KR102288572B1 - stack module of solid oxide fuel cell - Google Patents

Abstract

A solid oxide fuel cell stack according to an embodiment of the present invention includes: a plurality of fuel cell stacks having a planar solid fuel; a high-temperature system peripheral portion coupled to a lower portion of the fuel cell stack; an insulating plate for insulating between the fuel cell stack and a periphery of the high temperature system; and a high-temperature box surrounding the plurality of fuel cell stacks and a periphery of the high-temperature system, and the one periphery of the high-temperature system may be coupled to the plurality of fuel cell stacks.

Description

Stack module of solid oxide fuel cell

The present invention relates to a stack module of a solid oxide fuel cell. More particularly, the present invention relates to a stack module of a solid oxide fuel cell having a structure that facilitates combination between a plurality of stacks and modules including a plurality of stacks.

A fuel cell is an energy conversion device that directly converts the chemical energy of a fuel into electrical energy through an electrochemical oxidation reaction of the fuel. Theoretically, high power generation efficiency can be obtained. In addition, it is easy to modularize, so various capacities can be obtained, and when hydrogen is used as a fuel, it is an environmentally friendly power generation method that does not emit pollutants other than water.

Fuel cells have different operating conditions and characteristics depending on their constituent materials. In particular, alkaline fuel cell (AFC), phosphoric acid fuel cell (PAFC), and polymer electrolyte membrane fuel (PEMFC) are used depending on the electrolyte used. cell), a molten carbonate fuel cell (MCFC), and a solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC). Among them, the electrolyte and electrode, which are basic elements constituting the cell, of SOFC are all made of ceramic, and the operating temperature (500-1000℃) is high, so the power generation efficiency is high and the exhaust gas arrangement can be used. In particular, due to high-temperature operation, it is possible to use various fuels such as carbon monoxide, methane, gasoline, and diesel as well as hydrogen. is expected to be

SOFC consists of an oxygen ion conductive electrolyte and an anode and an anode located on both sides of the electrolyte. According to the geometric shape, it is divided into cylindrical, flat, and integral types.

Cylindrical solid oxide fuel cells do not require gas sealing and have excellent mechanical strength, but have disadvantages such as a long current path, high internal resistance, and low power density.

The cylindrical solid oxide fuel cell module disclosed in Korean Patent Registration No. 10-1245626 shows a method of using a large capacity by modularizing the stack. Cylindrical solid oxide fuel cells can be bundled with different electrode shapes. At this time, current collection is mainly possible with a wire, and may be configured in series or in parallel depending on the connection of the wires. However, since the wire connection configuration is difficult and the capacity is relatively low compared to the volume, there is still a structural difficulty in configuring it in a large size.

The flat-panel solid oxide fuel cell has high power density and productivity, and it is possible to thin the electrolyte.

However, there is a problem that not only is it difficult to manufacture a large-area cell, but it is also not easy to manufacture a large-capacity stack. In particular, when the cell size is increased, there is a limitation in performance due to an imbalance in the supply of internal gas and a temperature difference between the top and bottom.

The planar solid oxide fuel cell stack disclosed in Korean Patent Registration No. 10-1237735 constitutes one stack by being connected in series and parallel in unit cells. Although it is possible to increase the size of the stack, the reformer is built in to improve the temperature difference, which is a disadvantage of the increase in size.

However, the fact that a unit cell is made by reducing the size of the flat plate, a stack is formed by connecting a plurality of unit cells, and a reformer is provided for each unit cell is complicated because a plurality of fuel and air lines must be configured. When stacks are combined, there is a clear structural limit to enlargement.

Korean Patent Registration No. 10-1245626 (2013. 03. 14) Republic of Korea Patent Registration No. 10-1237735 (2013. 02. 19)

It is an object of the present invention to utilize a basic stack in which mass productivity and stability of a planar solid oxide fuel cell are secured, so that the series/parallel configuration can be easily modified, and a plurality of modules can be combined by simplifying the components. To provide a battery stack module.

A solid oxide fuel cell stack according to an embodiment of the present invention includes: a plurality of fuel cell stacks having a planar solid fuel; a high-temperature system peripheral portion coupled to a lower portion of the fuel cell stack; an insulating plate for insulating between the fuel cell stack and a periphery of the high temperature system; and a high-temperature box surrounding the plurality of fuel cell stacks and a periphery of the high-temperature system.

The one high-temperature system periphery may be coupled to the plurality of fuel cell stacks.

The plurality of fuel cell stacks includes an operation unit capable of combining plate-shaped positive and negative electrodes located at both ends of the stack, and a current collector bus bar connected to the positive and negative plates and connected to the outside of the high-temperature box, in series and in parallel. Including, the manipulation unit may select at least one of all series, all parallel, and a mixture of series and parallel according to a desired output.

The periphery of the high-temperature system includes a catalytic combustor for combustion of stack exhaust gas, a cylindrical and tube-type air preheater for recovering waste heat of exhaust gas after combustion, a steam generator for phase-converting water into steam, and a fuel preheater for preheating fuel; , a fuel reformer that converts the gas into a gas containing a large amount of hydrogen, a power converter that adjusts the voltage of the produced direct current electricity and converts it into alternating current electricity, and the fuel passes through the fuel preheater and is supplied to the fuel reformer A moving fuel line, an air line passing through the air preheater and the fuel cell stack so that the air can absorb heat, and passing through the fuel reformer so that the heat of the heated air can be recovered, and the water is steamed A steam line for supplying the steam to the fuel reformer through a steam generator that converts A fuel supply line for supplying the inside, and a line passing through a portion where the fuel cell stack and the high-temperature system peripheral part are coupled so that the fuel line, the air line, and the exhaust line can move between the high-temperature system periphery and the fuel cell stack. It may include a penetration part.

The line through portion is provided on the fuel cell stack and the insulating plate at the same position as the position formed around the high temperature system, and the exhaust line, the air line, and the fuel supply line may pass.

The high temperature system periphery may include a sealing material for sealing the gap between the fuel cell stack, the insulating plate, and the high temperature system periphery and the gap between the fuel line, the air line, the exhaust line, and the line through part.

The solid oxide fuel cell stack according to an embodiment of the present invention may further include a module operation unit capable of connecting a plurality of solid oxide fuel cell stack modules by selecting at least one of parallel, series, and a mixture of parallel and series according to a desired output. can

A solid oxide fuel cell stack according to another embodiment of the present invention includes at least one first fuel cell stack not having a negative electrode plate, at least one second fuel cell stack having a negative electrode plate and an insulating plate, and the first fuel cell stack and the The second fuel cell stack may include a single high-temperature system periphery coupled to the negative electrode.

The first fuel cell stack may be connected in series with the second fuel cell stack, and when a plurality of the second fuel cell stacks are provided, the second fuel cell stacks may be connected in parallel.

The periphery of the high-temperature system includes a catalytic combustor for combustion of stack exhaust gas, a cylindrical and tube-type air preheater for recovering waste heat of exhaust gas after combustion, a steam generator for phase-converting water into steam, and a fuel preheater for preheating fuel; , a fuel reformer that converts the gas into a gas containing a large amount of hydrogen, a power converter that adjusts the voltage of the produced direct current electricity and converts it into alternating current electricity, and the fuel passes through the fuel preheater and is supplied to the fuel reformer A moving fuel line, the air passes through the air preheater, the first fuel cell stack, and the second fuel cell stack to absorb heat, and the fuel reformer is operated to recover the heat of the heated air. an air line passing through, a steam line passing through a steam generator converting the water into steam, and supplying the steam to a fuel reformer; an exhaust line discharging exhaust gas from the first fuel cell stack and the second fuel cell stack; , a fuel supply line for supplying the gas containing a large amount of hydrogen generated in the fuel reformer into the first fuel cell stack and the second fuel cell stack, and the fuel line, the air line, and the exhaust line are connected to the high-temperature system and a line through portion penetrating a portion in which the first fuel cell stack and the second fuel cell stack and the high temperature system peripheral portion are coupled so as to move between the peripheral portion and the first fuel cell stack and the second fuel cell stack. can

The line through portion is provided on the second fuel cell stack and the insulating plate at the same position as the position formed around the high temperature system, and the exhaust line, the air line, and the fuel supply line may pass.

The high temperature system periphery portion includes a gap between the first fuel cell stack and the high temperature system periphery, an insulating plate of the second fuel cell stack and a gap between the high temperature system periphery and the fuel line, the air line, the exhaust line and the line through. It may include a sealing material for sealing the gap between the parts.

The solid oxide fuel cell stack according to another embodiment of the present invention may further include a module operation unit capable of connecting a plurality of solid oxide fuel cell stack modules by selecting at least one of parallel, series, and a mixture of parallel and series according to a desired output. can

Embodiments of the present invention modularize a plurality of basic stacks in which mass productivity and stability of a planar solid oxide fuel cell are secured, and can change the output by facilitating the combination of series/parallel.

In addition, according to embodiments of the present invention, by simplifying the structure of the solid oxide fuel cell stack module, it is possible to increase the capacity without a structural problem when a plurality of modules are combined.

1 is a front view of a solid oxide fuel cell stack module according to an embodiment.
2 is a block diagram of a solid oxide fuel cell stack module according to an embodiment.
3 is a perspective view of a solid oxide fuel cell stack module according to an embodiment.
4 is a front view of a solid oxide fuel cell stack module according to another embodiment.
5 is a block diagram of a solid oxide fuel cell stack module according to another embodiment.

The terms used in the present invention are only used to describe specific embodiments, and are not intended to limit the present invention. The singular expression includes the plural expression unless the context clearly dictates otherwise. In the present application, a term such as "comprises" is intended to designate that a feature, number, process, operation, component, part, or combination thereof described in the invention exists, but one or more other features, number, process , it should be understood that it does not preclude in advance the possibility of the existence or addition of an operation, component, part, or combination thereof.

Unless defined otherwise, all terms used herein, including technical or scientific terms, have the same meaning as commonly understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to which this invention belongs. Terms such as those defined in a commonly used dictionary should be interpreted as having a meaning consistent with the meaning in the context of the related art, and should not be interpreted in an ideal or excessively formal meaning unless explicitly defined in the present application. does not

The terms or words used in the present invention and claims should not be construed as being limited to their ordinary or dictionary meanings, and the inventor may properly define the concept of the term in order to best describe his invention. Based on the principle that there is, it should be interpreted as meaning and concept consistent with the technical idea of the present invention. In addition, if there is no other definition in the technical terms and scientific terms used, it has the meaning commonly understood by those of ordinary skill in the art to which this invention belongs, and in the following description and accompanying drawings, the gist of the present invention Descriptions of known functions and configurations that may be unnecessarily obscure will be omitted. The drawings according to the embodiment of the present invention are provided as examples so that the spirit of the present invention can be sufficiently conveyed to those skilled in the art. Accordingly, the present invention is not limited to the drawings presented according to the embodiment and may be embodied in other forms. Also, like reference numerals refer to like elements throughout. It should be noted that the same components in the drawings are denoted by the same reference numerals wherever possible.

Hereinafter, with reference to the drawings, a detailed description according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described.

A stack module 1 of a solid oxide fuel cell according to an embodiment of the present invention is coupled to a lower portion of a fuel cell stack 100 and a plurality of fuel cell stacks 100 having flat fuel as shown in FIG. 1 . High temperature surrounding the high temperature system peripheral part 200, the insulating plate 300 for insulating between the fuel cell stack 100 and the high temperature system peripheral part 200, and the plurality of fuel cell stacks 100 and the high temperature system peripheral part 200 contains box 400 .

A plurality of fuel cell stacks 100 may be included in the stack module 1 of one solid oxide fuel cell. Accordingly, one module 1 may produce various outputs according to the combination of the fuel cell stack 100 .

The configuration of the fuel cell stack 100 is as follows. The positive electrode plate 101 and the negative electrode plate 102 located at both ends of the fuel cell stack 100 may be present. The positive electrode 101 plate and the negative electrode 102 plate are connected to the operation unit 104 on the outside of the high-temperature box 400 by means of a current collector bus bar 103 or a conductor that can serve as the collector bus bar 103 . . The operation unit 104 may change the plurality of fuel cell stacks 100 in series, parallel, or series-parallel mixing form to suit the power required by the user.

In addition, in the module 1 , the stack 100 with low output among the plurality of fuel cell stacks 100 is excluded by the operation unit 104 , and when the output is insufficient, the remaining fuel cell stack 100 is changed in series. output can be maintained.

When a large-capacity output is required, a module operation unit 500 may be provided to combine a plurality of modules 1 . That is, the module operation unit 500 combines the operation units 104 present in each module 1 to be changed according to the large-capacity power required by the user in the form of series, parallel, or series-parallel mixture.

2, the high-temperature system peripheral part 200 includes a catalytic combustor 201, an air preheater 202, a steam generator 203, a fuel preheater 204, a fuel reformer 205, and a power conversion unit 206. ), a blower 207 and a pump 208, a fuel line 209, an air line 210, a steam line 211, an exhaust line 212, a fuel supply line 213, and a line through part 214. may include

Exhaust gas discharged from the fuel cell stack 100 includes a catalytic combustor 201 for burning the catalyst through an exhaust line 212 , an air preheater 202 for preheating the air supplied into the fuel cell stack 100 , and water. Heat may be transferred while passing through the steam generator 203 for phase change into steam and the fuel preheater 204 for preheating fuel.

At this time, the exhaust line 212 is the same as the number of fuel cell stacks 100 in the module 1, and by transferring heat in the form of a bundle, it is possible to maximize the surface area through which heat can be transferred. It is not, and a person skilled in the art may transfer heat by combining or further branching as needed.

The gas containing a large amount of hydrogen supplied to the fuel cell stack 100 is a fuel line 209 passing through the fuel preheater 204 and a steam line 211 passing through the steam generator 203 to generate fuel and steam, respectively. It is transferred to the reformer 205 , and converted into a gas containing a large amount of hydrogen by the fuel reformer 205 , and finally supplied to the fuel cell stack 100 through the fuel supply line 213 .

At this time, since the fuel mixed in the fuel reformer 205 proceeds at a high temperature, it passes through the air preheater 204 and includes the high temperature air that has passed through the fuel cell stack 100 for additional heating, an air line Heat may be supplied by 210 .

In addition, the fuel supply line 213 may be branched by the number of fuel cell stacks 100 existing in the module 1 to supply a gas containing a large amount of hydrogen to each fuel cell stack 100 .

Referring to FIG. 3 , the air line 210 , the exhaust line 212 , and the fuel supply line 213 must move between the fuel cell stack 100 and the high-temperature system periphery 200 . At this time, since the loss of heat increases when the line is long, the line through part 214 is in contact with the fuel cell stack 100 , the insulating plate 300 , and the high temperature system peripheral part 200 that are the shortest distance in order to minimize the heat loss. By having the air line 210, the exhaust line 212 and the fuel supply line 213 can be passed through.

In addition, since the line through part 214 is a groove crossing the fuel cell stack 100 , the insulating plate 300 and the high temperature system peripheral part 200 , the fuel cell stack 100 , the insulating plate 300 and the high temperature system peripheral part 200 . ) and the gap between each line 210 , 212 , 213 and the line through portion 214 , it may include a sealing material 215 for sealing it. The sealing material 215 may be made of a glass material.

1 to 2 , the high-temperature box 400 may be in the form of enclosing the plurality of fuel cell stacks 100 and the high-temperature system peripheral part 200 .

Since the fuel cell stack 100 and the high-temperature system periphery 200 exist together in the high-temperature box 400, not only the heat exchanged by the above-mentioned air line 210 and the exhaust line 212, but also the fuel cell stack 100 ) by utilizing the triple heat, such as conduction heat, which is directly transferred to the peripheral part 200 of the high temperature system, and convective heat, which holds the heat in the high temperature box 400, the reaction heat generated in the solid fuel cell stack 100 ( 500-1000°C) can be efficiently maintained.

Although not shown in the drawings, the ekectrucak balance of plat (EBOP) may control the overall system and may serve to control the power conversion by being connected to the power conversion unit 206 . In addition, the EBOP may be connected to the operation unit 104 and the module operation unit 500 to control the output.

As another embodiment, referring to FIG. 4 , the stack module 2 of the solid oxide fuel cell may include a plurality of fuel cell stacks 100 having a planar solid fuel; a high-temperature system periphery 200 directly coupled to a portion of the plurality of fuel cell stacks 100 without the anode plate 102; an insulating plate 300 that insulates between the high temperature system peripheral part 200 and the fuel cell stack 100 not coupled to the high temperature system peripheral part 200 and the high temperature system peripheral part 200; It may include a plurality of fuel cell stacks 100 and a high temperature box 400 surrounding the high temperature system peripheral part 200 .

The fuel cell stack 100 directly coupled to the high-temperature system peripheral part 200 is connected in series with the high-temperature system peripheral part and the insulated fuel cell stack 100 by an insulating plate 300 , and at this time, the high-temperature system by the insulating plate 300 . The fuel cell stack 100 insulated from the peripheral portion 200 may include a negative electrode plate 201 . The fuel cell stack 100 insulated from the high-temperature system periphery 200 by the insulating plate 300 may be connected in parallel. Therefore, the plurality of fuel cell stacks 100 in one module 1 may change the output by mixing series and parallel.

In addition, one high-temperature system peripheral part 200 may be combined with a plurality of fuel cell stacks 100 .

The components of the high-temperature system peripheral part 200 are the catalytic combustor 201, the air preheater 202, the steam generator 203, the fuel preheater 204, the fuel reformer 205, and the power conversion unit 206 of the above-described embodiment. ), a blower 207 and a pump 208, a fuel line 209, an air line 210, a steam line 211, an exhaust line 212, a fuel supply line 213, a line through part 214 and Since it is the same as the sealing material 215 , the overlapping description will be omitted.

When a large-capacity output is required, a module operation unit 500 may be provided to combine a plurality of modules 1 . That is, the module manipulation unit 500 may change each module 1 according to the large-capacity power required by the user in the form of series, parallel, or series-parallel mixture.

In another embodiment, the stack module 3 of the solid oxide fuel cell of the present invention is a plurality of fuel cell stacks 100 having a planar fuel, as shown in FIG. 5 , in the lower part of the fuel cell stack 100 . The high temperature system periphery 200 to be coupled, the insulating plate 300 for insulating between the fuel cell stack 100 and the high temperature system periphery 200, and the plurality of fuel cell stacks 100 and the high temperature system periphery 200 It may include a high temperature box (400).

Since the components of the fuel cell stack 100 are the same as the positive electrode 101 , the negative electrode 102 , the current collector bus bar 103 , and the operation unit 104 of an embodiment, the overlapping description will be omitted.

The components of the high temperature system peripheral part 200 may be configured to be the same as the number of fuel cell stacks 100 provided in plurality in one high temperature system peripheral part 200 .

The catalytic combustor 201, the air preheater 202, the steam generator 203, the fuel preheater 204, the fuel reformer 205, the power converter 206, the blower 207 and the pump 208 of the above-described embodiment of the present invention. ), the fuel line 209 , the steam line 211 , the line through part 213 and the sealing material 215 are the same, and thus overlapping descriptions will be omitted.

The air line 210 , the exhaust line 212 , and the fuel supply line 213 may be individually connected to the corresponding fuel cell stack 100 as one line without branching or combining points as shown in FIG. 5 . .

The embodiments of the present invention described above and shown in the drawings should not be construed as limiting the technical spirit of the present invention. The scope of the present invention is limited only by the matters described in the claims, and those skilled in the art can improve and change the technical idea of the present invention in various forms. Accordingly, as long as such improvements and modifications are obvious to those of ordinary skill in the art, they will fall within the scope of the present invention.

1, 2, 3: Stack module of solid oxide fuel cell
100: fuel cell stack 101: positive electrode plate
102: negative electrode plate 103: current collector bus bar
104: operation unit 200: high temperature system peripheral part
201: catalytic combustor 202: air preheater
203: steam generator 204: fuel preheater
205: fuel reformer 206: power conversion unit
207: blower 208: pump
209: fuel line 210: air line
211: steam line 212: exhaust line
213: fuel supply line 214: line through part
215: sealing material 300: insulating plate
400: high temperature box 500: module operation part

Claims (12)

delete delete delete delete delete delete at least one first fuel cell stack not having an anode plate;
at least one second fuel cell stack connected in series with the first fuel cell stack and having an anode plate and an insulating plate; and
One high-temperature system peripheral part coupled to the negative electrode of the first fuel cell stack and coupled to the insulating plate of the negative electrode plate provided in the second fuel cell stack
A stack module of a solid oxide fuel cell comprising a. 8. The method of claim 7,
When a plurality of the second fuel cell stacks are provided, the stack module of the solid oxide fuel cell, characterized in that the second fuel cell stacks are connected in parallel. 9. The method of claim 8,
The high temperature system peripheral portion,
A catalytic combustor for combustion of stack exhaust gas;
A cylindrical and multi-tube type air preheater for recovering waste heat of exhaust gas after combustion;
A steam generator that phase-converts water into steam, a fuel preheater that preheats fuel,
a fuel reformer that converts hydrogen into gas containing a large amount of hydrogen;
A power converter that regulates the voltage of the produced DC electricity and converts it into AC electricity;
a fuel line through which the fuel passes through the fuel preheater and moves to be supplied to the fuel reformer;
an air line passing through the air preheater and the first fuel cell stack and the second fuel cell stack so that the air can absorb heat, and passing through the fuel reformer so that heat of the heated air can be recovered;
A steam line passing through a steam generator that converts the water into steam, and supplying the steam to a fuel reformer;
an exhaust line for discharging exhaust gas in the first fuel cell stack and the second fuel cell stack;
a fuel supply line for supplying the gas containing a large amount of hydrogen generated in the fuel reformer into the first fuel cell stack and the second fuel cell stack;
the first fuel cell stack and the second fuel cell stack so that the fuel line, the air line, and the exhaust line can move around the high temperature system and between the first fuel cell stack and the second fuel cell stack; A line penetrating portion passing through the portion where the high temperature system periphery is joined
A stack module of a solid oxide fuel cell comprising a. 10. The method of claim 9,
The line through part
The stack module of a solid oxide fuel cell, characterized in that it is provided on the second fuel cell stack and the insulating plate at the same position formed around the high temperature system, and the exhaust line, the air line, and the fuel supply line pass. 11. The method of claim 10,
The high temperature system peripheral portion,
The gap between the first fuel cell stack and the high-temperature system periphery, the gap between the insulating plate of the second fuel cell stack and the high-temperature system periphery, and the gap between the fuel line, the air line, the exhaust line, and the line-through portion A stack module of a solid oxide fuel cell, comprising a sealing material for sealing. 9. The method of claim 8,
The stack module of a solid oxide fuel cell, characterized in that it further comprises a module operation unit capable of connecting the plurality of stack modules of the solid oxide fuel cell by selecting at least one of parallel, series, parallel, and series according to a desired output.

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