Varying wall geometry ejector

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9601788-B2
Application number	US-201313750175-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jan 25, 2013
Priority date	Jan 25, 2013
Publication date	Mar 21, 2017
Grant date	Mar 21, 2017

Abstract

An apparatus for delivering a primary fuel stream to a fuel cell stack is provided. The apparatus includes an ejector that is configured to receive the primary fuel stream from a fuel supply. The apparatus is further configured to receive the recirculated fuel stream from the fuel cell stack to provide a combined fluid stream for delivery to the fuel cell stack. The ejector includes an elastic conduit for varying a flow of the combined fluid stream based on a power level of the fuel cell stack.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An apparatus for delivering a primary fuel stream to a fuel cell stack that discharges a recirculated fuel stream, the apparatus comprising:
an ejector configured to receive the primary fuel stream from a fuel supply and to receive the recirculated fuel stream from the fuel cell stack to provide a combined fluid stream for delivery to the fuel cell stack, the ejector including an elastic conduit for varying a flow of the combined fluid stream based on a power level of the fuel cell stack,
wherein the elastic conduit is configured to one of increase and decrease a diameter thereof based on the power level of the fuel cell stack.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the ejector includes a first inlet for receiving the primary stream.

3. The apparatus of claim 2 wherein the ejector further includes a second inlet to receive the recirculated stream, the first inlet being different from the second inlet.

4. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the elastic conduit is further configured to increase the diameter thereof in the event the fuel cell stack is operating at a high power level.

5. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the elastic conduit is further configured to decrease the diameter thereof in the event the fuel cell stack is operating at a low power level.

6. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the ejector further includes a first non-varying conduit that cooperates with the elastic conduit for to define a gas chamber therebetween.

7. The apparatus of claim 6 wherein the ejector further includes at least one first inlet to receive a gas stream into the gas chamber in the event the fuel cell stack is operating at a low power level.

8. The apparatus of claim 6 wherein the ejector further includes at least one first opening to deliver the gas stream out of the gas chamber in the event the fuel cell stack is operating at a high power level.

9. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the ejector further includes at least one shaping ring being positioned about the elastic conduit to vary a geometry thereof based on the power level of the fuel cell stack.

10. An apparatus for delivering a primary fuel stream to a fuel cell stack that discharges a recirculated fuel stream, the apparatus comprising:
an ejector receiving the primary fuel stream and the recirculated fuel stream to provide a combined fluid stream to the fuel cell stack, the ejector including an elastic conduit that increases a diameter thereof when the stack is operating at a high power level to vary a flow of the combined fluid stream.

11. The apparatus of claim 10 wherein the elastic conduit decreases the diameter thereof when the fuel cell stack is operating at a low power level.

12. An apparatus for delivering a primary fuel stream to a fuel cell stack that discharges a recirculated fuel stream, the apparatus comprising:
an ejector receiving the primary fuel stream and the recirculated fuel stream to provide a combined fluid stream to the stack, the ejector including an elastic conduit that decreases a diameter thereof when the stack is operating at a low power level to vary a flow of the combined fluid stream.

13. The apparatus of claim 12 wherein the elastic conduit increases the diameter thereof when the fuel cell stack is operating at a high power level.

Assignees

• Ford Global Tech Llc

Inventors

• Osborne Kurt David
• Pellerin Mark A
• Milacic Milos

Classifications

• Y02E60/50

  Fuel cells · CPC title

• H01M8/04753

  of fuel cell reactants · CPC title

• H01M8/04097 Primary

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

• H01M8/04619

  of fuel cell stacks · CPC title