Fuel cell system as well as vehicle having such a fuel cell system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016190611-A1
Application number	US-201514977959-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Dec 22, 2015
Priority date	Dec 29, 2014
Publication date	Jun 30, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

A fuel cell system including: a fuel cell stack; a cathode gas supply source including a cathode supply path for feeding cathode operating gas into the fuel cell stack and a cathode exhaust gas path for discharging cathode exhaust gas out of the fuel cell stack, and a fuel cell cooling system for cooling the fuel cell stack including a coolant path into which the fuel cell stack is integrated so as to transfer heat is provided. It is provided that the cathode gas supply source also includes a turbine arranged in the cathode exhaust gas path, and the coolant path of the fuel cell cooling system in the flow path of the cathode exhaust gas downstream from the turbine is in heat-transferring contact with the cathode exhaust gas path. This achieves a cooling of the coolant by the cathode exhaust gas and a heating of the cathode exhaust gas by the coolant.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A fuel cell system comprising:
a fuel cell stack; a cathode gas supply source comprising a cathode supply path for feeding cathode operating gas into the fuel cell stack and a cathode exhaust gas path for discharging cathode exhaust gas out of the fuel cell stack; a fuel cell cooling system for cooling the fuel cell stack and comprising a coolant path, the fuel cell stack being integrated into the coolant path so as to transfer heat, the cathode gas supply source further comprising a turbine arranged in the cathode exhaust gas path, the coolant path in the flow path of the cathode exhaust gas downstream from the turbine being in heat-transferring contact with the cathode exhaust gas path.

2 . The fuel cell system as recited in claim 1 wherein the cathode gas supply source further comprises a humidifier, the cathode exhaust gas flowing through the humidifier, the coolant path in the flow path of the cathode exhaust gas downstream from the humidifier being in heat-transferring contact with the cathode exhaust gas path.

3 . The fuel cell system as recited in claim 2 wherein the humidifier is arranged upstream from the turbine in the cathode exhaust gas path.

4 . The fuel cell system as recited in claim 1 wherein, aside from the fuel cell stack, at least one additional component to be cooled is integrated into the coolant path.

5 . The fuel cell system as recited in claim 4 wherein the at least one additional component is a component of the fuel cell system.

6 . The fuel cell system as recited in claim 5 wherein the at least one additional component is the electric motor of an electric compressor.

7 . The fuel cell system as recited in claim 6 wherein the at least one additional component is power electronics of the electric motor.

8 . The fuel cell system as recited in claim 4 wherein the at least one additional component and the heat-transferring contact of the coolant path with the cathode exhaust gas path are connected in series in the flow path of the coolant.

9 . The fuel cell system as recited in claim 8 wherein the at least one additional component is arranged downstream from the heat-transferring contact of the coolant path with the cathode exhaust gas path.

10 . The fuel cell system as recited in claim 1 wherein the fuel cell stack and the heat-transferring contact of the coolant path with the cathode exhaust gas path are connected in parallel to each other in the coolant path.

11 . The fuel cell system as recited in claim 1 wherein the fuel cell stack and the heat-transferring contact of the coolant path with the cathode exhaust gas path are connected in series in the coolant path.

12 . The fuel cell system as recited in claim 11 wherein the fuel cell stack is arranged upstream from the heat-transferring contact.

13 . The fuel cell system as recited in claim 1 further comprising a heat exchanger effectuating the heat-transferring contact of the coolant path with the cathode exhaust gas path.

14 . The fuel cell system as recited in claim 1 further comprising a heat exchanger arranged in the cathode supply path and integrated into the coolant path in order to cool or heat the cathode operating gas.

15 . A vehicle comprising the fuel cell system as recited in claim 1 .

Assignees

• Volkswagen Ag

Inventors

• Grundei Daniel
• Berger Oliver
• Lucas Christian
• Kleppa Oliver

Classifications

• B60L58/34 Primary

  by heating · CPC title

• H01M8/04201

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

• H01M8/04014 Primary

  Heat exchange using gaseous fluids; Heat exchange by combustion of reactants · CPC title

• H01M8/04126

  Humidifying · CPC title

• H01M2250/20

  Fuel cells in motive systems, e.g. vehicle, ship, plane · CPC title