Fuel cell system comprising a water separator

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9252438-B2
Application number	US-201214237116-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 21, 2012
Priority date	Aug 5, 2011
Publication date	Feb 2, 2016
Grant date	Feb 2, 2016

Abstract

A fuel cell system includes a fuel cell with an anode chamber and a cathode chamber. The fuel cell system also includes a recirculation device that recirculates anode exhaust gas to the anode input, which includes a discharge line for discharging liquid and/or gas from the region of the recirculation device, and an air conveying device for supplying the cathode chamber with a supply air flow. A water separator, which is connected to the discharge line and through which at least a portion of the supply air flow passes, is situated between the air conveying device and the cathode chamber in the area of the supply air flow.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A fuel cell system, comprising:
at least one fuel cell with an anode chamber and a cathode chamber;
a recirculation device recirculating anode exhaust gas to an input of the anode chamber;
a discharge line discharging liquid or gas from a region of the recirculation device;
an air conveying device supplying the cathode chamber with a supply air flow;
an air supply line which connects the air conveying device and the cathode chamber to allow a volume of air to flow therethrough;
an upstream branched portion of the air supply line in fluid communication with a water separator for passing a partial airflow up to 25 percent of the volume of air of the air supply line therethrough; and
the water separator to receive air from the upstream branched portion of the air supply line and liquid or gas from the discharge line with outputs from the water separator to an exhaust line for removing water from the system and a downstream branched portion reconnecting the air supply line upstream of the cathode chamber.

2. The fuel cell system according to claim 1 , wherein the partial flow constitutes approximately 10 percent of a volume flow of the supply air flow.

3. The fuel cell system according to claim 1 , wherein the fuel cell system is configured so that the partial flow from the water separator flows upwardly in a direction of a force of gravity.

4. The fuel cell system according to claim 1 , wherein the water separator is connected, via a water line for separated liquid, to an exhaust gas flow from the fuel cell system, wherein the water line includes a diaphragm or valve unit.

5. The fuel cell system according to claim 1 , wherein a catalytic material, which facilitates a reaction of hydrogen with oxygen to form water, is situated in a region of the water separator.

6. The fuel cell system according to claim 1 , wherein the water separator is arranged within the fuel cell system such that it is heated.

7. The fuel cell system according to claim 1 , wherein the discharge line has a diaphragm or a valve unit.

8. The fuel cell system according to claim 1 , wherein the discharge line is situated in an area of the recirculation device in a region of at least one water separator.

Assignees

• Baur Holger
• Pasera Uwe
• Pflugfelder Hans-Joerg
• Schaufler Karl
• Schmalzriedt Sven
• Steinhuebl Simon
• Teves Harald
• Daimler Ag

Inventors

• Baur Holger
• Pasera Uwe
• Pflugfelder Hans-Joerg
• Schaufler Karl
• Schmalzriedt Sven
• Steinhuebl Simon
• Teves Harald

Classifications

• H01M8/04231

  Purging of the reactants · CPC title

• H01M8/04156 Primary

  with product water removal · CPC title

• H01M8/04111

  using a compressor turbine assembly · CPC title

• Y02E60/50

  Fuel cells · CPC title

• H01M8/04164 Primary

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