Hydrogen-producing fuel cell systems and methods of operating hydrogen-producing fuel cell systems for backup power operations
US11316180B2 · kind B2 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | May 18, 2021 |
| Grant date | Apr 26, 2022 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | May 18, 2041 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC Y)Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
- CPC primaryY02E60/50
- WIPO fieldElectrical machinery, apparatus, energy
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
Hydrogen-producing fuel cell systems (HPFCS) and methods. The HPFCS includes a fuel processor configured to produce generated hydrogen gas, a hydrogen storage device configured to contain stored hydrogen gas, and a fuel cell stack configured to produce an initial electrical output from the stored hydrogen gas and an oxidant and to produce a subsequent electrical output from the generated hydrogen gas and the oxidant. The methods include detecting an inability of a primary power source to satisfy an applied load. Responsive to the detecting, the methods include initiating a startup of the fuel processor, supplying stored hydrogen gas to the fuel cell stack to produce the initial electrical output, satisfying the applied load with the initial electrical output, supplying generated hydrogen gas to the fuel cell stack after the startup to produce a subsequent electrical output, and satisfying the applied load with the subsequent electrical output.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.