Exemplary embodiments of the invention relate to a method for operating a fuel cell system.
Fuel cell systems are known from the general prior art, and utilize, for example, a fuel cell, which may be designed as a PEM fuel cell, to generate electrical energy from air, oxygen, and hydrogen. Fuel cell systems of this type may be used, for example, in motor vehicles for generating electrical drive power.
In principle, a fuel cell having a cathode chamber supplied with air and an anode chamber supplied with hydrogen or a hydrogen-containing gas may be operated in such a way that in particular the anode chamber is designed as an anode chamber that is closed on one side. If the anode chamber is supplied only with pure hydrogen, theoretically the hydrogen is completely reacted in the fuel cell, so that no media flow out of the anode chamber. In practice, this does not occur, or does not occur satisfactorily, since a small portion of the product water generated in the fuel cell develops in the area of the anode chamber, and since inert gases such as nitrogen could diffuse from the cathode chamber into the anode chamber. Instead of such an anode chamber that is closed on one side, also referred to as a dead end anode chamber, in practice a so-called near-dead end anode chamber is frequently used. The near-dead end anode chamber has an anode output, and is operated with a slight excess of hydrogen so that product water and inert gases from the unreacted residual hydrogen in the fuel cell may be discharged from the anode chamber. In principle this design is very simple and efficient, and with a suitable configuration, for example a cascaded design of the active surfaces of the anode chamber, may be operated with a very small excess of hydrogen. Here as well, however, a certain excess of hydrogen is necessary in order to securely and reliably discharge inert gases and in particular generated product water, and to prevent the product water from “blocking” an active surface.
In practice, it is customary to avoid the described problems by providing a recirculation system for anode exhaust gas and the anode chamber. In this design, the anode exhaust gas at the output of the anode chamber is led back via a recirculation line to the input of the anode chamber, and together with freshly metered hydrogen is resupplied to the anode chamber. The design allows the use of a comparatively large quantity of supplied hydrogen in relation to the quantity of hydrogen that is reacted in the anode chamber, and thus allows product water and inert gases to be reliably flushed from the anode chamber. In addition, a portion of the product water, which in particular is in vapor form, is transported back into the area of the anode chamber, thus improving the humidification of the anode chamber, which may be advantageous when a PEM fuel cell is used. However, such designs are comparatively complicated, and always require a recirculation conveying device for compensating for the pressure losses in the recirculation line and in the anode chamber. Such a recirculation conveying device typically comprises a blower, and/or one or more gas jet pumps which are connected in parallel or in series, depending on the power of the fuel cell system. Reference is made, for example, to German Unexamined Patent Application DE 102 51 878 A1, which describes a fuel cell system having a recirculation system for anode exhaust gas and the anode chamber. As is apparent in the cited patent application, even the simplest design is relatively complex, and requires appropriate installation space and a comparatively large recirculation conveying device in order to be able to conduct the necessary volume flow in the circuit around the anode chamber.
Another problem with such a recirculation for anode exhaust gas is that over time, product water and inert gases become concentrated in the area of the recirculation. Due to the constant volume of the recirculation line, the concentration of hydrogen drops and the performance of the fuel cell is impaired. It is therefore generally known and customary to exhaust water and inert gases, intermittently or continuously via a diaphragm, and to conduct them, for example, to the environment, to a catalytic unit, and/or to the intake air flow to the cathode chamber of the fuel cell.
Furthermore, it is known from the general prior art that exhaust gases from the anode chamber, which typically contain residues of hydrogen, may be post-combusted in a burner, preferably a catalytic burner. The exhaust gases may then be expanded via a turbine so that thermal energy and pressure energy in the exhaust gases may be recovered. Such a turbine may be used in particular for driving an air conveying device for the fuel cell. The turbine may preferably have a design that is combined with an electric machine, which then forms a so-called electric turbocharger (ETC). This ETC is designed in such a way that the electric machine typically provides the required drive power for the air conveying device in addition to the power recovered in the turbine. If more power is generated in the area of the turbine than is required by the air supply device, the electric machine may also be operated as a generator in order to generate electrical power on its own.
Exemplary embodiments of the present invention are directed to a method for operating a fuel cell system having a recirculation system for anode exhaust gas around the anode chamber, which has a very simple and compact design of the fuel cell system with good functionality of the fuel cell.
The method according to the invention provides that below a predefined load limit of the fuel cell, the fuel cell is operated with recirculation of anode exhaust gas, and that between the load limit and the full load of the fuel cell, the fuel cell is operated without such anode recirculation. The method according to the invention thus provides that, as a function of the load, a switch is made between a near-dead end anode chamber at higher loads up to full load, and an anode chamber with anode recirculation at part load. The major advantage is that at loads below the provided load limit, i.e., typically in the part load range, on the one hand humidification of the anode chamber is possible due to the recirculated water vapor, and on the other hand, operation may be carried out with a comparatively large excess of hydrogen without having to accept large hydrogen losses, so that the water may be completely discharged from the anode chamber despite the conditions in part load operation that are unfavorable for discharging water from the anode chamber. In addition, the required recirculation conveying device, preferably a gas jet pump, then has to be designed only for the part load flow, and may therefore be implemented in a compact, simple, and cost-effective manner.
For average and higher loads above the predefined load limit, a comparatively smaller excess of hydrogen is then sufficient to securely and reliably discharge product water and to securely and reliably operate the fuel cell, even with a small excess of hydrogen, which results in only small hydrogen losses to the environment or to a catalytic afterburner. This results overall in a very cost-effective approach which has distinct advantages with regard to energy efficiency, in particular compared to a recirculation blower that is operated up to full load. In addition, a fuel cell system that is operated using the novel method has a much smaller design, so that a higher power density is possible.
In one particularly preferred refinement of the method according to the invention, the predefined load limit is predefined as a function of the fuel cell current at up to 30 percent of the maximum fuel cell current at full load, preferably between 5 and 20 percent of the maximum fuel cell system at full load. In one particularly advantageous refinement, the predefined load limit is predefined as a function of the fuel cell current between 10 and 15 percent of the maximum fuel cell current at full load.
In this particularly advantageous embodiment of the invention, the part load range below the predefined load limit is thus comparatively small, and particularly preferably is in the range between 5 and 10 percent as the upper limit value. Only at loads below such a value, for example below approximately 12 percent of the maximum fuel cell current at full load, it is necessary to recirculate the anode exhaust gases around the anode chamber. Accordingly, a recirculation conveying device, which is preferably designed as a gas jet pump, may be implemented in a simple, compact, and efficient manner. In all other operating states, the anode chamber is operated as a near-dead end anode chamber having a minimum excess of hydrogen, which ensures sufficient good performance and enables a very simple and efficient design of the fuel cell system with high power density.
In one particularly beneficial and advantageous embodiment of the method according to the invention, below the predefined load limit the anode chamber is supplied with more than 1.5 times, preferably approximately 1.7 to 1.8 times, the required fuel. Such a so-called anode stoichiometry of greater than 1.5 thus utilizes 50 percent or more excess fuel that flows into the anode chamber. Thus, in any case it is ensured that 50 percent or more of the fuel passes through the anode chamber unconsumed, absorbs generated product water and inert gases that have diffused through the membranes, and discharges them from the anode chamber. It is still ensured that the complete available active surface of the anode chamber securely and reliably comes into contact with hydrogen, and therefore its entire surface is utilized for generating electrical power.
In another very beneficial and advantageous embodiment of the method according to the invention, above the predefined load limit the anode chamber is supplied with less than 1.2 times, preferably approximately 1.05 times, the required fuel. Such a comparatively small excess of fuel, i.e., an anode stoichiometry of 1.05, ensures even in the average and full load ranges a sufficient pressure drop in the area of the anode chamber, so that water and inert gases are reliably discharged. On the other hand, the comparatively small value of approximately 1.05, for example, ensures that only a small quantity of hydrogen is not reacted in the area of the fuel cell and thus emitted to the environment.
In another very beneficial and advantageous embodiment of the method according to the invention, the exhaust gas from the anode chamber or the recirculation around the anode chamber is supplied to combustion, in particular catalytic combustion, the combustion exhaust gases being expanded in a turbine. The discharged excess hydrogen, which must be exhausted from the recirculation around the anode chamber, and which in particular in near-dead end operation leaves the anode chamber, may thus be supplied to combustion, in particular catalytic combustion. This takes place in particular in such a way that the exhaust gas containing the residual hydrogen together with the exhaust gas from the cathode chamber, which contains residual oxygen, is supplied to such combustion. As a result of the combustion, hydrogen emissions to the environment are avoided while appropriate use may be made of the pressure energy remaining in the exhaust gases and the thermal energy generated during the combustion of the residual hydrogen in the area of the turbine, for example to assist the air conveying device in driving the fuel cell system.
In another particularly beneficial and advantageous embodiment, the exhaust gas from the anode chamber or the recirculation around the anode chamber together with generated product water is discharged via a diaphragm and/or a valve device. The discharge may thus take place continuously or discontinuously. In particular when catalytic combustion is used, continuous discharge of the exhaust gas is preferred in each case, since this ensures uniform and reliable combustion and avoids highly fluctuating conditions in the area of the turbine. The recovery of energy from the exhaust gases or combustion exhaust gases is improved as a result.
Further advantageous embodiments of the method according to the invention are described in greater detail below based on the exemplary embodiment with reference to the figures, which show the following:
The cathode chamber 5 of the fuel cell 2 is supplied with oxygen as the air supplier via an air conveying device 6. The unconsumed exhaust air from the cathode chamber 5, which always contains a certain quantity of residual oxygen, then flows into the area of a burner, preferably a catalytic burner 7. Here the unconsumed exhaust air is post-combusted together with hydrogen, which originates from the exhaust gases of the anode chamber 3 in a manner to be explained in greater detail below. The hot exhaust gases are expanded via a turbine 8. At least a portion of the pressure energy present in the exhaust gases and of the thermal energy present in the exhaust gases is thus utilized to drive the air conveying device 6, which is situated on the same shaft. In the typical operating states, the power generated in the area of the turbine 8 is not sufficient by itself for driving the air conveying device 6. Therefore, the turbine 8 and air conveying device 6 are typically also designed with an electric machine 9, which provides the remaining power necessary for driving the air conveying device 6. In situations in which more power is generated in the area of the turbine 8 than is required by the air conveying device 6, the electric machine 9 may also be operated as a generator and may provide electrical power on its own. The design comprising the air conveying device 6, electric machine 9, and turbine 8 is also referred to as an electric turbocharger or ETC.
The anode chamber 3 of the fuel cell 2 is supplied with hydrogen from a pressurized gas store 10 via a pressure control valve 11. This pressure control valve 11 is preferably designed as a continuous pressure control valve, not as a pulsed timing valve. Such a configuration of the pressure control valve 11 as a continuous pressure control valve, in contrast to a pulsed timing valve, allows distinct advantages with regard to the noise levels and vibrations caused by the pressure control valve 11. Downstream from the pressure control valve 11, the hydrogen flows into the area of a gas jet pump 12, and from there into the anode chamber 3 of the fuel cell 2 via a check valve 13. Exhaust gas from the anode chamber 3 of the fuel cell 2 may be led back into the area of the gas jet pump 12 via a recirculation line 14, and, together with the fresh hydrogen from the pressurized gas store 10, is thus resupplied to the anode chamber 3. In addition, the design of the fuel cell system 1 illustrated in
Over time, product water generated in the anode chamber 3 and inert gas diffused into the anode chamber 3 through the membranes 4 in the cathode chamber 5 become concentrated in the recirculation of the exhaust gas around the anode chamber 3. Since the volume of the recirculation is constant, the concentration of hydrogen inevitably drops, and the performance of the fuel cell 2 is diminished. It is therefore necessary to discharge gas from the area of the recirculation line 14, either discontinuously, intermittently, or as a function of certain parameters of the fuel cell system 1, or alternatively, continuously via a diaphragm, for example. An exhaust line 17, which may also be referred to as a purge line 17, is present for this purpose. By way of example, the illustration in
As mentioned above, the illustration of the fuel cell system 1 is highly schematic, and is limited essentially to the parts that are required for explaining the invention. Of course, generally known and customary components such as a humidifier, various heat exchangers, water separators, and the like may be present in the fuel cell system, even though they are not illustrated here.
The fuel cell system described within the scope of
The illustration in
In this part load operation which is present below the limit current Ix, operation should be carried out as shown in the illustration in
During extended operation of the fuel cell system 1 under these part load conditions, product water and inert gas become concentrated in the recirculation around the anode chamber 3, as a result of which the hydrogen concentration drops. To be able to maintain the performance of the fuel cell during continued operation at part load, a portion of the media from the recirculation around the anode chamber 3 must be either continuously exhausted via a diaphragm or discontinuously exhausted via a valve device on an intermittent basis. As described above for the illustration in
The operation of the fuel cell system in the manner described for
With increasing load or increasing fuel cell current I, above the predefined limit current Ix a switch is now made to an alternative operating method. This is depicted in the illustration in
Since the gas jet pump must now be operated solely in the part load range at comparatively low volume flows of the hydrogen, the gas jet pump may have a design that is correspondingly simple, compact, and therefore lightweight and inexpensive. Due to the method according to the invention, an additional recirculation conveying device or a parallel connection of multiple gas jet pumps for covering the entire load range, which must recirculate a very large volume flow, as is the case for average and high loads in the prior art, may be dispensed with in the design of the fuel cell system 1 illustrated here. Installation volume, weight, and parasitic power, for example for a hydrogen recirculation blower, may thus be spared.
Altogether, this results in a very simple and efficient design. The small quantity of excess hydrogen of 5 percent, for example, may be easily post-combusted in the catalytic burner 7, and for the most part also converted into usable power for the fuel cell system 1 in the turbine 8.
The foregoing disclosure has been set forth merely to illustrate the invention and is not intended to be limiting. Since modifications of the disclosed embodiments incorporating the spirit and substance of the invention may occur to persons skilled in the art, the invention should be construed to include everything within the scope of the appended claims and equivalents thereof.
Number | Date | Country | Kind |
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10 2011 113 010.5 | Sep 2011 | DE | national |
Filing Document | Filing Date | Country | Kind | 371c Date |
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PCT/EP2012/003626 | 8/29/2012 | WO | 00 | 6/2/2014 |