Water atomization apparatus for a fuel cell system and also a method for humidifying a gas flow supplied to a fuel cell system
원문보기
IPC분류정보
국가/구분
United States(US) Patent
등록
국제특허분류(IPC7판)
H01M-008/00
H01M-002/00
출원번호
UP-0378421
(2003-03-03)
등록번호
US-7651796
(2010-02-24)
우선권정보
DE-102 09 808(2002-03-06)
발명자
/ 주소
Gilbert, Maik
출원인 / 주소
GM Global Technology Operations, Inc.
인용정보
피인용 횟수 :
0인용 특허 :
5
초록▼
A water atomization apparatus for a fuel cell system, comprising a plurality of fuel cells connected together to form a fuel cell stack and each having an anode, a cathode and a membrane, with the fuel cell stack having an anode side with an inlet for a fuel and an outlet for non-consumed fuel and e
A water atomization apparatus for a fuel cell system, comprising a plurality of fuel cells connected together to form a fuel cell stack and each having an anode, a cathode and a membrane, with the fuel cell stack having an anode side with an inlet for a fuel and an outlet for non-consumed fuel and exhaust gases which arise at the anode side, a cathode side with an inlet for a gaseous oxidation agent such as air and an outlet for exhaust gases arising at the cathode side, and a compressor connected upstream of the cathode side inlet, is characterized in that the water atomizing apparatus comprises a supply tank for deionized water, a pressure pump which is connected to the supply tank, a reservoir which is fed by the pressure pump and contains deionized water under pressure in operation, a pressure regulating valve having an inlet connected to the reservoir and determining the operating pressure which prevails in the reservoir and also at least one controllable injection valve which injects atomized water into the cathode side and or into the anode side of the fuel cell stack.
대표청구항▼
The invention claimed is: 1. Water atomization apparatus for a fuel cell system, the apparatus comprising: a supply tank for deionized water; a pressure pump connected to said supply tank; a reservoir which is fed by said pressure pump and contains deionized water under pressure in operation, said
The invention claimed is: 1. Water atomization apparatus for a fuel cell system, the apparatus comprising: a supply tank for deionized water; a pressure pump connected to said supply tank; a reservoir which is fed by said pressure pump and contains deionized water under pressure in operation, said reservoir being formed as an injection gallery; a pressure regulating valve having an inlet connected to said reservoir and determining an operating pressure which prevails in said reservoir; and at least one controllable injection valve connected to said reservoir for the delivery of atomized water. 2. Water atomization apparatus for a fuel cell system, the fuel cell system comprising a plurality of fuel cells connected together to form a fuel cell stack and each having an anode, a cathode and a membrane, said fuel cell system having: an anode side with an inlet for a fuel and an outlet for non-consumed fuel and exhaust gases which arise at said anode side; a cathode side with an inlet for a gaseous oxidation agent and an outlet for exhaust gases arising at the cathode side; and a compressor connected upstream of the cathode side inlet, said water atomizing apparatus further comprising: a supply tank for deionized water; a pressure pump connected to said supply tank; a reservoir fed by said pressure pump and containing deionized water under pressure in operation, said reservoir being formed as an injection gallery; a pressure regulating valve having an inlet connected to said reservoir and determining an operating pressure which prevails therein; and at least one controllable injection valve adapted to inject atomized water into at least one of said cathode side and said anode side of said fuel cell stack. 3. Water atomization apparatus in accordance with claim 2 and further comprising first and second injection valves, said first injection valve being active at a lower power yield of said fuel cell system and said second injection valve being effective additionally to said first injection valve at a higher power yield. 4. Water atomization apparatus in accordance with claim 2 and further comprising first and second injection valves, said first injection valve being active at a lower power yield of said fuel cell system and said second injection valve being effective alternatively to said first injection valve at a higher power yield. 5. Water atomization apparatus in accordance with claim 1, there being a control to which the or each said injection valve is connected, said control being designed to control at least one of the opening, the closing and the degree of opening of said at least one injection valve. 6. Water atomization apparatus in accordance with claim 2, there being a control to which the or each said injection valve is connected, said control being designed to control at least one of the opening, the closing and the degree of opening of said at least one injection valve. 7. Water atomization apparatus in accordance with claim 5, said control being designed to control the or each said injection valve by means of a PWM signal in order to hereby preset a metered injection quantity of water from the said at least one injection valve. 8. Water atomization apparatus in accordance with claim 6, said control being designed to control the or each said injection valve by means of a PWM signal in order to hereby preset a metered injection quantity of water from said at least one injection valve. 9. Water atomization apparatus in accordance with claim 5, said control including an establishment of a characteristic field map control for each said injection valve. 10. Water atomization apparatus in accordance with claim 6, said control including an establishment of a characteristic field map control for each said injection valve. 11. Water atomization apparatus in accordance with claim 2, said at least one injection valve being designed in a manner of a fuel injection valve of a petrol operated piston engine. 12. Water atomization apparatus in accordance with claim 2, there being an accumulator connected to said reservoir, said accumulator having a housing containing a gas cushion and a membrane separating said gas cushion from said deionized water in said reservoir. 13. Water atomization apparatus in accordance with claim 1, wherein all components which come into contact with the deionized water are formed as parts resistant to deionized water. 14. Water atomization apparatus in accordance with claim 2, wherein all components which come into contact with the deionized water are formed as parts resistant to deionized water. 15. Water atomization apparatus in accordance with claim 6, there being a humidity sensor associated with said cathode side of said fuel cell stack, said humidity sensor being connected to said control. 16. Water atomization apparatus in accordance with claim 15, said humidity sensor being associated with said cathode side outlet. 17. Water atomization apparatus in accordance with claim 15, said humidity sensor being disposed after said cathode side outlet. 18. Water atomization apparatus in accordance with claim 6, there being a humidity sensor associated with said anode side of said fuel cell stack, said humidity sensor being connected to said control. 19. Water atomization apparatus in accordance with claim 18, said humidity sensor being associated with said anode side outlet. 20. Water atomization apparatus in accordance with claim 18, said humidity sensor being disposed after said anode side outlet. 21. Water atomization apparatus in accordance with claim 1, said pressure regulating valve being a purely mechanically operating pressure regulating valve. 22. Water atomization apparatus in accordance with claim 2, said pressure regulating valve being a purely mechanically operating pressure regulating valve. 23. Water atomization apparatus in accordance with claim 1, said pressure regulating valve being an electrically adjustable pressure regulating valve. 24. Water atomization apparatus in accordance with claim 2, said pressure regulating valve being an electrically adjustable pressure regulating valve. 25. Water atomization apparatus in accordance with claim 23, said pressure regulating valve being connected to said control. 26. Water atomization apparatus in accordance with claim 24, said pressure regulating valve being connected to said control. 27. Water atomization apparatus in accordance with claim 1, there being a pressure sensor for determining a pressure in said reservoir, said pressure sensor being connected to one of said pressure regulating valve and said control. 28. Water atomization apparatus in accordance with claim 2, there being a pressure sensor for determining a pressure in said reservoir, said pressure sensor being connected to one of said pressure regulating valve and said control. 29. Water atomization apparatus in accordance with claim 1, said pressure regulating valve having a drain. 30. Water atomization apparatus in accordance with claim 2, said pressure regulating valve having a drain. 31. Water atomization apparatus in accordance with claim 29, said drain of said pressure regulating valve being connected to said water supply tank. 32. Water atomization apparatus in accordance with claim 30, said drain of said pressure regulating valve being connected to said water supply tank. 33. Water atomization apparatus in accordance with claim 2, and further comprising a bleed valve. 34. Water atomization apparatus in accordance with claim 33, said bleed valve being manually operatable. 35. Water atomization apparatus in accordance with claim 33, said bleed valve being mechanical self bleeding valve. 36. Water atomization apparatus in accordance with claim 6, there being at least one temperature sensor, said temperature sensor being connected to said control. 37. Water atomization apparatus in accordance with claim 2, said at least one injection valve being adapted to inject water into said compressor. 38. Water atomization apparatus in accordance with claim 2, said at least one injection valve being adapted to inject water into air sucked in by said compressor. 39. Water atomization apparatus in accordance with claim 2, said reservoir being adapted to permit the attachment of a plurality of injection valves. 40. Water atomization apparatus in accordance with claim 2, there being a connection between said cathode outlet and said water supply tank to supply at least a part of any water emerging out of the fuel cell stack with cathode side exhaust gases to said water supply tank. 41. A method for the humidification of a gas flow supplied to a fuel cell system, the method comprising: taking deionized water from water supply tank and forwarding it by means of a pressure pump into a reservoir for storing said deionized water under pressure, said reservoir being formed as an injection gallery; determining one of a preset pressure level and a predetermined pressure range in said reservoir by means of a valve; and injecting atomized water into said gas flow via at least one controllable injection valve connected to said reservoir. 42. A method in accordance with claim 41, and comprising the further acting on each said injection valve by PWM signals from a control, and using at least one of a repetition frequency of said PWM signals and one of said selected pressure level and said predetermined pressure range to determine a quantity of atomized water fed into said gas flow. 43. A method in accordance with claim 41, wherein the control of each said injection valve is effected using characteristic field map control. 44. A method in accordance with claim 41 and comprising the further directing, to a control system for a fuel cell stack having an anode side and a cathode side, temperature signals which specify at least one of a temperature of air supplied to said fuel cell stack and an operating temperature of said fuel cell stack as well as humidity values determined at least one of said cathode side and said anode side of said fuel cell stack, using said control system to determine from these signals and values a respectively appropriate characteristic field map control for each said injection valve and controlling each said injection valve in accordance with said respectively appropriate characteristic field map control. 45. A method in accordance with claim 44 and comprising the further taking account of at least one operating parameter of said fuel cell stack determining said respectively appropriate characteristic field map control.
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