# US 2017/0288240 A1 · Fuel cell power generation module

> Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt

- Number: US 2017/0288240 A1
- Document ID: US20170288240A1
- Status: Published application
- Kind: A1
- Application number: 15/088,105
- Filed: 2016-03-31
- Published: 2017-10-05
- Earliest claimed: 2016-03-31
- Inventors: SZU-HAN WU; Shih-Wei CHENG; Wei-Hong SHIU; Jing-Kai LIN; Hung-Hsiang LIN; Yung-Neng CHENG; Ruey-Yi LEE
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20170288240A1

## CPC

- H01M 8/04022: {Heating by combustion}
- H01M 8/04164: {by condensers, gas-liquid separators or filters}
- H01M 8/04141: {by water containing exhaust gases}
- H01M 8/04708: {of fuel cell reactants}
- H01M 8/04738: {of auxiliary devices, e.g. reformer, compressor, burner}
- H01M 8/04776: {at auxiliary devices, e.g. reformer, compressor, burner}
- H01M 8/0618: {Reforming processes, e.g. autothermal, partial oxidation or steam reforming}
- Y02E 60/50: Fuel cells
- 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

A fuel cell power generation module includes a fuel cell stack body combined with a reformer, a burner, and a plate-type evaporator that are sequentially top-down stacked and assembled into a detachable power generation module, a gas-water separator to recycle mixed fuel that is not completely reacted with the fuel cell stack body, and a part of the recycled fuel is introduced into the burner for burning, and the burner thermal thus produced is used for heating the fuel cell stack body and the plate-type evaporator through thermal radiation and heat conduction, meanwhile, hot air produced by the burner can be used for heating air that enters the fuel cell stack body, and the plate-type evaporator converts the water into steam that feeds into the fuel cell stack body with fuel for reaction.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A fuel cell power generation module, comprising:
a fuel cell stack body combined with a reformer, wherein a positive electrode and a negative electrode are connected inside the fuel cell stack body through a fuel flow path and an air flow path, respectively, wherein a fuel inlet and a fuel outlet are provided at each end of the fuel flow path, respectively, and an air inlet and an air outlet are provided at each end of the air flow path, respectively;
a burner rendered at one side of the fuel cell stack body, wherein the burner has an air input port communicating with the air outlet of the air flow path and a hot air outlet;
a plate type evaporator attached on a side of the burner farther from the base of the fuel cell stack;
a gas-water separator communicating with the gas outlet of the fuel cell stack body for receiving and separating residual fuel and water for recycling, introducing a part of recycled fuel to the burner inlet to mix with the air that flows out of the burner air outlet into the burner for burning, heating the air that exits from the hot air outlet of the burner, wherein a portion of heat is directly transferred to the plate-type evaporator and the fuel cell stack body, wherein the recycled fuel is flowing through the plate-type evaporator after refueling, and the recycled water is introduced into the plate-type evaporator after refilling, and the plate-type evaporator absorbing the heat of the burner and converting the water into steam that flows with the fuel into the fuel inlet of the fuel cell stack body;
a plurality of multilayer pipes provided on the peripheral of the fuel cell stack body, wherein each of the multilayer pipe is composed of an outer pipe surrounding on the peripheral of an inner pipe, wherein one end of the inner pipe communicating with the hot air outlet of the burner for guiding the hot air output from the burner, wherein the outer pipe introduces a fresh air from one end into the outer pipe, and the other end of the outer pipe communicating with the air inlet of the fuel cell stack body receives the fresh air being heated by the inner pipe while flowing into the fuel cell stack body.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The fuel cell power generation module of claim 1, wherein a plate having high heat conductivity is mounted between the fuel cell stack body and the burner, wherein the fuel cell stack body and the burner are attached on the up and bottom sides of the plate, respectively.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The fuel cell power generation module of claim 1, wherein the recycled fuel and water separated by the gas-water separator were delivered to the plate-type evaporator through a composite pipe having an inner pipe for guiding recycled water to the plate-type evaporator, an outer pipe for guiding recycled fuel to flow through the plate-type evaporator, and an intermediate pipe for guiding externally refilled fuel to flow through the plate-type evaporator.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The fuel cell power generation module of claim 1, wherein a plurality of multilayer pipes provided on the peripheral of the fuel cell stack body are connected each other and arranged in parallel fence fashion surrounding the circumference of the fuel cell stack body.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The fuel cell power generation module of claim 1, wherein the burner is a catalyst type burner having a porous catalyst carrier for generating combustion reaction with hydrogen and air at room temperature.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The fuel cell power generation module of claim 1, wherein porous filler materials were furnished inside the plate-type evaporator for separation and expansion of the water that passes through the plate-type evaporator to increase heat transfer efficiency.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The fuel cell power generation module of claim 1, wherein the fresh air is preheated by a preheater prior to entering the outer pipe of the multilayer pipe.