Humidification system, and fuel cell system comprising a humidification system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2020373591-A1
Application number	US-201816764785-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Oct 1, 2018
Priority date	Nov 17, 2017
Publication date	Nov 26, 2020
Grant date	—

Abstract

A humidification system for a fuel cell system is provided, comprising a feed line for supplying cathode gas which is to be or is humidified, to a heat exchanger, further comprising a liquid supply and an eddy generator, located upstream of the liquid supply, for generating eddies in the flowing cathode gas. A fuel cell system comprising a humidification system is also provided.

First claim

1 . A humidification system for a fuel cell system, comprising:
a heat exchanger including a charge air cooler having a feed line the feed line including a tube for supplying a flow of cathode gas which is to be or is humidified to the heat exchanger; a liquid supply arranged upstream of the heat exchanger relative to a flow direction of the flow of cathode gas; and an eddy generator rigidly mounted in the tube, wherein the eddy generator includes a stator located upstream of the liquid supply relative to the flow direction of the flow of cathode gas, wherein the eddy generator is configured to generate swirls in the flow of cathode gas such that the flow of cathode gas experiences a velocity component in a circumferential direction of the tube and a shearing force acts between the flow of cathode gas and a liquid provided by the liquid supply.

2 . The humidification system according to claim 1 wherein the heat exchanger includes an inlet nozzle arranged on the liquid supply side, and that the liquid supply is upstream of the inlet nozzle.

3 . The humidification system according to claim 1 wherein the heat exchanger has an inlet nozzle connected to the feed line, and the liquid supply is connected to the inlet nozzle.

4 . The humidification system according to claim 2 wherein the inlet nozzle is arranged so as to be lower than a horizontally arranged center line of the heat exchanger.

5 . The humidification system according to claim 1 , wherein the liquid supply is connected to the feed line substantially in a vertically oriented orientation from below.

6 . The humidification system according to claim 1 , wherein the liquid supply comprises a liquid basin.

7 . The humidification system according to claim 6 wherein the liquid basin is formed on the feed line or on the inlet nozzle of the heat exchanger.

8 . A fuel cell system, comprising:
a humidification system including:
a heat exchanger including a charge air cooler having a feed line, the feed line including a tube for supplying a flow of cathode gas which is to be or is humidified to the heat exchanger;
a liquid supply arranged upstream of the heat exchanger relative to a flow direction of the flow of cathode gas; and
an eddy generator rigidly mounted in the tube, wherein the eddy generator includes a stator located upstream of the liquid supply relative to the flow direction of the flow of cathode gas,
wherein the eddy generator is configured to generate swirls in the flow of cathode gas such that the flow of cathode gas experiences a velocity component in the circumferential direction of the tube and a shearing force acts between the flow of cathode gas and a liquid provided by the liquid supply;
a fuel cell stack having cathode chambers and anode chambers, the cathode chambers connected to an inlet and an outlet of a humidifier; an anode feed line connecting the anode chambers to a fuel storage; an anode recirculation line; and a separator assigned to the anode recirculation line and to a liquid line connecting the separator to the liquid supply.

9 . The fuel cell system according to claim 8 wherein a liquid control element is assigned to or arranged in the liquid line.

10 . The fuel cell system according to claim 8 wherein a heat exchanger is assigned to or arranged in the anode feed line between the fuel storage and the anode chambers.

Assignees

• Audi Ag
• Volkswagen Ag

Inventors

• Lucas Christian
• Berger Oliver

Classifications

• H01M8/04074

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

• H01M8/04253

  Means for solving freezing problems · CPC title

• H01M8/04164

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

• H01M8/04014

  Heat exchange using gaseous fluids; Heat exchange by combustion of reactants · CPC title

• H01M8/04141 Primary

  by water containing exhaust gases · CPC title