Water Separation Device for a Fuel Cell, Comprising a Movable Valve Mechanism
AssigneeVitesco Technologies GmbH
InventorsFlorian Braun, Matthias Bleeck, Henry Meißgeier
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Various embodiments of the teachings herein include a water separation device for a fuel cell. An example includes: a separator for separating water from an aqueous gas mixture discharged from the fuel cell; a container defining a collection volume to collect the water from the separator; and a freeze protector including a displaceable valve coupled to the collection volume. When the water in the collection volume freezes, the valve moves in the direction of a freeze position enlarging the collection volume. When frozen water in the collection volume melts, the valve moves back in the direction of a melt position reducing the collection volume.
Claims7
A water separation device for a fuel cell, the device comprising:
- a separator for separating water from an aqueous gas mixture discharged from the fuel cell;
- a container defining a collection volume to collect the water from the separator;
- and
- a freeze protector including a displaceable valve coupled to the collection volume,
- wherein, when the water in the collection volume freezes, the valve moves in the direction of a freeze position enlarging the collection volume, and
- when frozen water in the collection volume melts, the valve moves back in the direction of a melt position reducing the collection volume.
A fuel cell device comprising:
- a fuel cell with an anode mechanism and a cathode;
- wherein the anode has an anode output to discharge an aqueous gas mixture from the anode, and the cathode has a cathode output to discharge an aqueous gas mixture from the cathode;
- a separator for separating water from an aqueous gas mixture discharged from the anode output and/or the cathode output;
- a container defining a collection volume to collect the water from the separator;
- and
- a freeze protector including a displaceable valve coupled to the collection volume,
- wherein, when the water in the collection volume freezes, the valve moves in the direction of a freeze position enlarging the collection volume, and
- when frozen water in the collection volume melts, the valve moves back in the direction of a melt position reducing the collection volume.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.