Centrifugal blower system and fuel cell incorporating same

• US 9,593,686 B2
• Filed: 03/24/2015
• Issued: 03/14/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 06/24/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: WATT Fuel Cell Corp.
• Original Assignee: WATT Fuel Cell Corp.
• Inventors: DeWald, Paul, Finnerty, Caine, Donley, Robert P
• Primary Examiner(s): Freay, Charles
• Application Number:
  US14/667,015
• Publication Number:
  US 20150192138A1
• Time in Patent Office: 721 Days
• Field of Search: 417/244, 417/423.5, 417/426, 415/66, 416/166, 416/205
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: F04D 17/12 Multi-stage pumps
• CPC Class Codes: F04D 17/16 for displacing without appreciable compression
• CPC Class Codes: F04D 25/166 using fans
• CPC Class Codes: F04D 29/281 for fans or blowers
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 2008/1293 Fuel cells with solid oxide electrolytes
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 2300/0071 Oxides
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 8/004 Cylindrical, tubular or wound
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 8/04 Auxiliary arrangements, e.g. for control of pressure or for circulation of fluids
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 8/04082 Arrangements for control of reactant parameters, e.g. pressure or concentration
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 8/04089 of gaseous reactants
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 8/04746 Pressure; Flow
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 8/04776 at auxiliary devices, e.g. reformer, compressor, burner
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 8/12 operating at high temperature, e.g. with stabilised ZrO2 electrolyte
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 8/243 Grouping of unit cells of tubular or cylindrical configuration
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/50 Fuel cells
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/70 Energy storage systems for electromobility, e.g. batteries

Abstract

A centrifugal blower system includes a series of blower units, each blower unit in the series comprising a casing having an axial inlet and a radial outlet, an impeller disposed within the casing for drawing a gaseous medium at a first pressure into the inlet and expelling gaseous medium at a second higher pressure through the outlet and a motor for driving the impeller, and, a duct connecting the outlet of at least one blower unit in the series with the inlet of at least one other blower unit in the series.

Claims

1. A centrifugal blower system comprising:

a) a series of blower units, each blower unit in the series of blower units comprising a casing having an axial inlet and a radial outlet, a substantially tangential wall of the casing extending to the outlet, an impeller disposed within the casing for drawing a gaseous medium at a first pressure into the axial inlet and expelling gaseous medium at a second higher pressure through the radial outlet along a trajectory inclined to the substantially tangential wall, and a motor for driving the impeller;

b) a duct directly connecting the radial outlet of at least one upstream blower unit in the series of blower units with the axial inlet of at least one successive downstream blower unit in the series of blower units; and

c) a microprocessor in communication with the blower units of the series of blower units and configured to control independently the operation of the blower units in the series of blower units.

2. The centrifugal blower system of claim 1 in which the orientation of the radial outlet of one blower unit in the series of blower units to the axial inlet of a successive blower unit in the series of blower units is approximately 0°

, 90°

, 180°

or 270°

.

3. The centrifugal blower system of claim 1 in which the angle of pitch of the radial outlet of one blower unit in the series of blower units to the axial inlet of a successive blower in the series of blower units is approximately 0°

, 30°

, 60°

or 90°

.

4. The centrifugal blower system of claim 2 in which the angle of pitch of the radial outlet of one blower unit in the series of blower units to the axial inlet of a successive blower in the series of blower units is approximately 0°

, 30°

, 60°

or 90°

.

5. The centrifugal blower system of claim 1 wherein at least one blower unit in the series of blower units has greater gas pressure and gas flow capability than another blower unit in the series of blower units in the centrifugal blower system.

6. The centrifugal blower system of claim 1 wherein at least one blower unit in the series of blower units is separated from the corresponding successive blower unit in the series of blower units in the centrifugal blower system.

7. The centrifugal blower system of claim 1 wherein the radial outlet of a successive blower unit in the series of blower units is connected to a gas stream housing and the interior walls of a duct connecting the radial outlet of a prior blower unit in the series of blower units to the axial inlet of the successive blower unit in the series of blower units and interior walls of the gas stream housing are at an angle α

of from 12°

to 20°

relative to the radial outlets of the prior and successive blower units in the series of blower units.

8. The centrifugal blower system of claim 1 wherein interior walls of a duct connected at one end thereof to the radial outlet of a prior blower unit in the series of blower units are configured to be substantially parallel to the trajectory of gaseous medium expelled from such radial outlet, the angle of pitch of the radial outlet of the prior blower unit in the series of blower units to the axial inlet of the successive blower unit in the series of blower units is approximately 0°

, the radial outlet of the successive blower unit in the series of blower units is connected to a gas stream housing and the interior walls of the duct connecting the radial outlet of the prior blower unit in the series of blower units to the axial inlet of the successive blower unit in the series of blower units and the interior walls of the gas stream housing are at an angle α

of from 12°

to 20°

relative to the radial outlets of the prior and successive blower units in the series of blower units.

9. The centrifugal blower system of claim 1 wherein the microprocessor is configured to independently control the operation of blower units in the series of blower units such that operation of at least one blower unit in the series of blower units provides from 50% to 90% of a target gaseous flow of the centrifugal blower system and the operation of at least one other blower unit in the series of blower units provides the balance of the target gaseous flow of the centrifugal blower system.

10. The centrifugal blower system of claim 9 wherein the radial outlet of a successive blower unit in the series of blower units is connected to a gas stream housing and interior walls of a duct connecting the radial outlet of a prior blower unit in the series of blower units to the axial inlet of the successive blower unit in the series of blower units and the interior walls of the gas stream housing are at an angle a of from 12°

to 20°

relative to the radial outlets of the prior and successive blower units in the series of blower units.

11. The centrifugal blower system of claim 9 wherein interior walls of a duct are configured to be substantially parallel to the trajectory of gaseous medium expelled from such radial outlet, the angle of pitch of the radial outlet of the prior blower units in the series of blower units to the axial inlet of the successive blower unit in the series of blower units is approximately 0°

, the radial outlet of the successive blower unit in the series of blower units is connected to a gas stream housing, and the interior walls of the duct connecting the radial outlet of the prior blower unit in the series of blower units to the axial inlet of the successive blower unit in the series of blower units and the interior walls of the gas stream housing are at an angle α

of from 12°

to 20°

relative to the radial outlets of the prior and successive blower unit in the series of blower units.

12. A method of controlling the operation of the centrifugal blower system of claim 1 which comprises:

a) operating at least one blower unit in the series of blower units to provide from 50% to 90% of a target gaseous flow of the centrifugal blower system; and

,

b) operating at least one other blower unit in the series of blower units to provide the balance of the target gaseous flow of the centrifugal blower system.