JP6646521B2 - Fuel cell device - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to a fuel cell device.

  As a fuel cell device, a fuel cell module including a cell stack in which a plurality of fuel cells capable of obtaining electric power using a fuel gas (hydrogen-containing gas) and an oxygen-containing gas (air) in a storage container is provided. There is known a configuration in which auxiliary equipment such as a heat exchanger necessary for operation of a fuel cell module is housed in a housing such as an outer case (casing) (see Patent Document 1).

  In such a fuel cell device, in a heat exchanger, high-temperature exhaust gas containing water vapor discharged from a fuel cell module and heat are exchanged with water to generate hot water, and the exhaust gas after the heat exchange is generated. Is directly exhausted to the outside of the housing from an exhaust port provided on the front or side surface of the housing such as an outer case for housing the fuel cell device (see Patent Documents 2 and 3).

  In some cases, an exhaust cover or an exhaust guard for preventing rainwater or the like from entering into the exhaust port is provided outside the exhaust port of the heat exchange exhaust gas of the housing (see Patent Documents 2 and 4). reference).

JP-A-2003-214712 JP 2013-191324 A JP 2014-123523 A JP 2011-204446 A

  By the way, since the environment such as temperature and humidity around the fuel cell device changes in various ways, when the ambient temperature is low or when the heat exchange exhaust gas containing much moisture is exhausted from the exhaust port, the exhaust guard itself or Condensation water may adhere to the surface of the surrounding housing.

  Condensed water, if generated continuously, may cause wetting on the surface of the housing and the foundation (ground) around the housing, which may degrade the appearance and cause doubts such as equipment failure. Therefore, it has been a problem to eliminate the condensation water generated near the exhaust port of the heat exchange exhaust gas.

  SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION An object of the present invention is to provide a fuel cell device capable of quickly condensing water condensed by dew condensation even when dew condensation occurs near an exhaust port of heat exchange exhaust gas.

A fuel cell device according to an embodiment of the present invention includes a fuel cell module in which a cell stack that generates power using a fuel gas and an oxygen-containing gas is stored in a storage container, and an exhaust gas discharged from the fuel cell module. A heat exchanger for cooling by heat exchange, an auxiliary device for assisting the power generation operation of the fuel cell module, and a housing having a plurality of frames and a plurality of panels attached to the frames,
In the housing, at least the fuel cell module, the heat exchanger, and each of the auxiliary devices are arranged independently of each other, and the fuel cell module and the heat exchanger are provided inside the housing. And at a position that does not interfere with any of the auxiliary equipment,
Among the plurality of panels, a tubular heat-dissipating ventilation path that is disposed between the facing panels and whose both ends open toward the outside of the housing,
A fuel cell device, comprising: a heat exchange exhaust gas flow path that discharges the exhaust gas heat-exchanged by the heat exchanger into the heat dissipation ventilation passage.

  According to the fuel cell device of the embodiment of the present invention, even if dew condensation occurs near the exhaust port of the heat exchange exhaust gas, the dew water due to the dew condensation can be quickly evaporated.

FIG. 2 is an external perspective view showing a state where an outer panel is removed in the fuel cell device according to the embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a partial cross-sectional view showing the internal structure of the fuel cell device according to the embodiment. It is a partial sectional view showing the internal structure of a fuel cell device of another embodiment.

  FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a state in which an exterior panel is removed to show the internal structure in the fuel cell device of the present embodiment, and FIG. 2 is a partial cross-sectional view (a so-called cut model) showing the internal structure. ). In this embodiment, as shown in FIG. 1, the direction in which the fuel cell device 10 and the housing 20 are installed from the front (front) to the rear (rear) is defined by the direction of the X-axis in the drawing. The direction of the Y-axis viewed from the front (front) side is defined as the horizontal direction of the apparatus, and the direction of the vertical Z-axis (up and down) is defined as the vertical direction of the apparatus.

  As shown in FIG. 1, the fuel cell device 10 of the present embodiment includes at least a fuel cell module 1 containing a cell stack, a heat exchanger 2, and an auxiliary device for assisting a power generation operation. A water treatment unit A for condensed water including a device, a reforming water supply unit B including a water tank and a water pump, a fuel gas supply unit C including a gas pump, and an oxygen-containing gas supply unit D including an air blower are provided. In addition, in each drawing including FIG. 1, only main components of the fuel cell device 10 are described, and the fuel cell device of the present embodiment may include other components other than these components. Good. Further, the positions of the fuel cell module 1 and each of the accessories A, B, C, D can be changed as appropriate. For example, the fuel cell module 1 can be arranged at the top in the fuel cell device 10. Further, in each of the drawings, piping and wiring for connecting the fuel cell module 1 to each of the auxiliary devices A, B, C, D, etc., cold water and hot water piping connected to the heat exchanger 2, and control of the device Illustration of the means and the like is omitted.

  A housing 20 for accommodating each of these devices includes a plurality of frames 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, and a plurality of exterior panels attached to these frames, that is, a front panel 21 covering the front and rear of the apparatus (front-back). , A rear panel 22, a left side panel 23 and a right side panel 24 that cover the right and left sides of the apparatus, a top panel 25 that covers the top of the apparatus, and a bottom panel 26 that forms the bottom (bottom) of the apparatus. . In FIG. 1, panels other than the bottom panel 26 are not shown in order to make it easier to see the internal structure of the apparatus.

  In the case of a household fuel cell system (gas cogeneration system) or the like, as shown in FIG. 1, the inside of the housing 20 is a hot module housing chamber mainly housing a high-temperature operating device including the fuel cell module 1 and the heat exchanger 2. 30 (a section on the left side of the center frames 14, 15) and an auxiliary equipment accommodating room 40 (a section on the right side of the center frames 14, 15) mainly storing low-temperature operation equipment including each auxiliary machine. Each device is independently arranged in these accommodation rooms.

  In the fuel cell device 10 according to the present embodiment, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, each auxiliary machine A including the fuel cell module 1, the heat exchanger 2, and the pipes / wirings inside the housing 20. At positions not interfering with any of B, C, D, etc., a cylindrical heat-dissipating ventilation passage 3 whose both ends are opened in the front-rear direction (X-axis direction in the drawing) of the housing 20 is formed. Exhaust gas containing moisture discharged from the heat exchanger 2 (hereinafter, referred to as heat exchange exhaust gas) is exhausted into the heat exchange ventilation passage 3 on the wall surface (side wall 3 a) of the heat radiation ventilation passage 3. The flow path 4 is connected. This is the greatest feature of the fuel cell device 10 of the present embodiment.

  1 and 2, the opening (hereinafter referred to as an exhaust port) of the heat exchange exhaust gas flow path 4 in the heat-dissipating ventilation passage 3 is covered by an exhaust port cover 5 which also serves as a heat exchange exhaust gas rectifying member. , Not directly visible in the figure. This will be described in detail later.

  Explaining each device (module) that constitutes the fuel cell device 10, the fuel cell device 10 of the present embodiment is a solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC), and the fuel cell module 1 that performs power generation has a heat insulating material. A cell stack in which fuel cells are stacked, a reformer that heats and reforms a fuel gas supplied to the cell stack, and a residue in exhaust gas discharged from the cell stack. It contains a combustion section for burning fuel.

  The heat exchanger 2 exchanges heat of high-temperature exhaust gas discharged from the fuel cell module 1 to generate condensed water described later. The heat exchanger 2 has a heat exchange section in which a flue gas flow path through which the flue gas flows and a hot water flow path through which cold water (hot water) supplied from a hot water storage device flows by a water pump or the like flow in countercurrent contact. By performing heat exchange with water, hot water (hot water) used for hot water supply or the like can be produced.

  The heat exchanger 2 has a condensed water outlet from which condensed water in which water contained in the flue gas is condensed by heat exchange is led out, and a heat exchange flue gas outlet from which the heat-exchanged gas after heat exchange is led out. In the fuel cell device 10 of the present embodiment, the heat exchange exhaust gas, which is conventionally provided through the heat exchange exhaust gas outlet and exhausted directly to the outside of the device, is provided through the heat exchange exhaust gas passage 4. The exhaust gas is exhausted into the ventilation passage 3 for heat radiation.

  On the other hand, the condensed water outlet is formed on the lower (bottom) side of the heat exchanger 2, and the condensed water derived from the condensed water outlet passes through a water treatment unit A including a pure water purification device. The fuel is purified and stored in the water tank of the reforming water supply means B, and is used as a fuel gas reforming agent in the reformer in the fuel cell module 1.

  Auxiliary fuel gas supply means C includes a gas pump for supplying raw fuel gas such as city gas and LP gas to the reformer. Oxygen-containing gas supply means D is provided outside the apparatus. And a blower for supplying a gas containing oxygen to the cell stack. Each of the auxiliary units including the water treatment unit A, the reformed water supply unit B, and the fuel gas supply unit C and the oxygen-containing gas supply unit D has various types and shapes. In FIG. 2, all accessories are drawn as a square representative shape.

  As described above, the heat-dissipating ventilation passage 3, which is a place where the heat-exchanged exhaust gas derived from the heat exchanger 2 is discharged, is provided within the housing 20 in the fuel cell module 1, the heat exchanger 2, and the piping. It is arranged at a position that does not interfere with any of the auxiliary machines A, B, C, and D including the wiring and the like, and both ends thereof are formed with openings provided in the front panel 21 and the rear panel 22 around the housing 20. Match. With this configuration, the outside air of the device is circulated (ventilated) in the cylindrical heat-dissipating ventilation passage 3 that opens in the front-rear direction of the housing (the X-axis direction in the drawing).

  As shown in FIG. 1 and FIG. 2, the heat exchange exhaust gas is divided vertically into the heat exchange exhaust gas passage 3 at the exhaust port of the heat exchange exhaust gas passage 4 provided in the heat radiation ventilation passage 3. An exhaust port cover 5 also serving as a flow straightening member for leading out is provided. As a result, the heat exchange exhaust gas discharged from the heat exchange exhaust gas passage 4 spreads up and down along the side wall 3a of the heat-dissipating ventilation path 3, as indicated by the black arrow in the figure.

  Further, as shown in FIG. 2, the bottom surface 3b of the heat-dissipating ventilation passage 3 is formed as a downwardly inclined surface that inclines downward toward the rear panel 22 on the rear side of the housing 20. In this case, the inclination angle θ of the heat-dissipating ventilation path bottom surface 3b with respect to the front panel 21 is usually 91 to 100 ° (-1 to -10 ° in the downward inclination angle), and is 135 ° at the maximum. Further, ventilation guards 27A and 27B are attached to the openings of the front panel 21 and the rear panel 22 to improve the appearance of the surface of the housing 20 and to prevent rainwater or the like from entering the ventilation passage 3 for heat radiation. I have.

  With the above configuration, even if dew condensation occurs near the exhaust port of the heat exchange exhaust gas, the fuel cell device 10 of the present embodiment can quickly evaporate the dew water due to the dew condensation. That is, it is considered that the dew condensation (condensation water) due to the heat exchange exhaust gas is generated on the inner wall surface of the heat release ventilation passage 3 located near the exit of the heat exchange exhaust gas passage 4. While passing through the inner wall surface or bottom surface of the device, it is evaporated by an air flow (wind) passing through the ventilation passage 3 for heat radiation, so that there is little possibility that the liquid (condensed water) will go out of the housing as it is.

  Also, in the case where the evaporation does not catch up and the liquid exits as a liquid (condensation water) from the inside of the heat-dissipating ventilation passage 3, the condensed water flows along the slope of the bottom surface 3 b of the heat-dissipating ventilation passage. Since it is discharged toward the rear panel 22 on the rear side, there is no danger that the foundation (the ground) on the front surface of the housing will be wetted and the appearance will be deteriorated, and that there will be no suspicion such as equipment failure.

  Therefore, in the fuel cell device 10 of the present embodiment, even if the condensed water is generated, it is hard to be recognized from the outside of the housing 20 and the base around the housing is hardly wetted. In addition, this can significantly reduce long-term maintenance troubles that occur around the device, such as deterioration of the foundation concrete and generation of mold and moss.

  The fuel cell device 10 according to the present embodiment is configured such that the cold water (the cold water) supplied to the heat exchanger 2 is provided in the heat-dissipating ventilation passage 3 of the housing 20, that is, at a position other than the hot module housing chamber 30 or the auxiliary equipment housing chamber 40. When the temperature of the hot water is too high (for example, the hot water in the hot water storage device is completely filled with hot water), the radiator 6 used to lower the temperature of the hot water to be sent to the heat exchanger 2 The heat-dissipating ventilation passage 3 is configured to also serve as an air flow path for blowing wind (outside air) to the radiator 6. Further, outside the radiator 6 (in the drawing, the front side of the housing 20 and the front panel 21 side), outside air is drawn into the radiator 6 from the rear side of the housing 20, and the outside air is drawn into the front side of the housing 20. An electric fan 7 for cooling the radiator 6 for forcibly exhausting air is provided.

  Therefore, when the electric fan 7 is operated, an airflow (airflow) toward the front side of the housing 20 as shown by a white arrow in FIG. The generated air current allows the dew water generated near the exhaust port of the heat exchange exhaust gas to evaporate more quickly. In order to use the forced exhaust by the electric fan 7 more efficiently, it is desirable that the exhaust port of the heat exchange exhaust gas is disposed downstream of the electric fan 7 in the airflow (air flow).

  Further, when the fuel cell device 10 of the present embodiment does not require a radiator due to its configuration, as shown in FIG. 3, a configuration in which a radiator and a fan are not provided in the heat-dissipating ventilation path 3 may be adopted. Even in this case, as described above, even if dew condensation occurs near the exhaust port of the heat exchange exhaust gas, the condensed water evaporates due to the air flow (wind) passing through the heat-dissipating ventilation passage 3, so that the liquid remains in the housing. It is possible to obtain an effect that there is little risk of going outside.

  Further, in the above-described embodiment, the heat-dissipating air passage 3 is a tubular body having a square cross section, but the sectional shape may be any shape. Regardless of the cross-sectional shape of the cylindrical body, the exhaust port of the heat exchange exhaust gas channel 4 has a side wall surface excluding the bottom surface 3b (bottom wall) of the ventilation passage 3 for heat radiation in consideration of the generation of dew condensation water. Or it is provided on the ceiling wall. In order to prevent heat exchange exhaust gas from flowing backward due to wind pressure and to prevent rainwater from entering, a rectifying member for heat exchange exhaust gas such as an exhaust port cover 5 is installed at the exhaust port of the heat exchange exhaust gas channel 4. It is desirable to do.

  Further, in the above-described embodiment, the heat-dissipating air passages 3 are provided between the front panel 21 and the rear panel 22 (in the X-axis direction), which are opposed to each other. It may be disposed between the left side panel 23 and the right side panel 24 (Y-axis direction), or may be disposed between the top panel 25 and the bottom panel 26 (Z-axis direction). In the case between the left and right side panels 23, 24, the downward inclination direction of the bottom surface of the ventilation passage 3 for heat radiation may be either left or right. It is desirable to incline.

  Further, the overall shape and small hole shape of the ventilation guards 27A and 27B attached to the openings at both ends of the heat radiation ventilation path 3 can be changed according to the installation location.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Fuel cell module 2 Heat exchanger 3 Radiation ventilation passage 4 Heat exchange exhaust gas flow path 5 Exhaust port cover 6 Radiator 7 Electric fan 10 Fuel cell device 11, 12, 13, 14, 15 Frame 20 Housing 21 Front panel 22 Rear surface Panel 23 Left side panel 24 Right side panel 25 Top panel 26 Bottom panel 27A, 27B Ventilation guard 30 Hot module accommodation room 40 Auxiliary equipment accommodation room

Claims (4)

A fuel cell module containing a cell stack that generates power using a fuel gas and an oxygen-containing gas in a storage container, a heat exchanger that exchanges heat with exhaust gas discharged from the fuel cell module and cools the exhaust gas, An auxiliary device for assisting the power generation operation of the fuel cell module, and a housing having a plurality of frames and a plurality of panels attached to the frames,
The casing, inside, at least the fuel cell module and the heat exchanger, and each of the auxiliary equipment is independently arranged,
In a position inside the housing that does not interfere with any of the fuel cell module, the heat exchanger, and the auxiliary device,
Among the plurality of panels, a tubular heat-dissipating ventilation path that is disposed between the facing panels and whose both ends open toward the outside of the housing,
Exhaust gas that has undergone heat exchange in the heat exchanger, a heat exchange exhaust gas flow path that is discharged into the ventilation passage for heat radiation,
A fuel cell device comprising:   The terminal opening of the heat exchange exhaust gas channel is located on a side wall surface or a top wall surface, excluding the bottom surface of the cylindrical heat-dissipating ventilation passage, and is located at a position directly facing the terminal opening, for rectifying the exhaust gas. The fuel cell device according to claim 1, further comprising a member.   The bottom surface of the heat-dissipating air passage is a slope inclined downward toward a panel located on a rear surface or a side surface excluding the front surface of the housing among the opposed panels. Item 3. The fuel cell device according to item 1 or 2.   The heat exchanger is a heat exchanger that exchanges heat between exhaust gas and water discharged from the fuel cell module, and reduces the temperature of water to be supplied to the heat exchanger in the ventilation passage for heat radiation. A radiator to be cooled, and a fan for cooling the radiator, and a terminal opening of the heat exchange exhaust gas passage is configured such that an air flow in the ventilation passage for heat radiation generated by rotation of the fan for cooling the radiator is lower than that of the fan. The fuel cell device according to any one of claims 1 to 3, which is located on a downstream side.

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