JPH06290800A - Fuel cell power generating device - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To eliminate the wasteful consumption of a substituting inert gas and reduction in the pressure of an operating gas so as to restart a fuel cell power generating device by arranging an auxiliary inert gas cylinder in the device so as to derive the supply of gas to the device from the cylinder when electromagnetic valve operating power is lost. CONSTITUTION:A small-sized auxiliary inert gas cylinder 26 is arranged in a fuel power generating device, and then electromagnetic valves 24, 25 are arranged at the outlet of the cylinder 26 so as to be connected to a substituting gas system 21 and an operating gas system 23 respectively. When electromagnetic valve operating power is lost, electromagnetic valves 22 and 15 shut off an inert gas supplied from an inert gas source 16 while also the electromagnetic valve 25 is shut, and consequently the pressure of gas for operating cylinder valves 5, 7 is reduced so that the device may be set in its substituted gas operating condition that the valve 7 is opened while the valve 5 is shut. Then an inert gas from the auxiliary inert gas cylinder 26 is supplied to a fuel reformer 2, a gas supply system 4 and an air supply system 3 respectively via the electromagnetic valve 24 and the substituting gas system 21 so as to substitute the auxiliary gas for the live one. Thus operation of the device can be safely stopped without wastefully consuming the live inert gas when the electromagnetic valve operating power is lost, while the device can be kept in restartable standby condition.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention has a pneumatic cylinder valve, and when the power generation is stopped or the power is lost, the residual gas in the fuel cell, the fuel reformer, the air supply system, and the fuel gas supply system is replaced with nitrogen gas or the like. The present invention relates to a fuel cell power generation device in which the inert gas is replaced.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art FIG. 2 is a system flow diagram showing a main part of a conventional fuel cell power generator. A fuel cell (stack) 1 composed of a stack of single cells has a fuel reformer 2 at its fuel electrode.
Is supplied with fuel gas from the fuel gas supply system 4 from
Receiving reaction air from an air supply system 3 including an air blower (not shown) at the air electrode, electricity is generated based on an electrochemical reaction. The fuel gas supply system includes a pneumatic cylinder valve 5 near the fuel cell to shut off the fuel gas in an emergency. Further, a bypass passage 6 having a second pneumatic cylinder valve 7 is provided between the intake side of the pneumatic cylinder valve 5 and the exhaust system 8 of the fuel electrode, and when the reformer 2 is started, the pneumatic cylinder valve 5 is provided. Is closed, the second pneumatic cylinder valve 7 is opened to bypass the fuel gas to the exhaust system 8 side, and is supplied to the burner 2B of the fuel reformer 2 to burn hydrogen, and the heat generated by the fuel reforms the fuel. The temperature raising operation of the pouch is performed.

The pneumatic cylinder valve 5 is opened by operating gas pressure and the second pneumatic cylinder valve 7 is closed by operating gas pressure. Each cylinder is electromagnetically shut off from the operating gas system 13. It is connected via valve 15 to an inert gas source 16 outside the generator.
An inert gas storage tank or an air compressor is used as the inert gas source 16, and a solenoid valve that is closed when the operating power is lost (when the exciting current is shut off) is used as the electromagnetic shutoff valve 15. Therefore, during the temperature raising operation of the fuel reformer 2, when the electromagnetic cutoff valve 15 is de-excited to reduce the operating gas pressure, the pneumatic cylinder valve 5 for shutting off the fuel gas is closed,
Since the second pneumatic cylinder valve 7 is opened to send the fuel gas to the burner -2B side and burn it, the temperature raising operation of the fuel reformer 2 is performed. When the shutoff valve 15 is excited and opened during the power generation operation of the fuel cell 1, the second pneumatic cylinder valve 7 is closed, and the pneumatic cylinder valve 5 is opened to supply the fuel gas to the fuel cell 1 to perform the power generation operation. Be seen.

On the other hand, when the operation of the fuel cell power generator is stopped, or when the operating power supply supplied from the outside is lost (power failure), the reaction gas remaining in each part of the power generator is promptly replaced with an inert gas. It is necessary to ensure the safety of the device and prevent the deterioration of the electrode catalyst caused by the reaction gas remaining in the fuel cell 1. For this reason, a replacement gas system 11 communicating with the fuel inlet side of the fuel reformer 2, the fuel electrode inlet side of the fuel cell 1, and the air electrode inlet side is provided, and the other end is connected to the outside through an electromagnetic cutoff valve 12. It is configured to connect to an active gas source 16. Therefore, when the operation of the fuel cell power generator is stopped, the electromagnetic shutoff valve 15
Is closed, the pneumatic cylinder valve 5 is closed, and the second pneumatic cylinder valve 7 is opened. By shutting off the excitation of the electromagnetic cutoff valve 12 that is closed when excited, the open state is obtained. The inert gas, for example, nitrogen gas, supplied to the fuel inlet side of the fuel reformer 2 through the system 11 is burned in the burner 2B through the reforming pipe of the fuel reformer 2 and the bypass passage 6. The fuel gas remaining in the nitrogen gas passage can be replaced with nitrogen gas. Further, the nitrogen gas supplied to the fuel electrode inlet side of the fuel cell 1 passes through the fuel electrode system and the exhaust system 8 of the fuel cell 1 and the burner 2
The fuel gas that burns in B and remains in the passage of the nitrogen gas can be replaced with nitrogen gas. Further, the nitrogen gas supplied to the air electrode inlet side of the air supply system 3 is discharged to the outside through the air electrode system and the exhaust system 9 of the fuel cell 1,
The air remaining in the nitrogen gas passage can be replaced with nitrogen gas. When the gas replacement is completed, the electromagnetic shut-off valve 12 is excited to bring it into a closed state to prevent wasteful consumption of the inert gas.

[0005]

In the conventional fuel cell power generator, when a compressor provided outside the device as an operation gas source fails, or as an alternative gas source, an inert gas in an external storage tank 16 is used. If the gas pressure drops below the operating pressure due to forgetting to replenish the fuel, the pneumatic cylinder valves 5 and 7 cannot be operated.

A solenoid valve that opens when the operating power is lost is used as the electromagnetic shutoff valve 12 of the replacement gas system 11. For example, even if the power is lost during the gas replacement operation, the gas replacement is continued and the safety of the apparatus is improved. It is configured to be able to hold the gas and to be able to immediately shift to the gas replacement operation even if the power supply is lost during the operation of the device or the temperature raising operation of the fuel reformer. In the conventional device, the electromagnetic cutoff valve 15 and the pneumatic cylinder valve 5 are closed (C) and the pneumatic cylinder valve 7 and the electromagnetic cutoff valve 12 are opened (O) due to the power loss.
During the power generation operation of the device, during the temperature raising operation of the fuel reformer,
Alternatively, even if the power supply is lost during gas replacement, the gas replacement state is immediately entered, but the electromagnetic shutoff valve 12 that has been opened due to the power supply loss cannot be closed until the power supply is restored from the loss state. Since it is impossible, nitrogen gas continues to flow from the nitrogen storage tank 16 as an inert gas source through the replacement gas system 11 and the nitrogen gas is wasted, and sometimes the storage tank is empty. There is also a problem that the internal pressure of the storage tank falls below the operating gas pressure and the device cannot be restarted.

An object of the present invention is to eliminate the wasteful consumption of the inert gas for replacement and the reduction of the operating gas pressure due to the loss of the operating power supply, and to keep the fuel cell power generator in a restartable state.

[0008]

To solve the above problems, according to the present invention, a fuel cell and a fuel reformer for supplying a fuel gas to a fuel electrode of the fuel cell through a fuel gas supply system are provided. An air supply system for supplying reaction air to the air electrode of the fuel cell; a pneumatic cylinder valve for shutting off fuel gas arranged in the fuel gas supply system; and a pneumatic cylinder valve having an electromagnetic shutoff valve. An operating gas system for supplying an inert gas for operation to the fuel reformer, a fuel electrode system of the fuel cell, and an air supply system each having an electromagnetic shutoff valve when power generation of the fuel cell is stopped. A replacement gas system for supplying an active gas, and an inert gas source for supplying an inert gas to the operation gas system and the replacement gas system, which are external to the apparatus, and are shut off from the operation gas system and the replacement gas system Through the valve The ligated auxiliary inert gas cylinder provided in the apparatus Te, and made formed to switch on the auxiliary inert gas cylinder supplying the inert gas during the operation loss of power of the electromagnetic cut-off valve from the outside source of inert gas.

Further, the replacement gas system shutoff valve that receives the supply of the inert gas from the auxiliary inert gas cylinder is an electromagnetic shutoff valve that opens when the power source is lost, and the replacement gas receives the supply of the inert gas from the external inert gas source. The gas shutoff valve shall be an electromagnetic shutoff valve that closes when power is lost. Further, the pneumatic cylinder valve for shutting off the fuel gas comprises a pneumatic cylinder valve opened by the operating gas pressure, and a second pneumatic cylinder closed by the operating gas pressure in a bypass passage connecting the intake side and the exhaust side of the fuel electrode. The shutoff valve of the operating gas system, which is equipped with a valve and is supplied with the inert gas from the external inert gas source and the auxiliary inert gas cylinder, shall be an electromagnetic shutoff valve that is closed when the power source is lost.

[0010]

In the present invention, the auxiliary inert gas cylinders connected to the operating gas system and the replacement gas system through the shutoff valve are provided in the apparatus, and the supply of the inert gas is externally shut off when the electromagnetic shutoff valve operating power is lost. By configuring to switch from the active gas source to the auxiliary inert gas cylinder, when the electromagnetic shutoff valve is opened due to power loss, the inert gas that continues to flow through the replacement gas system becomes inactive in the auxiliary inert gas cylinder. Since the gas is limited to the gas, it is possible to obtain a function of avoiding wasteful consumption of the inert gas in the main external inert gas source and putting the fuel cell power generator into a standby state for its restart.

Further, the replacement gas system shutoff valve that receives the supply of the inert gas from the auxiliary inert gas cylinder is an electromagnetic shutoff valve that opens when the power source is lost, and the replacement gas receives the supply of the inert gas from the external inert gas source. If the shutoff valve of the gas system is an electromagnetic shutoff valve that closes when the power is lost, the supply of inert gas to the replacement gas system is switched from the external inert gas source to the auxiliary inert gas cylinder when the operating power of the electromagnetic shutoff valve is lost. It is easy to operate, and when the electromagnetic shutoff valve is opened due to power loss, the inert gas that continues to flow through the replacement gas system can be limited to the inert gas in the auxiliary inert gas cylinder. It is possible to obtain a function of avoiding wasteful consumption of the inert gas in the external inert gas source and putting the fuel cell power generator into a standby state for its restart.

Further, the pneumatic cylinder valve for shutting off the fuel gas comprises a pneumatic cylinder valve opened by the operating gas pressure, and the bypass passage connecting the intake side and the exhaust side of the fuel electrode is closed by the operating gas pressure. If a pneumatic cylinder valve is installed and the shutoff valves of the operating gas system that receive the inert gas from the external inert gas source and the auxiliary inert gas cylinder are both electromagnetic shutoff valves that close when the power is lost, The two pneumatic cylinder valves open and close in opposite directions against the pressure, and the opening and closing operations can be reversed by opening and closing the electromagnetic shutoff valve, so that either the external inert gas source side or the auxiliary inert gas cylinder side is shut off. Even if valves are used, the two pneumatic cylinder valves can be opened and closed according to the operation of the fuel cell, and both shutoff valves If you close, function of switching immediately two pneumatic cylinders valve closing state corresponding to the gas replacement operation can be obtained.

[0013]

EXAMPLES The present invention will be described below based on examples. FIG. 1 is a system flow chart showing a main part of a fuel cell power generator according to an embodiment of the present invention. The same components as those of the conventional technique are designated by the same reference numerals, and a duplicate description will be omitted. In the figure, a nitrogen cylinder having a smaller capacity than the external inert gas source 16 composed of, for example, a nitrogen gas storage tank is provided as the auxiliary inert gas cylinder 26 in the fuel cell power generator, and its outlet is provided at the time of power loss. An electromagnetic shutoff valve 24 that is in an open (flow) state and an electromagnetic shutoff valve 25 that is in a closed (shutdown) state when power is lost are provided, and the electromagnetic shutoff valve 22 that is closed when the power is lost. External inert gas source 16 connected to the discharge side
A substitution gas system 21 is configured to control switching between the auxiliary inert gas cylinder 26 and the auxiliary inert gas cylinder 26. Further, the electromagnetic shutoff valve 25 is connected to the discharge side of the electromagnetic shutoff valve 15 that is closed when the power supply is lost to form an operating gas system 23 that reverses the open / closed states of the two pneumatic cylinder valves 5 and 7. The pneumatic cylinder valve 5 for shutting off the fuel gas operated by the operation gas system is a pneumatic cylinder valve opened by the operation gas pressure, and the second pneumatic cylinder valve 7 arranged in the bypass passage 6 is A pneumatic cylinder valve that is closed by operating gas pressure is used.

In the fuel cell power generator configured as described above, the temperature raising operation and the power generation operation operation of the fuel reformer 2 operate the operations of the two pneumatic cylinder valves 5 and 7 that perform the opposite opening / closing operations. By reversing with the electromagnetic shutoff valve 15 on the gas system 23 side, the same operation as the conventional operation is performed. That is, when the excitation of the electromagnetic cutoff valves 22 and 15 is cut off to cut off the gas pressure from the external inert gas source, the pneumatic cylinder valve 5 is closed and the pneumatic cylinder valve 7 is opened to improve the fuel efficiency. When the temperature of the quality control device 2 can be increased and the electromagnetic shutoff valve 15 is opened, the pneumatic cylinder valve 5 is opened and the pneumatic cylinder valve 7 is closed, and power generation operation is enabled. Further, if the electromagnetic cutoff valve 22 is opened in the temperature raising operation state of the fuel reformer 2 in which the excitation of the electromagnetic cutoff valves 22 and 15 is cut off, the fuel reformer from the external inert gas source 16 via the replacement gas system 21. 2, an inert gas is supplied to the fuel cell 1 and the air supply system 3, and gas replacement of each part can be performed.

On the other hand, when the operating power supply is lost in each of the above operating states, the electromagnetic shutoff valves 22 and 15 enter the shutoff state (C) to shut off the supply of the inert gas from the external inert gas source 16 and at the same time Since the shutoff valve 25 is also in the shutoff state (C) and the operating gas pressure of the two pneumatic cylinder valves 5 and 7 drops, the second pneumatic cylinder valve 7 is opened and the pneumatic cylinder valve 5 is shut off. The inert gas in the auxiliary inert gas cylinder 26 becomes the replacement gas through the electromagnetic shut-off valve 24 and the replacement gas system 21 that are in the replacement operation state and are in the open state (O) due to the loss of the power supply as the replacement gas. The gas is supplied to the supply system 4 and the air supply system 3, respectively, so that gas replacement can be performed. Therefore, if the amount of stored gas in the auxiliary inert gas cylinder 26 is set to an amount sufficient to perform one gas replacement, the operating states of the temperature raising operation, the power generation operation, and the gas replacement operation by the external inert gas source 16 are Immediately switch to the gas replacement state by the auxiliary inert gas cylinder 26, the fuel cell power generator can be safely stopped without wasting the inert gas, and the external inert gas source 16 can be used again for the fuel cell power generator. It can be kept in a standby state where it can be activated. Further, if the used auxiliary inert gas cylinder 26 is replaced with a new cylinder when the power loss is recovered, the fuel cell power generator can be put in a standby state for power loss.

[0016]

As described above, according to the present invention, the auxiliary inert gas cylinders connected to the operating gas system and the replacement gas system via the shutoff valve are provided in the apparatus, and the auxiliary shutoff valve becomes inactive when the operating power of the electromagnetic shutoff valve is lost. The gas supply was switched from an external inert gas source to an auxiliary inert gas cylinder. As a result, the amount of replacement gas flowing to the fuel reformer, fuel cell, and air supply system due to power loss can be limited to the amount of inert gas in the auxiliary inert gas cylinder. This eliminates the problem that the inert gas from the external inert gas source with a large capacity continues to flow unnecessarily, avoiding the wasteful consumption of the inert gas in the main external inert gas source, and It is possible to put the battery power generation device in a standby state for its restart, and it is possible to provide a fuel cell power generation device having highly reliable and economical gas replacement performance and electromagnetic shutoff valve operation performance.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a system flow chart showing a main part of a fuel cell power generator according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a system flow diagram showing a main part of a conventional fuel cell power generator.

[Explanation of symbols]

1 Fuel Cell 2 Fuel Reformer 3 Air Supply System 4 Fuel Gas Supply System 5 Pneumatic Cylinder Valve (For Fuel Gas Cutoff, Open When Pressurized) 6 Bypass Passage 7 Second Pneumatic Cylinder Valve (Closed When Pressurized) 8 Exhaust system 9 Exhaust system 11 Replacement gas system 12 Electromagnetic cutoff valve (for replacement gas cutoff, open when power is lost) 13 Operation gas system 15 Electromagnetic cutoff valve (operation gas cutoff, closed when power is lost) 16 External inert gas source 21 Replacement gas system 22 Electromagnetic cutoff valve (for replacement gas cutoff, closed when power is lost) 23 Operation gas system 24 Electromagnetic cutoff valve (displacement gas cutoff, opened when power is lost) 25 Electromagnetic cutoff valve (operation gas cutoff, power loss) 26) Auxiliary inert gas cylinder

Claims (3)

[Claims] 1. A fuel cell, and a fuel reformer for supplying a fuel gas to a fuel electrode of the fuel cell through a fuel gas supply system,
An air supply system for supplying reaction air to the air electrode of the fuel cell, a pneumatic cylinder valve for shutting off fuel gas arranged in the fuel gas supply system, and an electromagnetic shutoff valve for operating the pneumatic cylinder valve. Inert gas for gas replacement in the fuel reformer, the fuel electrode system of the fuel cell, and the air supply system when the fuel cell stops generating electricity And an inert gas source for supplying an inert gas to the operation gas system and the replacement gas system outside the apparatus, and a shutoff valve for each of the operation gas system and the replacement gas system. It is equipped with an auxiliary inert gas cylinder connected through the inside of the device, and is configured to switch the supply of the inert gas from the external inert gas source to the auxiliary inert gas cylinder when the operating power supply of the electromagnetic shutoff valve is lost. Fuel cell power generation system characterized by comprising. 2. A replacement that receives an inert gas supply from an auxiliary inert gas cylinder, wherein a shut-off valve of a replacement gas system is an electromagnetic shut-off valve that opens when a power source is lost, and receives an inert gas supply from an external inert gas source. The gas shutoff valve comprises an electromagnetic shutoff valve that closes when power is lost.
The fuel cell power generator described. 3. A pneumatic cylinder valve for shutting off fuel gas comprises a pneumatic cylinder valve opened by operating gas pressure, and a second bypass passage connecting the intake side and the exhaust side of the fuel electrode is closed by operating gas pressure. In addition to having a pneumatic cylinder valve, the shutoff valve of the operating gas system that receives the supply of the inert gas from the external inert gas source and the auxiliary inert gas cylinder is both an electromagnetic shutoff valve that closes when the power is lost. The fuel cell power generator according to claim 1.