Hybrid system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9620793-B2
Application number	US-201314419657-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 7, 2013
Priority date	Aug 7, 2012
Publication date	Apr 11, 2017
Grant date	Apr 11, 2017

Abstract

[Object] To provide a hybrid system of which overall efficiency is improved.
[Solution] A hybrid system of the invention includes: a fuel cell device; and a thermoacoustic cooler. The thermoacoustic cooler 14 includes: a thermoacoustic energy generating section 20 in which thermoacoustic energy is generated by a temperature gradient between a high-temperature side and a low-temperature side; and a cooling section 21 in which a function of cooling is performed in the low-temperature side using the temperature gradient between the high-temperature side and the low-temperature side which is produced when the thermoacoustic energy transmitted from the thermoacoustic energy generating section 20 is converted into energy. The system is configured to cause exhaust gas emitted from the fuel cell device to flow through the high-temperature side of the thermoacoustic energy generating section 20 . Therefore, it is possible to achieve the hybrid system of which overall efficiency is improved.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A hybrid system comprising:
a fuel cell device; and
a thermoacoustic cooler,
wherein the thermoacoustic cooler includes:
a thermoacoustic energy generating section in which thermoacoustic energy is generated by a temperature gradient between a high-temperature side and a low-temperature side; and
a cooling section in which a function of cooling is performed in the low-temperature side using the temperature gradient between the high-temperature side and the low-temperature side which is produced when the thermoacoustic energy transmitted from the thermoacoustic energy generating section is converted into energy, and

a heat exchanger that performs heat exchange between an exhaust gas emitted from the fuel cell device and a fluid and lowers a temperature of the exhaust gas,
wherein the exhaust gas emitted from the fuel cell device flows to the heat exchanger after flowing through the high-temperature side of the thermoacoustic energy generating section and

wherein the fluid flows through the high-temperature side of the cooling section and the fluid flows to the heat exchanger after flowing through the high-temperature side of the cooling section.

2. The hybrid system according to claim 1 ,
wherein the fluid flows through the high-temperature side of the cooling section and the fluid flows to the heat exchanger after flowing through the high-temperature side of the cooling section and through the low-temperature side of the thermoacoustic energy generating section.

3. The hybrid system according to claim 1 , further comprising:
a circulation flow path in which the fluid flows through the high-temperature side of the cooling section, the low-temperature side of the thermoacoustic energy generating section, and the heat exchanger in this order.

4. The hybrid system according to claim 3 , further comprising:
a cooler that is provided on the circulation flow path between the heat exchanger and the high-temperature side of the cooling section and is configured to cool the fluid flowing through the circulation flow path.

5. The hybrid system according to claim 4 ,
wherein the cooler functions as a heat exchanger in which heat exchange is performed between the fluid flowing through the circulation flow path and a gas which is fed to the fuel cell device.

6. The hybrid system according to claim 1 ,
wherein the thermoacoustic energy generating section includes piping in which a heat accumulator is disposed, and
wherein an exhaust gas pipe through which the exhaust gas emitted from the fuel cell device flows is disposed in the piping around the high-temperature side of the thermoacoustic energy generating section.

7. The hybrid system according to claim 6 ,
wherein an insulating member is provided to cover the exterior circumference at a portion of the exhaust gas pipe which corresponds to the high-temperature side of the thermoacoustic energy generating section in the piping.

8. The hybrid system according to claim 6 ,
wherein heat conductivity of the exhaust gas pipe is higher than the heat conductivity of the piping.

9. The hybrid system according to claim 6 ,
wherein a combustion catalyst is disposed inside a portion of the exhaust gas pipe to which the piping is connected.

10. A hybrid system comprising:
a fuel cell device; and
a thermoacoustic cooler,
wherein the thermoacoustic cooler includes:
a thermoacoustic energy generating section in which thermoacoustic energy is generated by a temperature gradient between a high-temperature side and a low-temperature side; and
a cooling section in which a function of cooling is performed in the low-temperature side using the temperature gradient between the high-temperature side and the low-temperature side which is produced when the thermoacoustic energy transmitted from the thermoacoustic energy generating section is converted into energy, and

wherein exhaust gas emitted from the fuel cell device flows through the high-temperature side of the thermoacoustic energy generating section, and
a heat exchanger that performs heat exchange between the exhaust gas emitted from the fuel cell device and water and lowers a temperature of the exhaust gas,
wherein the exhaust gas emitted from the fuel cell device flows to the heat exchanger after flowing through the high-temperature side of the thermoacoustic energy generating section,
wherein the water flows through the high-temperature side of the cooling section and the water flows to the heat exchanger after flowing through the high-temperature side of the cooling section,
wherein the water flows through the high-temperature side of the cooling section and the water flows to the heat exchanger after flowing through the low-temperature side of the cooling section and through the low-temperature side of the thermoacoustic energy generating section.

Assignees

• Kyocera Corp

Inventors

• Ono Takashi
• Matsui Eizou

Classifications

• Y02E60/50

  Fuel cells · CPC title

• H01M2250/40

  Combination of fuel cells with other energy production systems · CPC title

• Y02E60/56

  Cross-Sectional Technologies · mapped topic

• H01M8/04022

  Heating by combustion · CPC title

• H01M8/0662

  Treatment of gaseous reactants or gaseous residues, e.g. cleaning · CPC title