Fuel cell
AssigneeCommissariat A L'energie Atomique Et Aux Energies Alternatives
InventorsJean-Philippe POIROT-CROUVEZIER, Benoît MORIN, Robin MURRU
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A fuel cell system having a “ping-pong” architecture, wherein two groups of electrochemical cells are supplied alternatively by a fluid circuit comprising at least one expansion member and two switching members on the supply lines of the groups. Advantageously, the switching members are formed by injectors configured to expand the supply fluid coming from a main conduit The injectors make it possible both to expand the fluid and to enable or to block a passage of the fluid to the inlets of the groups.
Claims12
A system of at least one fuel cell, the system comprising:
- a first group of electrochemical cells having a first inlet and a first outlet,
- a second group of electrochemical cells having a second inlet and a second outlet,
- a fluid circuit to supply said first and second groups with a fluid, and to discharge said fluid from said first and second groups said fluid circuit comprising an upstream part, comprising:
- a main supply conduit configured to drive the fluid with medium pressure, and connected to secondary supply lines,
- a first secondary supply line connected to the main supply conduit (300a) and connected to the first inlet of the first group, and
- a second secondary supply line connected to the main supply conduit and connected to the second inlet of the second group,
- said fluid circuit comprising a downstream part, comprising:
- a main discharge conduit connected to secondary discharge lines, and configured to be connected to an exhaust,
- a first secondary discharge line connected to the first outlet of the first group, to the main discharge conduit, and to the second outlet of the second group, so as to enable a fluid supply of the second group via the second outlet, by the fluid having passed through the first group, and
- a second secondary discharge line connected to the second outlet of the second group, to the main discharge conduit and to the first outlet of the first group, so as to enable a fluid supply of the first group via the first outlet, by the fluid having passed through the second group,
- at least one expansion member located in the upstream part of the fluid circuit, configured to decrease the pressure of the fluid from the medium pressure to a low pressure,
- a first switching member on the first secondary supply line configured to enable or block a flow of the fluid to the first inlet,
- a second switching member on the second secondary supply line, configured to enable or block a flow of the fluid to the second inlet, and
- a draining member on the main discharge conduit, configured to enable or block a flow of the fluid to the exhaust, wherein
- the first switching member is formed by a first injector enabling or blocking the flow of the fluid to the first inlet, and said first injector is further configured to decrease the pressure of the fluid from the medium pressure to a first low pressure,
- the second switching member is formed by a second injector enabling or blocking the flow of the fluid to the second inlet, and said second injector is further configured to decrease the pressure of the fluid from the medium pressure to a second low pressure, and
- the at least one expansion member is formed by the first injector and the second injector.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.