IPC분류정보
국가/구분 |
United States(US) Patent
등록
|
국제특허분류(IPC7판) |
|
출원번호 |
US-0393623
(2009-02-26)
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등록번호 |
US-8445147
(2013-05-21)
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발명자
/ 주소 |
- Jahnke, Fred C.
- Daly, Joseph M.
- Lilback, Matti A.
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출원인 / 주소 |
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대리인 / 주소 |
Cowan, Liebowitz & Latman, P.C.
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인용정보 |
피인용 횟수 :
0 인용 특허 :
9 |
초록
▼
A humidifier assembly for humidifying fuel for use in a fuel cell system, comprising a water heater adapted to receive recycled water and to generate heated water using cathode exhaust, and a fuel saturator adapted to receive deaerated cleansed water, at least a portion of the deaerated cleansed wat
A humidifier assembly for humidifying fuel for use in a fuel cell system, comprising a water heater adapted to receive recycled water and to generate heated water using cathode exhaust, and a fuel saturator adapted to receive deaerated cleansed water, at least a portion of the deaerated cleansed water comprising the heated water, and fuel and to humidify the fuel with a first portion of the deaerated cleansed water, the fuel saturator tower outputting humidified fuel for use in the fuel cell system and a second portion of the deaerated cleansed water for use as recycled water in the water heater.
대표청구항
▼
1. A humidifier assembly for humidifying fuel for use in a fuel cell system, comprising: a water heater adapted to receive recycled water and to generate heated water using heat from cathode exhaust, wherein a portion of said heated water comprises steam;a deaerator column receiving said heated wate
1. A humidifier assembly for humidifying fuel for use in a fuel cell system, comprising: a water heater adapted to receive recycled water and to generate heated water using heat from cathode exhaust, wherein a portion of said heated water comprises steam;a deaerator column receiving said heated water from said water heater and supply water and passing said steam from said heated water through said supply water so as to remove air and volatile contaminants from said supply water and to condense a portion of said steam into said supply water, anda fuel saturator column adapted to receive fuel and deaerated cleansed water from said deaerator column, at least a portion of said deaerated cleansed water comprising said heated water, and to humidify said fuel with a first portion of said deaerated cleansed water, said fuel saturator column outputting humidified fuel for use in said fuel cell system and a second portion of said deaerated cleansed water for use as recycled water in said water heater. 2. The humidifier assembly for use in a fuel cell system in accordance with claim 1, wherein said deaerated cleansed water further comprises water recovered from anode exhaust outputted from said fuel cell system. 3. The humidified assembly for use in a fuel cell system in accordance with claim 1, wherein said supply water provided to said deaerator column comprises water recovered from cathode exhaust outputted from said fuel cell system. 4. The humidifier assembly for use in a fuel cell system in accordance with claim 1, wherein said steam is passed through said supply water in said deaerator column by bubbling said steam through said supply water. 5. The humidifier assembly for use in a fuel cell system in accordance with claim 1, wherein said fuel saturator column comprises one of a packed column and a trayed column, said fuel saturator column promoting mixing and contact between said fuel and said deaerated cleansed water. 6. The humidifier assembly for use in a fuel cell system in accordance with claim 5, wherein said fuel saturator column is a counter-current flow packed column. 7. The humidifier assembly for use in a fuel cell system in accordance with claim 5, wherein said fuel saturator column receives said deaerated cleansed water at a top portion of said fuel saturator column so that said deaerated cleansed water flows through said fuel saturator column in a downward direction and said fuel saturator column receives said fuel at a bottom portion of said fuel saturator column so that said fuel flows through said fuel saturator column in an upward direction toward said top portion, and wherein said humidified fuel is outputted from said top portion of said fuel saturator column and said second portion of deaerated cleansed water is outputted from said bottom portion of said fuel saturator column. 8. The humidifier assembly for use in a fuel cell system in accordance with claim 1, further comprising a second heater for super-heating said humidified fuel using heat from cathode exhaust, wherein said cathode exhaust is first passed through said second heater and thereafter through said water heater. 9. The humidifier assembly for use in a fuel cell system in accordance with claim 8, further comprising a bypass line for bypassing a predetermined amount of said humidified fuel around said second heater, wherein said predetermined amount is determined based on a temperature of said super-heated humidified fuel outputted by said second heater and mixed with fuel bypassed by said bypass line. 10. The humidifier assembly in accordance with claim 1, further comprising a circulation pump for recycling said second deaerated cleansed water portion from said fuel saturator column and a water blowdown assembly adapted to receive said second deaerated cleansed water portion from said circulation pump and to remove non-volatile contaminants and dissolved solids with a predetermined portion of said second deaerated cleansed water portion from said humidifier assembly using a water blowdown technique. 11. The humidifier assembly in accordance with claim 10, further comprising: a conductivity measuring unit for measuring electric conductivity of said second deaerated cleansed water; anda controller adapted to receive said electric conductivity measurement from said conductivity measuring unit and control duration and frequency of said water blowdown technique based on said electric conductivity measurement so as to maintain a predetermined electric conductivity of said second deaerated cleansed water portion. 12. The humidifier assembly in accordance with claim 10, further comprising an antiscale agent, wherein said antiscale agent is added to said second deaerated cleansed water portion for preventing precipitation of dissolved solids in said second deaerated cleansed water portion. 13. The humidifier assembly in accordance with claim 12, wherein said antiscale agent comprises an organophospine antiscale agent and said antiscale agent is added to said second deaerated cleansed water portion at a predetermined rate so as to maintain a predetermined concentration of said antiscale agent in said second deaerated cleansed water portion. 14. The humidifier assembly in accordance with claim 1, further comprising a controller for controlling the amount of said first deaerated cleansed water portion used to humidify said fuel. 15. The humidifier assembly in accordance with claim 14, wherein said controller controls the flow rate of said deaerated cleansed water provided to said fuel saturator column by controlling the flow rate of said second deaerated cleansed water portion from said fuel saturator column to said water heater. 16. The humidifier assembly in accordance with claim 1, further comprising a deaerator level control member for controlling a liquid level in said deaerator column, and a controller for controlling said flow rate of said deaerated cleansed water from said deaerator column to said fuel saturator column by controlling said deaerator level control member. 17. The humidifier assembly in accordance with claim 1, wherein said deaerator column outputs an uncondensed portion of said steam, said humidifier assembly further comprising one of a control valve member and a restriction orifice for controlling the flow of said uncondensed steam, and said humidifier assembly further comprising a controller for controlling the temperature of said deaerated cleansed water by controlling pressure within said deaerator column, wherein said controller controls the pressure within said deaerator column by controlling said one of said control valve member and said restriction orifice. 18. The humidifier assembly in accordance with claim 1, wherein said deaerator column further outputs an uncondensed portion of said steam and wherein said uncondensed steam portion is mixed with said cathode exhaust upstream or downstream of said water heater. 19. The humidifier assembly in accordance with claim 1, wherein a part of said heated water generated by said water heater is exported to a customer for heat recovery from said heated water before passing said heated water to one of said deaerator column and said water heater. 20. A fuel cell system comprising: at least one fuel cell including an anode for receiving fuel and outputting anode exhaust and a cathode for receiving oxidant gas and outputting cathode exhaust;a humidifier assembly for humidifying said fuel supplied to said anode comprising a water heater adapted to receive recycled water and to generate heated water using heat from cathode exhaust, wherein a portion of said heated water comprises steam, a deaerator column receiving said heated water from said water heater and supply water and passing said steam from said heated water through said supply water so as to remove air and volatile contaminants from said supply water and to condense a portion of said steam into said supply water, and a fuel saturator column adapted to receive said fuel and deaerated cleansed water from said deaerator column, at least a portion of said deaerated and cleansed water comprising said heated water, and to humidify said fuel with a first portion of said deaerated cleansed water, said fuel saturator column outputting humidified fuel for use in said fuel cell anode and a second portion of said deaerated cleansed water for use as recycled water in said water heater. 21. The fuel cell system in accordance with claim 20, further comprising a water transfer assembly for transferring water from anode exhaust and outputting transferred water as a portion of said deaerated cleansed water. 22. The fuel cell system in accordance with claim 20, wherein said fuel saturator column comprises one of a packed column and a trayed column, said saturator column promoting mixing and contact between said fuel and said deaerated cleansed water. 23. The fuel cell system in accordance with claim 22, wherein said fuel saturator column is a counter-current flow packed column. 24. The fuel cell system in accordance with claim 22, wherein said fuel saturator column receives said deaerated cleansed water at a top portion of said fuel saturator column so that said deaerated cleansed water flows through said fuel saturator column in a downward direction and said fuel saturator column receives said fuel at a bottom portion of said fuel saturator column so that said fuel flows through said fuel saturator column in an upward direction toward said top portion, and wherein said humidified fuel is outputted from said top portion of said fuel saturator column and said second portion of deaerated cleansed water is outputted from said bottom portion of said fuel saturator column. 25. The fuel cell assembly in accordance with claim 20, wherein said humidifier assembly further comprises a second heater for super-heating said humidified fuel using heat from said cathode exhaust, wherein said cathode exhaust is first passed through said second heater and thereafter through said water heater. 26. The fuel cell assembly in accordance with claim 25, wherein said humidifier assembly further comprises a bypass line for bypassing a predetermined amount of said humidified fuel around said second heater, said predetermined amount being determined based on a temperature of said super-heated humidified fuel outputted by said second heater and mixed with fuel bypassed by said bypass line. 27. The fuel cell assembly in accordance with claim 20, wherein said humidifier assembly further comprises a circulation pump for recycling said second deaerated cleansed water portion from said fuel saturator column and a water blowdown assembly adapted to receive said second deaerated cleansed water portion from said circulation pump and to remove non-volatile contaminants and dissolved solids with a predetermined portion of said second deaerated cleansed water portion from said humidifier assembly using a water blowdown technique. 28. The fuel cell assembly in accordance with claim 20, wherein said humidifier assembly further comprises a controller for controlling the amount of said first deaerated water portion used to humidify said fuel by controlling a flow rate of said deaerated cleansed water provided to said fuel saturator column such that said fuel saturator column has a predetermined overhead temperature. 29. The fuel cell assembly in accordance with claim 28, wherein said controller controls the flow rate of said deaerated cleansed water provided to said fuel saturator column by controlling a flow rate of said second deaerated cleansed water portion from said fuel saturator column to said water heater. 30. The fuel cell assembly in accordance with claim 20, wherein said humidifier assembly further includes a deaerator level control member for controlling a liquid level in said deaerator column, and a controller for controlling a flow rate of said deaerated cleansed water from said deaerator column to said fuel saturator column by controlling said deaerator level control member. 31. The fuel cell assembly in accordance with claim 20, wherein said deaerator column outputs an uncondensed portion of said steam, said humidifier assembly further comprises one of a control valve member and a restriction orifice for controlling the flow of said uncondensed steam, and said humidifier assembly further comprising a controller for controlling the temperature of said deaerated cleansed water by controlling pressure within said deaerator column, wherein said controller controls the pressure within said deaerator column by controlling said one of said control valve member and said restriction orifice. 32. The fuel cell system in accordance with claim 20, wherein said deaerator column of said humidifier assembly outputs an uncondensed portion of said steam and wherein said uncondensed steam portion is mixed with said cathode exhaust upstream or downstream of said water heater. 33. The fuel cell system in accordance with claim 20, further comprising a water transfer assembly for transferring water from cathode exhaust and outputting transferred water as supply water to humidifier assembly. 34. The fuel cell system in accordance with claim 33, wherein said water transfer assembly transfers water from said cathode exhaust and outputs transferred water as supply water to said humidifier assembly, and wherein said cathode exhaust outputted by said cathode first passes through said humidifier assembly and thereafter passes through said water transfer assembly. 35. A method of humidifying fuel for use in a fuel cell system, comprising: generating heated water by heating recycled water using heat from cathode exhaust, wherein a portion of said heated water comprises steam;providing deaerated cleansed water, at least a portion of said deaerated cleansed water comprising said heated water, wherein said providing deaerated cleansed water comprises deaerating supply water by passing said steam from said heated water through said supply water so as to remove air and volatile contaminants from said supply water and to condense a portion of said steam into said supply water, and outputting said deaerated cleansed water; andsaturating fuel with said deaerated cleansed water to humidify said fuel with a first portion of said deaerated cleansed water, said saturating outputting humidified fuel for use in said fuel cell system and outputting a second portion of said deaerated cleansed water for use as recycled water in said generating. 36. The method in accordance with claim 35, wherein said steam is passed through said supply water by bubbling said steam through said supply water. 37. The method in accordance with claim 35, wherein said saturating is carried out with a fuel saturator column, said fuel saturator column promoting mixing and contact between said fuel and said deaerated cleansed water. 38. The method in accordance with claim 37, wherein said fuel saturator column is one of a counter-current flow packed column fuel saturator tower and a counter-current flow trayed column fuel saturator column. 39. The method in accordance with claim 37, wherein said fuel saturator column receives said deaerated cleansed water at a top portion of said fuel saturator column so that said deaerated cleansed water flows through said fuel saturator column in a downward direction and said fuel saturator column receives said fuel at a bottom portion of said fuel saturator column so that said fuel flows through said fuel saturator column in an upward direction toward said top portion, and wherein said humidified fuel is outputted from said top portion of said fuel saturator column and said second portion of deaerated cleansed water is outputted from said bottom portion of said fuel saturator column. 40. The method in accordance with claim 35, further comprising super-heating said humidified fuel using heat from cathode exhaust, wherein said cathode exhaust is first used to super-heat said humidified fuel and then used to heat the recycled water. 41. The method in accordance with claim 40, further comprising bypassing a predetermined amount of said humidified fuel from said super-heating by said cathode exhaust, wherein said predetermined amount is determined based on a temperature of said super-heated humidified fuel mixed with bypassed fuel. 42. The method in accordance with claim 35, further comprising prior to recycling said second deaerated cleansed water portion, removing non-volatile contaminants and dissolved solids from said second deaerated cleansed water portion with a predetermined portion of said second deaerated cleansed water portion using a water blowdown technique. 43. The method in accordance with claim 35, further comprising controlling the amount of said first deaerated cleansed water portion used to humidify said fuel. 44. The method in accordance with claim 43, wherein said controlling of the flow rate of said deaerated cleansed water comprises controlling a flow rate of said second deaerated cleansed water portion outputted in said saturating. 45. The method in accordance with claim 35, further comprising controlling a flow rate of said deaerated cleansed water, said controlling including controlling a deaerator level control member for controlling a liquid level during said deaerating. 46. The method in accordance with claim 35, further comprising controlling a temperature of said deaerated cleansed water by controlling pressure in said deaerating, wherein said deaerating outputs an uncondensed portion of said steam and said controlling said pressure in said deaerating includes controlling the flow of said uncondensed steam. 47. The method in accordance with claim 35, wherein said deaerating further outputs an uncondensed portion of said steam and wherein said uncondensed steam portion is mixed with said cathode exhaust upstream or downstream of said heating of said recycled water. 48. The method in accordance with claim 35, wherein a part of said heated water is exported to a customer for heat recovery from said heated water before using said heated water in one of said deaerating and generating. 49. The method in accordance with claim 35, further comprising transferring water from anode exhaust and outputting transferred water as deaerated cleansed water. 50. The method in accordance with claim 35, further comprising transferring water from cathode exhaust and outputting transferred water as supply water in said deaerating. 51. The humidifier assembly for use in a fuel cell system in accordance with claim 1, wherein said fuel saturator is further adapted to receive supply water, said supply water being mixed with said second portion of said deaerated cleansed water, and to output said supply water and said second portion of said deaerated cleansed water for use as recycled water in said water heater. 52. The humidifier assembly for use in a fuel cell system in accordance with claim 51, wherein said supply water comprises one of water transferred from anode exhaust and externally deaerated cleansed water. 53. The fuel cell system in accordance with claim 20, wherein said fuel saturator is further adapted to receive supply water, said supply water being mixed with said second portion of said deaerated cleansed water, and to output said supply water and said second portion of said deaerated cleansed water for use as recycled water in said water heater. 54. The fuel cell system in accordance with claim 53, wherein said supply water comprises one of water transferred from anode exhaust and externally deaerated cleansed water. 55. The method of humidifying fuel for use in a fuel cell system in accordance with claim 35, further comprising providing supply water for mixing with said second portion of said deaerated cleansed water, and outputting said supply water and said second portion of said deaerated cleansed water for use as recycled water in said generating. 56. The method of humidifying fuel for use in a fuel cell system in accordance with claim 55, wherein said supply water comprises one of water transferred from anode exhaust and externally deaerated cleansed water.
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