JPH097625A - Fuel cell generator - Google Patents

Abstract

(57) [Summary] [Purpose] To avoid the increase in the required amount of received power due to the temperature rise of the fuel cell main body at the time of startup, and to improve the system efficiency. [Composition] The steam separator 2 is provided with a heating coil 4 connected to a steam supply pipe 6 of an external steam generator 5, and at the time of start-up, the cooling water of the steam separator 2 is heated by flowing steam. The cooling water circulation pump 3 sends the cooling water circulation pump 3 to the fuel cell body 1 to heat the fuel cell body 1 to a predetermined temperature.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an on-site fuel cell power generator, and more particularly to a structure of a steam separator for supplying cooling water to a fuel cell body.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In an on-site fuel cell power generator, a method of supplying heated water from a steam separator is used in order to raise the temperature of the fuel cell main body to a predetermined temperature at which power can be generated at startup. There is. FIG. 2 is a basic configuration diagram showing a heating water supply system to a fuel cell main body of a conventional fuel cell power generator. In the figure, the fuel cell body 1 is schematically shown, and the piping system between the fuel cell body 1 and the water vapor separator 2 is shown only for the present invention,
For example, a supply piping system for supplying the reaction product water obtained by the fuel cell main body 1 to the water vapor separator 1 is omitted.

In this configuration, during normal power generation operation, by operating the cooling water circulation pump 3, cooling water is sent from the water tank of the water vapor separator 2 to the fuel cell body 1 to cool the fuel cell body 1. The discharged mixture of high temperature steam and water is collected in the vapor layer portion of the steam separator 1 and separated into steam and water. The steam of the steam separator 2 is used for reforming the fuel gas through a piping system (not shown), and the surplus energy is used as heating steam as shown in the drawing for heating or cooling by an absorption refrigerator.

Further, since it is necessary to raise the temperature of the fuel cell main body 1 to a predetermined temperature at which power can be generated at the time of starting the fuel cell power generator, the heater 7 installed in the water vapor separator 2 is required.
Is heated by the heater power source 8 to raise the temperature of the water in the water vapor separator 2 and supply the heated water to the fuel cell main body 1.

[0005]

As described above, in the conventional fuel cell power generator, the steam separator 2 is replaced by the heater 7.
The method of raising the temperature of the fuel cell main body 1 to a predetermined temperature and starting the same by supplying the water heated in step 1 is adopted, and the transition to normal power generation operation is smoothly performed. However, in this method, since the amount of electric power required for the heater 7 to heat water is large, the required amount of electric power to be received at the time of start-up is large, and there is a problem that the efficiency of the system is reduced. .

An object of the present invention is to provide a fuel cell power generator having a high system efficiency without increasing the required amount of received electric power at startup.

[0007]

In order to achieve the above object, in the present invention, a fuel cell is formed by laminating a plurality of single cells in which an electrolyte layer is sandwiched between a fuel electrode and an air electrode. Fuel gas is passed through the fuel electrode of the main unit and oxidant gas is passed through the air electrode to generate electricity by an electrochemical reaction, and the cooling water supplied from the steam separator removes the heat generated by electricity generation to keep the temperature constant. In the fuel cell power generator, the steam separator is provided with a heating coil connected to a steam supply pipe of the external steam generator.

[0008]

As described above, if the steam separator is provided with a heating coil connected to the steam supply pipe of the external steam generator, the fuel cell main body is heated to a predetermined temperature when the fuel cell power generator is started. In this case, high temperature steam may be passed through the heating coil to raise the temperature of the water in the steam separator, and the heated water may be supplied to the fuel cell body. Therefore, the electric power of the heater used conventionally is unnecessary, and an increase in the required amount of electric power to be received at startup can be avoided.

Further, in the on-site fuel cell power generator, as already described in the conventional example, in order to effectively utilize energy, not only generated power but also heat can be utilized. , Excess heat is taken out from the steam separator by steam and used for heating or cooling by absorption chiller, etc. However, since this excess heat is not constant and fluctuates greatly depending on the electric output, heating or cooling etc. In the case of using it for heat treatment, a method such as combined use with a boiler or combined use with an existing heat utilization system is adopted to adjust the heat output. Therefore, the steam used for heating the water of the steam separator at the time of startup may be the steam of these devices, so that the reduction in system efficiency is suppressed.

[0010]

FIG. 1 is a basic configuration diagram of a heating water supply system for a fuel cell body showing an embodiment of a fuel cell power generator of the present invention. In the figure, components having the same functions as those of the conventional example shown in FIG. 2 are designated by the same reference numerals, and duplicated description will be omitted. The difference from the conventional example of this embodiment is that, instead of the heater 7 of the conventional example, a heating coil 4 connected to a steam supply pipe 6 of an external steam generator 5 is provided inside the steam separator 2. There is a point.

When the fuel cell main body 1 is heated to a predetermined temperature when the fuel cell power generator is started, the heating coil 4 is used.
A method is adopted in which the temperature of the water in the steam separator 2 is raised by flowing high-temperature steam and the heated water is supplied to the fuel cell main body 1. Therefore, the electric power of the heater used conventionally is unnecessary, and an increase in the required amount of electric power to be received at startup can be avoided. Further, since the steam of a device such as a boiler or an existing heat utilization system to be used together may be used, the fuel cell power generation device has a high system efficiency.

[0012]

As described above, according to the present invention, the fuel gas is supplied to the fuel electrode of the fuel cell main body formed by stacking a plurality of single cells in which the electrolyte layer is sandwiched between the fuel electrode and the air electrode. To
In a fuel cell power generator that keeps the temperature constant by passing an oxidant gas through the air electrode to generate electricity by an electrochemical reaction and removing the heat generated by power generation by cooling water supplied from the steam separator Since a heating coil connected to the steam supply pipe of the external steam generator is provided in the reactor, the amount of power required to be received at startup does not increase and a fuel cell power generator with good system efficiency can be obtained. It became possible to.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a basic configuration diagram of a heating water supply system for a fuel cell body showing an embodiment of a fuel cell power generator of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a basic configuration diagram showing a heating water supply system to a fuel cell main body in a conventional fuel cell power generator.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1 Fuel Cell Main Body 2 Steam Separator 3 Cooling Water Circulation Pump 4 Heating Coil 5 External Steam Generator 6 Steam Supply Pipe

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A fuel cell main body formed by laminating a plurality of unit cells each having an electrolyte layer sandwiched between a fuel electrode and an air electrode,
A fuel cell in which fuel gas is passed through the fuel electrode and oxidant gas is passed through the air electrode to generate electricity by an electrochemical reaction, and the cooling water supplied from the steam separator removes the heat generated by power generation to keep the temperature constant. In the power generator, the steam separator is provided with a heating coil connected to a steam supply pipe of an external steam generator, the fuel cell power generator.