Fuel cell system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11316184-B2
Application number	US-201916426617-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 30, 2019
Priority date	Jun 12, 2018
Publication date	Apr 26, 2022
Grant date	Apr 26, 2022

Abstract

A fuel cell system includes: a fuel cell that includes a cathode and an anode and generates electricity by reducing a mediator at the cathode; a regenerator that oxidizes, with an oxidant, the mediator reduced by the cathode; an oxidant feed path that is connected to the regenerator, wherein through the oxidant feed path, the oxidant to be supplied to the regenerator flows; a reformer; a combustor that heats the reformer; and a first heat exchanger that exchanges heat between combustion exhaust discharged from the combustor and the oxidant to be supplied to the regenerator.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A fuel cell system comprising:
a fuel cell that includes a cathode and an anode and generates electricity by reducing a mediator at the cathode;
a regenerator that oxidizes, with an oxidant, the mediator reduced by the cathode;
an oxidant feed path that is connected to the regenerator, wherein through the oxidant feed path, the oxidant to be supplied to the regenerator flows;
a reformer;
a combustor that heats the reformer;
a first heat exchanger that exchanges heat between combustion exhaust discharged from the combustor and the oxidant to be supplied to the regenerator, and
a second heat exchanger that exchanges heat between gas discharged from the regenerator and the oxidant to be supplied to the regenerator.

2. The fuel cell system according to claim 1 , wherein the second heat exchanger is upstream of the first heat exchanger in the oxidant feed path.

3. The fuel cell system according to claim 1 , further comprising a third heat exchanger that exchanges heat between anode off-gas discharge from the anode and the oxidant to be supplied to the regenerator.

4. The fuel cell system according to claim 3 , wherein:
the second heat exchanger is upstream of the first heat exchanger in the oxidant feed path, and
the third heat exchanger is upstream of the second heat exchanger in the oxidant feed path.

5. The fuel cell system according to claim 3 , wherein:
the second heat exchanger is upstream of the first heat exchanger in the oxidant feed path; and
the third heat exchanger is between the first and second heat exchangers in the oxidant feed path.

6. The fuel cell system according to claim 1 , further comprising a circulation path that connects the fuel cell and the regenerator in such a manner that a solution containing the mediator circulates between the cathode of the fuel cell and the regenerator.

7. The fuel cell system according to claim 6 , wherein the circulation path comprises a first path that connects a solution outlet of the regenerator to an input of the cathode so as to supply the mediator to the cathode, and a second path that connects an output of the cathode to a solution inlet of the regenerator so as to supply the mediator reduced by the cathode to the regenerator.

Assignees

• Panasonic Ip Man Co Ltd

Inventors

• Tamura Satoru
• Hayashi Takao
• Fayolle Marine
• Kitazawa Yosuke

Classifications

• H01M8/188 Primary

  by recharging of redox couples containing fluids; Redox flow type batteries · CPC title

• H01M2008/1095

  Fuel cells with polymeric electrolytes · CPC title

• H01M8/18 Primary

  Regenerative fuel cells, e.g. redox flow batteries or secondary fuel cells · CPC title

• H01M8/0612

  from carbon-containing material · CPC title

• H01M8/04022

  Heating by combustion · CPC title