Fuel cell purge line system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016268614-A1
Application number	US-201615157708-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	May 18, 2016
Priority date	Mar 11, 2013
Publication date	Sep 15, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

A fuel cell anode purge line includes an elongated water-scavenging body having a single inlet portion, a single outlet portion having an outlet valve, and a scavenged reservoir configured to accumulate water and fluidly connect the inlet and outlet portions so as to direct a flow of purge gas from the inlet portion through the reservoir such that the purge gas entrains the water in the flow and transfers the water towards the outlet valve.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A fuel cell anode purge line comprising:
an elongated water-scavenging body having a single inlet portion, a single outlet portion having an outlet valve, and a scavenged reservoir configured to accumulate water and fluidly connect the inlet and outlet portions so as to direct a flow of purge gas from the inlet portion through the reservoir such that the purge gas entrains the water in the flow and transfers the water towards the outlet valve.

2 . The purge line of claim 1 , wherein the inlet portion includes a venturi to increase velocity of the purge gas impacting the water in the reservoir so that the purge gas forms a jet capable of increasing a volume of water transported towards the outlet valve.

3 . The purge line of claim 2 , wherein the inlet portion has a diameter d 1 and the venturi includes an orifice having a diameter d 2 , wherein d 2 equals ⅙ to ½ d 1 .

4 . The purge line of claim 2 , wherein the venturi includes a hydrophobic coating.

5 . The purge line of claim 2 , wherein the venturi is located in a bottom-most section of the inlet portion directly adjacent to the scavenged reservoir.

6 . The purge line of claim 2 , wherein the venturi is located no higher in the inlet portion than the jet is configured to reach.

7 . The purge line of claim 1 , wherein the scavenged reservoir is cylindrical.

8 . The purge line of claim 1 , further comprising a purge gas bypass line connecting the inlet and outlet portions, the purge gas bypass line arranged upstream of the scavenged reservoir so that the purge gas flows from the inlet portion to the outlet valve without contacting the reservoir.

9 . The purge line of claim 2 , wherein a purge gas bypass line inlet is arranged adjacent to the venturi.

10 . The purge line of claim 8 , wherein a diameter of the purge gas bypass line is smaller than a diameter of the scavenged reservoir.

11 . The purge line of claim 10 , wherein the purge gas bypass line includes a venturi, located adjacent to a bypass line outlet, to create a low pressure region.

12 . A fuel cell anode purge gas line comprising:
an inlet portion; an outlet portion having an outlet valve; and a scavenged reservoir configured to flow anode purge gas from the inlet portion to the outlet valve through the reservoir such that the flow physically removes water accumulated in the reservoir.

13 . The purge gas line of claim 12 , further comprising a venturi, located in the inlet portion, designed to increase a volume of the water being removed from the scavenged reservoir towards the outlet valve.

14 . The purge gas line of claim 13 , wherein the inlet portion has a diameter d 1 and the venturi includes an orifice having a diameter d 2 , wherein d 2 equals ⅙ to ½ d 1 .

15 . The purge gas line of claim 12 , further comprising a purge gas bypass line directly connecting the inlet and outlet portions, the purge gas bypass line arranged upstream of the scavenged reservoir so that the purge gas flows from the inlet portion to the outlet valve without contacting the reservoir.

16 . The purge gas line of claim 15 , wherein a diameter of the purge gas bypass line is smaller than a diameter of the scavenged reservoir.

17 . A fuel cell anode purge line water-scavenging reservoir comprising:
an inlet; an outlet portion with a single outlet valve; a top section located above a water level configured to direct a first portion of a purge gas from the inlet through an entire length of the reservoir to the outlet valve; and a bottom section located below the water level configured to entrain the water in a second portion of the purge gas being directed from the inlet through the entire length of the reservoir below the water level such that the water is transferred to the outlet valve.

18 . The water-scavenging reservoir of claim 17 , further comprising a venturi, located in the inlet, to increase a volume of the water being transferred toward the outlet valve.

19 . The water-scavenging reservoir of claim 18 , wherein the inlet has a diameter d 1 and the venturi includes an orifice having a diameter d 2 , wherein d 2 equals ⅙ to ½ d 1 .

20 . The water-scavenging reservoir of claim 17 , further comprising a purge gas bypass line connecting the inlet and outlet portions, the purge gas bypass line arranged upstream of the water-scavenging reservoir so that the purge gas flows from the inlet to the outlet valve without contacting the reservoir.

Assignees

• Ford Global Tech Llc

Inventors

• Mathie Craig Michael
• Sanderson Jr William F
• Son Seha
• Edwards Virgo W
• Mejia Mejia Valentina

Classifications

• H01M8/04164 Primary

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

• H01M8/04231

  Purging of the reactants · CPC title

• Y02E60/50

  Fuel cells · CPC title

• H01M8/04097

  with recycling of the reactants (H01M8/04119, H01M8/04104 take precedence) · CPC title

• H01M8/04179

  by purging or increasing flow or pressure of reactants · CPC title