Patent · US Active

Fuel cell hydrogen detection

US11539058B1 · kind B1 · utility

0Cited by
2References
15Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateJul 12, 2021
Grant dateDec 27, 2022
Priority date
Expiry dateJul 12, 2041

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC Y)Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
  • CPC primaryY02E60/50
  • WIPO fieldElectrical machinery, apparatus, energy
  • WIPO sectorElectrical engineering

Abstract

A fuel cell system includes a fuel cell configured to produce electrical power by a chemical reaction of a flow of fuel and a flow of oxygen or air with an electrolyte and a cooling system configured to remove thermal energy from the fuel cell via a flow of coolant through the fuel cell. The fuel cell system includes one or more conductivity sensors configured to measure a change in conductivity of the coolant flow. A method of operating a fuel cell system includes producing electrical power at a fuel cell by a chemical reaction of a flow of fuel and a flow of air with an electrolyte, urging a flow of coolant through the fuel cell to remove thermal energy and ions from the fuel cell, and measuring a conductivity of the flow of coolant via one or more conductivity sensors.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.