Apparatus for supplying an oxygen-containing gas to a fuel cell system
AssigneeNuCellSys GmbH
InventorLars Kaufmann
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A fuel cell system (1) comprises at least one fuel cell (2) and at least one gas generation system (6) in which at least one component requires air during operation. A compression device (11) is provided to supply the oxygen-containing gas, for example air, to the cathode chamber (4) of the fuel cell. At least one branch line (13) also supplies oxygen-containing gas to the gas generation system component(s) that requires air during operation thereof. Exhaust gases from the fuel cell cathode chamber anode chamber are combined downstream of the fuel cell.
Claims16
An apparatus for supplying an oxygen-containing gas to a fuel cell system, the fuel cell system comprising at least one fuel cell and at least one gas generation system having at least one component requiring oxygen during operation, and a compression device to supply oxygen-containing gas to a cathode chamber of the fuel cell, the apparatus comprising:
- a first supply line connected to the compression device and the cathode chamber;
- at least one branch line connected to the first supply line for supplying oxygen-containing gas to the at least one component of the gas generation system;
- and
- a junction point downstream of the fuel cell at which cathode exhaust from the cathode chamber and anode exhaust from an anode chamber of the fuel cell are combined;
- wherein, the system further includes components which maintain pressure in the system such that the sum of the pressure drops in components in the first supply line upstream of the junction point is greater than the sum of the pressure drops across components in the gas generation system and the anode chamber upstream of the junction point.
An apparatus for supplying an oxygen-containing gas to a fuel cell system, the fuel cell system comprising at least one fuel cell and at least one gas generation system having at least one component requiring oxygen during operation, and a compression device to supply oxygen-containing gas to a cathode chamber of the fuel cell, the apparatus comprising:
- a first supply line connected to the compression device and the cathode chamber;
- at least one branch line connected to the first supply line for supplying oxygen-containing gas to the at least one component of the gas generation system;
- and
- a junction point downstream of the fuel cell at which cathode exhaust from the cathode chamber and anode exhaust from an anode chamber of the fuel cell are combined;
- wherein the at least one branch line comprises a first branch line for supplying oxygen-containing gas to a reformer, a second branch line for supplying oxygen-containing gas to a selective oxidizer, and a third branch line for supplying oxygen-containing gas to the anode chamber of the fuel cell.
An apparatus for supplying an oxygen-containing gas to a fuel cell system, the fuel cell system comprising at least one fuel cell and at least one gas generation system having at least one component requiring oxygen during operation, and a compression device to supply oxygen-containing gas to a cathode chamber of the fuel cell, the apparatus comprising:
- a first supply line connected to the compression device and the cathode chamber;
- at least one branch line connected to the first supply line for supplying oxygen-containing gas to the at least one component of the gas generation system;
- and
- a junction point downstream of the fuel cell at which cathode exhaust from the cathode chamber and anode exhaust from an anode chamber of the fuel cell are combined;
- wherein the apparatus further comprises a pressure-maintaining valve located downstream of the junction point.
A fuel cell system comprising:
- at least one fuel cell having a cathode chamber and an anode chamber;
- a gas generation system for producing a hydrogen-containing gas from a process stream containing carbon and hydrogen and supplying the hydrogen-containing gas to the anode chamber of the fuel cell, the gas generating system having at least one component requiring oxygen during operation;
- a compression device for supplying an oxygen containing gas to the cathode chamber of the fuel cell;
- a first supply line connected to the compression device and the cathode chamber;
- at least one branch line connected to the first supply line for supplying the oxygen-containing gas to the at least one component of the gas generation system;
- and
- a junction point downstream of the fuel cell for combining a cathode exhaust from the cathode chamber and an anode exhaust from an anode chamber of the fuel cell;
- wherein, the system further includes components which maintain pressure in the system such that the sum of the pressure drops in components in the first supply line upstream of the junction point is greater than the sum of the pressure drops across components in the gas generation system and the anode chamber upstream of the junction point.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.