Regulator for fuel cell
AssigneeKeihin Corporation
InventorsYoji Nakajima, Kazuki Ishikawa, Takashi Yoshida, Katsumi Sahoda, Kouji Miyano
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A regulator for use with fuel cells, which is mounted in a pressure controller of a fuel cell system, has a first diaphragm flexible under the pressure of pilot air supplied as an oxidizing agent to a pilot chamber, a second diaphragm flexible under the pressure of a hydrogen-containing gas flowing through a fluid passage, and a rod connected to a valve head. The spring force of a first spring is set to a value greater than the spring force of a second spring. The regulator is of a normally closed type in which the valve head is seated on a valve seat when the pilot air is not supplied to the pilot chamber.
Claims20
A regulator for use with fuel cells, comprising:
- a body having a primary port for being supplied with a fuel gas and a secondary port for discharging the fuel gas;
- a valve head displaceably disposed in said body for being unseated from and seated on a valve seat for opening and closing a fluid passage which interconnects said primary port and said secondary port;
- a first diaphragm and a second diaphragm which are disposed in said body and spaced a predetermined distance from each other, said first diaphragm being flexible under the pressure of pilot air as an oxidizing agent supplied to a pilot chamber, said second diaphragm being flexible under the pressure of the fuel gas flowing through said fluid passage;
- a rod for displacing said valve head, said first diaphragm, and said second diaphragm in unison with each other upon flexing of said first and second diaphragms;
- a first spring engaging said valve head for normally urging said valve head in a direction to be seated on said valve seat;
- and
- a second spring disposed in said pilot chamber for normally urging said valve head in a direction to move away from said valve seat;
- wherein the spring force of said first spring is set to a value greater than the spring force of said second spring, and said valve head is seated on said valve seat when the pilot air is not supplied to said pilot chamber.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.