Description:Complete Specification

The following specification describes and ascertains the nature of this invention and the manner in which it is to be performed.
Field of the invention
[0001] This invention relates to a water filter, and more specifically to the water filter that is positioned within a water separator of a fuel cell stack.

Background of the invention
[0002] CN 217691238 U describes a hydrogen fuel cell tail gas collecting and conveying device. The hydrogen fuel cell tail gas collecting and conveying device comprises a gas treatment device, a partition plate connected to the interior of the gas treatment device, and the interior of the gas treatment device is divided into a dehumidification bin and a cooling bin through the partition plate. The interior of the dehumidification bin is connected with a steam-water separator. The interior of the cooling bin is connected with a cooling pipe, the interior of the cooling bin is filled with cooling liquid, and the cooling pipe is immersed in the cooling liquid. A filter plate, an adsorption plate I and an adsorption plate II are arranged in the filter box, and the filter plate, the adsorption plate I and the adsorption plate II are sequentially distributed from the bottom to the top. According to the utility model, the tail gas generated during the operation of the hydrogen fuel cell can be dehumidified and filtered, and a large amount of hydrogen contained in the tail gas is recycled after being dehumidified, filtered and purified, so that the efficiency of energy use is greatly improved, and meanwhile, the recycled tail gas is introduced into a hydrogen reactor to be recycled, so that the efficiency of the hydrogen fuel cell is improved.

Brief description of the accompanying drawings
[0003] Figure 1 illustrates a water filter that is positioned within a water separator of a fuel cell stack in one embodiment of the invention.
[0004] Figure 2 illustrates the water filter that is positioned within the water separator of the fuel cell stack in another embodiment of the invention.
[0005] Figure 3 illustrates the water filter that is positioned within the water separator of the fuel cell stack in another embodiment of the invention.

Detailed description of the embodiments
[0006] Figure 1 illustrates a water filter 140 that is positioned within a water separator 100 of a fuel cell stack in one embodiment of the invention. The water separator 100 comprises a first water flow passageway 110 that is adapted to receive water from a fuel cell stack, and a second water flow passageway 120 in flow communication with the first water flow passageway 110 via an opening 130 defined between the first water flow passageway 110 and the second water flow passageway 120. A water filter 140 is positioned in the second water flow passageway 120, the water filter 140 adapted to receive water containing particulate matter that is received from the first water flow passageway 110. The water filter 140 is adapted to filter particulate matter from water containing particulate matter that is received in the water filter 140 and allow substantially pure water to flow through an outlet 150 of the second water flow passageway of the water separator 100.

[0007] Figure 1 illustrates the water filter 140 that is positioned within the second water flow passageway 120 of the water separator 100 of the fuel cell stack in one embodiment of the invention. The fuel cell stack comprises a water separator 100 for the fuel cell stack. The water separator 100 comprises a first water flow passageway 110 that is adapted to receive water from a fuel cell stack. The water containing particulate matter that is received from the fuel cell stack via the first water flow passageway 110 flows through the first water flow passageway 110. A second water flow passageway 120 is in flow communication with the first water flow passageway 110 via an opening 130. More specifically, the opening 130 that is defined between the first water flow passageway 110 and the second water flow passageway 120 channels the water from the first water flow passageway 110 to the second water flow passageway 120 through the opening 130 that is defined between the first water flow passageway 110 and the second water flow passageway 120.

[0008] In an exemplary embodiment, a water filter 140 is positioned in the second water flow passageway 120. More specifically, the water filter 140 that is positioned in the second water flow passageway 120 is adapted to receive water containing particulate matter that is received from the first water flow passageway 110 via the opening 130 that is defined between the first water flow passageway 110 and the second water flow passageway 130. More specifically, the water filter 140 is adapted to filter particulate matter from water containing particulate matter that is received in the water filter 140. Once particulate matter is captured in the water filter 140 by means of a wire mesh that is positioned within the water filter 140, pure water containing substantially no particulate matter is allowed to flow through the water filter 140 and therein delivered through an outlet 150 of the second water flow passageway 120 of the water separator 100. In an exemplary embodiment, the water filter 140 is positioned within the second water flow passageway 120 and is located between an outlet 160 of the first water flow passageway 110 and the outlet 150 of the second water flow path 120 of the water separator 100. More specifically, the water filter 140 is positioned within the second water flow passageway 120 such that the water filter 140 is inclined towards the outlet 160 of the first water flow passageway 110. The inclination of the water filter 140 towards the outlet 160 of the first water flow passageway 110 facilitates the water from flowing towards the outlet 150 of the second water flow passageway 120.

[0009] Figure 2 illustrates the water filter 140 that is positioned within the second water flow path 120 of the water separator 100 of the fuel cell stack in another embodiment of the invention. In an exemplary embodiment, the water filter 140 is positioned within the second water flow passageway 120 and is located between an outlet 160 of the first water flow passageway 110 and the outlet 150 of the second water flow path 120 of the water separator 100. More specifically, the water filter 140 is positioned within the second water flow passageway 120 such that the water filter 140 is inclined towards the outlet 150 of the second water flow passageway. The inclination of the water filter 140 towards the outlet 150 of the second water flow passageway 110 facilitates the water from flowing towards the outlet 150 of the second water flow passageway 120. Therein, a part of particulate matter is captured at the interface of the first water flow passageway 110 and the remaining part gets settled over the surface of the water filter 140 gets dragged down to particulate matter collection area that is at a farther end of water separator 100 besides second waterflow passageway 120. In an exemplary embodiment, the water filter 140 is positioned within the second water flow passageway 120 and is located between the outlet 160 of the first water flow passageway 110 and the outlet 150 of the second water flow path 120 of the water separator 100. More specifically, the water filter 140 is positioned within the second water flow passageway 120 such that the water filter 140 is inclined towards the outlet 160 of the second water flow path 120 of the water separator 100. The inclination of the water filter 140 towards the outlet 150 of the second water flow passageway 120 of the water separator 100 facilitates trapping the particulate matter in the water filter 140 and allowing substantially pure water from flowing through the water filter 140.

[0010] Figure 3 illustrates the water filter 140 that is positioned within the second water flow passageway 120 of the water separator 100 of the fuel cell stack in one embodiment of the invention. In an exemplary embodiment, the water filter 140 is positioned within the second water flow passageway 120 and is located between the outlet 160 of the first water flow passageway 110 and the outlet 150 of the second water flow passageway 120 of the water separator 100. More specifically, the water filter 140 is positioned within the second water flow passageway 120 such that the water filter 140 is positioned flat with respect to the first water flow passageway 100 and with respect to the second water flow passageway 120. The water filter 140 that is positioned flat with respect to the first water flow passageway 110 and with respect to the second water flow passageway 120 facilitates trapping the particulate matter in the water filter 140 and allowing substantially pure water from flowing through the water filter 140.

[0011] In an exemplary embodiment, the water filter 140 is positioned within the second water flow passageway 120 and is located between the outlet 160 of the first water flow passageway 110 and the outlet 150 of the second water flow passageway 150 of the water separator 100. More specifically, the water filter 140 is positioned within the second water flow passageway 120 such that the water filter 140 is positioned flat with respect to the outlet 150 of the second water flow passageway 120 of the water separator 100. The positioning of the water filter 140 facilitates the pure water from flowing towards the outlet 150 of the second water flow passageway 120 of the water separator 100 and retaining the particulate matter at the center of the water filter 140.

[0012] A working of the water filter 140 that is positioned within the second water flow passageway 120 of the water separator 100 of the fuel cell stack is described as an example. The water from the hydrogen recirculation flow path is channeled to the inlet of the first water flow passageway 110 from the fuel cell stack. The water that flows through the first water flow passageway 110 is channeled to the second water flow passageway 120 through the opening 130 that is positioned between the first water flow passageway 110 and the second water flow passageway 120. The water filter 140 that is positioned within the second water flow passageway 120 is adapted to filter particulate matter from water that is channeled to the second water flow passageway 120. Therein, if the water filter 140 is inclined towards the first water flow passageway 110, the water containing particulate matter flows towards the first water flow passageway 110. Majority of the particulate matter is trapped at the outlet 160 of the first water flow passageway 110 and the remaining gets settled over the water filter 140. The substantially pure water without particulate matter that is channeled from the first water flow passageway 110 flows through the water filter 140 and is subsequently channeled to the outlet 150 of the second water flow passageway 120 of the water separator 100. If the water filter 140 is inclined towards the outlet 150 of the second water flow passageway 120 of the water separator 100, the water containing particulate matter flows towards the outlet 150 of the second water flow passageway 120 of the water separator 100. The particulate matter is retained at the downstream end of the water filter 140, and pure water is allowed to flow through the water filter 140 to the outlet 150 of the second water flow passageway 120 of the water separator 100. If the water filter 140 is positioned flat with respect to the first water flow passageway 110 and the second water flow passageway 120, the water containing particulate matter flows downwardly through the water filter 140, while the particulate matter is retained in the water filter 140. The substantially pure water that flows through the water filter 140 is channeled to the outlet 150 of the second water flow passageway 120 of the water separator 100 and discharged therein.

[0013] It must be understood that the embodiments explained above are only illustrative and do not limit the scope of the disclosure. Many modifications in the embodiments with regard to dimensions of various components are envisaged and form a part of this invention. The scope of the invention is only limited by the scope of the claims.

, Claims:CLAIMS

We Claim

1. A water separator (100) for a fuel cell stack, said water separator (100) comprising:
a first water flow passageway (110) that is adapted to receive water from a fuel cell stack;
a second water flow passageway (120) in flow communication with said first water flow passageway (110) via an opening (130) defined between said first water flow passageway (110) and said second water flow passageway (120); and
a water filter (140) positioned in said second water flow passageway (120), said water filter (140) adapted to receive water containing particulate matter that is received from said first water flow passageway (110), said water filter (140) adapted to filter water containing particulate matter that is received in said water filter (140) and allow substantially pure water to flow through an outlet (150) of said second water flow passageway (120) of said water separator (100).

2. The water separator (100) for a fuel cell stack in accordance with Claim 1, wherein said water filter (140) is positioned such that said water filter (140) is inclined towards said first water flow passageway (110) to facilitate the water containing particulate matter from flowing directly on the said filter surface from said first water flow passageway (110).

3. The water separator (100) for a fuel cell stack in accordance with Claim 1, wherein said water filter (140) is positioned such that said water filter (140) is inclined towards an outlet (150) of said second water flow passageway (120) of said water separator (100) to facilitate the pure water alone from flowing towards said outlet (150) of said second water flow passageway (120) of said water separator (100), and wherein a particulate matter collecting area (170) is provided as a valley at farther end of said water separator (100) beside said second waterflow passageway (120), and wherein particulate matter trapped in said water filter (140) gets settled in said collecting area (170) due to recirculated waterflow.

4. The water separator (100) for a fuel cell stack in accordance with Claim 1, wherein said water filter (140) is positioned such that said water filter (140) is positioned flat with respect to said first water flow passageway (110) and said outlet (150) of said second water flow passageway (120) of said water separator (100) to trap particulate matter in said water filter (140) and allow water from flowing through said water filter (140).