Fuel cell system having a fluid flow distribution feature

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9028989-B2
Application number	US-201113152844-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 3, 2011
Priority date	Jun 3, 2011
Publication date	May 12, 2015
Grant date	May 12, 2015

Abstract

A fuel cell system includes a water vapor transfer unit and a fluid flow distribution feature, the water vapor transfer unit including a first plate having a plurality of first flow channels for receiving a flow of a first fluid therein, and a second plate having a plurality of second flow channels for receiving a flow of a second fluid therein. The fluid flow distribution feature is configured to control at least one of a volume of flow of the first fluid through the first flow channels and a volume of flow of the second fluid through the second flow channels, wherein at least one of a flow distribution of the first fluid across the first plate and a flow distribution of the second fluid across the second plate is varied.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A fuel cell system comprising:
a water vapor transfer unit including a first plate and a second plate, the first plate having a plurality of first flow channels for receiving a flow of a first fluid therein, and the second plate having a plurality of second flow channels for receiving a flow of a second fluid therein, wherein each of the first flow channels and each of the second flow channels includes an inlet and an outlet, wherein each of the first flow channels is substantially perpendicular along a length thereof to each of the second flow channels along a length thereof; and
a fluid flow distribution feature configured to control at least one of a flow of the first fluid through each of the first flow channels and a flow of the second fluid through each of the second flow channels, wherein at least one of a flow distribution of the first fluid across the first plate is varied wherein the first fluid is unequally distributed amongst the plurality of first flow channels and a flow distribution of the second fluid across the second plate is varied wherein the second fluid is unequally distributed amongst the plurality of second flow channels, wherein the fluid flow distribution feature is configured to reduce a variation in relative humidity between the outlets of the first flow channels.

2. The fuel cell system according to claim 1 , wherein the first fluid is a dry fluid and the second fluid is a wet fluid.

3. The fuel cell system according to claim 1 , wherein the fluid flow distribution feature includes one of the first flow channels having a greater volume than an adjacent first flow channel.

4. The fuel cell system according to claim 1 , wherein the fluid flow distribution feature includes one of the second flow channels having a greater volume than an adjacent second flow channel.

5. The fuel cell system according to claim 1 , wherein the fluid flow distribution feature includes a first group of the first flow channels and a second group of the first flow channels, the first flow channels of the first group having a greater volume than the first flow channels of the second group.

6. The fuel cell system according to claim 1 , wherein the fluid flow distribution feature includes a first group of the second flow channels and a second group of the second flow channels, the second flow channels of the first group having a greater volume than the second flow channels of the second group.

7. The fuel cell system according to claim 1 , wherein the fluid flow distribution feature is disposed in a supply fluid stream of the first fluid upstream of the water vapor transfer unit to control the flow distribution of the first fluid across the first plate.

8. The fuel cell system according to claim 1 , wherein the fluid flow distribution feature is disposed in a supply fluid stream of the second fluid upstream of the water vapor transfer unit to control the flow distribution of the second fluid across the second plate.

9. A fuel cell system comprising:
a water vapor transfer unit including a first plate and a second plate, the first plate having a plurality of first flow channels for receiving a flow of a first fluid therein, and the second plate having a plurality of second flow channels for receiving a flow of a second fluid therein, wherein each of the flow channels of the plates includes an inlet and an outlet and each of the first flow channels is substantially perpendicular along a length thereof to each of the second flow channels along a length thereof; and
a fluid flow distribution feature including the first flow channels and the second flow channels, wherein a volume of the first flow channels adjacent the inlets of the second flow channels is greater than a volume of the first flow channels adjacent the outlets of the second flow channels, and a volume of the second flow channels adjacent the inlets of the first flow channels is greater than a volume of the second flow channels adjacent the outlets of the first flow channels, wherein the fluid flow distribution feature is configured to reduce a variation in relative humidity between the outlets of the first flow channels.

10. The fuel cell system according to claim 9 , wherein the first fluid is a dry fluid and the second fluid is a wet fluid.

11. The fuel cell system according to claim 9 , wherein the first flow channels are substantially perpendicular to the second flow channels.

12. The fuel cell system according to claim 9 , wherein a volume of each of the first flow channels is greater than each adjacent first flow channel.

13. The fuel cell system according to claim 9 , wherein a volume of each of the second flow channels is greater than each adjacent second flow channel.

14. The fuel cell system according to claim 9 , wherein a volume of each of a first group of the first flow channels is greater than a volume of each of a second group of the first flow channels, and wherein the first group of the first flow channels is adjacent the inlets of the second flow channels, and the second group of the first flow channels is adjacent the outlets of the second flow channels.

15. The fuel cell system according to claim 14 , wherein a third group of the first flow channels is formed between the first group and the second group of the first flow channels, and wherein a volume of each of the third group of the first flow channels is less than the volume of each of the first group of the first flow channels, and greater than the volume of each of the second group of the first flow channels.

16. The fuel cell system according to claim 9 , wherein a volume of each of a first group of the second flow channels is greater than a volume of each of a second group of the second flow channels, and wherein the first group of the second flow channels is adjacent the inlets of the first flow channels, and the second group of the second flow channels is adjacent the outlets of the second flow channels.

17. The fuel cell system according to claim 16 , wherein a third group of the second flow channels is formed between the first group and the second group of the second flow channels, and wherein a volume of each of the third group of the second flow channels is less than the volume of each of the first group of the second flow channels, and greater than the volume of each of the second group of the second flow channels.

18. A fuel cell system comprising:
a water vapor transfer unit including a first plate and a second plate, the first plate having a plurality of first flow channels for receiving a flow of a first fluid therein, and the second plate having a plurality of second flow channels for receiving a flow of a second fluid therein, wherein each of the first flow channels and each of the second flow channels includes an inlet and an outlet, wherein each of the first flow channels is substantially perpendicular along a length thereof to each of the second flow channels along a length thereof; and
a first fluid flow distribution feature disposed in a charge air cooler of the fuel cell system upstream of the water vapor transfer unit to control a volume of flow of the first fluid through the first flow channels, wherein the first fluid flow distribution feature directs a greater volume of flow of the first fluid through the first flow channels adjacent the inlets of the second flow channels than through the first flow channels adjacent the outlets of the second flow channels, wherein the fluid flow distribution feature is configured to reduce a variation in relative humidity between the outlets of the first flow

Assignees

• Zhang Yan
• Falta Steven R
• Burch Steven D
• Skala Glenn W
• Gm Global Tech Operations Inc

Inventors

• Zhang Yan
• Falta Steven R
• Burch Steven D
• Skala Glenn W

Classifications

• Y02E60/50

  Fuel cells · CPC title

• H01M2008/1095

  Fuel cells with polymeric electrolytes · CPC title

• H01M8/04141 Primary

  by water containing exhaust gases · CPC title

• Y10T137/2521

  Flow comparison or differential response · CPC title

• Y10T137/2516

  Interconnected flow displacement elements · CPC title