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US 7,041,406 B2Granted
Fuel cell battery with an integrated heat exchanger
AssigneeSulzer Hexis AG
InventorsAlexander Schuler, John Schild, Markus Jenne, Philip Holoch
Life of this patent
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AssigneeSulzer Hexis AG
InventorsAlexander Schuler, John Schild, Markus Jenne, Philip Holoch
Estimating the term…
The fuel cell battery (1) has an integrated heat exchanger (4) which is arranged between a heat insulating jacket (12) and a stack (10) of high temperature fuel cells (2). There is a chamber (3), preferably at least two chambers for afterburning, between a periphery (14) of the cell stack and the heat exchanger. The heat exchanger is provided for a heat transfer from an exhaust gas (7) to a gaseous oxygen carrier (5). There are arranged on the stack periphery (14), outside or inside the chamber or chambers respectively, inlet points (25a) for the oxygen carrier, on the one hand, and outlet points (25b, 26b) for non-converted educts, namely a fuel gas (6) and the oxygen carrier, on the other hand. The heat exchanger (4) includes a passage system (4) through which the exhaust gas (7) and the oxygen carrier (5) flow largely in transverse planes disposed perpendicular to the axis of the cell stack (10) in one operating state of the battery. The exhaust gas can be led off through axially directed collecting passages (47″) which are arranged in a peripheral region of the heat exchange. Parts of the heat exchanger, which are disposed between the peripheral region and the cell stack, form a shield for screening the cell stack from the collecting passages with respect to a thermal influence.
A fuel cell battery comprising an integrated heat exchanger which is arranged between a heat insulating jacket and a stack of high temperature fuel cells, the cell stack having a central axis, a chamber for afterburning between a periphery of the cell stack and the heat exchanger, the heat exchanger being provided for a heat transfer from an exhaust gas to a gaseous oxygen carrier, inlet points for the oxygen carrier and outlet points for non-converted educts being arranged on the stack periphery, the heat exchanger including a passage system through which the exhaust gas and the oxygen carrier flow in planes disposed perpendicular to the axis of the cell stack in one operating state of the fuel cell battery, axially directed collecting passages for the exhaust gas being arranged in a peripheral region of the heat exchanger, and parts of the heat exchanger disposed between the peripheral region and the cell stack forming a shield screening the cell stack from the collecting passages with respect to a thermal influence.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.