Fuel cell device having a water-transferring anode gas path, and method for operating a fuel cell

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2017155159-A1
Application number	US-201515322386-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Jun 18, 2015
Priority date	Jul 2, 2014
Publication date	Jun 1, 2017
Grant date	—

Abstract

A fuel cell device ( 1 ) including an anode-gas path ( 3 ) and a method for operating a fuel cell device ( 1 ). In order to wet an anode of the fuel cell device ( 1 ) in a simple manner, an anode-gas drainage section ( 13 ) of the fuel cell device ( 1 ) is connected to an anode-gas supply section ( 7 ) of the fuel cell device ( 1 ) in a water-conducting manner and water is added to an anode-gas that is carried to the fuel cell ( 2 ).

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 - 8 . (canceled)

9 : A fuel cell device comprising:
a fuel cell; and an anode gas path having an anode gas inflow section and an anode gas outflow section and extending through the fuel cell on an anode side between the anode gas inflow section and the anode gas outflow section, and including a recirculation section connecting the anode gas outflow section to the anode gas inflow section in an anode gas-conducting manner, the anode gas outflow section being connected to the recirculation section in such a way that liquid product water is transferred to the fuel cell.

10 : The fuel cell device as recited in claim 9 wherein the anode gas inflow section is connected to the recirculation section in such a way that water vapor is received therefrom.

11 : The fuel cell device as recited in claim 9 wherein the recirculation section includes a compressor, anode exhaust gas and the liquid product water being suppliable on an inlet side to the compressor.

12 : The fuel cell device as recited in claim 9 further comprising a water separator, the anode gas outflow section between the fuel cell and the recirculation section extending through the water separator.

13 : The fuel cell device as recited in claim 12 wherein the water separator is designed to specify a quantity of the product water supplied to the anode gas inflow section.

14 : A method for operating a fuel cell device including a fuel cell, the method comprising:
adding water to an anode gas conducted to the fuel cell, the water being removed from an anode exhaust gas of the fuel cell in the form of liquid product water.

15 : The method as recited in claim 14 wherein the product water is removed from the fuel cell on the anode side.

16 : The method as recited in claim 14 further comprising vaporizing the water before the adding step.

Assignees

• Volkswagen Ag

Inventors

• Arendt Martin
• Heinrich Harald

Classifications

• H01M8/04164

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

• H01M8/04141 Primary

  by water containing exhaust gases · CPC title

• H01M8/04828

  Humidity; Water content · CPC title

• H01M2008/1095

  Fuel cells with polymeric electrolytes · CPC title

• Y02E60/50

  Fuel cells · CPC title