# US 2016/0260992 A1 · Gas-liquid separator of fuel cell system > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2016/0260992 A1 - Document ID: US20160260992A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 15/050,995 - Filed: 2016-02-23 - Published: 2016-09-08 - Earliest claimed: 2015-03-05 - Assignees: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha - Applicants: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha - Inventors: Yasuhito Ode - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20160260992A1 ## CPC - H01M 8/0662: Treatment of gaseous reactants or gaseous residues, e.g. cleaning - B01D 5/0012: {Vertical tubes} - B01D 19/0042: {modifying the liquid flow (B01D19/0021 takes precedence)} - H01M 8/04164: {by condensers, gas-liquid separators or filters} - Y02E 60/50: Fuel cells - H01M: PROCESSES OR MEANS, e.g. BATTERIES, FOR THE DIRECT CONVERSION OF CHEMICAL ENERGY INTO ELECTRICAL ENERGY - 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) - Y02E: REDUCTION OF GREENHOUSE GAS [GHG] EMISSIONS, RELATED TO ENERGY GENERATION, TRANSMISSION OR DISTRIBUTION ## Abstract A gas-liquid separator capable of decreasing the height dimension thereof and a fuel cell system suitable for the gas-liquid separator are provided. In a gas-liquid separator, an introduction pipe connected to a main pipe includes an enlarged portion. A passage cross-sectional area of the enlarged portion is larger than that of an inlet pipe. An exhaust gas of hydrogen including impurities such as water discharged from a fuel cell stack flows from the inlet pipe and the speed of the exhaust gas in the enlarged portion decreases. As the speed at which the exhaust gas flows into the main pipe decreases, a ratio in which water falls downward increases. For this reason, even when the dimension of the gas-liquid separator in the height direction is shortened, a water separating rate can be maintained. The exhaust gas of hydrogen from which water is separated is reused in the fuel cell stack. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A gas-liquid separator used in an anode gas line of a fuel cell system, comprising: a main pipe which extends in the up and down direction; an introduction pipe which is connected to a side surface of the main pipe so as to intersect the side surface; an inlet pipe which is connected to the introduction pipe; an upper outlet pipe which is connected to the upper side of the main pipe; and a lower outlet pipe which is connected to the lower side of the main pipe, wherein the introduction pipe includes an enlarged portion having a passage cross-sectional area larger than a passage cross-sectional area of the inlet pipe. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The gas-liquid separator according to claim 1, wherein a passage cross-sectional area of the lower outlet pipe is larger than that of the inlet pipe and the passage cross-sectional area of the lower outlet pipe is larger than that of the upper outlet pipe. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The gas-liquid separator according to claim 1, wherein the passage cross-sectional area of the inlet pipe is equal to the passage cross-sectional area of the upper outlet pipe. ### Claim 4 (depends on 2) The gas-liquid separator according to claim 2, wherein the passage cross-sectional area of the inlet pipe is equal to the passage cross-sectional area of the upper outlet pipe. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The gas-liquid separator according to claim 1, wherein a passage cross-sectional area of the enlarged portion is larger than that of the main pipe and the passage cross-sectional area of the enlarged portion is larger than that of the upper outlet pipe. ### Claim 6 (depends on 2) The gas-liquid separator according to claim 2, wherein a passage cross-sectional area of the enlarged portion is larger than that of the main pipe and the passage cross-sectional area of the enlarged portion is larger than that of the upper outlet pipe. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The gas-liquid separator according to claim 1, wherein a passage cross-sectional area of the main pipe is larger than that of the enlarged portion. ### Claim 8 (depends on 2) The gas-liquid separator according to claim 2, wherein a passage cross-sectional area of the main pipe is larger than that of the enlarged portion. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The gas-liquid separator according to claim 1, wherein the main pipe, the introduction pipe, the inlet pipe, the upper outlet pipe, and the lower outlet pipe have circular cross-sectional shapes. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The gas-liquid separator according to claim 1, wherein the lower outlet pipe includes an openable valve. ### Claim 11 (depends on 2) The gas-liquid separator according to claim 2, wherein the lower outlet pipe includes an openable valve. ### Claim 12 (depends on 5) The gas-liquid separator according to claim 5, wherein the lower outlet pipe includes an openable valve. ### Claim 13 (depends on 7) The gas-liquid separator according to claim 7, wherein the lower outlet pipe includes an openable valve. ### Claim 14 (depends on 10) The gas-liquid separator according to claim 10, wherein an inner diameter of the lower outlet pipe is set to be equal to or larger than 8 mm and equal to or smaller than an inner diameter of the main pipe. ### Claim 15 (depends on 11) The gas-liquid separator according to claim 11, wherein an inner diameter of the lower outlet pipe is set to be equal to or larger than 8 mm and equal to or smaller than an inner diameter of the main pipe. ### Claim 16 (depends on 12) The gas-liquid separator according to claim 12, wherein an inner diameter of the lower outlet pipe is set to be equal to or larger than 8 mm and equal to or smaller than an inner diameter of the main pipe. ### Claim 17 (depends on 13) The gas-liquid separator according to claim 13, wherein an inner diameter of the lower outlet pipe is set to be equal to or larger than 8 mm and equal to or smaller than an inner diameter of the main pipe. ### Claim 18 (depends on 1) The gas-liquid separator according to claim 1, wherein the gas-liquid separator is used in the fuel cell system in which a flow rate of the anode gas line is 30 L/min or less. ### Claim 19 (depends on 2) The gas-liquid separator according to claim 2, wherein the gas-liquid separator is used in the fuel cell system in which a flow rate of the anode gas line is 30 L/min or less. ### Claim 20 (depends on 5) The gas-liquid separator according to claim 5, wherein the gas-liquid separator is used in the fuel cell system in which a flow rate of the anode gas line is 30 L/min or less.