Gas management apparatus, and method for conditioning anode gas of a fuel cell
AssigneeHengst GmbH & Co. KG
InventorMartin Rölver
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A gas management apparatus and a method for conditioning anode gas of a fuel cell. The apparatus comprises a fluid tank and a water separator that is fluidically connected thereto, a drainage valve being arranged in the upper area and/or above the top side of the fluid tank. During proper operation, gases and liquids, in particular water, are drawn off via said one drainage valve.
Claims14
A gas management apparatus for conditioning anode gas of a fuel cell, the apparatus comprising:
- a fluid tank which, in an installation position, has a top side and a lower side, as well as an interior,
- a water separator, which is fluidically connected to the fluid tank, arranged in the interior of the fluid tank, or both,
- a gas supply line to the water separator,
- a gas drainage pipe from the water separator,
- a riser for water from the fluid tank, the riser being connected at a lower end to a lower region of the interior of the fluid tank, or projecting into the lower region, or both, and being connected at an upper end to a drainage valve,
- wherein the drainage valve is arranged in an upper region of the fluid tank, above a top side of the fluid tank, or both, the drainage valve configured to be connected at an outlet side to a central drainage pipe, and
- wherein gases, liquids, or both are configured to be discharged via the drainage valve during proper operation.
A method for operating a fuel cell and for removing gas, or liquid, or both from an anode gas circuit, the gas and liquid being fed to a water separator via a gas supply line downstream of a fuel cell, and separated liquid being discharged in a fluid tank, the method comprising the steps:
- at least partial emptying the fluid tank via a drainage valve, and,
- at least partial removal of the gas from an anode gas circuit and introduction of clean gas into the anode circuit,
- wherein the at least partial removal of gas from the anode gas circuit, or the at least partial emptying of the fluid tank, or both takes place via the drainage valve, and,
- wherein the drainage valve being situated in an upper region of the fluid tank, or above a top side of the fluid tank, or both.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.