A ventilation system for a fuel cell power module is provided. The ventilation system includes a ventilation enclosure for evacuating fluids from the fuel cell power module, the ventilation enclosure having an air inlet for providing ingress of air to the enclosure. The ventilation system further co
A ventilation system for a fuel cell power module is provided. The ventilation system includes a ventilation enclosure for evacuating fluids from the fuel cell power module, the ventilation enclosure having an air inlet for providing ingress of air to the enclosure. The ventilation system further concludes a ventilation shaft in fluid communication with the ventilation enclosure and an evacuation pump arranged to exhaust fluid from the ventilation enclosure to a desired location.
대표청구항▼
1. An electric energy generating system, comprising: a mounting frame;at least one fuel cell power module mounted to the mounting frame, and having at least one fuel cell stack, each at least one fuel cell stack having an anode inlet for a fuel;a fuel storage vessel in fluid communication with each
1. An electric energy generating system, comprising: a mounting frame;at least one fuel cell power module mounted to the mounting frame, and having at least one fuel cell stack, each at least one fuel cell stack having an anode inlet for a fuel;a fuel storage vessel in fluid communication with each anode inlet of the at least one fuel cell stack via at least one fuel pipe;a ventilation enclosure for evacuating fluids emanating from the at least one fuel cell power module, the ventilation enclosure encompassing the at least one fuel cell power module to contain fluid egress therefrom, the ventilation enclosure having at least one ventilation air inlet aperture to provide air ingress into the ventilation enclosure;a ventilation shaft in fluid communication with the ventilation enclosure; andan evacuation pump arranged to draw exhaust fluid from the ventilation enclosure through the ventilation shaft and discharge the exhaust fluid away from the electric energy generating system via at least one vent opening in the ventilation shaft, to maintain a pressure within the ventilation enclosure which pressure is lower than ambient pressure by a pre-set value. 2. The electric energy generating system as recited in claim 1, wherein the fuel pipe has at least one shut-off valve arranged to selectively enable and disable flow of fuel to the at least one fuel pipe. 3. The electric energy generating system as recited in claim 2, wherein the ventilation enclosure encompasses the at least one fuel pipe at least up to and including the at least one shut-off valve. 4. The electric energy generating system as recited in 1, wherein the at least one fuel cell power module comprises a fluid-tight casing encompassing the at least one fuel cell power module, the casing forming a part of the ventilation enclosure by being in fluid communication with the ventilation enclosure via at least one module access conduit. 5. The electric energy generating system as recited in claim 4, wherein the casing comprises at least one air inlet aperture to provide air ingress into the casing. 6. The electric energy generating system as recited in claim 5, wherein the at least one fuel cell power module is removably attachable to the ventilation enclosure and the at least one module access conduit is sealable to prevent air ingress to the ventilation enclosure and a connection between the at least one fuel pipe and the anode inlet of the at least one power module is sealable when the fuel cell power module is not connected to the at least one module access conduit. 7. The electric energy generating system as recited in claim 4, wherein the at least one fuel cell power module further comprises a module control unit arranged outside the casing as well as outside the ventilation enclosure. 8. The electric energy generating system as recited in claim 4, wherein the system further comprises a system control unit, for regulating the electric energy generating system operation, and power electronic devices, for conversion of an electric output of the at least one fuel cell power module, the system control unit and the power electronic devices being arranged outside the ventilation enclosure as well as outside the casing. 9. The electric energy generating system as recited in claim 8, wherein a pressure sensor is arranged in the ventilation enclosure to communicate a signal indicative of the pressure in the ventilation enclosure to the system control unit. 10. The electric energy generating system as recited in claim 8, wherein a pressure differential sensor is arranged to measure a pressure differential between an atmosphere in the ventilation enclosure and an ambient atmosphere and communicate a signal indicative of the pressure differential to the system control unit. 11. The electric energy generating system as recited in claim 10, wherein the system control unit regulates the speed of the evacuation pump according to the pressure differential between the ventilation enclosure atmosphere and ambient atmosphere to preserve the pressure differential to be a pre-set value. 12. The electric energy generating system as recited in claim 1, wherein the at least one fuel cell power module further comprises a cathode inlet and a cathode outlet, and the the cathode outlet at least is arranged inside the ventilation enclosure. 13. The electric energy generating system as recited in claim 12, wherein the cathode outlet is arranged in the ventilation shaft portion of the ventilation enclosure. 14. The electric energy generating system as recited in claim 12, wherein the at least one fuel cell power module further includes a cathode check valve at the cathode outlet to selectively enable and prevent flow of oxidant to a cathode side of the at least one fuel cell stack from the cathode outlet. 15. The electric energy generating system as recited in claim 1, wherein the ventilation enclosure further comprises a condensation vessel for collecting water condensing inside the ventilation enclosure. 16. The electric energy generating system as recited in claim 15, wherein the condensation vessel comprises a water purge valve selectively operable between a closed state and an open state, for selectively emptying condensate water from the condensation vessel. 17. The electric energy generating system as recited in claim 16, wherein the condensation vessel further comprises a water over-run aperture and the ventilation air inlet aperture is the water over-run aperture. 18. A method of ventilating a plurality of fuel cell power modules, the method comprising: (i) mounting a plurality of fuel cell power modules;(ii) providing connections from the fuel cell power modules to a vent;(iii) withdrawing air from the fuel cell power modules into an enclosure, so as to mix the withdrawn air with any fuel gas present within the enclosure;(iv) discharging the mixture of withdrawn air and fuel gas through the vent; and(v) performing steps (i) to (iv) while providing a supply of electrical power by operating at least one of the plurality of fuel cell power modules. 19. A method as claimed in claim 18, including monitoring the air pressure downstream of the fuel cell power modules and upstream of the vent, and permitting operation of the fuel cell power modules when the monitored air pressure is below a pre-set limit. 20. The method of ventilating a plurality of fuel cell power modules as recited in claim 18, further comprising steps of: (i) monitoring a pressure within the enclosure;(ii) comparing the monitored pressure with an ambient pressure;(iii) establishing normal operations as when the monitored pressure is different from the ambient pressure by a pre-set amount; and(iv) establishing abnormal operations as when the monitored pressure is different from the ambient pressure by an amount different than the pre-set amount. 21. The method of ventilating a plurality of fuel cell power modules as recited in claim 20, further comprising a step of purging the fuel cell power modules on a regular basis, during normal operations. 22. The method of ventilating a plurality of fuel cell power modules as recited in claim 21, wherein the step of purging purges about 2 liters per minute of an anode fluid. 23. The method of ventilating a plurality of fuel cell power modules as recited in claim 20, further comprising steps of (v) detecting when abnormal operations occur; (vi) stopping a flow of fuel gas to the fuel cell power modules; and (vii) de-energizing ignition sources that are near to the enclosure during abnormal operations. 24. The method of ventilating a plurality of fuel cell power modules as recited in claim 23, further comprising steps of: (vii) ventilating the enclosure with at least one volume of fluid that is greater than the volume of the enclosure; and(viii) re-energizing the ignition sources. 25. The method of ventilating a plurality of fuel cell power modules as recited in claim 20, wherein the step of ventilating comprises about five volumes of fluid that are greater than the volume of the enclosure. 26. A fuel cell power module comprising: a fuel cell stack;control equipment for the fuel cell stack;a casing containing the fuel cell stack and control equipment;a collar extending from said casing for sealably connecting with a ventilation shaft for said fuel cell power module, said collar providing a fuel inlet for said fuel cell stack and an outlet for communicating any fluids from the fuel cell stack into said ventilation shaft.
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이 특허에 인용된 특허 (5)
Petillo, Phillip J.; Amendola, Steven; Petillo, Stephen C., Electrochemical cell and assembly for same.
William A. Fuglevand ; Shiblihanna I. Bayyuk ; Greg Lloyd ; Peter D. Devries ; David R. Lott ; John P. Scartozzi, Fuel cell power systems and methods of controlling a fuel cell power system.
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