JPS62223980A - Temperature controller of fuel cell - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To make a structure compact, simple, and inexpensive by connecting a plurality of cooling pipes with common first and second manifold pipes, and connecting the first manifold pipe with a radiator and the second manifold pipe with a heater, and arranging a liquid level controller. CONSTITUTION:In cooling operation, the liquid level of a heating medium is set in the first liquid level 19 by operation of a liquid level controller 21. Heat generated in a fuel cell 11 is conducted to a cooling plate 6 to evaporate a heating medium in a cooling pipe 7. The vapor is introduced into the first connecting pipeline 8a having a rising gradient by buoyancy, and introduced into the first manifold pipe 10a through the first header pipe 9a. The vapor come out from many pipes 9a arranged every cooling plate 6 is gathered in one tube 10a, the rises and reaches the liquid level 19. The vapor continues to rise through the pipe 10a and reaches a tube 14 in a radiator 13. The vapor in the tube 14 is condensed by heat exchange with cooling water in a drum 15 of the radiator 13. The condensed liquid returns to the pipe 10a by gravity, and falls to the liquid level 19 and returns to the cooling pipe 7 through the pipe 10a, the pipe 9a, and the pipeline 8a. In heating operation, the heating medium is set to the second liquid level 20.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION [Field of Industrial Application] The present invention relates to a temperature control device for a fuel cell that circulates a heat medium to transport heat between the fuel cell and the outside.

[Conventional technology]

When starting a fuel cell from a stopped state, it is necessary to heat the fuel cell from the outside in order to promote the reaction, and during operation, it is necessary to constantly extract the heat generated inside the fuel cell to the outside. Conventionally, as a means for this purpose, a water flow heat exchange method has been generally adopted in which hot water or cooling water is sent from an external circulation pump to cooling pipes in cooling plates arranged at appropriate pitches in the stacking direction of the fuel cell. However, this method had the disadvantage that it was impossible to avoid the problem of corrosion inside the water pipes, which required strict water quality control.

As an alternative to this, a system has been devised in which a heat pipe is used as a heat exchanger for a fuel cell.
This is shown in Japanese Patent No. 80080.

The configuration of these examples is shown in FIG.
a) and (lb) are the upper cooling plate and lower cooling plate of the fuel cell, respectively, and the upper cooling plate (1a) of the lower cooling plate (lb)
) A cooling pipe (2) is installed on the side opposite to.

(4) is a radiator installed higher than the position of the cooling pipe (2), and (5) is a heater installed lower than the position of the cooling pipe (2). (2), radiator (addition M to 4! (5), connection piping (8a),
(8b) and (Bc) connect each other to 1
form two closed loops. This interior is evacuated and then filled with a heat medium such as water or 7 liters.

The operation of such a conventional configuration will be explained. The heat generated in the stacked fuel cells is transferred from the top and bottom to the upper cooling plate (
la), is transmitted to the lower cooling plate (1b), and further transmitted to the cooling pipe (2) therein. This heat evaporates the heat medium sealed in the cooling pipe (2), and this steam is released into the air at a location higher than the cooling pipe (2). Rg (4
) F. It is guided via connecting pipes (aa) and (ab). In the heat radiator (4), heat is radiated to the outside, and the steam is condensed and liquefied. The condensate flows through the connecting pipe (
8a) and (8b) and returns to the cooling pipe (2). Next, the heating method at startup will be explained. The heat medium whose density has been reduced by being heated in the heater (5) by a heating means such as an electric heater is buoyant due to the density difference between the heat medium and the heat medium in the cooling pipe (2). (8a) and flows into the cooling pipe (2), giving heat to the upper cooling plate (la) and lower cooling plate (1b) to heat the fuel cell. The heat medium, which has been cooled there and whose density has increased, returns to the heater (5) t due to its own weight. In this way, it is possible to circulate heat medium in a closed loop and transport heat without using power.

[Problem that the invention seeks to solve]

Incidentally, a large number of cooling plates (6) for the fuel cell are arranged at appropriate pitches in the stacking direction for effective cooling and heating of the fuel cell. However, in the conventional device described above, there are one radiator (4) and one heater (5) for one set of cooling plates (6).
Since this combination occupies a large space in the height direction, the limited product PIJ of the fuel WtftJl
There was a problem in that it was difficult to arrange the heat radiator (4) and heater (5) within the height dimension. Moreover, even if it were possible to arrange them, there would be a large number of radiators (4) and heaters (
5), it has disadvantages such as requiring a large amount of space, complicating the structure, and incurring a large production cost.

The present invention was made to solve the above-mentioned problems, and an object of the present invention is to provide a compact, simple, and inexpensive temperature control device for a fuel cell.

[Means for solving problems]

Fuel 1 to keep this invention! The pond temperature control device connects first and second connecting pipes constituting the inlet and outlet of the cooling pipes in each cooling plate. The first manifold pipe is connected to the first #second manifold pipe through the second header pipe, and the first manifold pipe is connected to the radiator placed at the top, and the second manifold pipe is connected to the heater placed at the bottom. Cooling pipes, connecting pipes, header pipes, manifold pipes, radiators, and heaters constitute one closed-loop temperature control system, and an appropriate amount of heat medium is sealed in this system to control the heat of one temperature control system. It is equipped with a liquid level adjustment mechanism that adjusts the liquid level of the medium.

[Effect]

The temperature control device for a fuel cell according to the present invention circulates a heat medium between the first cooling pipe and the upper radiator during the cooling operation of the fuel cell, and heats the cooling pipe and the lower part during the heating operation of the fuel cell. Effective cooling and heating of the fuel cell is realized by circulating a heat medium between the fuel cell and the fuel cell.

〔Example〕

An embodiment of the present invention is shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 below.

This will be explained based on FIG. Figure 2 shows a large number of cooling plates (6
), which conceptually shows a combination of a fuel cell Qll and a temperature control system, and FIG. 1 shows the structure around the cooling plate (6). In Fig. 1, (7) is a cooling pipe installed in the cooling plate (6), and the cooling pipe (7) is arranged so as to constitute a plurality of parallel flows in the cooling plate (6). A plurality of 19th second connection pipes (8a), (
8b). The first connection pipe (8a) is connected to a first header pipe (9a) located at a higher level than the cooling pipe (7), and the first header pipe (9a) is connected to a first manifold pipe (10a) that is connected vertically. connected to. The other second connection pipe (8b) is connected to a second header pipe (9b) located lower than the cooling pipe (7), and the second header pipe (
9b) is the second manifold pipe (10b) that connects up and down.
). In Figure 2, (6), (7)
.

(8a), (8b), (9a), (9b), (10a)
, (10b) is a somewhat conceptual depiction of the same thing as in FIG.

1st. One set of second header pipes (9a) and (9b) is arranged for one cooling plate (6), and the number of second header pipes (9a) and (9b) is equal to the number of cooling plates arranged in the stacking direction of the fuel cell αη. The second manifold pipes (10a) and (10b) communicate with each other in the vertical direction, and are configured as a pair. (To) is a radiator consisting of a body (To) and a tube A4, and is arranged at a higher level than the cooling plate (6) at the top of the fuel cell (B). The tube α fathom of the radiator (to) is arranged to be inclined from the horizontal, and one end of the lower side of the tube Q4 is connected to the upper part of the first manifold pipe (10a). Also (l
consists of a body (goods) and a tube αη, and a fuel cell (
This is a heater placed lower than the cooling plate (6) at the bottom of heater Q. Similarly, the tube (b) of heater Q is placed at an angle from the horizontal, and the tube (b) of heater Q One end is connected to the lower part of the second manifold pipe (10b). In this way, the cooling pipe (7), the first. 2nd connection pipes (8a), (8b), 1st. Second header pipe (9a
), (9b), 1st. Second manifold tube (lea
).

(10b), radiator tube α◆, heater Q
The ej tube (b) is one closed loop temperature control system (
2). After the inside of the temperature control system (2) is evacuated to vacuum, a heat medium such as water or fluorocarbon is filled in the temperature control system (2). 0
1 is the first liquid level of the heat medium that should be maintained during the cooling operation of the fuel cell (b), and is at least the height of the cooling plate (6) at the top of the fuel cell (b) and above the radiator ( ) tube (L4
is set to a range less than or equal to the height of (E) is a fuel cell (
This is the second liquid level of the heat medium that must be maintained during the heating operation in (b), and is below the height of the cooling plate (6) at the bottom of one fuel cell αη and above the height of the tube (b) of the heater QIS. The range is set to . @ is a liquid level adjustment mechanism that adjusts the liquid level of the heat medium according to the cooling and heating of the fuel cell Qη.
2), the heat medium is charged to the liquid level adjustment mechanism (2) or discharged from the liquid level adjustment mechanism (2). Figure 8 shows an example of the liquid level adjustment mechanism (c). The liquid level adjustment mechanism (b) is composed of a chamber (e), a bellows (to), an actuator (■), and a spindle (a). , a heat medium is housed within the bellows.

Next, the operation of the embodiments shown in FIGS. 1, 2, and 8 will be explained. First, the operation during cooling of the fuel cell oTJ will be described. During the cooling operation of the fuel cell aη, the liquid level of the heat medium in the temperature adjustment system (2) is set to the first liquid level Q by operating the liquid level adjustment mechanism (b). In this state, the heat generated in the stacked fuel cells (b) is transferred to the cooling plate (6), and the heat is further transferred to the cooling pipe (7) inside the cooling plate (6). Evaporate the heat medium filling the tube (7). The vapor of the heating medium that has absorbed the latent heat of vaporization is guided by buoyancy to the first connecting pipe (8a) with an upward slope, and then passes through the first header pipe (9a) to the first manifold pipe (10a). guided by. The steam coming out of a large number of first header pipes (9a) arranged for each cooling plate (6) is collected in one first manifold pipe (10a), and the steam is further transferred to the first manifold pipe (10a) due to buoyancy. The liquid rises in the manifold tube (tea) and reaches the first liquid level α. From there, the steam further rises in the first manifold/I/do pipe (10a) and reaches the tube (b) of the radiator (2). Heat sink (
Cooling water is passed through the body (to) of 2), and the steam in the tube (b) is condensed and liquefied by heat exchange with this cooling water. The condensate in the tube a4 returns to the first manifold pipe (10a) by its own weight, and the condensate further falls in the first manifold pipe (10a) to reach the first liquid level aI.
I, from where the liquid flows to the first manifold tube (10a
), first header pipe (9a)% first connection pipe (8a
) and returns to the cooling pipe (7). In this way, a cooling system is constructed as a so-called heat pipe that utilizes the absorption and release of latent heat accompanied by a phase change.Next, the operation of the fuel cell (6) during heating will be described. During the heating operation of the fuel cell (b), the temperature control system (6) is adjusted by operating the liquid level control mechanism (2).
The liquid level of the heat medium is set to the second liquid level (1). Also, the flow of cooling water to the radiator (to) is stopped and the heater (to) is stopped.
A heating medium such as steam or hot water is passed through the body (G) of the device (G). The heat medium in the tube Qη of the heater α is given heat by the heating medium on the body side, and the heat medium in the tube Qη of the heater α is heated.
Evaporates within η. The heat transfer steam generated here reaches the second manifold pipe (10b) due to buoyancy, and the steam further rises within the second manifold pipe (10b) due to buoyancy and reaches the second liquid level. . From there, the steam further rises in the second manifold pipe (10b) and reaches the cooling pipe (7) via the second header pipe (9b) and the second connecting pipe (8b). Here, the cooling plate (6) of the fuel cell (b)
is heated by the heat provided by the steam, while the cooling pipe (7)
The steam inside condenses and liquefies as it loses heat.

The condensate flows from the cooling pipe (7) through the second connection pipe (sb) and the second header pipe (9b) to the second manifold pipe (10b) due to its own weight, and further the condensate flows to the second manifold pipe (10b). (10b) and falls to the second liquid level (1)
and from there the liquid flows into the second manifold tube (?Ob
) and returns to the tube αη of the heater Qli. Mr. Ei-D created a fuel cell α using heat vibrator operation.
A temperature control system (a) for η is constructed. Here, we will explain the operation of the liquid level adjustment mechanism when changing the liquid level of the heat medium during cooling and heating of the fuel cell αη. In Figure 8, the actuator (c) is an electric motor or pneumatic is used as a driving force to move the spindle (to the spindle), and the spindle (2) and bellows (to) move up and down by the operation of the actuator, and the bellows (2) of the liquid level adjustment mechanism (2)
The heat medium inside enters and exits through the introduction tube. fuel cell Q
When cooling l), push up this bellows (to),
The liquid level in the temperature control system (2) is raised to the first liquid level α, while when heating the fuel cell (b), the bellows (to) is pushed down to raise the liquid level in the temperature control system (2) to the first liquid level α. Lower it to the liquid level (E) in step 2.

Note that during the heating operation of the fuel cell (6), the heater QI
A part of the heat medium vapor generated in the tube Q of S passes through the cooling pipe (7), passes through the first manifold pipe (10a), and reaches the tube (B) of the PIA device (to). It is used to heat the radiator (to), but the heat capacity of the radiator (to) is small compared to the heat capacity of the fuel cell Qυ.
Since the fuel cell (B) heats up quickly, it is practically not a problem. However, if you want to heat up the fuel cell (B) as quickly as possible, you can also connect the fuselage (B) to the f8 radiation device (B) at the same time.
It is preferable to run steam or warm water through it.

The cooling and heating operations of the fuel cell (b) have been described above;
In this method, cooling pipes (7) of cooling plates (6) arranged in large numbers in the stacking direction of fuel cells (11) are connected to a pair of first and second cooling pipes (7). By connecting to the second manifold pipes (10a) and (10b), it is possible to share the radiator (to) and the heater α. Compared to a configuration that requires a heat radiator and heating kg, it can be significantly more compact.

In the above embodiment, the configuration of the cooling pipe (7) is one-way flow, but it is not limited to this configuration, and may have a flow configuration with one or more round trips.
have the same effect. An example in the case of one reciprocating flow configuration is shown in Fig. 4. In Fig. 4, (6) to (10b) show the same things as Fig. 1. Fig. 4 shows the flow of the cooling pipe (7). The only difference is the configuration of the temperature control system (2), the heat transfer mechanism, etc., which are completely the same as the embodiments shown in FIGS. 1 and 2.

In addition, in the configurations shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the cooling pipe (7) in the cooling plate (6) is connected from the connecting pipe (8b) to the connecting pipe (8).
a) It may be arranged so as to have an upward slope toward the fill.

Further, in the above embodiment, a pair of first . Although an example has been shown in which the second manifold pipes (10a) and (10b) are used, for example, the first manifold pipes (10a) and (10b) are configured. Second header pipe (9a), (9b
) Multiple sets of manifold pipes may be installed, such as two pairs of manifold pipes on each side of the pipe, and the same effect can be achieved. Furthermore, the cooling plate (6) may be divided into a plurality of blocks in the stacking direction of the fuel cell (B) and a combination of a manifold pipe, a radiator, and a heater may be arranged for each block. Good・Furthermore, in the above embodiment, in order to smooth the flow of steam and liquid, the first. Second connection pipe (8a
), (8b), the tube Q4 of the radiator (to) and the tube (17) of the heater CA each have a slope, but it is not necessarily necessary to have a slope, and it is not necessary to make any or all of them horizontal. It can be placed anywhere to achieve the intended purpose. In this case, there is an advantage that the structure is simpler and manufacturing is easier. In addition, in order to obtain the gradient of αη for this tube Q41, it is necessary to use the radiator (to) itself or the heater Ql.
You can also tilt the heater itself (or even use it as a radiator), heater α・
may be arranged so that the tubes α◆ and Oη face in the vertical direction. In the above embodiment, an example was described in which a shell-and-tube type radiator (to) and a heater (to) were arranged. The radiator (2) and the heater (lie) may be of any type; the cooling medium of the radiator (2) is not limited to water; for example, it may be an air-cooled system with fins; The heating method for α is not limited to steam or hot water.
For example, an electric heater may be used.

Note that the structure of the liquid level adjustment mechanism is not limited to that shown in FIG.
In addition, the connection position of the inlet pipe (branch) of the liquid level adjustment mechanism Q is not limited to the position shown in Fig. 2;
If the height is below the lowest cooling plate (6), the first manifold pipe (10a) and the second manifold pipe (10a)
b) It may be connected to either of the tubes of the heater αQ.

〔Effect of the invention〕

As described above, according to the present invention, a plurality of cooling pipes arranged in the stacking direction of fuel cells are connected by a common first and second manifold pipe, and a radiator with a $1 manifold pipe arranged at the top Furthermore, since the second manifold pipe is connected to the heater disposed at the bottom, it is possible to obtain a temperature control device for a fuel cell that is compact, simple in structure, and inexpensive.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

1 and 2 are perspective views and system diagrams of main parts showing a temperature control device for a fuel cell according to an embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 8 is a detailed view 1 and 4 showing a liquid level control mechanism according to the present invention. This figure is a perspective view of a main part of a temperature control device for a fuel cell according to another embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 6 is a perspective view of a conventional temperature control device for a fuel cell. In the figure, (6) is a cooling plate, (7) is a cooling pipe, (8a
). (8b) is the first and second connection piping, (9a) = (9b)
are the first and second header pipes, (10a) and (10b) are the first and second header pipes. The second manifold pipe, (B) is the fuel cell, (A) is the temperature control system, (To) is the radiator, Q is the heater #I, (
2) is a liquid level adjustment mechanism. Note that the same reference numerals in the figures indicate the same or equivalent parts.

Claims (2)

[Claims] (1) Cooling pipes arranged to form a plurality of parallel flows among a plurality of cooling plates arranged in the stacking direction of the fuel cell, and a first header pipe arranged for each cooling plate. and second
a first connecting pipe connecting the first header pipe and one outlet of the cooling pipe, and a first connecting pipe connecting the second header pipe and the other outlet of the cooling pipe. 2, a radiator placed higher than the top cooling plate, a heater placed lower than the bottom cooling plate, the first header pipe, and the radiator. and a second manifold pipe that connects the second header pipe and the heater, forming a closed loop temperature control system, in which a heat medium is sealed. In addition, the fuel cell is characterized by comprising a liquid level adjustment mechanism that is connected to the temperature adjustment system at a position lower than the height of the lowest cooling plate of the fuel cell and adjusts the liquid level of the heat medium in the temperature adjustment system. Temperature control device for fuel cells. (2) During the cooling operation of the fuel cell, the liquid level adjustment mechanism operates to maintain the liquid level of the heat medium within a range that is above the height of the cooling plate at the top of the fuel cell and below the height of the radiator. , characterized in that, during heating operation of the fuel cell, the heating medium operates to maintain the liquid level within a range below the height of the lowest cooling plate of the fuel cell and above the height of the heater. A temperature control device for a fuel cell according to claim 1.