Process water thermal management of electrochemical inert gas generating system

Abstract

A system is disclosed for providing inerting gas to a protected space. The system includes an electrochemical cell comprising a cathode and an anode separated by a separator including a proton transfer medium. A supply of process water is provided to the anode, and inerting gas is produced at the cathode. A heat exchanger is in operative fluid and thermal communication with the process water, and a temperature sensor is in operative thermal communication with the cathode or the anode. A controller is configured to provide a target temperature of the temperature sensor through control of a flow rate of process water or a temperature of process water, or both a flow rate and a temperature of process water, through a process water thermal management flow path in operative thermal communication with the cathode or the anode.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A system for providing inerting gas to a protected space, comprising
 an electrochemical cell comprising a cathode and an anode separated by a separator comprising a proton transfer medium;   a cathode fluid flow path in operative fluid communication with the cathode between a cathode fluid flow path inlet and a cathode fluid flow path outlet;   an anode fluid flow path in operative fluid communication with the anode between an anode fluid flow path inlet and an anode fluid flow path outlet;   a cathode supply fluid flow path between an air source and the cathode fluid flow path inlet, and an inerting gas flow path in operative fluid communication with the cathode fluid flow path outlet and the protected space;   an anode supply fluid flow path between a supply of process water and the anode fluid flow path inlet; and   thermal management components including:   a heat exchanger in operative fluid and thermal communication with the process water;   a temperature sensor in operative thermal communication with the cathode or the anode, or with both the cathode and the anode;   a flow control device arranged to control a flow of process water to a flow path in operative thermal communication with the cathode or anode, or with both the cathode and the anode; and   a controller configured to provide a target temperature of the temperature sensor through control of a flow rate of process water or a temperature of process water, or both a flow rate and a temperature of process water, through a process water thermal management flow path in operative thermal communication with the cathode or the anode or with both the cathode and the anode.   
     
     
         2 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the heat exchanger includes a heat rejection side in operative fluid communication with the process water thermal management flow path, and a heat absorption side in operative thermal communication with a heat sink. 
     
     
         3 . The system of  claim 2 , wherein the heat exchanger includes a heat absorption side in operative fluid communication with the process water thermal management flow path, and a heat rejection side in operative thermal communication with a heat source. 
     
     
         4 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the process water thermal management flow path includes the anode fluid flow path, or the cathode fluid flow path, or a fluid flow path in operative thermal communication with the cathode or with the anode or with both the cathode and the anode and in fluid isolation from the cathode and fluid flow paths. 
     
     
         5 . The system of  claim 4 , wherein the process water thermal management flow path includes the anode fluid flow path. 
     
     
         6 . The system of  claim 4 , wherein the process water thermal management flow path includes the cathode fluid flow path. 
     
     
         7 . The system of  claim 4 , wherein the process water thermal management flow path includes the fluid flow path in operative thermal communication with the cathode or with the anode or with both the cathode and the anode and in fluid isolation from the cathode and fluid flow paths. 
     
     
         8 . The system of  claim 7 , wherein the fluid flow path in operative thermal communication with the cathode or with the anode or with both the cathode and the anode and in fluid isolation from the cathode and fluid flow paths comprises a conduit disposed on the cathode fluid flow path or anode fluid flow path. 
     
     
         9 . The system of  claim 7 , comprising a plurality of said electrochemical cells in a stack separated by electrically-conductive fluid flow separators wherein the fluid flow path in operative thermal communication with the cathode or with the anode or with both the cathode and the anode and in fluid isolation from the cathode and fluid flow paths includes an internal passage through one or more of the electrically-conductive fluid flow separators. 
     
     
         10 . The system of  claim 1 , comprising a plurality of said electrochemical cells in a stack separated by electrically-conductive fluid flow separators. 
     
     
         11 . A system for providing inerting gas to a protected space, comprising
 an electrochemical cell comprising a cathode and an anode separated by a separator comprising a proton transfer medium;   a cathode fluid flow path in operative fluid communication with the cathode between a cathode fluid flow path inlet and a cathode fluid flow path outlet;   an anode fluid flow path in operative fluid communication with the anode between an anode fluid flow path inlet and an anode fluid flow path outlet;   a cathode supply fluid flow path between an air source and the cathode fluid flow path inlet, and an inerting gas flow path in operative fluid communication with the cathode fluid flow path outlet and the protected space;   an anode supply fluid flow path between a process water source and the anode fluid flow path inlet; and   a cooling water fluid flow path in operative fluid communication with the process water source, said cooling water fluid flow path in operative thermal communication with the cathode or with the anode or with both the anode and the cathode, and in fluid isolation from the cathode fluid flow path and the anode fluid flow path.   
     
     
         12 . A method of inerting a protected space, comprising
 delivering process water to an anode of an electrochemical cell comprising the anode and a cathode separated by a separator comprising a proton transfer medium;   delivering air to the cathode and reducing oxygen at the cathode to generate oxygen-depleted air;   directing the oxygen-depleted air from the cathode of the electrochemical cell along an inerting gas flow path to the protected space; and   controlling a flow rate of process water or controlling a temperature of process water, or controlling both a flow rate and a temperature of process water, on a process water thermal management flow path in operative thermal communication with the cathode or the anode or with both the cathode and the anode, to provide a target temperature at the anode or at the cathode or at both the anode and the cathode.   
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 12 , further comprising directing the process water through a heat rejection side of a heat exchanger comprising a heat absorption side in operative fluid communication with a heat sink. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 13 , further comprising directing the process water through a heat absorption side of a heat exchanger comprising a heat rejection side in operative thermal communication with a heat source. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the process water thermal management flow path includes the anode fluid flow path, or the cathode fluid flow path, or a fluid flow path in operative thermal communication with the cathode or with the anode or with both the cathode and the anode and in fluid isolation from the cathode and fluid flow paths. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the process water thermal management flow path includes the anode fluid flow path. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the process water thermal management flow path includes the cathode fluid flow path. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the process water thermal management flow path includes the fluid flow path in operative thermal communication with the cathode or with the anode or with both the cathode and the anode and in fluid isolation from the cathode and fluid flow paths. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein the fluid flow path in operative thermal communication with the cathode or with the anode or with both the cathode and the anode and in fluid isolation from the cathode and fluid flow paths comprises a conduit disposed on the cathode fluid flow path or anode fluid flow path. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 18 , comprising a plurality of said electrochemical cells in a stack separated by electrically-conductive fluid flow separators wherein the fluid flow path in operative thermal communication with the cathode or with the anode or with both the cathode and the anode and in fluid isolation from the cathode and fluid flow paths includes an internal passage through one or more of the electrically-conductive fluid flow separators.