Fuel cell system for promptly increasing temperature of fuel cell stack during start up operation of the fuel cell system and method of managing the fuel cell system
원문보기
IPC분류정보
국가/구분
United States(US) Patent
등록
국제특허분류(IPC7판)
H01M-008/04
H01M-008/06
출원번호
US-0841219
(2007-08-20)
등록번호
US-8512904
(2013-08-20)
우선권정보
KR-2007-7238 (2007-01-23)
발명자
/ 주소
Oh, Duk-jin
Lee, Hyun-chul
Song, Tae-won
Kim, Dong-kwan
Wang, Yong
출원인 / 주소
Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
대리인 / 주소
Stein IP, LLC
인용정보
피인용 횟수 :
2인용 특허 :
1
초록▼
A fuel cell system a includes a cooling water temperature raising unit that raises the temperature of a fuel cell stack by passing discharge gas of a process burner or hydrogen gas of a fuel processing unit and cooling water that is heated by the discharge gas of the process burner through flow path
A fuel cell system a includes a cooling water temperature raising unit that raises the temperature of a fuel cell stack by passing discharge gas of a process burner or hydrogen gas of a fuel processing unit and cooling water that is heated by the discharge gas of the process burner through flow paths formed on opposing surfaces of cooling separators formed of a metal and installed between a plurality of cells in the stack. Thus in the fuel cell system, when the temperature of the stack needs to be rapidly raised, for example, during a start up operation of the fuel cell system, the temperature of the stack can be rapidly raised using discharge gas at a high temperature or combustion heat of hydrogen gas, and heated cooling water, and thereby, significantly reducing the time required for the fuel cell system to be in regular operation.
대표청구항▼
1. A fuel cell system comprising: a stack formed of a plurality of cells in which electricity is generated using hydrogen;a fuel processing unit that processes a hydrocarbon from a fuel source to generate hydrogen to be supplied to the stack;a process burner that operates with hydrogen that is not c
1. A fuel cell system comprising: a stack formed of a plurality of cells in which electricity is generated using hydrogen;a fuel processing unit that processes a hydrocarbon from a fuel source to generate hydrogen to be supplied to the stack;a process burner that operates with hydrogen that is not consumed by the stack or with a hydrocarbon from the fuel source and that generates a process burner discharge gas;a plurality of cooling separators installed between the cells in the stack, wherein each cooling separator comprises a metal thin plate having a first flow path and a second flow path formed in a complementary pattern on first and second opposing surfaces, respectively, of the metal thin plate;a cooling water circulating unit including a main cooling water line that circulates cooling water to the second flow path of the cooling separators to reduce the temperature of the stack;a discharge gas temperature raising unit that raises the temperature of the stack by passing the process burner discharge gas through the first flow path on the first surface of the cooling separators; anda cooling water temperature raising unit that raises the temperature of the stack by heating cooling water of the cooling water circulating unit by heat exchange with the process burner discharge gas and passing the heated cooling water through the second flow path on the second surface of the cooling separatorswherein each cell comprises an anode, a cathode, an electrolyte layer between the anode and the cathode, a hydrogen flow path plate on the anode for supplying hydrogen to the anode, and a oxygen flow path plate on the cathode for supplying oxygen to the cathode, and the cooling separator is placed between the first hydrogen flow path plate and the oxygen flow path plate. 2. The fuel cell system of claim 1, wherein the discharge gas temperature raising unit comprises a discharge gas connection line connecting a discharge gas flow path of the process burner to the first flow path on the first surface of the cooling separators and a valve installed on the discharge gas connection line to selectively direct the process burner discharge gas to pass through the first flow path on the first surface of the cooling separators or to pass to a discharge line. 3. The fuel cell system of claim 1, wherein the cooling water temperature raising unit comprises a cooling water connection line that diverges from the main cooling water line of the cooling water circulating unit, passes through a heat-exchanger, wherein the cooling water is heated with heat from the process burner discharge gas, and reconnects to the main cooling water line to direct the heated cooling water through the second flow path of the cooling separators, and a valve installed on a diverging portion of the cooling water circulating unit to selectively direct the cooling water directly to the second flow path of the cooling separators or to the cooling water connection line. 4. A method of managing a fuel cell system of claim 1, the method comprising: rapidly raising the temperature of the stack during a start up operation of the fuel cell system by passing the process burner discharge gas through the first flow path on the first surface of the cooling separators and passing heated cooling water, heated by the heat exchange with the process burner discharge gas, through the second flow path on the second surfaces of the cooling separators; andstopping the passing of the discharge gas through the first flow path formed on the first surface of the cooling separators and the passing of the heated cooling water through the second flow path on the second surfaces of the cooling separators when the internal temperature of the stack reaches a predetermined temperature. 5. The method of claim 4, further including maintaining the predetermined internal temperature of the fuel cell stack by passing cooling water that has not been heated through the second flow path on the second surfaces of the cooling separators when the internal temperature of the fuel cell stack reaches or exceeds the predetermined normal operating temperature. 6. The method of claim 4, wherein the passing of the discharge gas through the first flow path on the first surface of the cooling separators comprises manipulating a first valve to selectively divert the discharge gas from a discharge gas outlet to the first flow path on the first surface of the cooling separators. 7. The method of claim 6, wherein the stopping of the passing of the discharge gas through the first flow path on the first surface of the cooling separators when the internal temperature of the stack reaches a predetermined temperature comprises manipulating the first valve selectively divert the discharge gas from the first flow path on the first surface of the cooling separators to the discharge gas outlet. 8. The method of claim 4, wherein the passing of the heated cooling water through the second flow path on the second surfaces of the cooling separators comprises manipulating a second valve to selectively divert cooling water from the main cooling water line to a cooling water connection line that passes through a heat-exchanger, wherein cooling water is heated with heat from the process burner discharge gas, and reconnects to the main cooling water line to direct the heated cooling water through the second flow path of the cooling separators. 9. The method of claim 8, wherein the stopping of the passing of the heated cooling water through the second flow path on the second surfaces of the cooling separators comprises manipulating the second valve to selectively divert cooling water from the cooling water connection line to the main cooling water line such that cooling water that passes through the second flow path of the cooling separators is not heated by heat exchange with the discharge gas. 10. The method of claim 4, comprising: simultaneously passing the process burner discharge gas through the first flow path and passing the heated cooling water through the second flow path until the internal temperature of the fuel cell stack reaches the predetermined temperature. 11. A fuel cell system comprising: a stack formed of a plurality of cells in which electricity is generated using hydrogen;a fuel processing unit that processes a hydrocarbon from a fuel source to generate hydrogen to be supplied to the stack;a process burner that operates with hydrogen that is not consumed by the stack or with a hydrocarbon from the fuel source and that generates a process burner discharge gas;a plurality of cooling separators installed between the cells in the stack, wherein each cooling separator comprises a metal thin plate having a first flow path and a second flow path formed in a complementary pattern on first and second opposing surfaces, respectively, and wherein the first surface of the metal thin plate includes a catalyst coated thereon that catalyzes combustion of hydrogen;a cooling water circulating unit including a main cooling water line that circulates cooling water to the second flow path of the cooling separators to reduce the temperature of the stack;a combustion heat temperature raising unit that raises the temperature of the stack by passing hydrogen supplied from the fuel processing unit through the first flow path of the cooling separator, wherein the hydrogen contacts the catalyst; anda cooling water temperature raising unit that raises the temperature of the stack by heating cooling water by heat exchange with the process burner discharge gas and passing the heated cooling water through the flow path on the second surface of the cooling separators,wherein each cell comprises an anode, a cathode, an electrolyte layer between the anode and the cathode, a hydrogen flow path plate on the anode for supplying hydrogen to the anode, and a oxygen flow path plate on the cathode for supplying oxygen to the cathode, and the cooling separator is placed between the first hydrogen flow path plate and the oxygen flow path plate. 12. The fuel cell system of claim 11, wherein the combustion heat temperature raising unit comprises a hydrogen gas connection line connecting a flow path of hydrogen gas supplied from the fuel processing unit to the first flow path on the first surface of the cooling separators, and a valve installed on the hydrogen gas connection line to selectively direct hydrogen gas from the fuel processing unit to pass to the cells of the stack or to the first flow path of the first surface of the cooling separators of the stack. 13. The fuel cell system of claim 11, wherein the cooling water temperature raising unit comprises a cooling water connection line that diverges from the main cooling water line of the cooling water circulating unit, passes through a heat-exchanger wherein cooling water in the cooling water connection line is heated with heat from the process burner discharge gas, and reconnects to the main cooling water line to direct the heated cooling water through the second flow path of the cooling separators, and a valve installed on a diverging portion of the cooling water circulating unit to selectively direct cooling water directly to the second flow path of the cooling separators or to the cooling water connection line. 14. A method of managing a fuel cell system of claim 4, the method comprising: rapidly raising the temperature of the stack during a start up operation of the fuel cell system by passing hydrogen through the first flow path on the first surface of the cooling separators, whereby the hydrogen combusts to generate heat and by passing heated cooling water, heated by the heat exchange with the process burner discharge gas, through the second flow path on the second surface of the cooling separators; andstopping the passing of the hydrogen through the first flow path on the first surface of the cooling separators and the passing of the heated cooling water through the second flow path formed on a second surface of the cooling separators when the temperature of the stack reaches a predetermined temperature. 15. The method of claim 14, further including maintaining the predetermined internal temperature of the fuel cell stack by passing cooling water that has not been heated through the second flow path on the second surfaces of the cooling separators when the internal temperature of the fuel cell stack reaches or exceeds the predetermined normal operating temperature. 16. The method of claim 14, wherein the passing of the hydrogen through the first flow path on the first surface of the cooling separators comprises manipulating a first valve to selectively divert the hydrogen from a flow line to the cells of the stack to the first flow path on the first surface of the cooling separators. 17. The method of claim 16, wherein the stopping of the passing of the hydrogen through the first flow path on the first surface of the cooling separators when the internal temperature of the stack reaches a predetermined temperature comprises manipulating the first valve selectively divert hydrogen from the first flow path on the first surface of the cooling separators to the flow line to the cells of the stack. 18. The method of claim 14, wherein the passing of the heated cooling water through the second flow path formed on the second surfaces of the cooling separators comprises manipulating a second valve to selectively divert cooling water from the main cooling water line to a cooling water connection line that passes through a heat-exchanger, wherein cooling water is heated with heat from the process burner discharge gas, and reconnects to the main cooling water line to direct the heated cooling water through the second flow path of the cooling separators. 19. The method of claim 18, wherein the stopping of the passing of the heated cooling water through the second flow path formed on the second surfaces of the cooling separators comprises manipulating the second valve to selectively divert cooling water from the cooling water connection line to the main cooling water line such that cooling water that passes through the second flow path of the cooling separators is not heated by heat exchange with the discharge gas. 20. The method of claim 14, comprising: simultaneously passing hydrogen through the first flow path, whereby the hydrogen combusts and passing the heated cooling water through the second flow path until the internal temperature of the fuel cell stack reaches the predetermined temperature.
연구과제 타임라인
LOADING...
LOADING...
LOADING...
LOADING...
LOADING...
이 특허에 인용된 특허 (1)
Reiser Carl Anthony ; Van Dine Leslie L., Water retention system for a fuel cell power plant.
※ AI-Helper는 부적절한 답변을 할 수 있습니다.