Water recirculation in fuel cell power plant
AssigneeNissan Motor Co., Ltd.
InventorsHitoshi Shimonosono, Takashi Hashimoto
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A water pump (4) recirculates water from a water tank (3) in a heat exchanger (2) and a fuel cell stack (1) of a fuel cell power plant via a recirculation passage (5) A water temperature sensor (13) detects a water temperature in the recirculation passage (5). When the water temperature is lower than a predetermined temperature, a controller (16) recirculates water to the water recirculation passage (5) by operating a water pump (4) in order to prevent freezing of water. It is preferred that a heater (15) is provided to heat the water recirculating in the recirculation passage (5).
Claims10
A water recirculation device for a fuel cell power plant, the power plant being provided with a fuel cell stack and a heat exchanger, comprising:
- a water tank;
- a recirculation passage connecting the fuel cell stack, the heat exchanger and the water tank;
- a water pump recirculating water in the recirculation passage;
- a water temperature sensor detecting a water temperature of the recirculation passage;
- and
- a programmable controller programmed to:
- recirculate water in the recirculation passage by operating the water pump when the water temperature is less than a predetermined temperature.
A water recirculation device for a fuel cell power plant, the power plant being provided with a fuel cell stack and a heat exchanger, comprising:
- a water tank;
- a recirculation passage connecting the fuel cell stack, the heat exchanger and the water tank;
- a water pump recirculating water in the recirculation passage;
- means for detecting a water temperature of the recirculation passage;
- and
- means for recirculating water in the recirculation passage by operating the water pump when the water temperature is less than a predetermined temperature.
A control method for water recirculation in a fuel cell power plant, the power plant being provided with a fuel cell stack, a heat exchanger, a water tank, a recirculation passage connecting the fuel cell stack, the heat exchanger and the water tank, and a water pump recirculating water in the recirculation passage, the method comprising:
- detecting a water temperature of the recirculation passage;
- and
- recirculating water in the recirculation passage by operating the water pump when the water temperature is less than a predetermined temperature.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.