Fuel cell module including heat exchanger and method of operating such module

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2017092964-A1
Application number	US-201514867391-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Sep 28, 2015
Priority date	Sep 28, 2015
Publication date	Mar 30, 2017
Grant date	—

Abstract

A fuel cell block for use in a fuel cell module includes a fuel cell. A heat exchanger coupled to the fuel cell includes a first heat exchange component, a second heat exchange component, and a casing defining an interior space. An air inlet pipe, a fuel inlet pipe, an air outlet pipe, and a fuel outlet pipe each channel fluid and at least partially extend through the interior space. A manifold includes a first surface and a second surface opposite the first surface. A plurality of openings is defined in the first surface and the second surface. The manifold is coupled to the fuel cell and the heat exchanger such that the first surface contacts the fuel cell and the second surface contacts the heat exchanger. The manifold is coupled to the air inlet pipe, the fuel inlet pipe, the air outlet pipe, and the fuel outlet pipe.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A fuel cell block for use in a fuel cell module, said fuel cell block comprising:
a fuel cell; a heat exchanger coupled to said fuel cell, said heat exchanger comprising a first heat exchange component, a second heat exchange component, and a casing defining an interior space; an air inlet pipe for channeling air to said fuel cell, said air inlet pipe at least partially extending through the interior space, said first exchange component configured to increase the temperature of the air in said air inlet pipe; a fuel inlet pipe for channeling fuel to said fuel cell, said fuel inlet pipe at least partially extending through the interior space, said second heat exchange component configured to increase the temperature of the fuel in said fuel inlet pipe; an air outlet pipe for channeling air away from said fuel cell, said air outlet pipe at least partially extending through the interior space; a fuel outlet pipe for channeling fuel away from said fuel cell, said fuel outlet pipe at least partially extending through the interior space; and a manifold comprising a first surface and a second surface opposite said first surface, a plurality of openings defined in said first surface and said second surface, said manifold coupled to said fuel cell and said heat exchanger such that said first surface contacts said fuel cell and said second surface contacts said heat exchanger, said manifold coupled to said air inlet pipe, said fuel inlet pipe, said air outlet pipe, and said fuel outlet pipe.

2 . The fuel cell block in accordance with claim 1 , wherein said fuel cell is a first fuel cell, said fuel cell block further comprising a second fuel cell coupled to said heat exchanger.

3 . The fuel cell block in accordance with claim 2 , wherein said manifold is a first manifold, said fuel cell block further comprising a second manifold coupled to said second fuel cell and said heat exchanger.

4 . The fuel cell block in accordance with claim 3 , wherein said first fuel cell, said second fuel cell, and said heat exchanger are aligned in a vertical direction, said heat exchanger positioned between said first fuel cell and said second fuel cell.

5 . The fuel cell block in accordance with claim 4 , wherein said casing comprises a top wall, a bottom wall, and a sidewall extending between the top wall and the side wall, said first manifold coupled to said top wall and said second manifold coupled to said bottom wall.

6 . The fuel cell block in accordance with claim 1 , wherein said manifold has a maximum width in a range between about 254 millimeters (mm) and about 1270 mm.

7 . The fuel cell block in accordance with claim 6 , wherein said manifold has a thickness measured between said first surface and said second surface, said thickness in a range between about 2 mm and about 400 mm.

8 . The fuel cell block in accordance with claim 1 , wherein said fuel cell is coupled to a plurality of fuel cells to form a fuel cell stack.

9 . A fuel cell module comprising:
at least one fuel cell block comprising:
a fuel cell;
a heat exchanger coupled to said fuel cell, said heat exchanger comprising a first heat exchange component, a second heat exchange component, and a casing defining an interior space;
at least one pipe for channeling fluid to said fuel cell, said at least one pipe at least partially extending through the interior space; and
a manifold comprising a first surface and a second surface opposite said first surface, said manifold coupled to said fuel cell and said heat exchanger such that said first surface contacts said fuel cell and said second surface contacts said heat exchanger, said at least one pipe coupled to said manifold.

10 . The fuel cell module in accordance with claim 9 , wherein said at least one fuel cell block comprises a plurality of said fuel cell blocks.

11 . The fuel cell module in accordance with claim 10 , wherein each fuel cell block of said plurality of said fuel cell blocks further comprises a plurality of fuel cells coupled to said fuel cell.

12 . The fuel cell module in accordance with claim 11 , wherein said heat exchanger is configured to raise the temperature of the fluid to a temperature in a range between about 600° C. and about 800° C.

13 . The fuel cell module in accordance with claim 9 , wherein said at least one pipe comprises an air inlet pipe and a fuel inlet pipe, each of said air inlet pipe and said fuel inlet pipe at least partially extending through the interior space, said first heat exchange component configured to raise the temperature of fluid in said air inlet pipe and said second heat exchange component configured to raise the temperature of fluid in said fuel inlet pipe.

14 . The fuel cell module in accordance with claim 13 , further comprising an air outlet pipe and a fuel outlet pipe, said air outlet pipe at least partially extending through the interior space, at least one of said first heat exchange component and said second heat exchange component configured to remove heat from the fluid in said air outlet pipe.

15 . A method of channeling fluid through a fuel cell module including a fuel cell block, said method comprising:
channeling a first fluid to the fuel cell block, the fuel cell block including a fuel cell, a heat exchanger, and a manifold, the heat exchanger including a casing defining an interior space, the manifold including a first surface and a second surface opposite the first surface, a first opening and a second opening defined in the first surface and the second surface, the manifold coupled to the heat exchanger and to the fuel cell such that the first opening and the second opening are in fluid connection with the fuel cell; channeling the first fluid through the interior space; channeling the first fluid through the first opening and into the fuel cell; channeling a second fluid out of the fuel cell and through the second opening; channeling the second fluid through the interior space; and transferring heat from the second fluid to the first fluid as the fluids are channeled through the interior space, the heat exchanger configured to raise the temperature of the first fluid to a temperature in a range between about 600 ° C. and about 800 ° C., the heat exchanger including a first heat exchange component and a second heat exchange component.

16 . The method in accordance with claim 15 , wherein the fuel cell is a first fuel cell and the manifold is a first manifold, the method further comprising channeling a third fluid through the interior space and through a second manifold into a second fuel cell, the second manifold coupled to the heat exchanger and to the second fuel cell.

17 . The method in accordance with claim 16 further comprising channeling a third fluid through the interior space and channeling a fourth fluid through the interior space.

18 . The method in accordance with claim 17 further comprising transferring heat from the fourth fluid to the third fluid as the fluids are channeled through the interior space.

19 . The method in accordance with claim 15 further comprising maintaining the first fluid at a temperature in a range between about 100° C. and about 600° C. prior to channeling the first fluid through the interior space.

20 . The method in accordance with claim 19 wherein channeling the first fluid through the interior space comprises channeling the first fluid through a pipe extending at least partially through the interior space.

Assignees

• Gen Electric

Inventors

• Hickey Darren Bawden
• Brown Keith Garrette

Classifications

• H01M2008/1293

  Fuel cells with solid oxide electrolytes · CPC title

• H01M8/04007 Primary

  related to heat exchange · CPC title

• H01M8/0297

  Arrangements for joining electrodes, reservoir layers, heat exchange units or bipolar separators to each other (H01M8/0271 takes precedence) · CPC title

• H01M8/2425

  High-temperature cells with solid electrolytes · CPC title

• H01M8/2484

  characterised by external manifolds · CPC title