Intergrated Gas Management Device For A Fuel Cell System

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2018205098-A1
Application number	US-201815917955-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Mar 12, 2018
Priority date	Jun 27, 2013
Publication date	Jul 19, 2018
Grant date	—

Abstract

An integrated gas management device (GMD) for a fuel cell has a gas-to-gas humidifier for transferring water from a second gas to a first gas; and a heat exchanger attached to a first end of the humidifier core for cooling the first gas. The GMD may optionally have a thermal isolation plate between the heat exchanger and the first end of the humidifier core. The GMD further has a bypass line to allow the first gas to bypass the humidifier. The first gas may be cathode charge air and the second gas may be cathode exhaust.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . An integrated gas management device (GMD), comprising:
(a) a gas-to-gas humidifier core comprising: one or more first gas flow passages; one or more second gas flow passages; a first end and a second end; a first gas inlet manifold and a first gas outlet manifold in flow communication with the first gas flow passages; and a second gas inlet manifold and a second gas outlet manifold in flow communication with the second gas flow passages; wherein the manifolds extend through the humidifier core from the first end to the second end; and (b) a heat exchanger attached to the first end of the humidifier core, the heat exchanger comprising at least one first gas flow passage and at least one coolant flow passage, the heat exchanger further comprising a first gas outlet opening through which the at least one first gas flow passage is in flow communication with the first gas inlet manifold of the humidifier core.

2 . The integrated GMD according to claim 1 , wherein the first gas outlet opening of the heat exchanger is aligned and in flow communication with the first gas inlet manifold of the humidifier.

3 . The integrated GMD according to claim 1 , further comprising a thermal isolation plate between the humidifier core and the heat exchanger, wherein the thermal isolation plate is comprised of a plastic material.

4 . The integrated GMD according to claim 3 , wherein the thermal isolation plate includes a first gas opening through which flow communication is provided between the first gas outlet opening of the heat exchanger and the first gas inlet manifold of the humidifier; and
wherein the thermal isolation plate closes the first gas outlet manifold, the second gas inlet manifold and the second gas outlet manifold at the first end the humidifier core.

5 . The integrated GMD according to claim 1 , further comprising a bypass line having a first end in flow communication with the first gas inlet manifold of the humidifier core and a second end in flow communication with the first gas outlet manifold of the humidifier core; and wherein the bypass line is located at the second end of the humidifier core.

6 . The integrated GMD according to claim 5 , further comprising a thermal isolation plate between the humidifier core and the heat exchanger.

7 . The integrated GMD according to claim 5 , further comprising a bypass valve provided in said bypass line.

8 . The integrated GMD according to claim 1 , wherein the humidifier core is a humidifier stack comprising a stack of humidifier plates separated by moisture-permeable membranes.

9 . The integrated GMD according to claim 1 , wherein the humidifier core comprises a bundle of tubes, each of the tubes having a tube wall comprising a water permeable membrane.

10 . The integrated GMD according to claim 1 , further comprising an anode gas heater for heating a hydrogen-containing reductant gas stream;
wherein the anode gas heater is integrated with the heat exchanger, and wherein the heat exchanger is a three-fluid heat exchanger which further comprises at least one reductant gas flow passage.

11 . The integrated GMD according to claim 1 , further comprising a cathode gas cooler for cooling an oxygen-containing oxidant gas stream with a cathode exhaust gas;
wherein the cathode gas cooler is integrated with the heat exchanger, and wherein the heat exchanger is a three-fluid heat exchanger which further comprises at least one gas flow passage for the cathode exhaust gas.

12 . The integrated GMD according to claim 1 ,
wherein the humidifier core is a humidifier stack comprising a stack of humidifier plates separated by moisture-permeable membranes; wherein the humidifier plates and the membranes of the humidifier stack are sealed to one another by compression; wherein the heat exchanger is mechanically attached to the humidifier stack such that mechanical rigidity for compression of the humidifier core is provided by the heat exchanger.

13 . The integrated GMD according to claim 12 ,
wherein the humidifier plates comprise flexible plastic plates; and wherein the heat exchanger comprises a rigid, brazed assembly comprising a stack of plate pairs.

14 . The integrated GMD according to claim 12 , further comprising a thermal isolation plate between the humidifier core and the heat exchanger,
wherein the thermal isolation plate is comprised of a plastic material; and wherein the thermal isolation plate provides a flat sealing surface against which the humidifier stack is compressed.

15 . The integrated GMD according to claim 14 , wherein the thermal isolation plate has a thickness of about 0.5-20 mm.

16 . The integrated GMD according to claim 14 , further comprising a bypass line having a first end in flow communication with the first gas inlet manifold of the humidifier core and a second end in flow communication with the first gas outlet manifold of the humidifier core;
wherein the bypass line is integrated with the thermal isolation plate; and wherein the thermal isolation plate has a thickness of about 10-70 mm.

17 . The integrated GMD according to claim 1 , wherein a rigid structural end plate is attached to the second end of the humidifier core.

18 . The integrated GMD according to claim 1 , wherein a surface of the heat exchanger which faces away from the humidifier core is provided with a coolant inlet fitting and a coolant outlet fitting, wherein the coolant inlet and outlet fittings are in flow communication with the at least one coolant flow passage of the heat exchanger.

19 . The integrated GMD according to claim 1 , wherein the heat exchanger comprises a plurality of first gas flow passages and a plurality of coolant flow passages arranged in alternating order; and
wherein a first flow passage of the heat exchanger, located closest to the humidifier stack, is one of said coolant flow passages.

20 . The integrated GMD according to claim 1 , wherein no structural humidifier end plate is provided between the heat exchanger and the gas-to-gas humidifier core.

Assignees

• Dana Canada Corp

Inventors

• Vanderwees Doug
• Bardeleben Jr Michael
• Stroebel Raimund
• Scherer Joachim
• Glueck Rainer

Classifications

• H01M2250/20

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

• H01M8/04291

  Arrangements for managing water in solid electrolyte fuel cell systems (H01M8/04119 takes precedence) · CPC title

• B01D53/265

  by refrigeration (condensation) · CPC title

• H01M2008/1095

  Fuel cells with polymeric electrolytes · CPC title

• H01M8/04074 Primary

  Heat exchange unit structures specially adapted for fuel cell · CPC title