Entries |
Document | Title | Date |
20100136454 | FUEL CIRCUIT OF A FUEL CELL SYSTEM - A fuel cell circuit of a fuel cell system includes a fuel cell unit having an input on the anode side for feeding fuel from a storage tank to the fuel cell unit, and an output on the anode side for discharging fuel cell waste gas on the anode side from the fuel cell unit. A recirculation circuit is provided, to return the fuel cell waste gas on the anode side to the input on the anode side. The recirculation circuit is connected to an intake line of an ejector unit, and fuel can be fed from the storage tank directly into the recirculation circuit. | 06-03-2010 |
20100173214 | Controller for fuel cell operation - The current invention is a fuel cell controller that includes a first control loop, where the first control loop is disposed to adjust a fuel cell current to regulate a hydrogen output pressure from the fuel cell to a pressure target valve, and further includes a second control loop disposed to adjust a hydrogen flow rate from a hydrogen generator to match a DC/DC power output to a power target value. | 07-08-2010 |
20100190077 | FUEL CELL SYSTEM AND ELECTRONIC APPARATUS - A fuel cell system includes a power generator configured to generate electricity through supply of an oxidant gas and a fuel composed of a compound containing a carbon atom; a concentration detector configured to detect a concentration of carbon dioxide (CO | 07-29-2010 |
20100209796 | FUEL CELL SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR CONTROLLING REACTANT GAS SUPPLY AMOUNT - The amount of a reactant gas to be supplied can be controlled efficiently with a reduction in the effort required. A control unit judges whether or not the state where an atmospheric pressure detection value detected by an atmospheric pressure sensor does not fall within the range of 0.6 V to 4.48 V has continued for or longer than 50 ms. If the state has not continued for or longer than 50 ms, the control unit outputs an atmospheric pressure correction value by converting the atmospheric pressure detection value into an atmospheric pressure value and then passing the atmospheric pressure value through a low-pass filter. On the other hand, if the state has continued for or longer than 50 ms, the control unit outputs 101.3 kPa.abs which serves as a substitute value for the atmospheric pressure correction value. The control unit then converts respective pressure detection values detected by pressure sensors into gate pressure values, and adds the atmospheric pressure correction value to each of the gate pressure values so as to calculate absolute pressures of the respective reactant gases in an oxidant gas pipe system and a hydrogen gas pipe system. The control unit controls the supply amount of each of the reactant gases with respect to a fuel cell based on these absolute pressures. | 08-19-2010 |
20100221630 | FUEL CELL SYSTEM - In a fuel cell system, it is possible to suppress fixation of a fluid circulating device arranged in a fluid passage connected to a fuel cell main body. The fuel cell system is provided with a fuel cell stack, a system main body having respective elements for supplying a fuel gas and respective elements for supplying an oxidizing gas, and a control device. The control device includes a fluid circulating device drive processing unit having a function to forcibly drive the fluid circulating device after determining, based on a judgment related to one or more of a non-use time, an operation state of the system main body, a membrane impedance state of a fuel cell, a temperature of the fuel cell stack, and a background noise, whether or not forced driving to suppress sticking of the fluid circulating device is preferable at that time. | 09-02-2010 |
20100227241 | Pressure Regulating Valve, Fuel Cell System Using Same, and Hydrogen Generating Facility - A pressure regulating valve comprises a first pressure deformation part ( | 09-09-2010 |
20100233561 | FUEL CELL SYSTEM - A fuel cell system includes a cell stack body formed by stacking fuel cells on top of each other, end plates arranged at ends in the cell stacking direction of the cell stack body, and a fluid regulation device mounted in a flow path connected to the cell stack body and regulating conditions of fluid flowing in the flow path. The fluid regulation device is fixed to an end plate only at either of a fluid entrance portion and a fluid exit portion of the fluid regulation device. | 09-16-2010 |
20100239935 | FUEL CELL SYSTEM AND FUEL CELL VEHICLE - A fuel cell system according to the present invention includes a fuel cell; a fuel supply system for supplying a fuel gas to the fuel cell; an injector which drives a valve body with an electromagnetic driving force in a predetermined driving period to detach the valve body from a valve seat, whereby a gas state on the upstream side of the fuel supply system is adjusted to jet the gas to a downstream side; and a control device which controls the operation of the injector. The control device allows the injector to jet the gas with a jet flow rate of a predetermined jet flow rate or less in a case where the demanded amount of a power to be generated with respect to the fuel cell is the predetermined amount of the power to be generated or less, and the control device sets the driving frequency of the injector in accordance with the jet flow rate and the demanded amount of the power to be generated. | 09-23-2010 |
20100248059 | FUEL CELL UNIT AND FUEL CELL STACK - There is provided a fuel cell unit and a fuel cell stack including a flow rate controlling member provided in an anode flow path on the side of an exhaust flow path so as to be in contact with an anode gas diffusion layer wherein the flow rate controlling member generates pressure difference between an upstream side of the fuel flow path from a portion at which the flow rate controlling member is provided and a downstream side of the fuel flow path from the portion at which the flow rate controlling member is provided. The fuel cell unit and the fuel cell stack can uniformly supply a fuel and can prevent backflow of the fuel containing an impurity gas from a downstream side. | 09-30-2010 |
20100248060 | FUEL CELL SYSTEM AND HYDROGEN LEAK JUDGMENT METHOD IN THE SYSTEM - While the operation of a fuel cell is stopped, a pressure decrease caused by a current sweep is suppressed from being misjudged as being the occurrence of a hydrogen leak or a cross leak, and the judgment accuracy of the hydrogen leak, etc. is improved. In order to realize this feature, during an intermittent operation, in which, when a load on the fuel cell system is low, electrical power is supplied from a power storage unit in the fuel cell system to a power-consuming apparatus and power generation of a fuel cell is temporarily stopped, in the situation where a current sweep for suppressing a degradation of the fuel cell is performed, a hydrogen pressure in an anode of the fuel cell is corrected based on hydrogen consumed by the current sweep, and a hydrogen leak judgment based on a pressure decrease or a cross leak judgment based on a pressure decrease is performed on the basis of the corrected hydrogen pressure. For example, a pressure decrease speed of the hydrogen pressure in the anode which decreases due to power generation in the current sweep is integrated to obtain the amount of hydrogen pressure decrease caused by the power generation; and the amount of hydrogen pressure decrease can be reflected. | 09-30-2010 |
20100248061 | FUEL CELL SYSTEM - A fuel cell system having an on-off valve disposed in a fuel supply flow path implements highly accurate control of the on-off valve by properly correcting a detected pressure value of a fuel gas on an upstream side of the on-off valve. The fuel cell system includes a fuel cell, a fuel supply flow path for supplying a fuel gas to be supplied from a fuel supply source to the fuel cell, an on-off valve which adjusts the state of a gas on an upstream side of the fuel supply flow path and supplies the gas to a downstream side, a pressure sensor which detects the pressure value of the fuel gas on the upstream side of the on-off valve of the fuel supply flow path, and a control means which controls the on-off valve on the basis of the pressure value detected by the pressure sensor. The fuel cell system further includes a pressure correcting means which corrects a pressure value detected by the pressure sensor on the basis of a fuel consumption amount of the fuel cell and a drive cycle of the on-off valve. | 09-30-2010 |
20100273081 | FUEL CELL SYSTEM AND MOVING BODY - The amount of a reactant gas supplied to a fuel cell is properly maintained even in the case where a failure of reactant gas supply takes place in the middle of a drive cycle of a valve device. Provided is a fuel cell system including: a fuel cell; a gas supply flow path for supplying the reactant gas to the fuel cell; a valve device which is provided in the gas supply flow path and driven at a predetermined drive cycle; a controller which controls the drive of the valve device such that the reactant gas supplied to the fuel cell reaches a target gas state; and a sensor which measures the gas state of the reactant gas on a downstream side of the valve device, wherein the controller drives the valve device independently of the predetermined drive cycle in the case where the controller detects that the difference between the target gas state and a gas state measured by the sensor has exceeded a predetermined value. | 10-28-2010 |
20100279191 | FUEL CELL SYSTEM - A fuel cell system including a fuel cell, a gas-liquid separator, a tank, an outlet pipe, and an inlet pipe is disclosed. The gas-liquid separator separates off-gas discharged from the fuel cell into water and gas. The tank is capable of containing water separated by the gas-liquid separator. The outlet pipe discharges gas, which is separated by the gas-liquid separator, from the gas-liquid separator. The outlet pipe has a venturi. The inlet pipe draws the water contained in the tank into the venturi. The water contained in the tank is drawn through the inlet pipe into the venturi to be atomized and discharged as atomized water from the outlet pipe. | 11-04-2010 |
20100279192 | FUEL CELL SYSTEM AND CONTROL METHOD OF THE SYSTEM - Disclosed is a fuel cell system capable of stabilizing the power generation state of a fuel cell for a period of transition from a power generation stop state during an intermittent operation or the like to a usual operation. The fuel cell system supplies a fuel gas from a fuel supply source to a fuel cell to generate a power, and comprises output limit means for limiting the output of the fuel cell after shift from the power generation stop state of the fuel cell to a power generation state. The output limit means subtracts the flow rate of the fuel gas used to recover the pressure of the fuel gas in the power generation stop state to the pressure of the fuel gas in the power generation state from the total flow rate of the fuel gas supplied from the fuel supply source after the shift from the power generation stop state to the power generation state, to calculate the flow rate of the fuel gas actually supplied to the fuel cell after the shift from the power generation stop state to the power generation state, thereby limiting the output of the fuel cell by use of an output current value corresponding to the calculated flow rate as an upper limit. | 11-04-2010 |
20100297518 | FUEL CELL SYSTEM - A fuel cell system comprises a fuel cell stack, a cell voltage monitor, a hydrogen tank, a hydrogen supply channel, an ejector, a hydrogen off-gas channel, a purge valve, a compressor, an air supply channel, a pressure control unit for controlling air pressure, a pilot pressure input channel branching off from the air supply channel and inputting the air pressure to the ejector as pilot pressure, and a control unit for controlling the purge valve and the pressure control unit. The ejector includes a pressure control mechanism which increases the ejector's secondary-side pressure by increasing the area of the nozzle's ejecting hole when the pilot pressure input from the pilot pressure input channel rises. When electricity generation status of the fuel cell stack is judged to be poor, the control unit opens the purge valve after raising the air pressure and the pilot pressure by using the pressure control unit. | 11-25-2010 |
20100304262 | Controlled-Clearance Sealing Compressor Devices - A controlled-clearance sealing compressor device that provides precision rotor centering directly with respect to the stator housing, vane centering with respect to rotor (not the stator) and the dynamic balance design of the gliders required for practical single and dual vane devices. The devices uses roller bearings to control the radial position of the vane and control rods or pins are used to control axial positioning of the vane, its ‘centralization’ with respect to the rotor and the endplates. The positive displacement rotary vane compressors and vacuum pumps have friction reduction, efficiency enhancement and exceedingly long operating life as a result of the non-contact gas sealing of the process gas within the rotary vane compressors and vacuum pumps. In an embodiment the positive displacement compressing device is used in transportation vehicles. | 12-02-2010 |
20100323262 | REACTANT DELIVERY TO A REACTIVE SURFACE IN A CHANNEL - The present invention provides geometric arrangements for channels through which liquids or other fluids can be made to flow, for enhanced performance of fuel cells or other chemical or biochemical reactors or analyzers. Systems and methods including these improved geometries are described herein for enhanced performance of a variety of devices. Specifically, in one set of embodiments, the reactors comprise one or more microchannels comprising a tapered cross-sectional area and at least one reactive surface portion. By flowing a liquid comprising one or more reactants through the channel such that the cross-sectional area decreases in a downstream direction, relatively more reactant may be supplied to the wall at downstream positions relative to the amount that would be supplied in a system without a tapered cross-section. In some embodiments, the microchannel may be constructed and arranged such that the amount of reactant supplied to the wall conforms to a predetermined distribution. | 12-23-2010 |
20110003225 | RECHARGING VALVE FOR A FUEL CELL - The present invention relates to a recharging valve for an electrical power generator. The electrical power generator includes one or more fuel cells, a housing, surrounding the one or more fuel cells, a sleeve contacting at least a portion of an outer surface of the housing, a fuel chamber enclosing a hydrogen generating fuel, and one or more recharging valves, in contact with the fuel chamber. The recharging valves provide a means for safe and rapid recharging the hydrogen generating fuel. | 01-06-2011 |
20110045374 | FUEL CELL SYSTEM - A fuel cell system comprising: an anode gas circulation path comprising an anode gas supplying path and an anode gas ejection path; a fuel cell; a blowdown valve; and a control unit controlling the blowdown valve, wherein the control unit comprises a freeze estimation unit estimating whether the anode gas circulation path is likely to freeze, a pressure reduction unit reducing a pressure of the anode gas circulation path, and a pressure condition confirmation unit confirming a pressure of the anode gas circulation path; and when the freeze estimation unit estimates a freezing when the fuel cell stops generating electricity, the blowdown valve is closed, a pressure of the anode gas circulation path is reduced by the pressure reduction unit, and, the blowdown valve is opened after the pressure condition confirmation unit confirms that a pressure of the anode gas circulation path reaches a predetermined pressure less than or equal to an atmospheric pressure, thereby moving a moisture inside the anode gas circulation path in a direction towards the fuel cell. | 02-24-2011 |
20110117468 | PRESSURE RELIEF SYSTEM FOR A FUEL CELL SYSTEM HAVING A PRESSURIZED FUEL FLOW - A fuel cell-based system includes an electromechanical pressure relief system to prevent an overpressure condition from damaging the anode circuit of a fuel cell stack or creating a hazardous environment. Upon detection of a fuel flow pressure in a fuel path between a fuel source and the fuel cell stack, the pressure relief system isolates the anode circuit from the fuel path, vents the fuel flow, and shuts down the fuel cell system. | 05-19-2011 |
20110123889 | Fuel Cell Supply Including Information Storage Device and Control System - The present invention is directed to a fuel cell system with various features for optimal operations of an electronic device, a battery charger or a fuel refilling device. The fuel cell system includes an information storage device associated with the fuel supply, pump and/or refitting device. The information storage device can be any electronic storage device including, but not limited to, an EEPROM or a PLA. The information storage device can include encrypted information. The information storage device can include software code for confirming the identification of the cartridge before operation of the electronic device and/or refilling device. The information storage device can include instructions for a hot swap operation to shut down property when the fuel supply is ejected while the electronic device is in operation. The present invention is also directed to system architecture for a fuel cell system that utilizes information storage devices. The system architecture may have flow regulators, which include a regulating valve. | 05-26-2011 |
20110165489 | FUEL CELL BASED POWER GENERATOR - A power generator is formed with a container adapted to hold a hydrogen generating fuel. A valve assembly has a valve plate with a border less than a border of the container. A fuel cell is laterally disposed outside and around the valve assembly having a lateral width that fits within the border of the container. A cover is adapted to mate with the container and enclose the valve plate and fuel cell. | 07-07-2011 |
20110183225 | OPTIMIZED CATHODE FILL STRATEGY FOR FUEL CELL - A method for controlling cathode air flow at system start-up by controlling a stack by-pass valve. The method includes determining a concentration of hydrogen in a cathode side of the fuel cell system. The method also includes determining a volumetric flow rate through a cathode compressor, determining a volumetric flow rate through the stack cathode and determining a fraction of volumetric flow rate through the cathode to the total flow through the compressor. The method determines a modeled hydrogen outlet concentration from the fuel cell stack based on the volumetric flow rate through the compressor, the fraction of volumetric flow rate through the compressor to the total flow through the compressor and the concentration of hydrogen in the cathode. The method uses a desired fraction of volumetric flow rate through the cathode and the total flow through the compressor to determine the position of the by-pass valve. | 07-28-2011 |
20110229784 | Flow regulator for fuel cell - A fuel-cell flow regulator is placed in a fuel cell having two entrances, each of which is formed at one of two sides of the fuel cell. The fuel cell is composed of a plurality of single cells, each of which includes a fuel inlet and a fuel passage in communication with the fuel inlet. The fuel passages jointly define a fuel tunnel in communication with all of the entrances. The flow regulator is located at the fuel tunnel and movable back and forth along the fuel tunnel. | 09-22-2011 |
20110262823 | METHOD FOR CHECKING THE SEAL OF A STACK OF FUEL CELLS | 10-27-2011 |
20110269044 | SYSTEM FOR GENERATING ELECTRIC POWER WITH MICRO FUEL CELLS AND CORRESPONDING PROCESS - Embodiment of a system for generating electric power with micro fuel cells comprising at least one first micro cell and at least one second micro cell, each micro cell having an anode and a cathode with a membrane being sandwich-wise interposed, the system comprising a spacer element having an annular element that surrounds a cavity, said spacer element being associated with said anode of said first micro cell and with said anode of said second micro cell to realize a common diffusion chamber for the fuel of said first micro cell a of said second micro cell. | 11-03-2011 |
20110269045 | HIGH-PRESSURE FLUID SUPPLY APPARATUS - A high-pressure fluid supply apparatus that avoids gas leakage due to a reduction in the performance of a seal member provided inside piping is provided. A high-pressure fluid supply apparatus is provided, the apparatus including: piping that supplies a fluid from a high-pressure fluid supply source to a fluid utilizing device via a first valve device and a second valve device; a seal member that is arranged at a pipe part between the first and second valve devices in order to maintain sealing property of the pipe part, the seal member being made of an elastic material; and a control unit that controls closing and opening of the first and second valve devices to be able to adjust a pressure variation rate of the fluid in the pipe part, wherein the control unit adjusts the pressure variation rate in accordance with a temperature of the seal member. | 11-03-2011 |
20110274996 | ADAPTIVE METHOD TO CONTROL FUEL DELIVERY INJECTOR WITH MODELING UNCERTAINTIES IN A FUEL CELL SYSTEM - A method for adaptively controlling a fuel delivery injector in a fuel cell system, including determining a feed-forward bias for the fuel delivery injector, determining an injector flow set-point for the fuel delivery injector, monitoring stack current, determining a transient pressure correction for the stack and correcting the injector flow set-point. | 11-10-2011 |
20110294027 | FUEL CELL SYSTEM AND A METHOD FOR CONTROLLING THE FUEL CELL SYSTEM - A fuel cell system includes (1) a fuel containing unit having two containers containing a metal hydride, the two containers being disposed in thermal contact with each other, (2) a fuel cell disposed in thermal contact with one of the two containers, (3) a discharge regulating valve capable of switching between a suppressed state in which hydrogen discharge from the other of the two containers is suppressed and an open state in which the suppressed state is canceled, and ( | 12-01-2011 |
20120015273 | SOLID OXIDE FUEL CELL - A solid oxide fuel cell capable of maintaining performance over a long time period by appropriately changing fuel cell module operating conditions. The present invention is a solid oxide fuel cell ( | 01-19-2012 |
20120028157 | SOLID OXIDE FUEL CELL STACK - A solid oxide fuel cell stack is provided in which a separate fuel-blocking unit is provided to each fuel supply tube that connects a fuel supply unit to each bundle portion of the stack, so that the fuel supply to a defective bundle portion may be selectively blocked, thereby preventing the risk of explosion due to fuel leakage and the performance degradation of the other bundle portions. To this end, a fuel cell stack includes a bundle portion including unit cells each having a stacked structure of a first electrode, an electrolytic layer, and a second electrode, and a manifold having the unit cells connected thereto. A fuel supply portion is connected to the manifold of the bundle portion through a fuel supply tube provided at one side thereof. A fuel-blocking unit is connected to the fuel supply tube to block the fuel supply tube. | 02-02-2012 |
20120028158 | SOLID OXIDE FUEL CELL - A solid oxide fuel cell is provided with which the further advance of degradation can be restrained relative to fuel cell units in which degradation has advanced. The present invention is a solid oxide fuel cell ( | 02-02-2012 |
20120058408 | COVERS FOR ELECTROCHEMICAL CELLS AND RELATED METHODS - Embodiments of the invention relate to an electrochemical cell system including a cover that affects reactant flow into an electrochemical cell array. | 03-08-2012 |
20120088176 | METHOD FOR THE DIRECT OXIDATION AND/OR INTERNAL REFORMING OF ETHANOL, SOLID OXIDE FUEL CELL FOR DIRECT OXIDATION AND/OR INTERNAL REFORMING OF ETHANOL, CATALYST AND MULTIFUNCTIONAL ELECTROCATALYTIC ANODE FOR DIRECT OXIDATION AND/OR INTERNAL - The present invention relates to the direct oxidation and/or internal reforming of ethanol and/or mixtures of ethanol and water, in a solid oxide fuel cell, with multifunctional electrocatalytic anodes having specific features, on the basis of mixed oxides and metal oxides and catalysts, preferably with a perovskite-like crystalline structure. | 04-12-2012 |
20120094201 | FUEL CELL WITH INTERNAL FLOW CONTROL - A fuel cell stack is provided with a plurality of fuel cell cassettes where each fuel cell cassette has a fuel cell with an anode and cathode. The fuel cell stack includes an anode supply chimney for supplying fuel to the anode of each fuel cell cassette, an anode return chimney for removing anode exhaust from the anode of each fuel cell cassette, a cathode supply chimney for supplying oxidant to the cathode of each fuel cell cassette, and a cathode return chimney for removing cathode exhaust from the cathode of each fuel cell cassette. A first fuel cell cassette includes a flow control member disposed between the anode supply chimney and the anode return chimney or between the cathode supply chimney and the cathode return chimney such that the flow control member provides a flow restriction different from at least one other fuel cell cassettes. | 04-19-2012 |
20120135328 | FUEL CELL - According to one embodiment, a fuel cell includes an electric-power generator, a fuel distribution mechanism, and a pump. The electric-power generator includes a membrane electrode assembly including an anode, a cathode, and an electrolytic membrane. The fuel distribution mechanism includes a container and a thin tube. The container includes a fuel discharge surface, and contains the electric-power generator inside. The thin tube is formed in the container in a manner that a fuel outlet and a fuel inlet communicate with each other. The pump is connected directly to the fuel inlet. | 05-31-2012 |
20120148931 | SELF-PUMPING MEMBRANELESS FUEL CELL - The present invention is directed to a device, and method of operation, for a fuel cell which uses bubble-based pumping to self-pump the fuel to the anode, and a single, common channel separating the anode from the cathode through which a mixed fuel and electrolyte flow. The fuel cell includes a single channel having two of its sides formed by the anode and the cathode, each having a suitable catalyst. A bubble generating region is formed in the anode and cathode reaction area of the channel. A one-way valve is located upstream of the bubble generating region. A vent for venting bubbles is disposed over a portion of the channel downstream of the bubble generating region. The fuel cell may be advantageously used to build miniature fuel cells for miniature electronic devices, or scaled to build larger fuel cells for larger electronic devices. | 06-14-2012 |
20120148932 | FLUIDIC DISTRIBUTION SYSTEM AND RELATED METHODS - Embodiments of the present invention relate to a fluid distribution system. The system may include one or more electrochemical cell layers, a bulk distribution manifold having an inlet, a cell layer feeding manifold in direct fluidic contact with the electrochemical cell layer and a separation layer that separates the bulk distribution manifold from the cell feeding manifold, providing at least two independent paths for fluid to flow from the bulk distribution manifold to the cell feeding manifold. | 06-14-2012 |
20120189933 | ANODE CATALYST LAYERS FOR DIRECT OXIDATION FUEL CELLS - A direct oxidation fuel cell (DOFC) and a method of fabricating the DOFC such that the DOFC reduces overpotential. The DOFC includes a cathode electrode; an anode electrode; and a polymer electrolyte membrane (PEM) sandwiched between the cathode and the anode. Each of the cathode electrode and anode electrode include a catalyst layer and a gas diffusion layer (GDL) and the anode electrode catalyst layer includes platinum (Pt), ruthenium (Ru) and a small amount of SnO | 07-26-2012 |
20120189934 | FUEL CELL WITH MEANS FOR REGULATING POWER OUTPUT - A fuel cell is provided, with an anode device having a fuel inlet, a cathode device having an oxidizing agent inlet, and a membrane arranged between the anode device and the cathode device. The fuel cell has means for self-regulating the output power of the fuel cell, which counteract a reduction in output power or regulate output power substantially independently of the fuel cell service life and operating temperature. The means can have at least one bypass diode connected electrically to the anode device and the cathode device and/or at least one fuel feed device with a self-regulating fuel feed, which has a first thermally expansible element, and/or at least one oxidizing agent feed device with a self-regulating oxidizing agent feed, which has a second thermally expansible element. | 07-26-2012 |
20120237845 | PRESSURE REGULATING VALVE, FUEL CELL SYSTEM USING SAME, AND HYDROGEN GENERATING FACILITY - A pressure regulating valve has a first pressure deformation portion which receives a pressure on a fuel demand side, a second pressure deformation portion opposed to the first pressure deformation portion and which receives a predetermined pressure, first and second flow passages, and a communication passage communicating the first and second flow passages with each other. A valve member connects the first and second pressure deformation portions together and has a valve element that closes the communication passage when moved toward the second pressure deformation portion. When the pressure on the fuel demand side is lower than a predetermined value, the valve element does not close the communication passage, but when the pressure on the fuel demand side is equal to or higher than the predetermined value, the valve element closes the communication passage. | 09-20-2012 |
20130004879 | FUEL CELL SYSTEM - A fuel cell system includes a fuel cell device, a fuel supply device, and a control device. The fuel cell device includes a fuel cell, a fuel-cell related auxiliary machine, and a fuel-cell related information sensor. The fuel supply device includes a fuel source for the fuel cell, a fuel-source related auxiliary machine, and a fuel-source related information sensor. The control device is configured to control the fuel cell device and the fuel supply device, and is configured to process information provided from the fuel-cell related information sensor and the fuel-source related information sensor. The control device includes a first controller provided in the fuel cell device, and a second controller provided in the fuel supply device. | 01-03-2013 |
20130029243 | FUEL CELL ARRANGEMENT - A fuel cell arrangement is disclosed. The fuel cell arrangement includes a fuel cell stack and a housing wall element to form a housing surrounding the fuel cell stack. The housing wall element comprises a penetrating opening for an electric contacting of the fuel cell stack via a conductor. The conductor extends through the penetrating opening. A sheath is arranged between the penetrating opening wall and the conductor around an insulation layer arranged at the conductor. The sheath, together with the insulation layer, is pushed against the conductor in a gas-tight fashion, with the penetrating opening being sealed in a gas-tight fashion via a compensation element to compensate for longitudinal and lateral movements. The compensation element is lastingly fastened at the sheath element and the housing wall element in a gas-tight fashion. | 01-31-2013 |
20130034791 | METHOD AND ARRANGEMENT FOR CONTROLLING FUEL FEED IN THE FUEL CELL SYSTEM - Exemplary embodiments are directed to a fuel cell system that is fed fuel and provided information on the fed fuel. The system generates information about fuel utilization in the fuel cells and oxygen to carbon ratio (O/C ratio) in the fuel cell system process and includes features for controlling a loading of the fuel cells. The fuel cell system also includes a first closed loop controller for controlling the feeding of fuel by taking into account the fuel utilization information as process feedback information, and by implementing a constraint function taking control of O/C ratio by restricting output of the first controller when said O/C ratio deviates from an allowed range, and a second controller for controlling active fuel cell loading by implementing a constraint function taking control of fuel utilization restricting output of the second controller when said fuel utilization deviates from an allowed range. | 02-07-2013 |
20130065149 | COUNTER-FREEZE CONTROL METHOD FOR FUEL CELL SYSTEM - A fuel cell system includes: a fuel cell having an anode and a cathode; an oxidant gas flowpath supplying the oxidant gas to the fuel cell and discharging the oxidant gas from the fuel cell; a first shut-off valve disposed upstream from the fuel cell and having a first valve body; a second shut-off valve disposed downstream from the fuel cell and having a second valve body; a cathode control unit for sealing the cathode; and a scavenging unit for scavenging the anode by supplying the oxidant gas to the anode, wherein the cathode control unit, before scavenging the anode by using the scavenging unit, unseals the cathode by opening the first shut-off valve and the second shut-off valve. The fuel cell system is capable of preventing the valve bodies pressed against seat sections from being frozen even below the freezing temperature, and capable of avoiding a situation unable to restart a turned-off state of the fuel cell system. | 03-14-2013 |
20130189601 | Separable Fuel Cartridge - A fuel supply ( | 07-25-2013 |
20140004437 | STACKED FLOW CELL DESIGN AND METHOD | 01-02-2014 |
20140120442 | Apparatus and Method of In-Situ Measurement of Membrane Fluid Crossover - Systems and methods for measuring in-situ membrane fluid crossover are provided. One embodiment of a system for diagnosing in situ degradation of membranes in a fuel cell stack comprises an inert gas supply configured to be connected to the fuel cell stack to supply an inert gas to an anode side of the fuel cell stack during diagnosis and means for detecting an amount of crossover cathode gas in exhaust from the anode side of the fuel cell stack during diagnosis. | 05-01-2014 |
20140308598 | FUEL CELL SYSTEMS INCLUDING SPACE-SAVING FLUID PLENUM AND RELATED METHODS - Fuel cell systems and methods having reduced volumetric requirements are described. The systems include, among other things, an enclosed region formed by the bonding of a fuel cell layer with a fluid manifold. The enclosed region transforms into a fluid plenum when, for example, a fluid exiting a manifold outlet pressurizes the enclosed region causing one or more portions of the fuel cell layer and/or the fluid manifold to deform away from each other. | 10-16-2014 |
20150318566 | FLUIDIC DISTRIBUTION SYSTEM AND RELATED METHODS - Embodiments of the present invention relate to a fluid distribution system. The system may include one or more electrochemical cell layers, a bulk distribution manifold having an inlet, a cell layer feeding manifold in direct fluidic contact with the electrochemical cell layer and a separation layer that separates the bulk distribution manifold from the cell feeding manifold, providing at least two independent paths for fluid to flow from the bulk distribution manifold to the cell feeding manifold. | 11-05-2015 |
20190148752 | FUEL CELL STACK TEMPERATURE CONTROL | 05-16-2019 |