Fuel cell system ion exchanger

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9515339-B2
Application number	US-201414782509-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 20, 2014
Priority date	Apr 10, 2013
Publication date	Dec 6, 2016
Grant date	Dec 6, 2016

Abstract

An ion exchanger includes an apparatus body having a lower filter and an upper filter. Ion exchange resin fills a space between the lower filter and the upper filter. A water supply port is provided at a lower position of the apparatus body, and a water discharge port is provided at an upper position of the apparatus body. An air container is provided at an upper position of the apparatus body, and an electric conductivity meter is provided in the air container at a position above the water discharge port.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A fuel cell system ion exchanger for passing water therethrough, the water contained in an exhaust gas discharged from a fuel cell for generating electricity by electrochemical reactions of a fuel gas and an oxygen-containing gas, the fuel cell system ion exchanger comprising:
an apparatus body having internal filters at upper and lower positions, ion exchange resin filling a space between the filters;
a water supply port provided at a lower position of the apparatus body, for supplying the water into the ion exchange resin;
a water discharge port provided at an upper position of the apparatus body, for discharging the water which has passed through the ion exchange resin;
an air container provided at an upper position of the apparatus body, configured to contain the air mixed into the apparatus body in a concentrated manner;
an electric conductivity measuring unit provided in the air container at a position above the water discharge port, configured to measure electric conductivity of the water which passed through the ion exchange resin.

2. The fuel cell system ion exchanger according to claim 1 , further comprising an excessive fluid discharge pipe provided at the air container, for discharging at least the air from inside of the apparatus body.

3. The fuel cell system ion exchanger according to claim 1 , further comprising:
a water supply seal valve provided at the water supply port, for connecting a water supply pipe detachably; and
a water discharge seal valve provided at the water discharge port, for connecting a water discharge pipe detachably,
wherein directions in which pipes are detached respectively from the water supply seal valve and the water discharge seal valve are same, and directions in which the pipes are connected respectively to the water supply seal valve and the water discharge seal valve are same.

4. The fuel cell system ion exchanger according to claim 1 , wherein the ion exchanger is applicable to a solid oxide fuel cell, for removing impurities contained in at least water used for steam reforming.

Assignees

• Honda Motor Co Ltd

Inventors

• Yuzuriha Akihito

Classifications

• Y02E60/50

  Fuel cells · CPC title

• H01M8/04201

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

• C02F1/42

  by ion-exchange (ion-exchange in general B01J) · CPC title

• H01M8/04097

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

• H01M2250/10

  Fuel cells in stationary systems, e.g. emergency power source in plant · CPC title