Gas supply and discharge system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2018358635-A1
Application number	US-201616064076-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Dec 16, 2016
Priority date	Dec 21, 2015
Publication date	Dec 13, 2018
Grant date	—

Abstract

A gas supply and discharge system may have a fuel cell arrangement having at least one electrode, a gas-gas heat exchanger for exchanging heat between a first gas to be supplied to the electrode and a second gas discharged or dischargeable from the second electrode, and a humidifier for transferring humidity between the first gas and the second gas. The first gas to be supplied to the electrode can be introduced into the gas-gas heat exchanger before the supply of the first gas to the electrode, and such that the second gas can be introduced into the gas-gas heat exchanger from the electrode in order to transfer heat between the first gas and the second gas in the gas-gas heat exchanger. The first gas and the second gas can be introduced into the humidifier from the gas-gas heat exchanger in order to transfer humidity between the first gas and the second gas in the humidifier. The first gas can be introduced into the fuel cell arrangement from the humidifier and can be supplied to the electrode.

First claim

1 - 19 . (canceled)

20 . A gas feed and discharge system comprising:
a fuel cell arrangement with at least one electrode; a gas-gas heat exchanger for transferring heat between a first gas which is to be fed to the electrode and a second gas which is led away or can be led away from the electrode; and a humidifier for transferring humidity between the first gas and the second gas; wherein the fuel cell arrangement, the gas-gas heat exchanger and the humidifier are designed and in fluid connection with one another, in a manner such that the first gas which is to be fed to the electrode can be led into the gas-gas heat exchanger before leading the first gas onto the electrode and that coming from the electrode, the second gas can be led into the gas-gas heat exchanger for transferring heat between the first gas and the second gas in the gas-gas heat exchanger, that coming from the gas-gas heat exchanger, the first gas and the second gas can be led into the humidifier for transferring humidity between the first gas and the second gas in the humidifier; and that coming from the humidifier, the first gas can be fed into the fuel cell arrangement and fed to the electrode.

21 . The gas feed and discharge system according to claim 20 ,
wherein the gas-gas heat exchanger comprises a first volume for leading the first gas and a second volume for leading the second gas, wherein the first and the second volume are in thermal contact for the transfer of the heat between the first gas which can be led in the first volume and the second gas which can be led in the second volume; wherein the humidifier comprises a third volume for leading the first gas and a fourth volume for leading the second gas, wherein the third and the fourth volume are separated via a water exchange element for transferring humidity between the first gas which can be led in the third volume and the second gas which can be led in the fourth volume; wherein the first, second, third and fourth volume each comprise an inlet for leading gas into the respective volume and an outlet for leading gas out of the respective volume; wherein the inlet of the second volume and the outlet of the third volume are each in fluid connection with the fuel cell arrangement; wherein the outlet of the first volume is in fluid connection with the inlet of the third volume; and wherein the outlet of the second volume is in fluid connection with the inlet of the fourth volume.

22 . The gas feed and discharge system according to claim 20 , wherein the electrode is a cathode of the fuel cell arrangement.

23 . The gas feed and discharge system according to claim 20 , wherein a gas-liquid heat exchanger is arranged upstream and/or downstream of the gas-gas heat exchanger, in which gas-liquid heat exchanger heat is transferable between the first gas and/or the second gas and a liquid coolant.

24 . The gas feed and discharge system according to claim 20 , further comprising a compressor for compressing the first gas.

25 . The gas feed and discharge system according to claim 24 , wherein the compressor is in fluid connection with the gas-gas heat exchanger in a manner such that the first gas can be led into the gas-gas heat exchanger after the compressing in the compressor.

26 . The gas feed and discharge system according to claim 24 , wherein the compressor or a further compressor is in fluid connection with the humidifier and the fuel cell arrangement in a manner such that coming from the humidifier, the first gas can be led into the compressor or into the further compressor after the humidity transfer in the humidifier and coming from the compressor or from the further compressor can be led into the fuel cell arrangement and fed to the electrode, after the compressing in the compressor or in the further compressor.

27 . The gas feed and discharge system according to claim 25 , further comprising an expander or a thermoelectric generator for converting at least a part of the thermal energy of the second gas and/or the kinetic energy of the second gas into kinetic energy of the expander or into electrical energy, wherein the expander or the thermoelectric generator are in fluid connection with the humidifier in a manner such that coming from the humidifier, the second gas can be led to the expander or the thermoelectric generator.

28 . The gas feed and discharge system according to claim 27 ,
wherein the expander and the compressor and/or the expander and the further compressor are coupled or can be coupled, in a manner such that the energy which is transferred from the second gas onto the expander can be transferred at least partly from the expander onto the compressor and/or onto the further compressor, for compressing the first gas and/or wherein the thermoelectric generator and the compressor and/or the thermoelectric generator and the further compressor are electrically connected such that the energy which is transferred from the second gas onto the thermoelectric generator can be transferred at least partly from the thermoelectric generator onto the compressor and/or onto the further compressor, for compressing the first gas.

29 . The gas feed and discharge system according to claim 21 , further comprising one, several or all of the following bypass conduits:
a first bypass conduit for leading the first gas, via which first bypass conduit the first gas can be led at least partly into an outlet of the humidifier whilst bypassing the gas-gas heat exchanger and the humidifier, before leading the first gas into the gas-gas heat exchanger, a second bypass conduit for leading the first gas, via which second bypass conduit the first gas can be led at least partly into the fuel cell arrangement whilst bypassing the gas-gas heat exchanger and the humidifier, before leading the first gas into the gas-gas heat exchanger, a third bypass conduit for leading the first gas, via which third bypass conduit the first gas can be led at least partly into an outlet of the gas-gas heat exchanger whilst bypassing the gas-gas heat exchanger, before leading the first gas into the gas-gas heat exchanger; a fourth bypass conduit for leading the first gas, via which fourth bypass conduit the gas can be led at least partly into the fuel cell arrangement whilst bypassing the humidifier, after letting the first gas out of the gas-gas heat exchanger and before leading the first gas into the humidifier; a fifth bypass conduit for leading the first gas, via which fifth bypass conduit the first gas can be led at least partly into a conduit which exits from the fuel cell arrangement, whilst bypassing the fuel cell arrangement, after letting the first gas out of the humidifier and before leading the first gas into the gas-gas heat exchanger; a first bypass conduit for leading the second gas, via which first bypass conduit the second gas can be led at least partly into an outlet of the humidifier whilst bypassing the gas-gas heat exchanger and the humidifier, after letting the second gas out of the fuel cell arrangement and before leading the second gas into the gas-gas heat exchanger; a second bypass conduit for leading the second gas, via which second bypass conduit the second gas can be led at least partly into an outlet of the gas-gas heat exchanger whilst bypassing the gas-gas heat exchanger, after letting the second gas out of the fuel cell arrangement and before leading the second gas into the gas-gas heat exchanger; a third bypass conduit for leading the second gas, via which third bypass conduit the second gas can be led at least partly into an outlet of the humidifier whilst bypassing the humidifier, after letting the second gas out of the gas-gas heat exchanger and befor

Assignees

• Reinz Dichtungs Gmbh

Inventors

• Speidel Andre
• Glueck Rainer

Classifications

• H01M8/04111

  using a compressor turbine assembly · CPC title

• H01M8/04753

  of fuel cell reactants · CPC title

• H01M8/04768

  of the coolant · CPC title

• H01M8/04776

  at auxiliary devices, e.g. reformer, compressor, burner · CPC title

• H01M8/04828

  Humidity; Water content · CPC title