US 11,837,758 B2
Humidification system, and fuel cell system comprising a humidification system
Christian Lucas, Braunschweig (DE); and Oliver Berger, Braunschweig (DE)
Assigned to Volkswagen AG, Wolfsburg (DE); and Audi AG, Ingolstadt (DE)
Appl. No. 16/764,785
Filed by AUDI AG, Ingolstadt (DE); and VOLKSWAGEN AG, Wolfsburg (DE)
PCT Filed Oct. 1, 2018, PCT No. PCT/EP2018/076588
§ 371(c)(1), (2) Date May 15, 2020,
PCT Pub. No. WO2019/096481, PCT Pub. Date May 23, 2019.
Claims priority of application No. 10 2017 220 633.0 (DE), filed on Nov. 17, 2017.
Prior Publication US 2020/0373591 A1, Nov. 26, 2020
Int. Cl. H01M 8/04119 (2016.01); H01M 8/04014 (2016.01); H01M 8/04007 (2016.01); H01M 8/04089 (2016.01); H01M 8/04223 (2016.01)
CPC H01M 8/04141 (2013.01) [H01M 8/04014 (2013.01); H01M 8/04074 (2013.01); H01M 8/04097 (2013.01); H01M 8/04164 (2013.01); H01M 8/04253 (2013.01)] 10 Claims
 
1. A humidification system for a fuel cell system, comprising:
a heat exchanger including a charge air cooler having a feed line, the feed line including a tube for supplying a flow of fresh cathode gas which is to be or is humidified to the heat exchanger;
a liquid supply arranged upstream of the heat exchanger relative to a flow direction of the flow of fresh cathode gas, the liquid supply connected to the feed line from below and such that, in use, no liquid drips from the liquid supply into the feed line; and
an eddy generator rigidly mounted in the tube, wherein the eddy generator includes a stator located upstream of the liquid supply relative to the flow direction of the flow of fresh cathode gas,
wherein the eddy generator is configured to generate swirls in the flow of fresh cathode gas such that the flow of fresh cathode gas experiences a velocity component in a circumferential direction of the tube and a shearing force acts between the flow of fresh cathode gas and a liquid provided by the liquid supply.
 
8. A fuel cell system, comprising:
a humidification system including:
a heat exchanger including a charge air cooler having a feed line, the feed line including a tube for supplying a flow of fresh cathode gas which is to be or is humidified to the heat exchanger;
a liquid supply arranged upstream of the heat exchanger relative to a flow direction of the flow of fresh cathode gas, the liquid supply connected to the feed line from below and such that, in use, no liquid drips from the liquid supply into the feed line; and
an eddy generator rigidly mounted in the tube, wherein the eddy generator includes a stator located upstream of the liquid supply relative to the flow direction of the flow of fresh cathode gas, the stator located downstream of a compressor relative to the flow direction of the flow of fresh cathode gas;
wherein the eddy generator is configured to generate swirls in the flow of fresh cathode gas such that the flow of fresh cathode gas experiences a velocity component in the circumferential direction of the tube and a shearing force acts between the flow of fresh cathode gas and a liquid provided by the liquid supply;
a fuel cell stack having cathode chambers and anode chambers, the cathode chambers connected to an inlet and an outlet of a humidifier;
an anode feed line connecting the anode chambers to a fuel storage;
an anode recirculation line; and
a separator assigned to the anode recirculation line and to a liquid line connecting the separator to the liquid supply.