Fuel cell system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2023047763-A1
Application number	US-202217667333-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Feb 8, 2022
Priority date	Aug 11, 2021
Publication date	Feb 16, 2023
Grant date	—

Abstract

A fuel cell system includes: a supply flow path configured to supply reactant gas; a first branch flow path branching off from an outlet end of the supply flow path and configured to guide the reactant gas to a first fuel cell stack; a second branch flow path branching off from the outlet end of the supply flow path and configured to communicate with the first branch flow path and guide the reactant gas to a second fuel cell stack; and an inlet area change part disposed in a boundary zone between the first branch flow path and the second branch flow path and configured to selectively change inlet areas of the first and second branch flow paths. Efficiency in discharging condensate water is increased and performance and operational efficiency are improved.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A fuel cell system comprising:
a supply flow path configured to supply reactant gas; a first branch flow path branching off from an outlet end of the supply flow path and configured to guide the reactant gas to a first fuel cell stack; a second branch flow path branching off from the outlet end of the supply flow path and configured to communicate with the first branch flow path and guide the reactant gas to a second fuel cell stack; and an inlet area change part disposed in a boundary zone between the first branch flow path and the second branch flow path and configured to selectively change inlet areas of the first and second branch flow paths.

2 . The fuel cell system of claim 1 , wherein the inlet area change part selectively increases and decreases a first inlet area of the first branch flow path and a second inlet area of the second branch flow path, wherein a first supply flow rate of the reactant gas to be supplied to the first branch flow path is changed as the first inlet area increases or decreases, and wherein a second supply flow rate of the reactant gas to be supplied to the second branch flow path is changed as the second inlet area of the second branch flow path increases or decreases.

3 . The fuel cell system of claim 2 , wherein the inlet area change part is configured such that the first inlet area and the second inlet area are increased and decreased in conjunction with each other, wherein the second inlet area decreases as the first inlet area increases, and wherein the second inlet area increases as the first inlet area decreases.

4 . The fuel cell system of claim 3 , wherein the inlet area change part comprises:
a shaft part rotatably disposed on a centerline defined in the boundary zone; a rotary member disposed to be rotatable about the shaft part and comprising a first blade part connected to the shaft part and having a first contact surface that comes into contact with the reactant gas in a first zone defined based on the centerline, and a second blade part connected to the shaft part and having a second contact surface that comes into contact with the reactant gas in a second zone based on the centerline; and a counterweight disposed on the shaft part and configured to apply a load to the rotary member so that the rotary member moves to a position at which the first blade part and the second blade part are balanced based on the centerline.

5 . The fuel cell system of claim 4 , wherein the first and second contact surfaces each have any one of a straight shape, a curved shape, and a combination of the straight shape and the curved shape.

6 . The fuel cell system of claim 4 , wherein the first and second contact surfaces are symmetric with respect to the centerline.

7 . The fuel cell system of claim 4 , further comprising:
a first extension portion bent and extending from an end of the first blade part; and a second extension portion bent and extending from an end of the second blade part.

8 . The fuel cell system of claim 4 , further comprising:
a connection member having one end connected to the first blade part and the other end connected to the second blade part.

9 . The fuel cell system of claim 8 , wherein one end and the other end of the connection member are connected to outermost peripheral ends of the first and second blade parts.

10 . The fuel cell system of claim 8 , wherein one end and the other end of the connection member are connected to be spaced apart from outermost peripheral ends of the first and second blade parts.

11 . The fuel cell system of claim 4 , wherein the counterweight is partially provided in a partial section in an axial direction of the shaft part.

12 . The fuel cell system of claim 4 , wherein the counterweight is continuously provided in an entire section in an axial direction of the shaft part.

13 . The fuel cell system of claim 4 , further comprising:
a sliding coupling part disposed on the shaft part and configured to allow the counterweight to be slidably coupled thereto.

14 . The fuel cell system of claim 4 , further comprising:
a mount part disposed on a boundary wall that defines a wall surface of the boundary zone, wherein the shaft part is rotatably supported on the mount part.

15 . The fuel cell system of claim 4 , further comprising:
a stopper part configured to restrict a rotation section of the rotary member.

16 . The fuel cell system of claim 15 , wherein the stopper part comprises a first stopper member disposed between the first blade part and the second blade part and provided on a boundary wall that defines a wall surface of the boundary zone.

17 . The fuel cell system of claim 15 , wherein the stopper part comprises a second stopper member disposed between the first blade part and the second blade part and provided on a wall surface of the supply flow path.

Assignees

• Hyundai Motor Co Ltd
• Kia Corp

Inventors

• Jeong Pu Reum
• Shim Hyo Sub
• Park In Tae
• Kim Dong Yeon
• You Sung Jin
• Ban Hyeon Seok
• Kim Hak Yoon

Classifications

• H01M8/2484 Primary

  characterised by external manifolds · CPC title

• H01M8/04753

  of fuel cell reactants · CPC title

• H01M2250/20

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

• H01M8/04089 Primary

  of gaseous reactants · CPC title

• H01M8/249

  comprising two or more groupings of fuel cells, e.g. modular assemblies · CPC title