Two-phase water cooling in an electrochemical hydrogen separator

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11264625-B2
Application number	US-201916565169-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 9, 2019
Priority date	Sep 12, 2018
Publication date	Mar 1, 2022
Grant date	Mar 1, 2022

Abstract

A cooling plate assembly includes an anode half-plate having an anode upper surface and an opposing anode lower surface, and a cathode half-plate having a cathode upper surface and an opposing cathode lower surface, the cathode lower surface configured to engage the anode upper surface. The assembly further includes a cooling tube disposed between and engaging the anode upper surface and the cathode lower surface.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A cooling plate assembly, comprising:
an anode half-plate comprising an anode upper surface, an opposing anode lower surface, and a plurality of anode outlets configured to pass anode exhaust gas therethrough;
a cathode half-plate comprising a cathode upper surface and an opposing cathode lower surface, the cathode lower surface configured to engage the anode upper surface; and
a cooling tube disposed between and engaging the anode upper surface and the cathode lower surface;
wherein the cooling tube comprises an inlet end, an outlet end, and a plurality of passes forming a serpentine pattern therebetween, a first pass of the plurality of passes being coupled to the inlet end; and
wherein the first pass is the most proximate pass to each of the plurality of anode outlets.

2. The assembly of claim 1 , wherein the cooling tube is configured to pass a cooling fluid therethrough; and
wherein the cooling fluid includes at least one of water, steam, or a two-phase mixture of water and steam.

3. The assembly of claim 2 , wherein the cooling tube is configured to transfer heat from at least one of the anode half-plate or the cathode half-plate to the cooling fluid in the cooling tube.

4. The assembly of claim 2 , further comprising:
an anode cooling channel formed in the anode upper surface and configured to receive at least a portion of the cooling tube in the anode cooling channel; and
a cathode cooling channel formed in the cathode lower surface and configured to receive at least a portion of the cooling tube in the cathode cooling channel.

5. The assembly of claim 4 ,
wherein the inlet end is configured to receive the cooling fluid.

6. The assembly of claim 4 ,
wherein the anode cooling channel comprises an inlet end, an outlet end, and a plurality of passes therebetween forming a complementary profile to the cooling tube; and
wherein the cathode cooling channel comprises an inlet end, an outlet end, and a plurality of passes therebetween forming a complementary profile to the cooling tube.

7. The assembly of claim 4 , further comprising a thermally-conductive coating disposed on at least one of the anode cooling channel or the cathode cooling channel.

8. The assembly of claim 1 , further comprising a dielectric coating disposed between the cooling tube and each of the anode half-plate and the cathode half-plate.

9. A fuel cell assembly, comprising:
a first fuel cell comprising:
an anode and a cathode, the anode defining an anode upper surface and a plurality of anode outlets configured to pass anode exhaust gas therethrough;
wherein the anode upper surface defines an anode cooling channel therein;

a second fuel cell comprising:
a second anode and a second cathode, the second cathode defining a cathode lower surface;
wherein the cathode lower surface defines a cathode cooling channel therein; and
wherein the cathode lower surface is disposed on the anode upper surface; and

a cooling tube disposed in the anode cooling channel and the cathode cooling channel, the cooling tube defining an inlet end, an outlet end, and a plurality of passes forming a serpentine pattern therebetween, a first pass of the plurality of passes being coupled to the inlet end;
wherein the first pass is the most proximate pass to each of the plurality of anode outlets.

10. The fuel cell assembly of claim 9 , further comprising a cooling system, the cooling system comprising:
a cooling supply line configured to supply a cooling fluid to the inlet end of the cooling tube; and
a cooling return line configured to receive the cooling fluid from the outlet end of the cooling tube;
wherein the cooling fluid comprises water or a two-phase mixture of water and steam at the inlet end of the cooling tube; and
wherein the cooling fluid comprises steam or a two-phase mixture of water and steam at the outlet end of the cooling tube.

11. The fuel cell assembly of claim 10 , wherein the cooling system further comprises:
a liquid-vapor separator, comprising:
a water supply line configured to supply water to the liquid-vapor separator; and
a vent configured to output steam from the liquid-vapor separator;
wherein the liquid-vapor separator is configured to supply water or the two-phase mixture to the cooling supply line; and
wherein the liquid-vapor separator is configured to receive steam or the two-phase mixture from the cooling return line.

12. The fuel cell assembly of claim 10 , further comprising a dielectric coupling between the cooling tube and one of the cooling supply line or the cooling return line, the coupling comprising:
a core formed from a dielectric material;
a bore extending through the core and defining a first portion, a second portion, and a third portion disposed between the first portion and the second portion;
wherein the first portion is configured to receive one of the inlet end or the outlet end of the cooling tube; and
wherein the second portion is configured to receive one of the cooling supply line or the cooling return line.

13. The fuel cell assembly of claim 12 , wherein the third portion is disposed between the cooling tube and the one of the cooling supply line or the cooling return line; and
wherein the third portion is configured to prevent the cooling tube from directly engaging the cooling supply line or the cooling return line.

14. The fuel cell assembly of claim 12 , wherein a shell is disposed annularly about the core.

15. The fuel cell assembly of claim 14 , wherein an epoxy filler is disposed between the shell and the core.

16. A method of cooling a fuel cell assembly, comprising:
providing an anode half-plate defining an anode cooling channel and a cathode half-plate defining a cathode cooling channel;
providing a cooling tube disposed in the anode cooling channel and the cathode cooling channel;
receiving a two-phase mixture of water and steam at an inlet end of the cooling tube;
transferring heat from at least one of the anode half-plate or the cathode half-plate to the water in the cooling tube;
vaporizing at least a portion of the water in the two-phase mixture into steam;
outputting at least one of the steam or the two-phase mixture from the cooling tube;
providing a liquid-vapor separator;
providing liquid water to the liquid-vapor separator; and
pressurizing the water in the liquid-vapor separator to form the two-phase mixture received at the cooling tube;
controlling pressure in the liquid-vapor separator with a backpressure release valve, wherein the backpressure release valve is configured to vent steam from the liquid-vapor separator; and
humidifying anode fuel with the vented steam.

17. The method of claim 16 , wherein the anode half-plate is configured to transfer heat directly to the cooling tube through the anode cooling channel; and
wherein the cathode half-plate is configured to transfer heat directly to the cooling tube through the cathode cooling channel.

18. The method of claim 16 , further comprising feeding the two-phase mixture to the cooling tube proximate an anode exhaust stream.

Assignees

• Fuelcell Energy Inc

Inventors

• Patel Pinakin
• Malwitz Jonathan
• Kopp Ray
• Lipp Ludwig
• Roy Jesse

Classifications

• H01M8/04029 Primary

  Heat exchange using liquids · CPC title

• F28D2021/0043

  for fuel cells · CPC title

• H01M8/026

  characterised by grooves, e.g. their pitch or depth · CPC title

• H01M8/04059

  Evaporative processes for the cooling of a fuel cell · CPC title

• B01D19/0063 Primary

  Regulation, control including valves and floats (for construction and details of valves F16K) · CPC title