Fuel cell system

• US 7,931,992 B2
• Filed: 04/04/2007
• Issued: 04/26/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 04/06/2006
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Samsung SDI Company Limited, Samsung Sdi Germany GmbH (Samsung SDI Company Limited)
• Original Assignee: Samsung SDI Company Limited
• Inventors: Bronold, Matthias, Larrain, Diego
• Primary Examiner(s): Mayes; Melvin C
• Assistant Examiner(s): NGUYEN, COLETTE B
• Application Number:
  US11/730,878
• Publication Number:
  US 20070238003A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,483 Days
• Field of Search: 429/26, 429/34, 429/414, 429/413, 261/76
• US Class Current: 429/414
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 8/04089 of gaseous reactants
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 8/04097 with recycling of the reactants H01M8/04119, H01M8/04104 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 8/04186 of liquid-charged or electrolyte-charged reactants
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 8/0668 Removal of carbon monoxide or carbon dioxide
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 8/1011 Direct alcohol fuel cells [DAFC], e.g. direct methanol fuel cells [DMFC]
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/50 Fuel cells

Abstract

Provided is a fuel cell system that include at least one fuel cell stack and at least one Venturi pump. The Venturi pump has a main inlet, a main outlet, and a secondary inlet. A main stream flows into the Venturi pump through the main inlet, and is mixed with a secondary stream, which flows into the Venturi pump through the secondary inlet. The fuel cell system of the present invention can include a carbon dioxide separator for separating water or fuel from exhaust outputted from the fuel cell stack, and a mixer for mixing fuel with water. In one embodiment, the Venturi pump can be installed between the carbon dioxide and the mixer. In another embodiment, the Venturi pump can be installed between the fuel cell stack and the carbon dioxide separator. In still another embodiment, the Venturi pump can be installed between the mixer and the fuel cell stack. More than one Venturi pump can be installed in the fuel cell system of the present invention.

Claims

1. A fuel cell system, comprising:

a fuel cell stack for producing electricity, the fuel cell stack comprising an anode outlet outputting an exhaust and a cathode outlet outputting another exhaust; and

a Venturi pump coupled to the fuel cell stack, the Venturi pump comprising;

a main inlet coupled to the fuel cell stack and being supplied with a water or a fuel from the exhaust outputted from the anode outlet of the fuel cell stack;

a secondary inlet coupled to the fuel cell stack and being supplied with a water from the another exhaust outputted from the cathode outlet of the fuel cell stack, the water or the fuel from the exhaust outputted from the anode outlet being mixed with the water from the another exhaust outputted from the cathode outlet in the Venturi pump; and

a main outlet connected to each of the main inlet and the secondary inlet.

2. The fuel cell system of claim 1, further comprising:

a carbon dioxide separator coupled between the anode outlet of the fuel cell stack and the main inlet of the Venturi pump;

the carbon dioxide separator separating the water or the fuel from the exhaust outputted from the anode outlet of the fuel cell stack;

the water or the fuel separated in the carbon dioxide separator being injected into the main inlet of the Venturi pump.

3. The fuel cell system of claim 1, further comprising:

a carbon dioxide separator coupled to the main outlet of the Venturi pump;

the main inlet of the Venturi pump being coupled to the fuel cell stack; and

water or fuel outputted from the fuel cell stack being injected into the main inlet of the Venturi pump.

4. The fuel cell system of claim 1, further comprising:

a mixer coupled to the fuel cell stack and mixing fuel with water;

the main outlet of the Venturi pump being coupled to the mixer;

the mixture of the water or the fuel from the exhaust outputted from the anode outlet and the water from the another exhaust outputted from the cathode outlet of the Venturi pump flowing into the mixer.

5. The fuel cell system of claim 1, further comprising:

a mixer coupled to the fuel cell stack and mixing fuel with water;

the main inlet of the venturi pump being coupled to the mixer;

the outlet of the Venturi pump being coupled to the fuel cell stack; and

water or fuel from the mixer being injected into the main inlet of the Venturi pump.

6. The fuel cell system of claim 1, further comprising:

a carrier device couple to the fuel cell stack;

the Venturi pump being integrated into the carrier device;

the carrier device including one selected from the group consisting of the carbon dioxide separator, a water separator for separating water from exhaust outputted from the fuel cell stack, a mixer for mixing fuel with water, and combinations thereof.

7. The fuel cell system of claim 6, comprised of the carrier device comprising:

a wall including the Venturi pump; and

a cover covering the Venturi pump integrated in the wall.

8. The fuel cell system of claim 1, comprised of:

the Venturi pump further comprising;

a tube constriction at which the main inlet, the main outlet, and the secondary inlet are coupled together;

the water or the fuel from the exhaust outputted from the anode outlet flowing through a cross-section of the tube constriction; and

an area of the cross-section of the tube constriction being equal to or greater than 2×

10<sup>−

7</sup> m².

9. The fuel cell system of claim 1, further comprising:

a no-return pump coupled to the secondary inlet of the Venturi pump;

the no-return pump allowing flow of the water from the another exhaust outputted from the cathode outlet towards the secondary inlet and preventing flow of the water from the another exhaust outputted from the cathode outlet out of the secondary inlet.

10. A fuel cell system, comprising:

a fuel cell stack for producing electricity, the fuel cell stack comprising an anode outlet outputting an exhaust and a cathode outlet outputting another exhaust;

a mixer coupled to the fuel cell stack and mixing fuel with water;

a Venturi pump coupled to each of the fuel cell stack and the mixer, the Venturi pump comprising;

a main inlet coupled to the fuel cell stack, the main inlet being supplied with a water or a fuel from the exhaust outputted from the anode outlet of the fuel cell stack;

a secondary inlet coupled to the fuel cell stack, the secondary inlet being supplied with a water from the another exhaust outputted from the cathode outlet of the fuel cell stack, the water or the fuel from the exhaust outputted from the anode outlet being mixed with the water from the another exhaust outputted from the cathode outlet in the Venturi pump; and

a main outlet connected to each of the main inlet and the secondary inlet.

11. The fuel cell system of claim 10, further comprising:

a carbon dioxide separator coupled between the anode outlet of the fuel cell stack and the main inlet of the Venturi pump;

the carbon dioxide separator separating the water or the fuel from the exhaust outputted from the anode outlet of the fuel cell stack;

the water or the fuel separated in the carbon dioxide separator being injected into the main inlet of the Venturi pump.

12. The fuel cell system of claim 10, further comprising:

a carbon dioxide separator coupled to the main outlet of the Venturi pump;

the main inlet of the Venturi pump being coupled to the fuel cell stack;

water or fuel outputted from the fuel cell stack being injected into the main inlet of the Venturi pump.

13. The fuel cell system of claim 10, comprised of:

the mixer being coupled to the main outlet of the Venturi pump;

the mixture of the water or the fuel from the exhaust outputted from the anode outlet and the water from the another exhaust outputted from the cathode outlet of the Venturi pump flowing into the mixer.

14. The fuel cell system of claim 10, comprised of:

the mixer coupled to the main inlet of the venturi pump;

the fuel cell stack being coupled to the outlet of the Venturi pump; and

water or fuel outputted from the mixer being injected into the main inlet of the Venturi pump.

15. The fuel cell system of claim 10, further comprising:

a carrier device couple to the fuel cell stack;

the Venturi pump being integrated into the carrier device; and

the carrier device including one selected from the group consisting of a carbon dioxide separator for separating water or fuel from exhaust outputted from the fuel cell stack, a water separator for separating water from exhaust outputted from the fuel cell stack, the mixer, and combinations thereof.

16. The fuel cell system of claim 10, comprised of the carrier device comprising:

a wall including the Venturi pump; and

a cover covering the Venturi pump integrated in the wall.

17. The fuel cell system of claim 10, comprised of the Venturi pump further comprising:

a tube constriction at which the main inlet, the main outlet, and the secondary inlet are coupled together;

the water or the fuel from the exhaust outputted from the anode outlet flowing through a cross-section of the tube constriction;

an area of the cross-section of the tube constriction being equal to or greater than 2×

10<sup>−

7</sup> m².

18. A fuel cell system comprising:

a fuel cell stack for producing electricity, the fuel cell stack comprising an anode outlet outputting an exhaust and a cathode outlet outputting another exhaust;

a carbon dioxide separator coupled to the anode outlet of the fuel cell stack, the carbon dioxide separator separating water or fuel from the exhaust outputted from the anode outlet of the fuel cell stack;

a mixer coupled to the fuel cell stack and mixing fuel with water; and

a Venturi pump coupled between the carbon dioxide separator and the mixer;

the Venturi pump comprising;

a main inlet coupled to the fuel cell stack, the main inlet being supplied with a water or a fuel from the exhaust outputted from the anode outlet of the fuel cell stack;

a secondary inlet coupled to the fuel cell stack, the secondary inlet being supplied with a water from the another exhaust outputted from the cathode outlet of the fuel cell stack, the water or the fuel from the exhaust outputted from the anode outlet being mixed with the water from the another exhaust outputted from the cathode outlet in the Venturi pump; and

a main outlet connected to each of the main inlet and the secondary inlet.

19. The fuel cell system of claim 18, wherein the main inlet of the Venturi pump is coupled to the carbon dioxide separator, and the main outlet of the Venturi pump is coupled to the mixer.