Fuel cell generator system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11211617-B2
Application number	US-201916271881-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 11, 2019
Priority date	Feb 12, 2018
Publication date	Dec 28, 2021
Grant date	Dec 28, 2021

Abstract

Disclosed is a fuel cell filter including a body including therein an internal space in which a fluid flows, an inlet port provided in the body and configured to receive a fluid discharged from a fuel cell stack, a gas-water separating membrane disposed in the internal space and configured to block a liquid fluid included in a fluid absorbed in the inlet port from flowing upwards, a discharge port provided in the body and configured to externally discharge the liquid fluid blocked in the gas-water separating membrane, a water absorbent disposed in the internal space and configured to absorb water included in a gaseous fluid passing through the gas-water separating membrane, and a gas outlet port provided in the body and configured to externally discharge gas separated in the gas-water separating membrane.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A fuel cell filter comprising:
a body including therein an internal space in which a fluid flows;
an inlet port provided in the body and configured to receive a fluid discharged from a fuel cell stack;
a gas-water separating membrane which is disposed in the internal space, extends horizontally, divides the internal space into a lower internal space and an upper internal space, and is configured to block a liquid fluid included in the fluid absorbed in the inlet port from flowing upwards, wherein the lower internal space is disposed below a lower surface of the gas-water separating membrane, the upper internal space is disposed above an upper surface of the gas-water separating membrane, and the upper surface is opposite to the lower surface;
a discharge port provided in the body, directly connected to the lower inner space, and configured to externally discharge the liquid fluid blocked in the gas-water separating membrane;
a water absorbent disposed in the upper internal space and configured to absorb water included in a gaseous fluid passing through the gas-water separating membrane; and
a gas outlet port provided in the body, directly connected to the upper inner space, and configured to externally discharge gas separated in the gas-water separating membrane,
wherein the inlet port is directly connected to the lower inner space.

2. The fuel cell filter of claim 1 ,
the water absorbent is disposed between the gas-water separating membrane and the gas outlet port.

3. The fuel cell filter of claim 1 , wherein the discharge port is provided at a lower end of the body.

4. The fuel cell filter of claim 1 , wherein the body is elongated in a height direction and has a cylindrical cross section.

5. The fuel cell filter of claim 2 , wherein the body includes a membrane accommodating portion in which the gas-water separating membrane is disposed.

6. The fuel cell filter of claim 5 , wherein a portion spanning from the membrane accommodating portion to an upper end of the body is separable from a remaining portion of the body.

7. The fuel cell filter of claim 2 , further comprising:
an upper cover detachably provided at an upper end of the body and configured to cover an upper side of the internal space.

8. A fuel cell generator system comprising:
a hydrogen tank configured to store hydrogen;
a fuel cell stack including a hydrogen inlet port configured to receive hydrogen from the hydrogen tank, an air inlet port configured to absorb air from outside air, a hydrogen outlet port, and an air outlet port;
a fuel cell filter provided in at least one of the hydrogen outlet port or the air outlet port and configured to receive a fluid discharged through the at least one outlet port, and separate the fluid into water and gas and discharge the water and the gas separately;
a water tank disposed below and connected to a lower side of the fuel cell filter and configured to receive and store water discharged downward from the fuel cell filter by a force of gravity; and
a water electrolysis device disposed below and adjacent to the water tank and configured to absorb heat in the water tank and supply, to the hydrogen tank, hydrogen generated by electrolyzing water transferred below from the water tank by the force of gravity,
wherein the water tank is disposed below and adjacent to a lower surface of the fuel cell stack to perform cooling of the fuel cell stack using water stored therein.

9. The fuel cell generator system of claim 8 , wherein the fuel cell filter includes:
a body including therein an internal space in which a fluid flows;
an inlet port provided in the body and configured to receive a fluid discharged from the hydrogen outlet port of the fuel cell stack;
a gas-water separating membrane disposed in the internal space and configured to block a liquid fluid included in the fluid absorbed in the inlet port from flowing upwards;
a discharge port provided at a lower end of the body and configured to externally discharge the liquid fluid blocked in the gas-water separating membrane;
a water absorbent disposed in the internal space and configured to absorb water included in a gaseous fluid passing through the gas-water separating membrane; and
a gas outlet port provided in the body and configured to externally discharge gas separated in the gas-water separating membrane.

10. The fuel cell generator system of wherein the hydrogen tank is disposed at a side of the water tank, the fuel cell stack, and the water electrolysis device.

11. The fuel cell generator system of claim 8 , further comprising:
a case configured to cover an outside of the fuel cell generator system.

12. The fuel cell generator system of claim 8 , wherein the water electrolysis device is operable using electric energy generated from the fuel cell stack.

13. The fuel cell generator system of claim 12 , further comprising:
a controller configured to monitor respective states of the fuel cell stack, the hydrogen tank, the water tank, and the water electrolysis device, and control respective operations of the fuel cell stack and the water electrolysis device,
wherein, when power used in an external device connected to the fuel cell generator system is less than power generated in the fuel cell stack, the controller is configured to control the water electrolysis device to operate using at least a portion of the generated power and control hydrogen generated by the operating to be stored in the hydrogen tank.

Assignees

• Korea Inst Energy Res

Inventors

• Sohn Young-Jun
• Oh Hwan Yeong
• Shin Dong Won
• Kim Seung-Gon
• Bae Byungchan
• Kim Min-Jin
• Yim Sung-Dae
• Yang Tae-Hyun
• Park Gu-Gon
• Lee Won-Yong
• Kim Chang-Soo
• Park Seok-Hee

Classifications

• H01M8/0656

  by electrochemical means (H01M8/065 takes precedence) · CPC title

• Y02E60/50

  Fuel cells · CPC title

• B01D61/00

  Processes of separation using semi-permeable membranes, e.g. dialysis, osmosis or ultrafiltration; Apparatus, accessories or auxiliary operations specially adapted therefor (separation of gases or vapours by diffusion B01D53/22) · CPC title

• H01M8/04164 Primary

  by condensers, gas-liquid separators or filters · CPC title

• B01D53/263

  by absorption · CPC title