JP7791065B2 - fuel cell device - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a fuel cell device.

Fuel cell devices are known that generate electricity using hydrogen-containing fuel gas and oxygen-containing gas (air) and supply the electricity to the outside. In such fuel cell devices, exhaust gas containing water vapor is emitted from the fuel cell during power generation. Therefore, a common method is to cool the exhaust gas emitted from the fuel cell to condense and recover the water vapor. After purifying the recovered condensed water, the water vapor is supplied to a reformer and used as reforming water for steam reforming. This is known as water-sustained operation.

The recovered condensed water is purified using ion exchange resin and stored in a water tank, while excess condensed water not used as reforming water is discharged outside the device as wastewater. However, since the condensed water contains dissolved gases such as carbon dioxide, which are part of the exhaust gas, and its pH value is low, it cannot be discharged as is. Therefore, it is neutralized using a neutralizing agent such as calcium carbonate to raise the pH value before being discharged. Therefore, a fuel cell device that operates independently of water requires a purification means for purifying the condensed water and a neutralization means for neutralizing the condensed water.

Fuel cell devices are expected to be compact, but if the condensed water purification means and neutralization means are provided as separate devices, space for their placement is required within the housing, making miniaturization difficult. Furthermore, piping is required to connect the individual devices, increasing component costs. To solve these problems, a condensed water recovery device has been proposed in which the condensed water purification means and neutralization means are arranged within a single container (see, for example, Patent Document 1). A first partition wall and a second partition wall are placed within the condensed water recovery device, dividing it into a condensed water treatment chamber, a condensed water storage chamber, and a condensed water Japanese-style chamber.

JP 2018-32476 A

In Patent Document 1, the interior of the condensed water collection container is divided into three horizontally connected areas by partition walls. As a result, the central area is connected to the two adjacent areas on either side, but the right and leftmost areas are only connected to the central area. Because fuel cell devices are installed outdoors, and taking into account the effects of external disturbances, there is room for improvement in the division and layout of each area within the container.

The present invention aims to solve the above problems by providing a fuel cell device equipped with a condensate recovery device that is compact yet can reliably treat and drain condensate without being affected by external disturbances.

The present invention provides a fuel cell module having a fuel cell and a reformer for steam reforming a raw fuel;
a condensed water recovery passage that recovers water contained in the exhaust gas discharged from the fuel cell module as condensed water;
a condensed water recovery device that stores the condensed water that has flowed through the condensed water recovery flow path,
The condensate recovery device includes:
The system includes a treatment chamber provided with an ion exchange resin, a storage chamber for storing condensed water, and a neutralization chamber provided with a neutralizing agent and having a first drain port for draining excess condensed water,
a first communication port that communicates the treatment chamber with the storage chamber;
a second communication port communicating the treatment chamber with the neutralization chamber;
and a third communication port that communicates the storage chamber with the neutralization chamber.

By configuring it as described above, the condensate recovery device can be made compact while still reliably treating and draining condensate, resulting in a highly reliable fuel cell device.

1 is a system configuration diagram of a fuel cell device according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 is an external perspective view of the condensed water recovery device of the present embodiment. FIG. 2 is a top view of the recovery device body in the condensed water recovery device of the present embodiment. FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional perspective view taken along line AA in FIG. 3. FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional perspective view taken along line BB in FIG. 3. FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional perspective view taken along line CC in FIG. 3. FIG. 10 is a top view showing another example of the collector body. FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of the bottom of the housing in which the condensed water collector is installed. FIG. 2 is an exploded view of the fuel cell device showing the installation position of the condensed water recovery device. FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view of a connection point between the condensed water recovery device and the condensed water recovery passage.

We will briefly explain the preferred embodiment of the present invention, illustrating its operation.

The present invention relates to a fuel cell device equipped with a condensed water recovery device that recovers water contained in exhaust gas discharged from a fuel cell module as condensed water. The condensed water recovery device includes a treatment chamber containing ion exchange resin, a storage chamber that stores condensed water, and a neutralization chamber that contains a neutralizing agent and has a first drain port for draining excess condensed water. The device also has a first communication port connecting the treatment chamber to the storage chamber, a second communication port connecting the treatment chamber to the neutralization chamber, and a third communication port connecting the storage chamber to the neutralization chamber. In other words, the treatment chamber, storage chamber, and neutralization chamber each communicate with the other two chambers via a communication port. As a result, if the water level in the treatment chamber suddenly rises due to an external disturbance, for example, condensed water can be flowed from the treatment chamber into the neutralization chamber and drained, resulting in a highly reliable fuel cell device that can reliably treat and drain condensed water.

In addition to the first drain outlet for draining excess water, the condensed water recovery device has a second drain outlet and a third drain outlet connected to the drainage flow path, and these three drain outlets are located on the same side of the condensed water recovery device. The fuel cell device is provided with a maintenance surface for maintenance, and the drain outlets of the condensed water recovery device are connected to piping that extends toward the maintenance surface. By positioning the condensed water recovery device so that the side with the drain outlet faces the maintenance surface of the fuel cell device, the length of the piping for drainage can be shortened, thereby reducing costs. Furthermore, because the space required for routing the piping can be reduced, the fuel cell device can be made more compact.

The condensed water collector has a rectangular parallelepiped shape with short and long sides, with the first, second, and third drain outlets located on the short sides. By positioning the short sides of the condensed water collector facing the maintenance side, it can be positioned with minimal interference with other components that require maintenance, improving maintainability. Furthermore, the condensed water collector can be easily positioned even in a small space.

The condensed water collector also has an overflow chamber that communicates with the neutralization chamber, and the overflow chamber has a fourth drain outlet on its bottom. If, for some reason, water cannot be drained normally from the first outlet, it can be drained through the overflow chamber, preventing water from overflowing from the condensed water collector.

The overflow chamber also has a protrusion that protrudes from the bottom of the condensate collector, and the bottom of the housing has a fitting hole that fits into the protrusion. Any excess condensate that flows into the overflow chamber is quickly discharged outside the housing without passing through the interior of the housing, preventing it from adversely affecting other equipment.

In addition, the condensed water recovery device and the condensed water recovery channel are connected via an elastically deformable connecting member, making it easy to attach and detach the condensed water recovery device. The condensed water recovery device contains ion exchange resin and neutralizing agent, which require regular maintenance, but the ease of attachment and detachment improves maintainability.

One embodiment of the present invention is described below with reference to the drawings.

Figure 1 is a system configuration diagram of a fuel cell device according to this embodiment. The fuel cell device 100 includes a fuel cell module 1, and a number of accessories for operating the fuel cell module 1, such as a first heat exchanger 2, a heat storage tank 3, a condensate water recovery device 4, a radiator 5, an air supply device 14, a fuel supply device 15, and a reforming water supply device 16, are housed within a housing 50. It is not necessary for all of the above-mentioned devices to be housed within the housing 50; for example, the first heat exchanger 2 and the heat storage tank 3 may be located outside the housing 50. It is also possible to create a fuel cell device in which some of the above-mentioned devices are omitted.

The fuel cell module 1 is constructed by housing, inside a box-shaped storage container 10, a fuel cell 11 that generates electricity using fuel gas and oxygen-containing gas, and a reformer 12 that generates the fuel gas to be supplied to the fuel cell 11.

The configuration of the fuel cell 11 is not particularly limited, but it may have, for example, a cell stack structure in which multiple fuel cell units are arranged. A fuel cell 11 with a cell stack structure is constructed, for example, by fixing the lower end of each fuel cell unit to a manifold using an insulating bonding material such as a glass sealant.

The reformer 12 steam-reforms raw fuel gas, such as natural gas or LP gas, to produce fuel gas that is supplied to the fuel cell 11. The reformer 12 is connected to a fuel supply device 15 that supplies the raw fuel gas and a reforming water supply device 16 that supplies reforming water. The raw fuel gas and reforming water undergo a reforming reaction in the heated reformer 12, producing fuel gas containing hydrogen.

The fuel cell 11 is supplied with fuel gas produced in the reformer 12 and air (oxygen-containing gas) introduced by the air supply device 14. As the fuel gas passes through the fuel cell, it reacts with the oxygen-containing gas to generate electricity. The fuel gas and oxygen-containing gas not used for power generation join together at the top of the fuel cell 11 and are combusted. This combustion of the fuel gas produces high-temperature exhaust gas, which heats the reformer 12. The exhaust gas produced in this way within the fuel cell module 1 is supplied to the first heat exchanger 2.

The first heat exchanger 2 is connected via piping to the heat storage tank 3, heat medium pump P1, and radiator 5, forming the first heat medium circulation line HC1. A heat medium is introduced into this first heat medium circulation line HC1, and in the first heat exchanger 2, heat exchange occurs between this heat medium and the exhaust gas mentioned above, heating the heat medium. Water or other materials can be used as the heat medium, and the heat storage tank 3 stores the heat medium whose temperature has been increased by heat exchange. The heat medium stored in the heat storage tank 3 is sent to the radiator 5 to be cooled, and then exchanges heat with the exhaust gas again in the first heat exchanger 2 before returning to the heat storage tank 3. As a result, high-temperature heat medium is stored in the heat storage tank 3 from the top, creating temperature stratification.

The first heat exchanger 2 is also connected to the condensed water recovery device 4 via a condensed water recovery passage 20. When the exhaust gas generated in the fuel cell module 1 is cooled by heat exchange, the water vapor contained in the exhaust gas is separated into water and gas, and the separated water is recovered in the condensed water recovery device 4 through the condensed water recovery passage 20. The detailed structure of the condensed water recovery device 4 will be described later, but the condensed water recovery device 4 uses an ion exchange resin to remove impurities from the recovered condensed water, purifying it, and storing the purified water. The water stored in the condensed water recovery device 4 is supplied to the reformer 12 by the water supply device 16 and used as reforming water. Meanwhile, the gas from which the moisture has been removed passes through the exhaust passage 21 and is then discharged outside the housing 50.

A drainage flow path 25 and a drainage flow path 26 are connected to the condensed water recovery device 4. If too much condensed water is recovered, the excess condensed water not used as reforming water is neutralized with a neutralizing agent, then overflows from the condensed water recovery device 4 and is discharged to the outside of the housing 50 through the drainage flow path 25. Furthermore, if the fuel cell device is not operated for an extended period of time, the condensed water in the condensed water recovery device 4 can be drained to the outside of the housing 50 via the drainage flow path 26 to prevent the water inside the device from freezing. A drainage valve 26a is provided in the drainage flow path 26, and the condensed water recovery device 4 is drained by opening the drainage valve 26a.

The fuel supply device 15, which supplies raw fuel to the reformer 12, is provided with accessories such as a first solenoid valve V1, pressure sensor PS, desulfurizer DS, gas flow meter FM1, fuel pump B1, and second solenoid valve V2 on a raw fuel flow path 22 connected to the fuel supply source. The reforming water supply device 16, which supplies reforming water to the reformer 12, is provided with accessories such as a reforming water pump P3 on a reforming water flow path 23 connected to the condensed water recovery device 4. The air supply device 14, which supplies oxygen-containing gas to the fuel cell module 1, is provided with accessories such as an air flow meter FM2 and blower B2 on an oxygen-containing gas flow path 24. Note that the accessories listed here are merely examples, and other accessories may also be included.

Furthermore, the fuel cell device 100 is equipped with a control device 30 that controls the operation of various devices, as well as a power supply adjustment unit (power conditioner) 40 that converts the DC power generated by the fuel cell module 1 into AC power and adjusts the amount of converted electricity supplied to an external load.

Fuel cell device 100 may also be equipped with a second heat exchanger 6, a heat pump P2 that circulates the heat medium from the heat storage tank 3, and a second heat medium circulation line HC2 that includes piping connecting these. In the second heat medium circulation line HC2, tap water supplied from the outside via a supply flow path 27 is heated in the second heat exchanger 6 using the high-temperature heat medium stored in the heat storage tank 3. The heated water can be supplied via a supply flow path 28 to an external reheating device such as a water heater. The fuel cell device 100 may be a so-called monogeneration system that does not supply hot water to the outside.

Figure 2 is an external perspective view of the condensed water recovery device of this embodiment. The condensed water recovery device 4 includes a bottomed, box-shaped recovery device body 41 with an open top, and a recovery device lid 42 that is detachably attached to the opening of the recovery device body 41. The recovery device body 41 has a rectangular parallelepiped shape with narrow short sides 41a, 41b and long sides 41c, 41d. A first drain outlet 61 to which the drainage flow path 25 is connected, and a second drain outlet 62 and a third drain outlet 63 to which the drainage flow path 26 is connected are provided on the same side. In this embodiment, these drain outlets are provided on the short side 41a.

The collector lid 42 has an inlet 421 to which the condensed water recovery passage 20 is connected. The condensed water generated by cooling the exhaust gas generated in the fuel cell module 1 in the first heat exchanger 2 flows down the condensed water recovery passage 20 and into the collector body 41 through the inlet 421. The collector lid 42 is also equipped with water level sensors 43 and 44 for detecting the water level at a predetermined position within the collector body 41. The water level sensor 43 is a float-type sensor, and the water level sensor 44 is an electrode-type sensor. The installation positions of the water level sensors 43 and 44 are not limited to the positions shown in the figure, and they may be attached to the collector body 41. The method for detecting the water level is not limited to a specific method, and various methods can be used.

Figure 3 is a top view of the collector body of the condensed water collector of this embodiment. The condensed water collector 4 is divided into multiple areas by partitions arranged within the collector body 41. Specifically, it includes a flat first partition 411 connecting one short side surface 41a to the other short side surface 41b, and a second partition 412 with a bent portion connecting the short side surface 41a to the first partition 411. The first partition 411 and the second partition 412 define a treatment chamber 71 containing ion exchange resin 45, a storage chamber 72 for storing condensed water, and a neutralization chamber 73 containing a neutralizing agent 46 and having a first drain port 61 for draining excess condensed water. A second drain port 62 and a third drain port 63 connected to the drainage flow path 26 are provided in the storage chamber 72 and the neutralization chamber 73, respectively.

The arrows in Figure 3 indicate the flow of condensed water within the recovery unit body 41. Condensed water generated by cooling exhaust gas flows down the condensed water recovery flow path 20 and enters the treatment chamber 71 through the inlet hole 421 in the recovery unit lid 42. The condensed water that enters the treatment chamber 71 then passes through the ion exchange resin 45, where impurities are removed and the water is converted into purified water, which then flows into the storage chamber 72 and is stored there. The storage chamber 72 is connected to the reforming water flow path 23, and the condensed water stored in the storage chamber 72 is supplied to the reformer 12 by driving the reforming water pump P3 and used as reforming water for steam reforming. Excess condensed water that is not used as reforming water flows into the neutralization chamber 73, where it is neutralized by the neutralizing agent 46 and then drained to the outside of the device through the first drain outlet 61.

Next, the condensed water recovery device 4 will be described in more detail using Figures 4 to 6. Figure 4 is a cross-sectional perspective view taken along line A-A in Figure 3, showing a cross-section of the treatment chamber 71. Figure 5 is a cross-sectional perspective view taken along line B-B in Figure 3, showing a cross-section of the storage chamber 72. Figure 6 is a cross-sectional perspective view taken along line C-C in Figure 3, showing a cross-section of the neutralization chamber 73.

A first communication port 75 is provided at the bottom of the first partition wall 411, connecting the processing chamber 71 and the storage chamber 72. A second communication port 76 is provided at the top of the first partition wall 411, connecting the processing chamber 71 and the neutralization chamber 73. A third communication port 77 is provided at the top of the second partition wall 412, connecting the storage chamber 72 and the neutralization chamber 73. In other words, the processing chamber 71, storage chamber 72, and neutralization chamber 73 each communicate with the other two chambers via a communication port.

As shown in FIG. 4 , the treatment chamber 71 is provided with a first partition wall 711 and a second partition wall 712, which together form a serpentine flow path within the treatment chamber 71. Specifically, the first partition wall 711 has approximately the same height as the upper end of the first partition wall 411, and a water passage port 713 is provided at its lower end. The second partition wall 712 extends from the bottom surface of the collector body 41 and is formed to be higher than the upper end of the water passage port 713 but lower than the first partition wall 411, allowing condensed water to pass through the space above the second partition wall 712. Condensed water that flows into the treatment chamber 71 from the condensed water recovery flow path 20 passes through the water passage port 713, passes above the second partition wall 712, and then flows into the storage chamber 72 through the first communication port 75. By making the flow of condensed water meander in this way, the contact distance between the condensed water and the ion exchange resin 45 is increased, allowing for more efficient purification of the condensed water.

A second communication port 76 is provided at the top of the first partition wall 411. When the water level in the treatment chamber 71 rises, condensed water flows from the second communication port 76 into the neutralization chamber 73 and is drained outside the device. For example, when a strong wind blows outdoors, wind may blow into the exhaust passage 21. However, because the exhaust passage 21 is connected to the condensed water recovery container 4 via the condensed water recovery passage 20, wind pressure from the exhaust passage 21 exerts pressure inside the treatment chamber 71, causing the condensed water level to fluctuate. If this water level fluctuation causes the water level downstream of the first partition wall 711 in the treatment chamber 71 to rise, the condensed water may overflow from the top of the condensed water recovery container 4. To prevent the condensed water from overflowing, the condensed water recovery container 4 must be sealed. However, sealing the container body 41 and the container lid 42 must be securely sealed, which increases costs.

In this embodiment, therefore, a second communication port 76 is provided at the top of the first partition wall 411, allowing condensed water to flow into the neutralization chamber 73 when the water level in the treatment chamber 71 rises. This allows condensed water to be drained quickly, preventing it from overflowing from the top surface of the condensed water recovery device 4. Therefore, the condensed water recovery device 4 can reliably treat and drain condensed water without being affected by external disturbances, while minimizing increases in costs.

An outflow prevention member (not shown) is provided at the water passage 713 and the first communication port 75 to prevent the outflow of the ion exchange resin 45. When wind blows in from the exhaust flow path 21, the wind pressure may cause the ion exchange resin 45 to be carried away and move to a subsequent chamber. If the ion exchange resin moves, the contact distance with the condensed water becomes shorter, resulting in poor treatment and a resulting decrease in fuel cell performance. In response to this, the provision of an outflow prevention member prevents the ion exchange resin from moving and suppresses a decrease in fuel cell performance. The material of the outflow prevention member is not particularly limited, and various materials such as nonwoven fabric and mesh filters can be used.

The second communication port 76 should be located at a high position. In this embodiment, the second communication port 76 is formed by cutting out the upper end of the first partition wall 411. The water level, which has fluctuated due to wind pressure, returns to normal when the wind stops blowing. Therefore, to prevent more condensed water than necessary from being drained, the second communication port 76 is located at a high position.

Condensed water purified through the ion exchange resin 45 is stored in the storage chamber 72. The reforming water flow path 23 is connected to the storage chamber 72, and the condensed water in the storage chamber 72 is supplied to the reformer 12 and used as reforming water for steam reforming. If the water level in the storage chamber 72 falls below a predetermined level, reforming water cannot be supplied to the reformer 12. Therefore, the water level sensor 43 detects the water level in the storage chamber 72 and controls the power generation operation so that the water level does not fall below the predetermined level. Furthermore, if the water level in the storage chamber 72 does not rise even when power generation operation is controlled, water is replenished from the outside.

As shown in FIG. 5, a third communication port 77 is provided at the top of the second partition wall 412. When the amount of condensed water collected increases and the water level in the storage chamber 72 exceeds the height of the third communication port 77, the excess condensed water flows into the neutralization chamber 73. The condensed water that flows into the neutralization chamber 73 is neutralized by the neutralizing agent 46 and then drained outside the device through the first drain port 61. The first drain port 61 is located at a lower position than the bottom end of the third communication port 77.

As shown in Figure 6, a third partition wall 731 is erected in the neutralization chamber 73, and a water passage 732 is provided at the lower end of the third partition wall 731. This third partition wall 731 forms a serpentine flow path within the neutralization chamber. This increases the contact distance between the condensed water and the neutralizing agent 46, ensuring reliable neutralization. The water level in the neutralization chamber 73 is detected by the water level sensor 44, and if the water level exceeds a predetermined value, an alarm may be issued indicating an abnormality in the drainage.

The neutralization chamber 73 can be provided with an outflow prevention member to prevent the neutralizing agent 46 from leaking out. The outflow prevention member may be a nonwoven fabric or mesh filter provided at the first drain outlet, or a metal mesh or resin part that holds down the top surface of the neutralizing agent 46 may be placed inside the neutralization chamber.

The arrangement of the treatment chamber 71, storage chamber 72, and neutralization chamber 73 in the condensed water recovery device 4 is not limited to the configuration described above. For example, Figures 7(A) and 7(B) are top views showing other examples of the recovery device main body. In both examples, the treatment chamber 71, storage chamber 72, and neutralization chamber 73 are each adjacent to the other two chambers with a partition wall between them, and the partition wall has communication ports connecting the chambers. In addition, the first drain outlet 61, second drain outlet 62, and third drain outlet 63 are provided on the short side surface 41a of the recovery device main body 41.

The condensed water collector 4 can be further provided with an overflow chamber 74 by installing a third partition 413. The overflow chamber 74 is connected to the neutralization chamber 73 via a fourth communication port 78 and has a fourth drain port 64 on its bottom. Normally, excess condensed water in the condensed water collector 4 is drained through the first drain port 61, but if for some reason it is not possible to drain normally through the first drain port 61, it can be drained from the bottom of the condensed water collector 4 via the overflow chamber 74. This prevents water from overflowing from the condensed water collector 4 even if an abnormality occurs in the first drain port 61. The overflow chamber 74 is connected only to the neutralization chamber 73 and is not connected to the treatment chamber 71 or the storage chamber 72.

The fourth communication port 78 is located at a lower position than the third communication port 77. When the water level in the neutralization chamber 73 rises and exceeds the height of the fourth communication port 78, the condensed water is drained from the overflow chamber 74, preventing the condensed water containing the neutralizing agent from flowing back into the storage chamber 72.

Figure 8 is a cross-sectional view of the bottom of the housing in which the condensed water collector is installed. The overflow chamber 74 has a protrusion 741 that protrudes from the bottom surface of the condensed water collector 4, and the fourth drain port 64 is provided at the tip of this protrusion 741. The bottom plate 51 of the housing 50 in which the condensed water collector 4 is installed has a fitting hole 51a that fits with this protrusion 741. By fitting the protrusion 741 into the fitting hole 51a, the fourth drain port 64 opens to the outside of the housing 50. With this configuration, excess condensed water that flows into the overflow chamber 74 is quickly drained outside the housing 50 without passing through the interior of the housing 50, preventing the excess condensed water from adversely affecting other equipment. The condensed water collector 4 can also be easily positioned by inserting the protrusion 741 into the fitting hole 51a.

Figure 9 is an exploded view of the fuel cell device showing the installation position of the condensed water collector. Auxiliary equipment other than the fuel cell module 1 and condensed water collector 4, which are placed inside the housing 50, are not shown. The housing 50 of the fuel cell device 100 is rectangular and includes a bottom plate 51 on which the condensed water collector is installed, a top panel 52, and multiple side panels 53-56. The side panels include a left side panel 53, a right side panel 54, a front panel 55, and a rear panel 56, and the bottom plate 51 and each of the panels 52-56 are formed by bending sheet metal.

The fuel cell device 100 has a pre-defined maintenance surface for maintenance. The top panel 52 and some of the side panels 53-56 are maintenance panels that are removed during maintenance.

In this embodiment, the right side panel 54 is a maintenance panel that can be removed during maintenance, and is composed of two separable panels, an upper panel and an lower panel. The right side panel 54 is composed of an upper panel 541 and a lower panel 542. The upper panel 541 has an openable cover 541a, and removing this cover 541a allows the power switch and breaker switch of the fuel cell device 100 to be operated. During maintenance, the upper panel 541 can be removed alone, while the lower panel 542 remains attached. The panels that can be removed during maintenance are not limited to the upper panel 541 described above; other panels can also be designed to be removable. Pipes for fuel, water, etc. are connected to the lower panel 542 via fittings.

The condensed water recovery device 4 has three drainage outlets for discharging condensed water: a first drainage outlet 61 for draining excess condensed water, and a second drainage outlet 62 and a third drainage outlet 63 for draining condensed water during drainage. These three drainage outlets are located on the same side of the condensed water recovery device 4. These drainage outlets are connected to piping (not shown) that extends toward the maintenance surface. By positioning the condensed water recovery device 4 with the side with the drainage outlets facing the maintenance surface of the fuel cell device 100, the length of the piping for drainage can be shortened, thereby reducing costs. Furthermore, because the space required for routing the piping can be reduced, the fuel cell device 100 can be made more compact.

In addition, in this embodiment, a drain outlet is provided on the short side 41a of the condensed water recovery device 4. Because the width of the container facing the maintenance surface is narrow, it can be positioned with minimal interference with other components that require maintenance, improving maintainability. Furthermore, the condensed water recovery device 4 can be easily positioned even in a small space.

Figure 10 is a cross-sectional view of the connection between the condensed water collector and the condensed water recovery passage. A space is provided between the lower end of the condensed water recovery passage 20 and the collector lid 42, and a connecting member 47 is inserted into this space to connect the condensed water recovery passage 20 and the collector lid 42.

The connecting member 47 is made of an elastically deformable material such as rubber and includes a horizontally extending flange portion 471, a first cylindrical portion 472 provided above the flange portion 471, and a second cylindrical portion 473 provided below the flange portion 471. Furthermore, a protruding portion 474 extending outward is formed at the lower end of the second cylindrical portion 473. The condensed water recovery passage 20 is inserted into the first cylindrical portion 472, and the second cylindrical portion 473 is inserted into the inlet hole 421 provided in the collector lid 42, with the flange portion 471 sealing the inlet hole 421. Furthermore, a protruding portion 422 that protrudes into the condensed water recovery container 4 extends from the inlet hole 421 of the collector lid 42. The protruding portion 474 engages with this protruding portion 422, preventing the connecting member 47 from coming off the collector lid 42.

The condensed water recovery device 4 and the condensed water recovery channel 20 are connected via an elastically deformable connecting member 47, allowing the condensed water recovery device 4 to be attached or detached by deforming the connecting member 47. To remove the condensed water recovery device 4, simply pull it out. A retaining structure is provided between the connecting member 47 and the recovery device lid 42, allowing the connecting member 47 to be removed along with the recovery device lid 42. To install the condensed water recovery device 4, tilt the condensed water recovery device 4 slightly, bring the tip of the first cylindrical portion 472 of the connecting member 47 into contact with the condensed water recovery channel 20, and align the condensed water recovery device 4 to the installation position while pushing and deforming the first cylindrical portion 472 into the condensed water recovery channel 20. In this way, the condensed water recovery device 4 can be easily attached or detached. The condensed water recovery device 4 contains an ion exchange resin 45 and a neutralizing agent 46, which require periodic maintenance. However, easy attachment and detachment improves maintainability.

REFERENCE SIGNS LIST 1 fuel cell module 4 condensed water recovery device 11 fuel cell 12 reformer 20 condensed water recovery flow path 26 drainage flow path 41a, 41b short side 41c, 41d long side 45 ion exchange resin 46 neutralizing agent 47 connecting member 50 housing 51a fitting hole 61 first drain outlet 62 second drain outlet 63 third drain outlet 64 fourth drain outlet 71 treatment chamber 72 storage chamber 73 neutralization chamber 74 overflow chamber 75 first communication port 76 second communication port 77 third communication port 421 inlet hole 472 first cylindrical portion 473 second cylindrical portion 474 overhanging portion 741 protruding portion

Claims (6)

a fuel cell module having a fuel cell and a reformer for steam reforming a raw fuel;
a condensed water recovery passage that recovers water contained in the exhaust gas discharged from the fuel cell module as condensed water;
a condensed water recovery device that stores the condensed water that has flowed through the condensed water recovery flow path,
The condensate recovery device includes:
The system includes a treatment chamber provided with an ion exchange resin, a storage chamber for storing condensed water, and a neutralization chamber provided with a neutralizing agent and having a first drain port for draining excess condensed water,
a first communication port that communicates the treatment chamber with the storage chamber;
a second communication port communicating the treatment chamber with the neutralization chamber;
a third communication port that communicates the storage chamber with the neutralization chamber; A plurality of drainage channels are connected to the condensed water recovery device,
The storage chamber has a second drain outlet connected to one of the plurality of water drainage channels,
The neutralization chamber has a third drain outlet connected to another one of the plurality of water drainage channels,
2. The fuel cell device according to claim 1, wherein the first drain outlet, the second drain outlet, and the third drain outlet are provided on the same surface of the condensed water collector. The condensate collector has a rectangular parallelepiped shape with short and long sides,
3. The fuel cell device according to claim 2, wherein the first drain outlet, the second drain outlet, and the third drain outlet are provided on the short side surface. the condensate collector includes an overflow chamber communicating with the neutralization chamber;
2. The fuel cell device according to claim 1, wherein the overflow chamber has a fourth drain port on the bottom surface. the overflow chamber has a protrusion that protrudes from a bottom surface of the condensate collector,
5. The fuel cell device according to claim 4, wherein a fitting hole that fits onto the protrusion is provided on the bottom surface of the housing. an elastically deformable connecting member interposed between the condensed water collector and the condensed water recovery channel;
An inlet hole is formed on the upper surface of the condensed water collector,
A fuel cell device as described in any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the connecting member has a first cylindrical portion into which the condensed water recovery flow path is inserted, a second cylindrical portion inserted into the inlet hole, and a protrusion formed on the outer periphery of the second cylindrical portion.