Fuel cell module and fuel cell device

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9941537-B2
Application number	US-201414892362-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 23, 2014
Priority date	May 23, 2013
Publication date	Apr 10, 2018
Grant date	Apr 10, 2018

Abstract

Problem: To provide a fuel cell module and a fuel cell device with improved power output.
Resolution means: A fuel cell module ( 27 ) according to the present invention includes: a housing ( 2 ); a plurality of cell stack devices ( 1 ) arranged inside the housing ( 2 ), each cell stack device ( 1 ) including a cell stack ( 3 ) in which a plurality of fuel cells ( 2 ) that generate power using fuel gas and oxygen-containing gas are arranged; and exhaust gas discharge paths ( 39, 40 ) formed between the cell stack devices ( 1 ) for discharging the exhaust gas from the fuel cells. Consequently, the exhaust gases can be efficiently discharged, thereby improving the power output. A fuel cell device ( 52 ) can have improved power output by being provided with the above-described fuel cell module ( 27 ).

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A fuel cell module comprising:
a housing;
a plurality of cell stack devices inside the housing, each cell stack device including a plurality of fuel cells that generate power using fuel gas and oxygen-containing gas;
exhaust gas discharge members between the cell stack devices for discharging exhaust gas from the fuel cells; and
a reformer disposed in the housing above the plurality of fuel cells,
wherein the exhaust gas discharge members comprise at least one gas flow passage in which the gas flows in a direction from the reformer to the plurality of cell stack devices.

2. The fuel cell module according to claim 1 , further comprising the exhaust gas discharge members formed between the housing and the cell stack devices positioned on both ends of the plurality of cell stack devices, and in a direction in which the plurality of cell stack devices are arranged.

3. The fuel cell module according to claim 1 , wherein the exhaust gas discharge members are formed on both sides of the each cell stack device of the plurality of cell stack devices.

4. The fuel cell module according to claim 1 , wherein at least one of the exhaust gas discharge members each include a first exhaust gas discharge member having an inlet positioned at a height equal to or above a bottom surface of the reformer and a second exhaust gas discharge member having an inlet positioned below the bottom surface of the reformer.

5. The fuel cell module according to claim 4 , wherein the first exhaust gas discharge member is formed on one side of at least a portion of the plurality of cell stack devices in the direction in which the cell stack devices are arranged, and wherein the second exhaust gas discharge member is formed on another side of the plurality of cell stack devices in the direction in which the cell stack devices are arranged.

6. The fuel cell module according to claim 1 , wherein the reformer includes an exhaust gas discharge path that leads out exhaust gas from the fuel cells to above the reformer, and wherein the exhaust gas discharge members for discharging exhaust gas from above the reformer are formed alternately with the cell stack devices.

7. The fuel cell module according to claim 1 ,
wherein the reformer includes a vaporizing unit that vaporizes water, and a reforming unit that uses steam from the vaporizing unit to reform raw fuel gas,
wherein the vaporizing unit includes a vaporizing unit forward path to which a water supply pipe is connected, and a vaporizing unit return path through which the steam flows,
wherein the reforming unit includes a reforming unit forward path in which the raw fuel gas is reformed, and a reforming unit return path to which a reformed gas leading-out pipe that leads out reformed gas is connected,
wherein the vaporizing unit forward path and the vaporizing unit return path are connected by a vaporizing unit connecting path,
wherein the vaporizing unit return path and the reforming unit forward path are connected by a vaporizing unit and reforming unit connecting path, and
wherein the reforming unit forward path and the reforming unit return path are connected by a reforming unit connecting path.

8. The fuel cell module according to claim 2 ,
wherein the plurality of cell stack devices comprises four or more cell stack devices that are arranged within the housing, and
wherein a cross-sectional area of a discharge path of the exhaust gas discharge member formed in a center portion in a direction in which the cell stack devices are arranged is greater than a cross-sectional area of a discharge path of the exhaust gas discharge member positioned on the both ends of the plurality of cell stack devices in the direction in which the plurality of the cell stack devices are arranged.

9. The fuel cell module according to claim 1 , further comprising: an exhaust gas storage chamber arranged below the cell stack devices within the housing, the exhaust gas storage chamber being connected with exhaust outlets formed at one end of the exhaust gas discharge members and including an exhaust hole for discharging the exhaust gas outside of the fuel cell module, at least a portion of the exhaust gas flow path from the exhaust outlets to the exhaust hole having a meandering shape.

10. The fuel cell module according to claim 1 , further comprising:
a reformer arranged inside the housing above the plurality of fuel cells;
at least two manifolds providing a reformed gas to the plurality of fuel cells; and
a reformed gas lead-out pipe connecting the reformer with the at least two of manifolds.

11. The fuel cell module according to claim 10 , further comprising:
a distributor distributing the reformed gas to the at least two manifolds;
wherein the reformed gas lead-out pipe includes:
a first reformed gas lead-out pipe connecting the reformer and the distributor; and
a second reformed gas lead-out pipe connecting the distributor and the at least two of manifolds.

12. A fuel cell device, comprising:
a fuel cell module comprising
a housing,
a plurality of cell stack devices inside the housing, each cell stack device including a plurality of fuel cells that generate power using fuel gas and oxygen-containing gas,
exhaust gas discharge members between the cell stack devices for discharging exhaust gas from the fuel cells, and
a reformer disposed in the housing above the plurality of fuel cells,
wherein the exhaust gas discharge members comprise at least one gas flow passage in which the gas flows in a direction from the reformer to the plurality of cell stack devices;

an auxiliary device for operating the fuel cell module; and
an outer casing that houses the fuel cell module and the auxiliary device.

13. The fuel cell device according to claim 12 , wherein at least one of the exhaust gas discharge members each include a first exhaust gas discharge member having an inlet positioned at a height equal to or above a bottom surface of the reformer and a second exhaust gas discharge member having an inlet positioned below the bottom surface of the reformer.

14. The fuel cell device according to claim 13 , wherein the first exhaust gas discharge member is formed on one side of at least a portion of the plurality of cell stack devices in the direction in which the cell stack devices are arranged, and wherein the second exhaust gas discharge member is formed on another side of the plurality of cell stack devices in the direction in which the cell stack devices are arranged.

15. The fuel cell device according to claim 12 ,
wherein the reformer includes a vaporizing unit that vaporizes water, and a reforming unit that uses steam from the vaporizing unit to reform raw fuel gas,
wherein the vaporizing unit includes a vaporizing unit forward path to which a water supply pipe is connected, and a vaporizing unit return path through which the steam flows,
wherein the reforming unit includes a reforming unit forward path in which the raw fuel gas is reformed, and a reforming unit return path to which a reformed gas leading-out pipe that leads out reformed gas is connected,
wherein the vaporizing unit forward path and the vaporizing unit return path are connected by a vaporizing unit connecting path,
wherein the vaporizing unit return path and the reforming unit forward path are connected by a vaporizing unit and reforming unit connecting path, and
wherein the reforming unit forward path and the reforming unit return path are connected by a reforming unit connecting path,
cell stack devices are arranged.

16. The fuel cell device according to claim 12 , further c

Assignees

• Kyocera Corp

Inventors

• Murase Koji
• Oda Tomoyuki
• Suehiro Masanori

Classifications

• H01M8/24

  Grouping of fuel cells, e.g. stacking of fuel cells · CPC title

• H01M2008/1293

  Fuel cells with solid oxide electrolytes · CPC title

• H01M8/249

  comprising two or more groupings of fuel cells, e.g. modular assemblies · CPC title

• H01M8/2475

  Enclosures, casings or containers of fuel cell stacks · CPC title

• H01M8/0618 Primary

  Reforming processes, e.g. autothermal, partial oxidation or steam reforming · CPC title