Fuel supply module, and fuel reforming apparatus for fuel cell using the same

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11205793-B2
Application number	US-201916683361-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 14, 2019
Priority date	Nov 14, 2018
Publication date	Dec 21, 2021
Grant date	Dec 21, 2021

Abstract

Disclosed are a fuel supply module that may maintain an entrainment ratio in a constant range even under a load change, and a fuel reforming apparatus for a fuel cell using the same. The fuel supply module includes: a water vapor storage for storing water vapor therein; a fuel storage for storing fuel therein; a mixer having a first inlet, a second inlet, and an outlet; a first inlet pipe for connecting the water vapor storage and the first inlet of the mixer with each other; a second inlet pipe for connecting the fuel storage and the second inlet of the mixer with each other; an outlet pipe connected to the outlet of the mixer; and a bypass pipe having one end connected to the first inlet pipe and the other end connected to the outlet pipe.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A fuel supply module comprising:
a water vapor storage for storing water vapor therein;
a fuel storage for storing fuel therein;
a mixer having a first inlet which is provided at a front end of the mixer, a second inlet which is provided at a middle portion of the mixer, and an outlet which is provided at a rear end of the mixer, wherein a path width of the middle portion of the mixer is narrower than a path width of the front end of the mixer or a path width of the rear end of the mixer;
a first inlet pipe for connecting the water vapor storage and the first inlet of the mixer with each other;
a second inlet pipe for connecting the fuel storage and the second inlet of the mixer with each other;
an outlet pipe for connecting the outlet of the mixer and a reformer;
a bypass pipe having one end connected to the first inlet pipe and the other end connected to the outlet pipe; and
a valve provided at a bypass pipe, wherein the valve is opened when at least one of a ratio of a fuel supply flow rate to a water vapor supply flow rate supplied to the mixer or a ratio of a fuel supply flow rate to a water vapor supply flow rate supplied to the reformer exceeds a particular value.

2. The fuel supply module of claim 1 , wherein the mixer has a venturi tube structure.

3. The fuel supply module of claim 2 , further comprising a steam pump disposed in the first inlet pipe.

4. The fuel supply module of claim 1 , further comprising a capillary tube disposed at the bypass pipe.

5. A fuel supply module comprising:
a first inlet pipe to receive water vapor;
a second inlet pipe to receive fuel;
an ejector having a first inlet provided at a front end of the ejector and connected to the first inlet pipe, a second inlet provided inside a neck of the ejector and connected to the second inlet pipe, and an outlet provided at a rear end of the ejector and through which a mixture of the water vapor and fuel is discharged, wherein a path width of the neck of the ejector is narrower than a path width of the front end of the ejector or a path width of the rear end of the ejector;
an outlet pipe having one end connected to the outlet of the ejector, and the other end connected to a reformer; and
a bypass pipe branching from the first inlet pipe and merging with the outlet pipe.

6. The fuel supply module of claim 5 , further comprising a steam pump disposed in the first inlet pipe.

7. The fuel supply module of claim 5 , further comprising a valve disposed at the bypass pipe.

8. The fuel supply module of claim 7 , wherein the valve is opened when a ratio of a fuel supply flow rate to a water vapor supply flow rate supplied to the ejector or a ratio of a fuel supply flow rate to a water vapor supply flow rate supplied to the reformer exceeds a predetermined value.

9. The fuel supply module of claim 7 , further comprising a capillary tube disposed at the bypass pipe.

10. An apparatus for reforming fuel for a fuel cell, the apparatus comprising:
a first inlet pipe to receive water vapor;
a second inlet pipe to receive fuel;
an ejector having a first inlet provided at a front end of the ejector and connected to the first inlet pipe, a second inlet provided inside a neck of the ejector and connected to the second inlet pipe, and an outlet provided at a rear end of the ejector and through which a mixture of the water vapor and fuel is discharged, wherein a path width of the neck of the ejector is narrower than a path width of the front end of the ejector or a path width of the rear end of the ejector;
an outlet pipe having one end connected to the outlet of the ejector;
a reformer connected to the other end of the outlet pipe;
a bypass pipe branching from the first inlet pipe and merging with the outlet pipe; and
a valve disposed at the bypass pipe,
wherein the valve is opened when at least one of a ratio of a fuel supply flow rate to a water vapor supply flow rate supplied to the ejector or a ratio of a fuel supply flow rate to a water vapor supply flow rate supplied to the reformer exceeds a predetermined value.

11. The apparatus of claim 10 , further comprising a steam pump disposed in the first inlet pipe.

12. The apparatus of claim 10 , further comprising a capillary tube disposed at the bypass pipe.

Assignees

• Lg Electronics Inc

Inventors

• Woo Hyoung Suk
• Yang Dong Keun
• Cho Woojin

Classifications

• H01M8/04753

  of fuel cell reactants · CPC title

• H01M8/04201

  Reactant storage and supply, e.g. means for feeding, pipes · CPC title

• C01B2203/067

  the reforming process taking place in the fuel cell · CPC title

• H01M8/1007

  with both reactants being gaseous or vaporised (H01M8/12 takes precedence) · CPC title

• H01M8/04388

  of anode reactants at the inlet or inside the fuel cell · CPC title