Recirculation fan turbocharger assembly and fuel cell system

Abstract

A recirculation fan turbocharger assembly ( 23 ) recycles hydrogen and supplies air in a fuel cell system. The assembly ( 23 ) includes a fan ( 25 ), a compressor ( 27 ), and an electric drive ( 31 ) and/or a turbine ( 29 ). The fan ( 25 ) has an impeller ( 255 ) which is designed to convey a hydrogen containing recycle stream ( 250 ) to a fuel cell unit ( 1 ). The compressor ( 27 ) has a compressor wheel ( 275 ) which is designed to compress an air stream ( 270 ) for a fuel cell unit. The compressor wheel ( 275 ) and the impeller ( 255 ) are coupled to one another in a rotationally fixed manner. The electric drive ( 31 ) and/or a turbine ( 29 ) is/are designed to drive the impeller ( 255 ) and the compressor wheel ( 275 ) simultaneously.

1 . A recirculation fan turbocharger assembly for a hydrogen recycle and an air supply in a fuel cell system, the recirculation fan turbocharger assembly comprising:
 a fan having an impeller which is designed to convey a hydrogen containing recycle stream to a fuel cell unit,   a compressor having a compressor wheel which is designed to compress an air stream for a fuel cell unit, wherein the compressor wheel and the impeller are coupled to one another in a rotationally fixed manner, and   an electric drive and/or a turbine which is/are designed to drive the impeller and the compressor wheel simultaneously.   
     
     
         2 . The recirculation fan turbocharger assembly according to  claim 1 ,
 wherein the turbine is configured to be driven by a fuel cell exhaust gas stream.   
     
     
         3 . The recirculation fan turbocharger assembly according to  claim 1 ,
 wherein the turbine comprises a turbine wheel which is coupled to the impeller and the compressor wheel so that a rotation of the turbine wheel is transmitted to the impeller and the compressor wheel.   
     
     
         4 . The recirculation fan turbocharger assembly according to  claim 1 ,
 wherein the electric drive is configured to electrically assist the turbine in driving the fan and the compressor.   
     
     
         5 . The recirculation fan turbocharger assembly according to  claim 1 ,
 further comprising a shaft which is coupled to the compressor wheel and the impeller, wherein the electric drive is coupled to the shaft between the compressor wheel and the impeller.   
     
     
         6 . The recirculation fan turbocharger assembly according to  claim 1 ,
 further comprising a shaft which is coupled to the impeller, the compressor wheel and the turbine wheel, wherein the electric drive is coupled to the shaft between two of the impeller, the compressor wheel and the turbine wheel.   
     
     
         7 . The recirculation fan turbocharger assembly according to  claim 6 ,
 wherein an electric motor is arranged between the turbine wheel and the compressor wheel and is coupled to the shaft, and wherein the impeller is arranged on the side of the turbine wheel facing away from the electric motor.   
     
     
         8 . The recirculation fan turbocharger assembly according to  claim 6 ,
 wherein an electric motor is arranged between the turbine wheel and the impeller and is coupled to the shaft, and wherein the compressor wheel is arranged on the side of the impeller facing away from the electric motor.   
     
     
         9 . The recirculation fan turbocharger assembly according to  claim 6 ,
 wherein an electric motor is arranged between the compressor wheel and the impeller and is coupled to the shaft, and wherein the turbine wheel is arranged on the side of the impeller facing away from the electric motor.   
     
     
         10 . The recirculation fan turbocharger assembly according to  claim 3 ,
 wherein two of the impeller, the compressor wheel and the turbine wheel turn the backs thereof to one another.   
     
     
         11 . The recirculation fan turbocharger assembly according to  claim 2 ,
 further comprising a housing which comprises a fan housing, a compressor housing and a turbine housing and which is configured such that the hydrogen containing recycle stream, the air stream and the fuel cell exhaust gas stream flow through the housing spatially separately from one another.   
     
     
         12 . A fuel cell system comprising a recirculation fan turbocharger assembly according to  claim 1  and a fuel cell unit which are coupled to one another such that hydrogen from the fuel cell unit can be conveyed through a fan back to the fuel cell unit, and an air stream can be supplied through the compressor. 
     
     
         13 . The fuel cell system according to  claim 12 , wherein the fan has a fan inlet and a fan outlet, the compressor has a compressor inlet for the inflow of air and a compressor outlet, and the fuel cell unit is coupled to the fan inlet on the output side and to the fan outlet and the compressor outlet on the input side. 
     
     
         14 . The fuel cell system according to  claim 12 , wherein the fan has a fan inlet and a fan outlet, the compressor has a compressor inlet for the inflow of air and a compressor outlet, the turbine has a turbine inlet and a turbine outlet, and the fuel cell unit is coupled to the turbine inlet and the fan inlet on the output side, and to the fan outlet and the compressor outlet on the input side. 
     
     
         15 . The recirculation fan turbocharger assembly according to  claim 2 ,
 wherein the turbine comprises a turbine wheel which is coupled to the impeller and the compressor wheel so that a rotation of the turbine wheel is transmitted to the impeller and the compressor wheel.   
     
     
         16 . The recirculation fan turbocharger assembly according to  claim 3 ,
 wherein the impeller and the turbine wheel turn the backs thereof to one another.   
     
     
         17 . The recirculation fan turbocharger assembly according to  claim 2 ,
 wherein the electric drive is configured to electrically assist the turbine in driving the fan and the compressor.   
     
     
         18 . The recirculation fan turbocharger assembly according to  claim 1 , further comprising a housing which comprises a fan housing and a compressor housing which are configured such that the hydrogen containing recycle stream and the air stream flow through the housing spatially separately from one another. 
     
     
         19 . The recirculation fan turbocharger assembly according to  claim 5 , wherein the electric drive comprises an electric motor which drives both the compressor wheel and the impeller.