Method for shutting down a generator unit having a fuel cell device

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11302940-B2
Application number	US-201716322973-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 2, 2017
Priority date	Aug 2, 2016
Publication date	Apr 12, 2022
Grant date	Apr 12, 2022

Abstract

The present invention relates to a method for shutting down a generator unit (1) comprising a fuel cell device (100) having the steps (a) shutdown of a current generation via a control unit (510); (b) detection of at least one anode temperature of an anode (122) of the fuel cell device (100), in particular during a cool-down process; (c) blocking of an escape of carbon monoxide from an anode chamber (120) in which the anode (122) is arranged at least partially, in particular, at least for the most part, completely, if the anode temperature is higher than the first limit temperature T1; (d) at least partial removal of carbon monoxide from an anode chamber (120) in which the anode (122) is arranged at least in part, in particular, at least for the most part, completely, if the anode temperature falls below a first limit temperature T1. The present invention further relates to a generator unit (1), a vehicle having this generator unit (1) and a use of this generator unit (1).

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method for shutting down a generator unit comprising a fuel cell device, having the following steps:
(a) shutdown of current generation via a control unit;
(b) detection of at least one anode temperature of an anode of the fuel cell device;
(c) blocking of an escape of carbon monoxide from an anode chamber in which the anode is arranged at least in part if the anode temperature is higher than a first limit temperature T 1 ;
(d) At least partial removal of carbon monoxide from the anode chamber if the anode temperature falls below the first limit temperature T 1 .

2. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the at least partial removal of carbon monoxide from the anode chamber occurs if the anode temperature is in a range between T 1 and T 2 , wherein T 2 is lower than T 1 .

3. The method according to claim 1 , further comprising the step:
(e) Stopping the at least partial removal of carbon monoxide at least if the anode temperature falls below a second limit temperature T 2 or the carbon monoxide was at least partially removed from the anode chamber ( 120 ), wherein T 2 is lower than T 1 .

4. The method according to claim 1 , wherein at least the first limit temperature T 1 is, at, greater than or equal to a decomposition temperature or an upper temperature at which nickel tetracarbonyl (Ni(CO) 4 ) is formed or the second limit temperature T 2 is, at, less than or equal to a lower temperature at which nickel tetracarbonyl (Ni(CO) 4 ) is formed.

5. The method according to claim 1 , wherein at least the first limit temperature T 1 is, at, less than or equal to a lower temperature at which nickel oxide is formed or the second limit temperature T 2 is, at, less than or equal to a decomposition temperature or upper temperature at which nickel tetracarbonyl (Ni(CO) 4 ) is formed or a lower temperature at which nickel tetracarbonyl (Ni(CO) 4 ) is formed.

6. The method according to claim 1 , wherein at least the first limit temperature T 1 is than 400° C. or is higher than 250° C., or the second limit temperature T 2 is than 125° C. or is higher than 50° C.

7. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the at least partial removal comprises at least an evacuation of the anode chamber or a displacement of the carbon monoxide in the anode chamber by another gas.

8. The method according to claim 7 , wherein the other gas has at least nitrogen or hydrogen or oxygen or ambient air.

9. The method according to claim 7 , wherein the other gas is at least introduced in a reformer or in the direction of flow in front of the reformer.

10. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the step (b) has:
(b1) detection of an inlet side anode temperature and
(b2) detection of an outlet side anode temperature.

11. A generator unit, comprising:
a fuel cell device having a cathode, which is arranged partially in a cathode chamber of the fuel cell device, and an anode, which is arranged at least partially, within an anode chamber of the fuel cell device;
a gas supply line, wherein a downstream end of the gas supply line is connected to an inlet side of the anode chamber;
a gas discharge line, which is connected to an outlet side of the anode chamber so as to conduct gas;
at least one anode temperature sensor;
a gas supply device, which is connected to an upstream region of the gas supply line so as to conduct gas;
a control device, which is provided for this purpose;
detecting at least one anode temperature of the anode;
blocking an escape of carbon monoxide from an anode chamber if the anode temperature is higher than a first limit temperature T 1 ; and
removing carbon monoxide at least in part from the anode chamber if the anode temperature falls below the first limit temperature T 1 .

12. The generator unit according to claim 11 , wherein the gas supply device has a fan.

13. The generator unit according to claim 11 , wherein the gas supply device is supplied.

14. The generator unit according to claim 11 , wherein the generator unit is provided for the purpose of carrying out a method for shutting down a generator unit comprising a fuel cell device, having the following steps:
(a) shutdown of current generation via a control unit;
(b) detection of at least one anode temperature of an anode of the fuel cell device;
(c) blocking of an escape of carbon monoxide from an anode chamber in which the anode is arranged at least in part if the anode temperature is higher than a first limit temperature T 1 ;
(d) At least partial removal of carbon monoxide from the anode chamber if the anode temperature falls below the first limit temperature T 1 .

15. The generator unit according to claim 11 , further comprising:
a bypass line that connects the gas supply device ( 200 ) to the fuel cell device; and
a further control device that drives the valve of the bypass line.

16. A vehicle having a generator unit, comprising:
a fuel cell device having a cathode, which is arranged partially in a cathode chamber of the fuel cell device, and an anode, which is arranged at least partially, within an anode chamber of the fuel cell device;
a gas supply line, wherein a downstream end of the gas supply line is connected to an inlet side of the anode chamber;
a gas discharge line, which is connected to an outlet side of the anode chamber so as to conduct gas;
at least one anode temperature sensor;
a gas supply device, which is connected to an upstream region of the gas supply line so as to conduct gas;
a control device, which is provided for this purpose;
detecting at least one anode temperature of the anode;
blocking an escape of carbon monoxide from an anode chamber if the anode temperature is higher than a first limit temperature T 1 ; and
removing carbon monoxide at least in part from the anode chamber if the anode temperature falls below the first limit temperature T 1 .

17. The vehicle according to claim 16 , further comprising a fuel reserve for provision of fuel.

18. A use of a generator unit according to claim 11 comprising a fuel cell device at least for the reduction for the formation of nickel tetracarbonyl Ni(CO) 4 during the shutdown of the generator unit or for the reduction for of an oxidation of an anode during the shutdown of the generator unit.

19. The method according to claim 7 , wherein the step (b) has:
(b1) detection of an inlet side anode temperature and
(b2) detection of an outlet side anode temperature;
wherein the following step is performed:
(b3) Introduction of the other gas in at least one region around the anode when the inlet side anode temperature is greater than T 1 and the outlet side anode temperature is less than T 2 .

20. The vehicle according to claim 17 , wherein the fuel reserve is at least of ethanol or water mixed with ethanol, wherein the fuel is supplied as reserve for the operation of the fuel cell device.

Assignees

• Avl List Gmbh
• Nissan Motor

Inventors

• Mathé Jörg
• Tanaka Daiki

Classifications

• Y02E60/50

  Fuel cells · CPC title

• H01M8/04228

  during shut-down · CPC title

• H01M8/04231 Primary

  Purging of the reactants · CPC title

• H01M8/04955

  Shut-off or shut-down of fuel cells · CPC title

• Y02T90/40

  Application of hydrogen technology to transportation, e.g. using fuel cells · CPC title