RU75507U1 - DEVICE FOR REGULATING THE OPERATION OF A FUEL ELEMENT - Google Patents

Abstract

The utility model relates to the field of electrical engineering, to the manufacture of fuel cells (FCs) with a solid proton-conducting membrane, in particular, to devices for regulating the operation of fuel cells. The device includes an air stream preparation unit, means for separating said air stream into an oxygen enriched air stream and a nitrogen enriched air stream, and oxygen and oxygen enriched air stream supply units to the fuel cell configured to switch one to the other by pressure regulators mounted on air inlet and outlet means. The technical result is to increase the efficiency of the fuel cell through the use of not only a stream enriched with oxygen, which can significantly improve the electrochemical characteristics of the fuel cell, but also a stream of air enriched with nitrogen.

Description

The utility model relates to the field of electrical engineering, to the manufacture of fuel cells (FCs) with a solid proton-conducting membrane, in particular, to devices for regulating the operation of fuel cells.

A fuel cell is an electrochemical device for the direct conversion of chemical energy of fuel into electrical energy.

In solid polymer TE, the proton-conducting polymer membrane serves as the electrolyte. The production of electricity in such devices occurs due to the hydrogen oxidation reaction with atmospheric oxygen, therefore, the higher the oxygen concentration in the air entering the cathode of the FC, the more efficient the FC will be.

In the prior art, numerous devices are disclosed aimed at enriching with oxygen the air entering the cathode of a fuel cell.

Known devices typically include the following elements: a unit for preparing and supplying an air stream, means for enriching the air stream with oxygen, wherein said air stream is divided into an oxygen enriched air stream and a nitrogen enriched air stream, and an oxygen enriched air stream supply system to fuel cell (see, for example, JP2006066204).

In all known technical solutions, the air stream enriched with nitrogen does not participate in the operation of the fuel cell and is discharged into the atmosphere.

Depending on the oxygen enrichment facilities installed in such devices, the nitrogen content in such air flows can exceed 95%, and it can be used to regulate the operation of the fuel cell.

The disadvantages of the known device include the need to use additional devices to regulate the operation of the fuel cell and its cooling, as well as the discharge into the atmosphere of a stream of air enriched with nitrogen, leading to loss of energy and lower efficiency of the system.

The objective of the utility model is to increase the efficiency of the fuel cell and the use of gaseous fuel and an oxidizing agent due to not only the flow enriched with oxygen in the air, which can significantly increase the electrochemical characteristics of the fuel cell, but also the flow of air enriched with nitrogen. The latter can be used to create a fireproof environment during the launch (heating) of the fuel cell, cooling

systems during operation. In addition, nitrogen enriched air allows you to quickly and flexibly control the operation of the fuel cell (if necessary, quickly reduce the power of the fuel cell, the flow is fed into the anode chamber).

The problem is solved by a device for controlling the operation of a fuel cell, including: an air stream preparation unit, means for separating said air stream into an oxygen enriched air stream, and a nitrogen enriched air stream, and an oxygen enriched air stream supply unit to the fuel element, in accordance with which, it further comprises an air flow unit enriched with nitrogen to the fuel cell, wherein both enriched air flow units are t the fuel element is configured to switch one to the other by means of pressure regulators installed at the inlet and outlet of the means for separating the air flow.

In private embodiments of the utility model, the task is solved in that the air preparation unit includes a filter, a compressor, and an air dryer.

The means for separating the air stream may contain a membrane module, including polymer membranes with oxygen permeability from 20 to 500 l / m - hours, the selectivity of the separation of the oxygen-nitrogen pair is not less than 3.

The oxygen-enriched air flow unit to the fuel cell includes a valve system and a pressure regulator.

It may also further comprise a vacuum pump.

The unit for supplying a stream of nitrogen-enriched air to the fuel cell includes a valve system and a pressure regulator.

In particular embodiments of the invention, the device may be configured to discharge excess enriched air into the atmosphere.

It may also further include a monitoring device, oxygen, temperature and humidity sensors.

The device may also further comprise at least one receiver.

Figure 1 shows a General diagram of the device

Figure 2 shows a detailed diagram of the proposed device

Positions in the diagrams mean the following.

1. Air preparation unit

2. Means for separating air flow

3. The supply unit of oxygen-enriched air to the fuel cell

4. The supply unit of nitrogen-enriched air to the fuel cell

5. Fuel cell

6. Pressure regulator for switching the supply units of oxygen and nitrogen enriched air.

7. Filter

8. Compressor

9. Air dryer

10. Vacuum pump

11. Valve system of the oxygen enriched air supply unit

12. Pressure regulator of the oxygen enriched air supply unit

13. Valve system of the nitrogen enriched air supply unit

14. Pressure regulator of the nitrogen enriched air supply unit

15. Receiver

16. Oxygen sensor

17. Temperature and humidity sensor

18. Valve for venting excess enriched air into the atmosphere.

19. Monitoring device

The essence of the utility model is as follows.

A device for controlling the operation of a fuel cell includes an air stream preparation unit (1), from which a properly prepared air stream enters the means for separating said air stream (2). This tool (2) is a membrane module in which air is divided into two streams - air enriched with oxygen and air enriched with nitrogen.

The membrane module includes polymer membranes with oxygen permeability from 20 to 500 l / m hours. and the selectivity of separation of the oxygen – nitrogen pair is not less than 3. As a module satisfying these requirements, for example, a device for the selective separation of a gas mixture in accordance with patent RU 2040319 of 1992.02.17 can be used.

Further, air flows through pipelines (not shown) through the oxygen-enriched air supply unit (3) and the nitrogen-enriched air supply unit (4) enter the fuel element (5). Switching flows through blocks (3) and (4) is carried out using pressure regulators (6).

The air stream preparation unit (1) contains a filter (7) designed to remove dust and other impurities from the air, a compressor (8) that provides

separation of the air flow by maintaining a constant pressure drop on both sides of the membrane module (means for separating the air flow) (2), an air dryer (9), for example, a refrigerator that removes water from the air.

The oxygen-enriched air supply unit (3) to the fuel cell (5) comprises a valve system (11), a pressure regulator (12), and may further comprise a vacuum pump.

The nitrogen-enriched air supply unit (4) to the fuel cell (5) comprises a valve system (13) and a pressure regulator (14).

The device may be further provided with at least one receiver (15), which serves as a drive for incoming air flow and / or enriched air flows; an oxygen sensor (16), which serves to monitor the composition of the obtained divided air flows; and a temperature and humidity sensor (17).

In addition, to discharge excess enriched air into the atmosphere, the device can be equipped with valves (18).

Uninterrupted operation of all nodes is ensured by a controlling device (19).

The device operates as follows.

Air through the filter (7) and the compressor (8) enters the dehumidifier (9). Compressed air with a known temperature and humidity accumulates in the receiver (15), and from there through the pressure regulator (6) installed at the inlet to the membrane module, enters the membrane module (2). Module (2) divides the air into two streams: the one passing through the membrane is enriched with oxygen, the non-passing one is enriched with nitrogen. The desired composition of the streams (up to 55% oxygen in the stream passing through the membrane and more than 90% nitrogen for the second stream) can be achieved only individually, i.e. the scheme works either to produce oxygen-enriched air, or to produce nitrogen. The non-target product is then discharged into the atmosphere through the valves (18). Changing the operating mode is carried out using pressure regulators (6) installed at the inlet and outlet of the membrane module (2). Air flows, both enriched with oxygen and nitrogen, can accumulate in receivers (15) installed, respectively, in the oxygen-enriched air supply unit (3) and in the nitrogen-enriched air supply unit (4), and can be used later, or said flows can be supplied directly to the fuel cell (5) through valves (11) and (13) and pressure regulators (12) and (14).

The flow of nitrogen-enriched air allows you to control the operation of the fuel cell: it creates an inert atmosphere when the fuel cell starts up and

provides hydrogen blow-off if it is necessary to stop or reduce the power of the fuel cell.

Claims (10)

1. A device for controlling the operation of a fuel cell, including an air stream preparation unit, means for separating said air stream into an oxygen enriched air stream and a nitrogen enriched air stream, and an oxygen enriched air stream supply unit to the fuel element, characterized in that it further comprises a unit for supplying a stream of nitrogen-enriched air to the fuel cell, while both blocks for supplying a stream of enriched air to the fuel cell are configured to HANDOVER one another by means of a pressure regulator installed at the inlet and outlet means for dividing the air flow. 2. The device according to claim 1, characterized in that the air flow preparation unit includes a filter, a compressor and an air dryer. 3. The device according to claim 1, characterized in that the means for separating the air stream contains a membrane module comprising polymer membranes with an oxygen permeability of from 20 to 400 l / m ² · h · atm and an oxygen-nitrogen vapor separation selectivity of at least 3 . 4. The device according to claim 1, characterized in that the unit for supplying a stream of oxygen-enriched air to the fuel cell includes a valve system and a pressure regulator. 5. The device according to claim 4, characterized in that the unit for supplying a stream of oxygen-enriched air further comprises a vacuum pump. 6. The device according to claim 1, characterized in that the unit for supplying a stream of nitrogen-enriched air to the fuel cell includes a valve system and a pressure regulator. 7. The device according to claim 1, characterized in that it is configured to discharge excess enriched air into the atmosphere. 8. The device pop.1, characterized in that it further comprises a monitoring device. 9. The device according to claim 1, characterized in that it further comprises at least one receiver. 10. The device according to claim 1, characterized in that it further comprises at least one sensor of oxygen, temperature and humidity.