JP7799587B2 - Fuel cell tank and fuel cell module - Google Patents

Description

Embodiments of the present invention relate to a fuel cell tank and a fuel cell module.

Fuel cell modules containing multiple fuel cells and a fuel cell tank are known. Fuel cells convert the chemical energy of fuel gas, such as hydrogen, into electrical energy by electrochemically reacting fuel gas with an oxidant gas, such as air. This reaction between the fuel gas and the oxidant gas produces condensed water. The fuel cell tank collects and stores liquids, such as condensed water, discharged from each fuel cell.

Generally, condensed water produced in multiple fuel cells is discharged from each fuel cell along with the oxidant gas that has flowed through the oxidant gas flow path. The condensed water and oxidant gas discharged from each fuel cell are collected in a header pipe and flow through the header pipe. The condensed water flowing through the header pipe then flows from the header pipe into the fuel cell tank. In this way, the condensed water discharged from each fuel cell is collected and stored in the fuel cell tank.

However, with this configuration, the header pipes placed between each fuel cell and the fuel cell tank may increase the size of the fuel cell module and require a large installation space.

Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2020-135996

The present invention was made with these points in mind, and aims to provide a fuel cell tank and fuel cell module that can reduce the size of the fuel cell module.

A fuel cell tank according to an embodiment is a fuel cell tank that collects and stores liquid discharged from multiple fuel cells. The fuel cell tank includes multiple inlet ports into which liquid and gas discharged from corresponding fuel cells flow, a header chamber through which the liquid and gas flowing in from each inlet port flows, and a gas discharge port that discharges gas that has flowed through the header chamber. The fuel cell tank also includes a storage chamber that collects and stores liquid that has flowed through the header chamber, and a partition plate provided between the header chamber and the storage chamber. The partition plate has a communication hole that connects the header chamber and the storage chamber, and liquid flowing through the header chamber is guided to the storage chamber through the communication hole.

Furthermore, the fuel cell module according to the embodiment includes multiple fuel cells and the fuel cell tank described above, which collects and stores the liquid discharged from each of the fuel cells.

This invention makes it possible to miniaturize fuel cell modules.

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a fuel cell module according to an embodiment with its exterior removed. FIG. 2 is a side view of the fuel cell module shown in FIG. FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram of the fuel cell module shown in FIG. FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the fuel cell tank shown in FIG. FIG. 5 is a perspective view of the fuel cell tank shown in FIG. 4, viewed from a different angle. FIG. 6 is a side cross-sectional view of the fuel cell tank shown in FIG. FIG. 7 is a front cross-sectional view of the fuel cell tank shown in FIG. FIG. 8 is a plan view of the partition plate shown in FIG. FIG. 9 shows a modification of FIG. FIG. 10 is a diagram for explaining the function and effect of the partition plate shown in FIG. FIG. 11 is a diagram for explaining the function and effect of the protrusion shown in FIG. FIG. 12 is a diagram for explaining the effect of the width dimension of the header chamber shown in FIG.

The following describes a fuel cell tank and fuel cell module according to an embodiment of the present invention, with reference to the drawings.

First, the fuel cell module according to this embodiment will be described using Figures 1 to 3. The fuel cell module according to this embodiment can be applied to mobile objects such as automobiles, railroad cars, aircraft, and ships. However, this is not limited to this, and the fuel cell module can be applied to a variety of fields. For example, the fuel cell module can be used for stationary applications such as factories, hospitals, commercial facilities, and homes.

As shown in Figures 1 to 3, the fuel cell module 1 includes multiple fuel cells 10 and a fuel cell tank 40. In the illustrated example, the fuel cell module 1 includes six fuel cells 10 and one fuel cell tank 40.

As shown in Figures 1 and 2, the fuel cell module 1 may also include a housing 2. The housing 2 houses each of the fuel cells 10 and a fuel cell tank 40. The housing 2 may also house the pipes L1 to L10, which will be described later. Some of the pipes L1 to L10 may extend from the housing 2. The housing 2 may also include a frame 3 and an exterior (not shown).

As shown in Figures 1 and 2, each fuel cell 10 may be supported by a support (not shown) so that it is positioned at an upper position in the height direction (vertical direction, Z direction described below) within the housing 2. In the example shown, six fuel cells 10 are arranged within the housing 2, with three fuel cells 10 lined up in the lengthwise direction (Y direction described below) at the upper position in the height direction, and three fuel cells 10 lined up in two rows in the widthwise direction (X direction described below). Note that in Figure 1, the three fuel cells 10 located on the front side of the page are indicated by dashed lines.

1 and 2, the fuel cell tank 40 may be disposed in the center of a horizontal plane (a plane perpendicular to the vertical direction, a plane parallel to the X and Y directions described below) within the housing 2. In the illustrated example, the fuel cell tank 40 is disposed between the three fuel cells 10 disposed on the front side of the paper and the three fuel cells 10 disposed on the back side of the paper in the short direction, and between the fuel cell 10 disposed on the right side of the paper and the fuel cell 10 disposed on the left side of the paper in the long direction. The fuel cell tank 40 may also be supported by the bottom 4 of the housing 2 so as to be positioned lower in the height direction within the housing 2. In particular, the fuel cell tank 40 may be disposed lower than the fuel cells 10. As shown in FIG. 2, the fuel cell tank 40 may be disposed between the bottom 4 of the housing 2 and the fuel cells 10.

The fuel cell 10 is configured to generate electricity using fuel gas and oxidant gas. As shown in Figure 3, the fuel cell 10 has a fuel gas flow path 12, an oxidant gas flow path 14, and a cooling water flow path 16 inside.

The fuel gas flow path 12 is a path through which fuel gas flows. The fuel gas flow path 12 is connected to a fuel gas supply pipe L1 and a fuel gas discharge pipe L2. Fuel gas is supplied to the fuel gas flow path 12 from a fuel gas supply device (not shown) through the fuel gas supply pipe L1. The fuel gas that flows through the fuel gas flow path 12 is discharged from the fuel gas discharge pipe L2. The fuel gas flowing through the fuel gas flow path 12 is supplied to the anode.

The oxidant gas flow path 14 is a path through which the oxidant gas flows. The oxidant gas flow path 14 is connected to an oxidant gas supply pipe L3 and an oxidant gas discharge pipe L4. The oxidant gas is supplied to the oxidant gas flow path 14 from an oxidant gas supply device (not shown) through the oxidant gas supply pipe L3. The oxidant gas that flows through the oxidant gas flow path 14 is discharged from the oxidant gas discharge pipe L4. The oxidant gas flowing through the oxidant gas flow path 14 is supplied to the oxidant electrode.

The fuel cell 10 generates electricity using a fuel gas supplied to the fuel electrode and an oxidizer gas supplied to the oxidizer electrode. More specifically, the fuel cell 10 generates electricity through the reaction shown in Chemical Formula 1 below. The fuel gas is, for example, a hydrogen-containing gas. The fuel gas flows through the fuel electrode in the fuel gas flow path 12, causing a fuel electrode reaction. The oxidizer gas is, for example, an oxygen-containing gas. The oxidizer gas may be air (atmospheric air). The oxidizer gas flows through the oxidizer electrode in the oxidizer gas flow path 14, causing an oxidizer electrode reaction. The fuel cell 10 utilizes these electrochemical reactions to extract electrical energy from the electrodes.

(Chemical formula 1)
Fuel electrode reaction: H ₂ → 2H ⁺ + 2e ^-
Oxidant electrode reaction: 1/2O ₂ + 2H ⁺ + 2e ⁻ → H ₂ O

As shown in the above chemical formula 1, condensed water (H ₂ O) is produced by the oxidant electrode reaction. The condensed water is discharged together with the oxidant gas from the oxidant gas discharge pipe L4.

The cooling water flow path 16 is a flow path through which cooling water flows. The cooling water flow path 16 is connected to a cooling water supply pipe L5 and a cooling water discharge pipe L6. Cooling water is supplied to the cooling water flow path 16 from the fuel cell tank 40 (described below) through a cooling water supply header pipe L8 and a cooling water supply pipe L5. The cooling water that flows through the cooling water flow path 16 is discharged from the cooling water discharge pipe L6. The cooling water flowing through the cooling water flow path 16 cools the fuel cell 10, which generates heat as it generates electricity.

The fuel cell 10 may be a fuel cell stack composed of multiple stacked fuel cell units. Each fuel cell unit may be composed of a stack of fuel cell units, an anode separator, and a cathode separator. The fuel cell unit may be a membrane electrode assembly in which a fuel electrode and an oxidizer electrode are bonded to either side of a polymer electrolyte membrane. The anode separator and cathode separator may each be composed of a conductive material. The anode separator may be disposed on the fuel electrode side of the fuel cell. The cathode separator may be disposed on the oxidizer electrode side of the fuel cell. In this case, the fuel gas flow path 12 is provided between the fuel cell unit and the anode separator. The oxidizer gas flow path 14 is provided between the fuel cell unit and the cathode separator. The cooling water flow path 16 is provided between the anode separator and the cathode separator.

The fuel cell tank 40 is configured to collect and store condensed water (liquid) discharged from each fuel cell 10. As shown in FIG. 3, the fuel cell tank 40 is connected to each oxidizer gas discharge pipe L4. The condensed water (liquid) produced by the oxidizer electrode reaction and the oxidizer gas (gas) that has flowed through the oxidizer gas flow path 14 flow through each oxidizer gas discharge pipe L4 and are supplied to the fuel cell tank 40. Although not shown, each oxidizer gas discharge pipe L4 may be provided with a supply pump for supplying condensed water and oxidizer gas from the fuel cell 10 to the fuel cell tank 40. The fuel cell tank 40 is also connected to a gas discharge pipe L7. The gas discharge pipe L7 is connected to the outside. The oxidizer gas supplied to the fuel cell tank 40 is discharged from this gas discharge pipe L7. Although not shown, the gas discharge pipe L7 may be provided with an exhaust fan for discharging the oxidizer gas. On the other hand, the condensed water supplied to the fuel cell tank 40 is stored in the fuel cell tank 40.

As shown in FIG. 3, the fuel cell tank 40 may be connected to a cooling water supply header pipe L8. The cooling water supply header pipe L8 branches into cooling water supply pipes L5. Each cooling water supply pipe L5 is connected to the cooling water flow path 16 of the corresponding fuel cell 10. Condensed water stored in the fuel cell tank 40 is discharged from the fuel cell tank 40 and supplied as cooling water to the cooling water flow path 16 of each fuel cell 10 through the cooling water supply header pipe L8 and each cooling water supply pipe L5. Although not shown, a discharge pump for discharging condensed water from the fuel cell tank 40 may be provided in the cooling water supply header pipe L8 or each cooling water supply pipe L5.

Also, as shown in FIG. 3 , the fuel cell tank 40 may be connected to a cooling water recovery header pipe L9. The cooling water recovery header pipe L9 is connected to each cooling water discharge pipe L6. Each cooling water discharge pipe L6 is connected to the cooling water flow path 16 of the corresponding fuel cell 10. The cooling water that flows through the cooling water flow path 16 of each fuel cell 10 is discharged from the corresponding cooling water discharge pipe L6 and supplied to the fuel cell tank 40 through the cooling water recovery header pipe L9. Although not shown, the cooling water recovery header pipe L9 or each cooling water discharge pipe L6 may be provided with a supply pump for supplying cooling water from the fuel cell 10 to the fuel cell tank 40. The cooling water supplied to the fuel cell tank 40 is stored in the fuel cell tank 40 together with condensed water.

Also, as shown in FIG. 3, the fuel cell tank 40 may be connected to a circulation line L10. The circulation line L10 is configured to circulate the condensed water in the fuel cell tank 40. The circulation line L10 is provided with a circulation pump P, a heat exchanger 20, and an ion exchanger 30. When the circulation pump P is driven, the condensed water in the fuel cell tank 40 circulates through the circulation line L10. The heat exchanger 20 is configured to exchange heat between the condensed water and a cooling medium to cool the condensed water. The ion exchanger 30 contains an ion exchange resin and is configured to remove impurity ions contained in the condensed water using the ion exchange resin.

Next, the configuration of the fuel cell tank 40 according to this embodiment will be described using Figures 4 to 9.

As shown in Figures 4 to 7, the fuel cell tank 40 may have a substantially rectangular box shape. The fuel cell tank 40 may have a length direction, a width direction, and a height direction. As described above, the fuel cell tank 40 is disposed in the limited space between the bottom 4 of the housing 2 and the fuel cell 10 in the fuel cell module 1. For this reason, the fuel cell tank 40 may have a thin shape in which the height dimension is smaller than the length dimension and the width dimension. In this specification, the width direction of the fuel cell tank 40 is referred to as the X direction (third direction), the length direction is referred to as the Y direction (second direction), and the height direction is referred to as the Z direction (first direction). The X direction, Y direction, and Z direction are perpendicular to each other.

As shown in Figures 4 to 7, the fuel cell tank 40 includes multiple inlet sections 41, a header chamber 42, a gas discharge section 43, a storage chamber 45, and a partition plate 50.

The inlet 41 is configured to receive the condensed water W and oxidant gas G discharged from the fuel cell 10. A plurality of inlet 41 are provided to allow the condensed water W and oxidant gas G from the corresponding fuel cell 10 to flow in. In the illustrated example, six inlet 41 are provided to correspond to six fuel cells 10. Each inlet 41 is connected to the oxidant gas discharge pipe L4. The condensed water W and oxidant gas G discharged from the fuel cell 10 flow into the inlet 41 through the oxidant gas discharge pipe L4. Each inlet 41 may be provided on one side in the Y direction (the right side in FIG. 6 ) of the header chamber 42 described below. In the illustrated example, each inlet 41 has a cylindrical shape, with three inlet 41 extending from one side surface of the header chamber 42 in the X direction (the front side in FIG. 6 ) and the other three inlet 41 extending from the other side surface of the header chamber 42 in the X direction (the back side in FIG. 6 ).

The header chamber 42 is configured to allow the condensed water W and oxidant gas G flowing in from each inlet 41. The header chamber 42 is provided within the fuel cell tank 40. The header chamber 42 may have a generally rectangular parallelepiped shape with its longitudinal direction in the Y direction. The header chamber 42 is arranged adjacent to the storage chamber 45 (described later) in the Z direction. The header chamber 42 may be arranged on one side of the storage chamber 45 in the Z direction (upper side in FIG. 6). As shown in FIG. 7, the header chamber 42 may be adjacent to the storage chamber 45 in the Z direction at the center of the storage chamber 45 in the X direction. As shown in FIG. 7, the width w1 of the header chamber 42 may be less than half the width w2 of the first chamber 46 of the storage chamber 45 (described later). Here, the width refers to the length in the X direction. As described above, each inlet 41 is provided on one side of the header chamber 42 in the Y direction (right side in FIG. 6). As a result, the condensed water W and oxidant gas G that flow in from each inlet 41 flow in the header chamber 42 from one side in the Y direction (the right side in FIG. 6) to the other side in the Y direction (the left side in FIG. 6). As shown in FIG. 6, the oxidant gas G flowing in the header chamber 42 is guided to the gas discharge section 43, which will be described later, and the condensed water W flowing in the header chamber 42 is guided through the communication hole 52, which will be described later, to the storage chamber 45, which will be described later.

The gas discharge section 43 is configured to discharge the oxidant gas G that has flowed through the header chamber 42. The gas discharge section 43 is connected to the gas discharge pipe L7. The oxidant gas G that has flowed through the header chamber 42 is discharged from the gas discharge section 43 through the gas discharge pipe L7 to the outside. The gas discharge section 43 may be provided on the other side of the header chamber 42 in the Y direction (the left side in FIG. 6). The gas discharge section 43 may also be provided on one side of the header chamber 42 in the Z direction (the upper side in FIG. 6). For example, the gas discharge section 43 may be provided on the ceiling surface of the header chamber 42. In the illustrated example, the gas discharge section 43 has a cylindrical shape and extends from the ceiling surface of the header chamber 42 to one side in the Z direction (the upper side in FIG. 6).

The storage chamber 45 is configured to collect and store the condensed water W that has flowed through the header chamber 42. The storage chamber 45 is provided within the fuel cell tank 40. The storage chamber 45 is arranged adjacent to the header chamber 42 in the Z direction. The storage chamber 45 may also be arranged on the other side of the header chamber 42 in the Z direction (below in FIG. 6). As shown in FIG. 7, the storage chamber 45 may be adjacent to the header chamber 42 in the Z direction at its center in the X direction. The storage chamber 45 is in communication with the header chamber 42 via a communication hole 52 in the partition plate 50, which will be described later.

The storage chamber 45 may have a first chamber 46 and a second chamber 47. The first chamber 46 is connected to the header chamber 42. The first chamber 46 may have a rectangular parallelepiped outer shape. The second chamber 47 is connected to the first chamber 46. The second chamber 47 has a volume smaller than that of the first chamber 46. For example, the second chamber 47 may have a volume equal to or less than one-fourth or one-eighth of the volume of the first chamber 46. The second chamber 47 may have a rectangular parallelepiped outer shape. The second chamber 47 is provided on the bottom surface of the first chamber 46. That is, the second chamber 47 is located on the other side of the first chamber 46 in the Z direction (lower in FIG. 6). Therefore, the condensed water W that flows into the storage chamber 45 is first stored in the second chamber 47. After the second chamber 47 is filled with condensed water W, the condensed water W is stored in the first chamber 46.

As shown in Figures 6 and 7, a protrusion 48 that protrudes inward may be provided around the opening 47o of the second chamber 47. The protrusion 48 narrows the opening 47o of the second chamber 47 from its periphery. The protrusion 48 may be provided on the bottom surface of the first chamber 46, or may be integrated with the member that forms the bottom surface of the first chamber 46.

In addition, although not shown, an overflow pipe may be connected to the first chamber 46. When a predetermined amount or more of condensed water W accumulates in the first chamber 46, the condensed water W may be discharged to the outside through this overflow pipe.

The partition plate 50 is provided within the fuel cell tank 40. The partition plate 50 is a plate-shaped member that separates the header chamber 42 and the storage chamber 45. The partition plate 50 is provided between the header chamber 42 and the storage chamber 45. In other words, the header chamber 42 and the storage chamber 45 are arranged adjacent to each other with the partition plate 50 in between. As shown in Figure 8, the partition plate 50 may have a rectangular planar shape.

As shown in Figures 6 and 8, the partition plate 50 has a communication hole 52. The communication hole 52 is a hole that penetrates the partition plate 50. The communication hole 52 connects the header chamber 42 and the storage chamber 45. Condensed water W flowing through the header chamber 42 is guided to the storage chamber 45 through the communication hole 52. The communication hole 52 may be provided on the other side of the partition plate 50 in the Y direction (the left side in Figure 6). As shown in Figure 8, the communication hole 52 may extend in the X direction. That is, the communication hole 52 may be formed as a slit extending in the X direction. In the illustrated example, the communication hole 52 extends from one end of the partition plate 50 to the other end in the X direction. Furthermore, as shown in Figures 6 and 8, multiple communication holes 52 may be arranged at intervals in the Y direction. In the example shown in Figure 8, nine communication holes 52 are arranged at intervals in the Y direction.

The shape and arrangement of the communication holes 52 are not limited to the above example and may be any shape. For example, the communication holes 52 may extend at an angle with respect to the X direction. Furthermore, for example, the communication holes 52 may have any other shape, such as a circular or rectangular shape. Furthermore, as shown in FIG. 9, for example, multiple communication holes 52 may be arranged at intervals in the X and Y directions. In the example shown in FIG. 9, multiple communication holes 52 are arranged in a lattice pattern. Multiple communication holes 52 may also be arranged in a staggered pattern. Furthermore, for example, instead of multiple communication holes 52, one large communication hole 52 may be provided.

Furthermore, as shown in Figures 4 to 7, the fuel cell tank 40 may further include a liquid recovery section 60a, a liquid discharge section 60b, and circulation connection sections 62a and 62b.

The liquid recovery unit 60a is configured to recover cooling water supplied from the fuel cell 10. The liquid recovery unit 60a is connected to the cooling water recovery header pipe L9. Therefore, cooling water discharged from the cooling water discharge pipe L6 of each fuel cell 10 passes through the cooling water recovery header pipe L9 and is supplied from the liquid recovery unit 60a to the fuel cell tank 40. The cooling water supplied to the fuel cell tank 40 is stored as condensed water W in the storage chamber 45 of the fuel cell tank 40. The liquid recovery unit 60a may be provided in the second chamber 47 of the storage chamber 45. In the illustrated example, the liquid recovery unit 60a has a cylindrical shape and extends from the other side of the second chamber 47 in the Y direction (the left side in FIG. 6). In the illustrated example, the liquid recovery unit 60a is aligned with the liquid discharge unit 60b in the X direction.

The liquid discharge unit 60b is configured to discharge condensed water W stored in the storage chamber 45. The liquid discharge unit 60b is connected to the cooling water supply header pipe L8. Therefore, the condensed water W stored in the storage chamber 45 is discharged from the liquid discharge unit 60b and supplied as cooling water to the cooling water flow path 16 of each fuel cell 10 through the cooling water supply header pipe L8 and each cooling water supply pipe L5. The liquid discharge unit 60b may be provided in the second chamber 47 of the storage chamber 45. In the illustrated example, the liquid discharge unit 60b has a cylindrical shape and extends from the other side of the second chamber 47 in the Y direction (the left side in FIG. 6). Also, in the illustrated example, the liquid discharge unit 60b is aligned with the liquid recovery unit 60a in the X direction.

The circulation connections 62a and 62b are configured to circulate the condensed water W stored in the storage chamber 45 through the circulation line L10. In the illustrated example, two circulation connections 62a and 62b are provided, with one circulation connection 62a connected to the inlet side of the circulation line L10 and the other circulation connection 62b connected to the outlet side of the circulation line L10. Therefore, the condensed water W stored in the storage chamber 45 is discharged from the circulation connection 62a, flows through the circulation line L10, and is supplied back to the storage chamber 45 through the circulation connection 62b. Because the condensed water W is discharged from the circulation connection 62a, the circulation connection 62a is also referred to as the liquid discharge connection 62a. As shown in FIG. 3, the condensed water W flowing through the circulation line L10 is cooled by the heat exchanger 20 and has impurity ions removed by the ion exchanger 30. Each circulation connection 62a and 62b may be provided in the second chamber 47 of the storage chamber 45. In the illustrated example, each circulation connection portion 62a, 62b has a cylindrical shape and extends from one side of the second chamber 47 in the Y direction (the right side in Figure 6). Also, in the illustrated example, the circulation connection portions 62a, 62b are aligned in the X direction.

Next, we will explain the operation of this embodiment configured as described above.

When the fuel cell module 1 is operating, fuel gas is supplied from the fuel gas supply device through the fuel gas supply pipe L1 to the fuel gas flow path 12 of each fuel cell 10. Oxidant gas is also supplied from the oxidant gas supply device through the oxidant gas supply pipe L3 to the oxidant gas flow path 14 of each fuel cell 10. Cooling water is also supplied from the fuel cell tank 40 to the cooling water flow path 16 of each fuel cell 10 through the cooling water supply header pipe L8 and the cooling water supply pipe L5.

Fuel gas flows through the fuel gas flow path 12 of each fuel cell 10 and is supplied to the fuel electrode. Oxidant gas flows through the oxidant gas flow path 14 of each fuel cell 10 and is supplied to the oxidant electrode. As a result, each fuel cell 10 generates electricity by causing a fuel electrode reaction and an oxidant electrode reaction between the fuel gas supplied to the fuel electrode and the oxidant gas supplied to the oxidant electrode. This oxidant electrode reaction produces condensed water. Cooling water flows through the cooling water flow path 16 of each fuel cell 10 and cools the fuel cell 10, which generates heat as it generates electricity.

The combustion gas that flows through the fuel gas flow path 12 of each fuel cell 10 is discharged from the fuel gas discharge pipe L2. The oxidant gas that flows through the oxidant gas flow path 14 of each fuel cell 10 is discharged from the oxidant gas discharge pipe L4. The cooling water that flows through the cooling water flow path 16 of each fuel cell 10 is discharged from the cooling water discharge pipe L6. In addition, condensed water produced by the oxidant electrode reaction is discharged from the oxidant gas discharge pipe L4.

The cooling water discharged from each cooling water discharge pipe L6 passes through the cooling water recovery header pipe L9 and is supplied from the liquid recovery section 60a to the fuel cell tank 40. The cooling water supplied to the fuel cell tank 40 is stored as condensed water W in the storage chamber 45 of the fuel cell tank 40.

In addition, the condensed water W and oxidant gas G discharged from each oxidant gas discharge pipe L4 are supplied to the fuel cell tank 40. The condensed water W and oxidant gas G supplied to the fuel cell tank 40 flow into the fuel cell tank 40 from each inlet port 41.

The condensed water W and oxidant gas G that flow in from each inlet 41 flow through the header chamber 42. In the header chamber 42, the condensed water W and oxidant gas G flow from one side in the Y direction (the right side in Figure 6) to the other side in the Y direction (the left side in Figure 6).

The oxidant gas G flowing through the header chamber 42 is guided to the gas discharge section 43, from which it is discharged to the outside through the gas discharge pipe L7. Meanwhile, the condensed water W flowing through the header chamber 42 is guided to the storage chamber 45 through the communication hole 52 in the partition plate 50 and flows into the storage chamber 45.

The condensed water W that flows into the storage chamber 45 is first stored in the second chamber 47. After the second chamber 47 is filled with condensed water W, the condensed water W is stored in the first chamber 46.

The condensed water W stored in the storage chamber 45 flows through the circulation line L10, flowing out from the circulation connection 62a and back into the storage chamber 45 from the circulation connection 62b. The condensed water W flowing through the circulation line L10 is cooled by the heat exchanger 20, and impurity ions are removed by the ion exchanger 30.

In addition, the condensed water W stored in the storage chamber 45 is discharged from the liquid discharge section 60b. The condensed water W discharged from the liquid discharge section 60b is supplied as cooling water to the cooling water flow path 16 of each fuel cell 10 through the cooling water supply header pipe L8 and each cooling water supply pipe L5.

In this embodiment, the fuel cell tank 40 includes a header chamber 42 through which the condensed water W and oxidant gas G flowing in from each of the inlets 41, and the condensed water W flowing in the header chamber 42 is guided to the storage chamber 45 through the communication holes 52 in the partition plate 50. Because the fuel cell tank 40 includes the header chamber 42 that functions as a header pipe, it is not necessary to place a header pipe between each of the fuel cells 10 and the fuel cell tank 40. This allows the fuel cell module 1 to be made smaller.

Furthermore, according to this embodiment, the condensed water W flowing through the header chamber 42 is guided to the storage chamber 45 through the communication holes 52 of the partition plate 50. This prevents the condensed water W from accumulating in the header chamber 42. This prevents the accumulating condensed water W from obstructing the flow of the oxidant gas G, allowing the condensed water W and oxidant gas G to flow smoothly through the header chamber 42. As a result, a decrease in the efficiency of the fuel cell module 1 can be prevented.

Furthermore, according to this embodiment, a partition plate 50 is provided between the header chamber 42 and the storage chamber 45. This prevents condensed water W stored in the storage chamber 45 from flowing into the inlet 41, even if the fuel cell module 1 wobbles or tilts. For example, if the fuel cell module 1 is applied to a moving body, the fuel cell module 1 may wobble or tilt due to acceleration/deceleration in the direction of movement of the moving body or vertical displacement. If the fuel cell module 1 wobbles or tilts while the condensed water W has accumulated up to the first chamber 46 of the storage chamber 45, the surface of the condensed water W may reach the height of the inlet 41, causing the condensed water W to flow into the inlet 41. In contrast, according to this embodiment, as shown in FIG. 10 , for example, the partition plate 50 prevents the surface of the condensed water W from reaching the inlet 41, even if the fuel cell module 1 wobbles or tilts. Therefore, backflow of the condensed water W can be suppressed. As a result, the possibility of breakdown or deterioration of the fuel cell module 1 is reduced. In particular, when the fuel cell module 1 is applied to a ship, the NK standard (Nippon Kaiji Kyokai standard) requires that it be able to withstand a dynamic tilt of ±7.5 degrees in the fore-and-aft direction (direction of travel). This embodiment makes it possible to provide a fuel cell module 1 that meets the requirements of the NK standard.

In addition, according to this embodiment, the liquid discharge portions 60b, 62a are provided in the second chamber 47 of the storage chamber 45. Because the second chamber 47 is provided on the bottom surface of the first chamber 46, condensed water W that flows into the storage chamber 45 is first stored in the second chamber 47. After the second chamber 47 is filled with condensed water W, the condensed water W is stored in the first chamber 46. This allows the second chamber 47 to be filled with condensed water W preferentially, even when the amount of condensed water W in the storage chamber 45 is low. This prevents air from being discharged instead of condensed water W from the liquid discharge portions 60b, 62a. As a result, the possibility of failure or deterioration of the fuel cell module 1 can be reduced.

In addition, according to this embodiment, a protrusion 48 that protrudes inward is provided around the opening 47o of the second chamber 47. This prevents the condensed water W stored in the second chamber 47 from flowing out from the second chamber 47 to the first chamber 46, even if the fuel cell module 1 is swayed or tilted. That is, if the fuel cell module 1 is swayed or tilted while the condensed water W is stored in the second chamber 47 of the storage chamber 45 but not in the first chamber 46, the surface of the condensed water W may reach the height of the first chamber 46, causing the condensed water W to flow out from the second chamber 47 to the first chamber 46. In contrast, according to this embodiment, as shown in FIG. 11 , for example, the protrusion 48 prevents the surface of the condensed water W from reaching the first chamber 46, even if the fuel cell module 1 is swayed or tilted. This prevents the condensed water W from flowing out from the second chamber 47 to the first chamber 46. This further reduces the possibility of air being discharged from the liquid discharge sections 60b, 62a without condensed water W being discharged. As a result, the possibility of breakdown or deterioration of the fuel cell module 1 can be further reduced.

Furthermore, according to this embodiment, the width w1 of the header chamber 42 is less than half the width w2 of the first chamber 46 of the storage chamber 45. This further prevents condensed water W stored in the storage chamber 45 from flowing into the inlet 41, even if the fuel cell module 1 wobbles or tilts. For example, as shown in FIG. 12 , if the fuel cell module 1 wobbles or tilts in the X direction, the condensed water W is prevented from flowing from the first chamber 46 of the storage chamber 45 into the header chamber 42. This further prevents backflow of condensed water W. As a result, the possibility of breakdown or deterioration of the fuel cell module 1 is further reduced. In particular, when the fuel cell module 1 is applied to a ship, the NK standard (Nippon Kaiji Kyokai standard) requires that it be able to withstand a dynamic tilt of ±22.5 degrees in the left-right direction (a direction perpendicular to the direction of movement and the vertical direction). This embodiment makes it possible to provide a fuel cell module 1 that meets the requirements of this NK standard.

Furthermore, according to this embodiment, each inlet section 41 is provided on one side of the header chamber 42 in the Y direction, the gas discharge section 43 is provided on the other side of the header chamber 42 in the Y direction, and the communication hole 52 is provided on the other side of the partition plate 50 in the Y direction. By arranging the communication hole 52 on the opposite side of the inlet section 41 in the Y direction in this way, the partition plate 50 can effectively prevent the surface of the condensed water W from reaching the inlet section 41 even if the fuel cell module 1 wobbles or tilts. This further prevents the backflow of the condensed water W.

In addition, according to this embodiment, the communication holes 52 extend in the X direction and are arranged in a plurality at intervals in the Y direction. This arrangement of the communication holes 52 effectively guides the condensed water W flowing through the header chamber 42 to the storage chamber 45. This effectively prevents the condensed water W from accumulating in the header chamber 42. As a result, a decrease in the efficiency of the fuel cell module 1 can be effectively prevented. Furthermore, even if the fuel cell module 1 is wobbled or tilted, the condensed water W can be effectively prevented from flowing through the communication holes 52 into the header chamber 42. This further prevents the backflow of condensed water W.

Furthermore, according to this embodiment, the communication holes 52 may be arranged in a plurality of rows spaced apart in the X and Y directions. Arranging the communication holes 52 in this manner can prevent the strength of the partition plate 50 from being reduced by the communication holes 52. This makes it easier to attach the partition plate 50 during the manufacturing and assembly of the fuel cell tank 40. Furthermore, communication holes 52 arranged in this manner can be easily formed by drilling holes in the partition plate 50, for example. This makes it easier to manufacture the fuel cell tank 40.

Furthermore, according to this embodiment, the fuel cell tank 40 is disposed between the bottom 4 of the housing 2 and the fuel cell 10. In this way, according to this embodiment, the fuel cell tank 40 can be made compact so that it is thin, particularly in the height direction, and can be disposed in the limited space between the bottom 4 of the housing 2 and the fuel cell 10 in the fuel cell module 1.

The above-described embodiment allows the fuel cell module to be made smaller.

The above describes embodiments of the present invention, but these embodiments are presented as examples and are not intended to limit the scope of the invention. These novel embodiments can be embodied in a variety of other forms, and various omissions, substitutions, and modifications can be made without departing from the spirit of the invention. These embodiments and their variations are included within the scope and spirit of the invention, and are also included in the inventions and their equivalents set forth in the claims.

1: Fuel cell module, 2: Housing, 4: Bottom, 10: Fuel cell, 40: Fuel cell tank, 41: Inlet, 42: Header chamber, 43: Gas outlet, 45: Storage chamber, 46: First chamber, 47: Second chamber, 47o: Opening, 48: Protrusion, 50: Partition plate, 52: Communication hole, 60b, 62a: Liquid outlet, G: Oxidant gas, W: Condensed water

Claims (9)

A fuel cell tank that collects and stores liquid discharged from a plurality of fuel cells,
a plurality of inlets into which liquids and gases discharged from the corresponding fuel cells flow;
a header chamber through which the liquid and gas flowing in from each of the inflow portions;
a gas discharge section that discharges gas that has flowed through the header chamber;
a reservoir chamber that collects and stores the liquid that has flowed through the header chamber;
A partition plate is provided between the header chamber and the storage chamber,
The partition plate has a communication hole that communicates the header chamber with the storage chamber, and liquid flowing through the header chamber is guided to the storage chamber through the communication hole. Further provided is a liquid discharge part that discharges the liquid stored in the storage chamber,
The storage chamber has a first chamber communicating with the header chamber and a second chamber provided on a bottom surface of the first chamber and having a volume smaller than a volume of the first chamber,
2. The fuel cell tank according to claim 1, wherein the liquid discharge portion is provided in the second chamber. The fuel cell tank according to claim 2, wherein an inwardly protruding portion is provided around the opening of the second chamber. The fuel cell tank according to claim 2, wherein the width of the header chamber is less than half the width of the first chamber of the storage chamber. the header chamber and the storage chamber are arranged adjacent to each other in a first direction,
Each of the inflow portions is provided on one side of the header chamber in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction,
the gas discharge portion is provided on the other side of the header chamber in the second direction,
2. The fuel cell tank according to claim 1, wherein the communication hole is provided on the other side of the partition plate in the second direction. The fuel cell tank according to claim 5, wherein the communication holes extend in a third direction perpendicular to the first and second directions, and are arranged in a plurality of rows spaced apart in the second direction. The fuel cell tank according to claim 5, wherein the communication holes are arranged in a plurality at intervals in the second direction and in a third direction perpendicular to the first and second directions. a plurality of fuel cells;
8. A fuel cell module comprising: a fuel cell tank according to claim 1, which collects and stores liquid discharged from each of the fuel cells. a housing that houses each of the fuel cells and the fuel cell tank;
9. The fuel cell module according to claim 8, wherein the fuel cell tank is disposed between the bottom of the housing and the fuel cell.