Fuel cell system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2023395827-A1
Application number	US-202018266489-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Dec 10, 2020
Priority date	Dec 10, 2020
Publication date	Dec 7, 2023
Grant date	—

Abstract

Provided is a fuel cell system that includes a plurality of fuel cell stacks and an exhaust combustor that combusts exhaust gas. The exhaust combustor is located at least between two fuel cell stacks and adjacent to each of the two fuel cell stacks.

First claim

1 .- 11 . (canceled)

12 . A fuel cell system comprising:
a plurality of fuel cell stacks; a discharged gas combustor configured to combust a discharged gas from the fuel cell stacks; and an auxiliary machine body in which the discharged gas combustor is incorporated, wherein the auxiliary machine body is disposed between at least two of the fuel cell stacks and is in contact with each of the two fuel cell stacks.

13 . The fuel cell system according to claim 12 , further comprising:
a heat exchanger configured to exchange heat using a combustion gas combusted by the discharged gas combustor and at least one of air and fuel supplied to the fuel cell stack, wherein the auxiliary machine body incorporates the heat exchanger.

14 . The fuel cell system according to claim 13 , wherein
the discharged gas combustor and the heat exchanger are integrally formed.

15 . The fuel cell system according to claim 12 , wherein
the auxiliary machine body incorporates the discharged gas combustor, a gas supply flow path for supplying air and fuel to the fuel cell stacks, and a discharged gas flow path for discharging the discharged gas from the fuel cell stacks to an outside, and the gas supply flow path and the discharged gas flow path are connected to the fuel cell stacks from the auxiliary machine body.

16 . The fuel cell system according to claim 15 , wherein
all the air and fuel supplied to at least two of the fuel cell stacks are supplied through the gas supply flow path, and all the discharged gas discharged from at least two of the fuel cell stacks are discharged to the outside through the discharged gas flow path.

17 . The fuel cell system according to claim 13 , wherein
the auxiliary machine body incorporates the discharged gas combustor, the heat exchanger, a gas supply flow path for supplying air and fuel to the fuel cell stacks, and a discharged gas flow path for discharging the discharged gas from the fuel cell stacks to an outside, and the gas supply flow path and the discharged gas flow path are connected to the fuel cell stacks from the auxiliary machine body.

18 . The fuel cell system according to claim 12 , wherein
the auxiliary machine body has a holding surface for holding the fuel cell stacks, and each of the fuel cell stacks has a connection surface in contact with the holding surface of the auxiliary machine body, and is held by the auxiliary machine body by contact between the connection surface and the holding surface.

19 . The fuel cell system according to claim 18 , wherein
the gas supply flow path includes an anode gas supply flow path for supplying an anode gas to the fuel cell stacks and a cathode gas supply flow path for supplying a cathode gas to the fuel cell stacks, the discharged gas flow path includes an anode off-gas flow path for supplying an anode off-gas from the fuel cell stacks to the discharged gas combustor and a cathode off-gas flow path for supplying a cathode off-gas from the fuel cell stacks to the discharged gas combustor, and at least one of the anode gas supply flow path, the cathode gas supply flow path, the anode off-gas flow path, and the cathode off-gas flow path is connected to the fuel cell stacks through the holding surface and the connection surface.

20 . The fuel cell system according to claim 19 , wherein
the holding surface of the auxiliary machine body includes an upper surface and a lower surface of the auxiliary machine body, the plurality of fuel cell stacks include at least a first fuel cell stack in which the connection surface is in contact with the upper surface of the auxiliary machine body, and a second fuel cell stack in which the connection surface is in contact with the lower surface of the auxiliary machine body, and the auxiliary machine body incorporates an anode connection path that linearly connects an anode flow path in the first fuel cell stack and an anode flow path in the second fuel cell stack.

21 . The fuel cell system according to claim 20 , wherein
the anode connection path is disposed at a position closer to one of side surfaces of the auxiliary machine body, and the discharged gas combustor is disposed at a central position of the auxiliary machine body.

22 . The fuel cell system according to claim 21 , wherein
the auxiliary machine body further incorporates a cathode connection path that linearly connects a cathode flow path in the first fuel cell stack and a cathode flow path in the second fuel cell stack, and the cathode connection path is disposed at a position closer to one of the side surfaces of the auxiliary machine body.

Assignees

• Nissan Motor
• Renault Sas

Inventors

• Isoda Hiroyuki
• Chikugo Hayato
• Usuda Masahiro

Classifications

• H01M8/04201

  Reactant storage and supply, e.g. means for feeding, pipes · CPC title

• H01M8/2484

  characterised by external manifolds · CPC title

• H01M8/2465

  Details of groupings of fuel cells · CPC title

• H01M2250/20

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

• H01M8/2432

  Grouping of unit cells of planar configuration · CPC title