Abstract:
Problem to be Solved The present invention provides a water content estimation apparatus for a fuel cell and a fuel cell system which are capable of accurately determining a water content in a cell plane. Solution The water content estimation apparatus for a fuel cell includes an estimating unit for estimating a residual water content distribution in a reactant gas flow channel and a moisture content distribution in an electrolyte membrane in a cell plane of a single cell while taking into consideration water transfer that occurs between an anode electrode and a cathode electrode via the electrolyte membrane between the anode electrode and the cathode electrode. The fuel cell system performs control based on an estimation result by the estimating unit so that the fuel cell assumes a predetermined water condition.
Abstract:
Die Erfindung betrifft eine permselektive Membran (1) zur Abtrennung von Wasser aus wasserhaltigen Gasgemischen, wobei die permselektive Membran (1) eine Kohlenstoffmembran aus einem Material ist, dessen Struktur graphitähnlich und durch wenigstens eine Folge von Schichten des Materials gebildet ist, wobei die Schichten in Ebenen angeordnet vorliegen, zwischen benachbarten Schichten ein mittlerer Abstand der Schichten von weniger als 0,45 nm (4,5 Ä) vorliegt und die Folge der Schichten turbostratisch fehlgeordnet ist. Die Erfindung betrifft zudem Verfahren zur Herstellung der Membran (1) und Verwendungen der Membran (1) zum Austausch von Wasser zwischen zwei Gasströmen sowie zur Abtrennung von Wasser aus chemischen Gleichgewichtsreaktionen. Außerdem sind Anordnungen der Membran (1) auf porösen keramischen Trägern (2) und Vorrichtungen zur Abtrennung von Wasser aus einem wasserhaltigen Gasgemisch beschrieben.
Abstract:
The present invention is to provide, in a combined system of a bioethanol producing device and an SOFC, a method that is capable of further enhancing the electric power generation efficiency of the SOFC, and is also capable of achieving further reduction of the energy required for distillation of the fermented liquid. A part of an anode off-gas is refluxed to the water-containing ethanol vapor line from the mash column to the reforming device at a reflux ratio ((flow rate of reflux gas) / (flow rate of (anode off-gas) - (reflux gas))) of from 1 to 2. The ethanol concentration of the water-containing ethanol vapor is controlled by refluxing, to a range of from 25 to 35% by weight with water contained in the anode off-gas of the solid oxide fuel cell.
Abstract:
Provided is a method for operating a fuel cell involving supplying an electrode with a low or non-humidified gas that achieves no significant decrease of voltage as compared with when a high-humidified feed gas is used. The method for operating a fuel cell having a membrane electrode assembly includes a cathode, an anode and an electrolyte membrane interposed between both the electrodes, wherein the cathode has a layer including an oxygen reducing catalyst including composite particles which include atoms of a metal element M1, carbon, nitrogen and oxygen and in which primary particles of a compound of the metal element M1 are dispersed in a carbon structure, which method includes supplying the cathode with an oxidizing agent gas which includes an oxygen gas and which has a relative humidity at a temperature of the membrane electrode assembly of 60% or less, and supplying the anode with a fuel gas.
Abstract:
A fuel cell is operated with high power such that which a humidified gas and a dry gas are selectively supplied as oxidant to a cathode of the fuel cell. This method includes (S1) supplying a humidified gas while a power is constantly maintained or until the power begins to decrease; (S2) after supplying the humidified gas, supplying a dry gas to obtain a greater power than an average power of the step (S1); and (S3) after obtaining a predetermined power in the step (S2), repeatedly supplying a humidified gas in case the power decreases and supplying a dry gas in case the power decreases again afterwards, thereby increasing the power such that the predetermined power is maintained. This method provides an optimal operating condition to a fuel cell, thereby ensuring a high power.
Abstract:
A fuel cell system (2) comprises at least one fuel cell (4) having an air inlet (36) and an exhaust gas outlet (44), an air supply device (8) connectable to the air inlet (36) and an exhaust gas extracting device (10) connectable to the exhaust gast outlet (44). Further, a water extraction device (6) has at least two drying units (14, 16, 18), wherein the water extraction device (6) is adapted for selectively providing a fluid connection from the air supply device (8) to the air inlet (36) of the fuel cell (4) be means of one of the at least two drying units (14, 16, 18) and from the exhaust gas extracting device (10) to the exhaust gas outlet (44) by means of another one of the at least two drying units (14, 16, 18). Thereby, an optimal drying process is conducted that does not influence a dynamic power generation.
Abstract:
An operation method of a polymer electrolyte fuel cell system including an anode (3) supplied with a fuel gas containing hydrogen, a cathode (4) supplied with an oxidizing gas containing oxygen, and a polymer electrolyte membrane (5) sandwiched between the anode (3) and the cathode (4), comprises supplying to the anode (3) the fuel gas humidified with a higher level than the oxidizing gas to cause the anode (3) to have a humidified state with a higher level than the cathode (4), in start-up of the polymer electrolyte fuel cell system.