Fuel cell system having a medium pressure tap associated with the compressor and use of such a fuel cell system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2021066732-A1
Application number	US-201916962194-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Jan 11, 2019
Priority date	Jan 17, 2018
Publication date	Mar 4, 2021
Grant date	—

Abstract

A fuel cell system includes at least one membrane electrode assembly arranged in a housing, a cathode supply having a compressor, and a device for housing ventilation, the device for housing ventilation having a medium pressure tap associated with the compressor. Such a fuel cell system may be used to perform a method for cathode recirculation.

First claim

1 . A fuel cell system comprising:
at least one membrane electrode assembly arranged in a housing; a cathode supply having a compressor; and a device for housing ventilation, wherein the device for housing ventilation has a medium pressure tap associated with the compressor.

2 . The fuel cell system according to claim 1 , wherein the compressor has an outlet opening in a region of a medium pressure internally present during operation, said outlet opening being connected via a pressure line to a housing opening of the housing.

3 . The fuel cell system according to claim 2 , wherein a valve is associated with the outlet opening, the pressure line, and/or the housing opening.

4 . The fuel cell system according to claim 3 , wherein the valve is a passive valve which opens automatically when a minimum pressure is exceeded.

5 . The fuel cell system according to claim 1 , wherein an active throttle element is associated with the medium pressure tap.

6 . The fuel cell system according to claim 1 , wherein the compressor is selected from a group consisting of screw compressors and Roots compressors.

7 . The fuel cell system according to claim 1 , wherein the housing has an outlet opening for housing ventilation.

8 . The fuel cell system according to claim 7 , wherein a venting line runs from the outlet opening to a turbine outlet downstream of a turbine.

9 . The fuel cell system according to claim 8 , wherein a first shut-off valve is arranged upstream of the compressor and a second shut-off valve is arranged at the turbine outlet downstream of the connection of the venting line.

10 . A method of using the fuel cell system according to claim 9 for implementing cathode recirculation, comprising:
closing the first shut-off valve;
closing the second shut-off valve;
sucking in gas from the housing by means of the compressor through the medium pressure tap;
compressing the gas downstream of the medium pressure tap up to the compressor outlet; and
conducting the gas through the housing to the turbine and via the venting line through the housing back to the compressor.

Assignees

• Audi Ag
• Volkswagen Ag

Inventors

• Jenssen Dirk
• Lucas Christian

Classifications

• H01M8/04111 Primary

  using a compressor turbine assembly · CPC title

• H01M8/04302

  applied during start-up · CPC title

• H01M8/04097 Primary

  with recycling of the reactants (H01M8/04119, H01M8/04104 take precedence) · CPC title

• H01M2008/1095

  Fuel cells with polymeric electrolytes · CPC title

• H01M8/2484

  characterised by external manifolds · CPC title