# US 11,298,651 B2 · Gas-liquid separator for separating at least one liquid component from a gaseous component > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 11,298,651 B2 - Document ID: US11298651B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 16/766,876 - Filed: 2018-10-24 - Published: 2020-10-15 - Granted: 2022-04-12 - Earliest claimed: 2017-11-28 - Assignees: Robert Bosch GmbH - Applicants: Robert Bosch GmbH - Inventors: Michael Kurz - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11298651B2 ## CPC - B01D 53/22: by diffusion (manufacturing semi-permeable membranes B01D67/00; form, structure or properties of semi-permeable membranes B01D69/00; material for semi-permeable membranes B01D71/00) - F16T 1/12: with valves controlled by excess or release of pressure - H01M 8/04097: {with recycling of the reactants (H01M8/04119, H01M8/04104 take precedence)} - H01M 8/04119: with simultaneous supply or evacuation of electrolyte; Humidifying or dehumidifying - H01M 8/04156: {with product water removal} - H01M 8/04164: {by condensers, gas-liquid separators or filters} - H01M 8/0662: Treatment of gaseous reactants or gaseous residues, e.g. cleaning - B01D 2053/221: {Devices} - B01D 2221/14: Separation devices for workshops, car or semiconductor industry, e.g. for separating chips and other machining residues - Y02E 60/50: Fuel cells - B01D: SEPARATION (separating solids from solids by wet methods B03B, B03D; by pneumatic jigs or tables B03B; by other dry methods B07; magnetic or electrostatic separation of solid materials from solid materials or fluids, separation by high-voltage electric fields B03C; centrifuges, vortex apparatus B04; presses per se for squeezing-out liquid from liquid-containing material B30B9/02; treatment of water C02F, e.g. softening by ion-exchange C02F1/42; {arrangements of air intake cleaners in gas turbine plants F02C7/05} ; arrangements or mounting of filters in air-conditioning, air-humidification or ventilation F24F13/28) - F16T: STEAM TRAPS OR LIKE APPARATUS FOR DRAINING-OFF LIQUIDS FROM ENCLOSURES PREDOMINANTLY CONTAINING GASES OR VAPOURS - H01M: PROCESSES OR MEANS, e.g. BATTERIES, FOR THE DIRECT CONVERSION OF CHEMICAL ENERGY INTO ELECTRICAL ENERGY - Y02E: REDUCTION OF GREENHOUSE GAS [GHG] EMISSIONS, RELATED TO ENERGY GENERATION, TRANSMISSION OR DISTRIBUTION ## Abstract The invention relates to a gas-liquid separator (2) for separating at least one liquid component, in particular H2O, from a gaseous component, in particular H2, the separator comprising at least one collecting tank (12) which is supplied with a medium, at least the liquid component of the medium being separated into the collecting tank (12), and the separated portion of the medium being discharged from the collecting tank (12) via a discharge valve (46). According to the invention, the gas-liquid separator (2) is integrated into a housing (11) of a recirculation pump (9). ## Claims ### Claim 1 A gas-liquid separator (2) of a fuel cell system (1) which comprises a recirculation pump (9), the gas-liquid separator (2) for separating at least one liquid component from a gaseous component with a collecting tank (12) which is supplied with a medium including H2 and H2O, wherein at least the liquid component of the medium is separated into the collecting tank (12), wherein the separated portion of the medium is discharged from the collecting tank (12) via a discharge valve (46), wherein the gas-liquid separator (2) is integrated into a housing (11) of the recirculation pump (9), and gas is returned from the collecting tank (12) via a suction connection (29) into an inflow channel (7) or an outflow channel (20) of the recirculation pump (9), wherein the liquid component of the medium comprises H2O and the gaseous component of the medium comprises H2, wherein the gas-liquid separator (2) has a separating edge (8), wherein one of the inflow channel (7) or the outflow channel (20) has a curvature (19) with a radius (17), and wherein the separating edge (8) is configured such that, when the medium is flowing through the curvature (19), the medium meets the separating edge (8) such that the separating edge (8) deflects the H2O into the collecting tank (12). ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The gas-liquid separator (2) as claimed in claim 1, wherein the gas-liquid separator (2) is arranged downstream of a compressor chamber (26) of the recirculation pump (9). ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The gas-liquid separator (2) as claimed in claim 2, wherein the gas-liquid separator (2) is in the region of an outlet (18). ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The gas-liquid separator (2) as claimed in claim 1, wherein the gas-liquid separator (2) is arranged upstream of a compressor chamber (26) of the recirculation pump (9). ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The gas-liquid separator (2) as claimed in claim 4, wherein the gas-liquid separator (2) is in the region of an inlet (16). ### Claim 6 (depends on 3) The gas-liquid separator (2) as claimed in claim 3, wherein the outflow channel (20) in a flow direction of the medium has a constriction (15) and then the curvature (19). ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The gas-liquid separator (2) as claimed in claim 6, wherein the radius (17) is in the region of the separating edge (8). ### Claim 8 (depends on 5) The gas-liquid separator (2) as claimed in claim 5, wherein the inflow channel (7) in a flow direction of the medium has a constriction (21) and then the curvature (19). ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The gas-liquid separator (2) as claimed in claim 8, wherein the radius (17) is in the region of the separating edge (8). ### Claim 10 (depends on 6) The gas-liquid separator (2) as claimed in claim 6, wherein the medium also includes N2, and wherein the medium is accelerated when flowing through the constriction (15) and the medium undergoes a deflection when flowing through the curvature (19), such that the H2O and the N2, because of their mass, undergo a greater deflection, and the H2, because of its mass, undergoes a lesser deflection. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The gas-liquid separator (2) as claimed in claim 10, wherein a proportion of the H2 is deflected into the collecting tank (12). ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) The gas-liquid separator (2) as claimed in claim 1, wherein the suction connection (29) has a choke element (14). ### Claim 13 (depends on 1) The gas-liquid separator (2) as claimed in claim 1, wherein a membrane chamber (25) is situated between the collecting tank (12) and the suction connection (29), wherein the membrane chamber (23) has a membrane insert (23). ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The gas-liquid separator (2) as claimed in claim 13, wherein the membrane insert (25) is configured as a semipermeable membrane (34), and wherein the H2 can move through the membrane (34) while the H2O cannot move through the membrane (34) due to molecular sizes of the H2 and the H2O. ### Claim 15 (depends on 10) The gas-liquid separator (2) as claimed in claim 10, wherein the H2O and the N2 is separated from the medium by the gas-liquid separator (2) via a centrifugal principle.