
[0016]
Finally, the flow of cooling water will be described.
The cooling water CW is circulated in the fuel cell system S by the hot water pump HP, and the cooling water CW cooled by the radiator RAD is supplied to the fuel cell FC.
[0017]
As described above, there are various devices constituting the fuel cell system S, and among these, a shutoff valve 31, a regulator 32, a check valve 35, a purge valve 36, and a back valve provided in a passage through which hydrogen H or air A passes. valve V2 is, corresponds to that occur vibration "vibration generating device". Of these vibration generating devices, the shut-off valve 31, the regulator 32, the check valve 35, and the purge valve 36 are devices constituting the hydrogen circulation unit 3 of the present embodiment.
[0018]
Next, the operation of the humidifier unit U when vibrations are generated by the various devices 31, 32, 35, and 36 of the hydrogen circulation unit 3 will be described with reference to FIG. As shown in FIG. 1, when various devices 31, 32, 35, and 36 (see FIG. 2) of the hydrogen circulation unit 3 vibrate, the vibration is absorbed by the highly rigid head 11 and then further integrated with a humidifier. It is absorbed by the unit U and reliably suppressed.
[0019]
According to the above, the following effects can be obtained in the present embodiment.
Since the vibration generated from the various devices 31, 32, 35, 36 of the hydrogen circulation unit 3 is absorbed by the integrated humidifier unit U (because the vibration is different between the vibration of the single unit and the whole unit). ), The vibration can be reliably suppressed. In addition, since this vibration is first absorbed by the highly rigid head 11, the vibration can be more reliably suppressed.
[0020]
As mentioned above, this invention is implemented in various forms, without being limited to the said embodiment.
In the present embodiment, the hydrogen circulation unit 3 is configured integrally with the humidifier unit U. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and for example, a back pressure valve V2 that is provided in a passage through which air A passes and generates vibration is also provided. The humidifier unit U may be integrated.
Moreover, you may attach the apparatus which does not generate | occur | produce a vibration to the humidifier unit U integrally. In this case, since the whole humidifier unit U becomes difficult to vibrate because the total weight of the humidifier unit U increases, the suppression of vibration can be greatly improved.
[0021]
【The invention's effect】
According to the present invention , the vibration generated from the vibration generating device is absorbed by the integrated anode humidifier and cathode humidifier, so that the vibration from the vibration generating device can be reliably suppressed.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing a humidifier unit of the present invention.
2 is a configuration diagram showing a configuration of a fuel cell system including devices constituting the hydrogen circulation unit of FIG. 1. FIG.
[Explanation of symbols]
FC Fuel cell H Hydrogen (fuel gas)
A Air U Humidifier unit 1 Anode humidifier 2 Cathode humidifier 3 Hydrogen circulation unit (vibration generating device)
31 Shutoff valve 32 Regulator 34 Ejector 35 Check valve 36 Purge valve

Claims (4)

A fuel cell;
  The gas supplied to the fuel cell is humidified by the off-gas discharged from the fuel cell, and a humidifier having an outer shape that is cylindrical,
  A valve that is directly provided in a passage through which either the gas supplied to the fuel cell or the off-gas discharged from the fuel cell passes, and generates a vibration when opening and closing;
  A fuel cell system comprising:
  The valve is fixed to the head portion provided at the end of the humidifier, and the humidifier and the valve are integrally configured.
  A fuel cell system. A circulation path for returning hydrogen discharged from the fuel cell in the off-gas to hydrogen supplied to the fuel cell;
  The valve includes a check valve that prevents backflow of hydrogen in the circulation passage, or a purge valve that is opened and closed by a solenoid and discharges hydrogen in the circulation passage.
  The fuel cell system according to claim 1. A hydrogen tank storing hydrogen to be supplied to the fuel cell;
  The valve includes a shut-off valve that releases hydrogen from the hydrogen tank by opening and closing by a solenoid, or a regulator that adjusts the pressure of hydrogen from the hydrogen tank toward the fuel cell.
  The fuel cell system according to claim 1 or 2, characterized by the above. The valve includes a back pressure valve provided in a passage through which air discharged from the fuel cell in the off gas flows.
  The fuel cell system according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein

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