Proton-exchange membrane fuel-cell power generating equipment includes a heat exchanger coupled to a process burner and, therethrough, to a fan. When water needs to be heated, such as during startup, the water is circulated through the heat exchanger and the process burner is operated (ignited) to h
Proton-exchange membrane fuel-cell power generating equipment includes a heat exchanger coupled to a process burner and, therethrough, to a fan. When water needs to be heated, such as during startup, the water is circulated through the heat exchanger and the process burner is operated (ignited) to heat the water. When the water needs to be cooled, such as when a hot water reserving tank is full, the water is circulated through the heat exchanger and the fan is operated, but the process burner is not operated, to cool the water. Water is circulated through part or all of a water system to prevent freezing while the system is stopped. Optionally, the process burner is operated to heat the circulated water. The heat exchanger and other heat exchangers in the system are arranged to efficiently recover heat from burners, a fuel-cell cooling system and exothermic processes.
대표청구항▼
What is claimed is: 1. Power generating equipment, comprising: a reformer for reforming fuel gas such as natural gas, town gas, methanol, LPG, or butane to hydrogen rich gas; a first heat exchanger for heat exchange with combustion exhaust gas from a reformer burner of the reformer; a CO transforme
What is claimed is: 1. Power generating equipment, comprising: a reformer for reforming fuel gas such as natural gas, town gas, methanol, LPG, or butane to hydrogen rich gas; a first heat exchanger for heat exchange with combustion exhaust gas from a reformer burner of the reformer; a CO transformer for transforming carbon monoxide; CO removing apparatus for removing the carbon monoxide; a process gas burner for burning hydrogen until each reactor becomes stable during startup; a second heat exchanger for heat exchange with combustion exhaust gas from said process gas burner; a fuel cell for generating power using the hydrogen; a third heat exchanger installed in relation to said fuel cell; a cooling water tank for storing water for cooling said fuel cell; a heat exchanger for recovering beat of exhaust gas of said reformer, said fuel cell, or said process gas burner and heating the water to produce hot water; a fourth heat exchanger installed in relation to a duct for passing the combustion exhaust gases from the reformer burner and said process gas burner and non-reacted oxygen gas from said fuel cell; a hot water reserving tank for reserving the hot water, wherein said hot water reserving tank and the first, second, third and fourth heat exchangers are interconnected by piping to form a loop duct, and the water in said hot water reserving tank is supplied sequentially, via the loop duct, through the fourth heat exchanger, the third heat exchanger and the first heat exchanger, in this order, back to said hot water reserving tank; further comprising: a first selector valve installed between the first heat exchanger and the hot water reserving tank; a branch duct branching from an intermediate part between the first selector valve and the first beat exchanger, passing through the cooling water tank and reaching the hot water reserving tank; and a second selector valve installed on the upstream side of said cooling water tank in the branch duct; and wherein during power generation by said fuel cell, when the water in the cooling water tank is above a predetermined temperature, the first selector valve is closed and the second selector valve is opened to pass water through the branch duct to recover heat from said cooling water tank and, when the water in said cooling water tank is below the predetermined temperature, the first selector valve is opened and the second selector valve is closed to not supply water to the branch duct. 2. Power generating equipment, comprising: a reformer having an output; a first gas burner thermally coupled to the reformer; a fuel cell having: an input communicably coupled to the output of the reformer; and an output; a process gas burner distinct from the first gas burner, the process gas burner having: an air input; a gas input communicably coupled to the output of the reformer and to the output of the fuel cell; and an exhaust; a beat exchanger communicably coupled to the exhaust of the process gas burner, a fan communicably coupled to the air input of the process gas burner and, therethrough, to the heat exchanger; a first water tank communicably coupled to the heat exchanger; a first pump communicably coupled to the first water tank and the heat exchanger for circulating water therethrough; and a controller controlling operation of the process gas burner, the fan and the first pump, wherein, if the temperature of the water in the first water tank exceeds a first predetermined value, the first pump circulates the water through the heat exchanger without operating the process gas burner, thereby cooling the water in the first water tank. 3. The power generating equipment of claim 2 wherein the first predetermined value is about 80째 C. 4. The power generating equipment of claim 2, wherein if the temperature of the water in the first water tank exceeds the first predetermined value, the fan operates to blow air through the heat exchanger. 5. The power generating equipment of claim 4, wherein the first predetermined value is about 80째 C. 6. The power generating equipment of claim 2, wherein if the temperature of the water in the first water tank is below a second predetermined value, the process burner operates and the pump circulates the water through the heat exchanger, thereby heating the water in the water tank. 7. The power generating equipment of claim 6, wherein the second predetermined value is about 2째 C. 8. The power generating equipment of claim 2, wherein if the temperature of the water in the first water tank is below a second predetermined value, the process burner operates and the first pump circulates the water through the heat exchanger, thereby heating the water in the first water tank, until the temperature of the water in the first water tank reaches a third predetermined value. 9. The power generating equipment of claim 8, wherein the second predetermined value is about 2째 C. 10. The power generating equipment of claim 9, wherein the third predetermined value is about 10째 C. 11. The power generating equipment of claim 2, wherein the fuel cell also has a cooling section; and further comprising: a second water tank communicably coupled to the cooling section of the fuel cell; a heat exchanger disposed within the second water tank and communicably coupled to the first water tank for circulating water therethrough; and a second pump communicably coupled to the second water tank and the cooling section of the fuel cell to circulate water therethrough; and wherein, if the temperature of the water in the second water tank exceeds a fourth predetermined value, the controller causes water to circulate through the heat exchanger in the second water tank and the first water tank, thereby recovering heat from the second water tank and transferring the heat to the first water tank. 12. The power generating equipment of claim 11, wherein the fourth predetermined value is about 80째 C. 13. Power generating equipment comprising: a reformer having an output; a first gas burner thermally coupled to the reformer; a fuel cell having: an input communicably coupled to the output of the reformer; an output; and a cooling section; a first water tank communicably coupled to the cooling section of the fuel cell; a first pump communicably coupled to the first water tank and the cooling section of the fuel cell to circulate water therethrough; a controller controlling operation of the first pump, wherein if the fuel cell is below a first predetermined temperature, the first pump circulates water through the cooling section of the fuel cell, thereby warming the fuel cell; a first heat exchanger thermally coupled to the first water tank; a process gas burner distinct from the first gas burner, the process gas burner having: a gas input communicably coupled to the output of the reformer and to the output of the fuel cell; and an exhaust; a second heat exchanger communicably coupled to the exhaust of the process gas burner; a second water tank communicably coupled to the first and second heat exchangers; and a second pump communicably coupled to the second water tank and the first and second heat exchangers for circulating water therethrough; and wherein the controller controls operation of the process gas burner and the second pump such that, if the fuel cell is below the first predetermined temperature, the process gas burner and the second pump operate to circulate the water through the second heat exchanger, heat the circulated water and circulate the heated water through the first heat exchanger in the first water tank, thereby heating water in the first water tank. 14. The power generating equipment of claim 13, wherein the first predetermined temperature is about 2째 C. 15. The power generating equipment of claim 13, wherein, the process gas burner and the second pump operate until the temperature of the fuel cell reaches a second predetermined value. 16. The power generating equipment of claim 15, wherein the first predetermined value is about 2째 C. 17. The power generating equipment of claim 16, wherein the second predetermined value is about 10째 C. 18. The power generating equipment of claim 17, wherein: the water system also includes a heat exchanger communicably coupled to the exhaust of the process gas burner; and the controller controls operation of the process gas burner and, if the controller detects the risk of freezing, the controller causes the process gas burner to operate and water to circulate through the heat exchanger, thereby heating the water circulating through the heat exchanger. 19. Power generating equipment comprising: a reformer having an output; a first gas burner thermally coupled to the reformer; a fuel cell having: an input communicably coupled to the output of the reformer; and an output; a process gas burner distinct from the first gas burner, the process gas burner having: a gas input communicably coupled to the output of the reformer and to the output of the fuel cell; and an exhaust; a water system including a water tank; a pump communicably coupled to the water system for circulating water therethrough; means for detecting a risk of freezing; and a controller coupled to the means for detecting the risk of freezing and controlling operation of the pump, wherein if the controller detects the risk of freezing, the pump circulates the water through at least a portion of the water system, wherein the means for detecting the risk of freezing comprises means for detecting the temperature of the water in the water tank. 20. Power generating equipment comprising: a reformer having an output; a first gas burner thermally coupled to the reformer; a fuel cell having: an input communicably coupled to the output of the reformer; and an output; a process gas burner distinct from the first gas burner, the process gas burner having: a gas input communicably coupled to the output of the reformer and to the output of the fuel cell; and an exhaust; a water system including a water tank; a pump communicably coupled to the water system for circulating water therethrough; means for detecting a risk of freezing; and a controller coupled to the means for detecting the risk of freezing and controlling operation of the pump, wherein if the controller detects the risk of freezing, the pump circulates the water through at least a portion of the water system, wherein the means for detecting the risk of freezing comprises means for detecting the temperature of the fuel cell. 21. Power generating equipment comprising: a reformer having an output; a first gas burner thermally coupled to the reformer; a fuel cell having: an input communicably coupled to the output of the reformer; and an output; a process gas burner distinct from the first gas burner, the process gas burner having: a gas input communicably coupled to the output of the reformer and to the output of the fuel cell; and an exhaust; a water system including a water tank; a pump communicably coupled to the water system for circulating water therethrough; means for detecting a risk of freezing; and a controller coupled to the means for detecting the risk of freezing and controlling operation of the pump, wherein if the controller detects the risk of freezing, the pump circulates the water through at least a portion of the water system, wherein the means for detecting the risk of freezing comprises means for detecting the temperature of an atmosphere in the power generating equipment. 22. Power generating equipment, comprising: a reformer having an output; a first gas burner having an exhaust and being thermally coupled to the reformer; a fuel cell having: an input communicably coupled to the output of the reformer; and an output; a process gas burner, distinct from the first gas burner, having: an input communicably coupled to the output of the fuel cell; and an exhaust; and a heat exchanger communicably coupled to the first gas burner, the fuel cell and the process gas burner, such that a combination of gases from the exhaust of the first gas burner, the output of the fuel cell and the exhaust of the process gas burner flow through the heat exchanger. 23. Power generating equipment, comprising: a fuel cell having: an air input; and a cooling section; a water tank; a pump communicably coupled to the water tank and the cooling section of the fuel cell for circulating water therethrough; means for heating the water in the water tank; means for supplying moist air to the air input of the fuel cell; a controller controlling operation of the pump, the means for heating the water in the water tank and the means for supplying moist air, wherein, during startup of the fuel cell, water is circulated through the cooling section of the fuel cell and moist air is applied to the air input of the fuel cell, thereby raising the temperature of the fuel cell. 24. The power generating equipment of claim 23, wherein the means for heating the water in the water tank comprises a first heat exchanger communicably coupled to a second heat exchanger, the second heat exchanger being thermally coupled to an exhaust of a process burner. 25. The power generating equipment of claim 23, wherein the means for supplying the moist air comprises the water tank, wherein the water tank is partially filled with water and partially filled with air. 26. The power generating equipment of claim 25, wherein the means for heating the water in the water tank comprises a first heat exchanger communicably coupled to a second heat exchanger, the second heat exchanger being thermally coupled to an exhaust of a process burner.
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이 특허에 인용된 특허 (4)
Hideo Takahashi JP; Youichi Yagi JP, Fuel cell system having a defrosting function.
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