Patent · US Expired

Fuel cell system and method for operating the same

US6800387B2 · kind B2 · utility

16Cited by
3References
7Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateMay 1, 2002
Grant dateOct 5, 2004
Priority date
Expiry dateMar 13, 2023

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC Y)Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
  • CPC primaryY02T90/40
  • WIPO fieldElectrical machinery, apparatus, energy
  • WIPO sectorElectrical engineering

Abstract

In a fuel cell system 4 in which electricity is generated by a fuel cell 4 supplied with the hydrogen gas created from a reforming reaction and the electricity is supplied to an external load 12, an electric buffer CAPA for storing surplus electricity or supplementing insufficient electricity is located between the fuel cell 4 and the external load 12, and a hydrogen buffer MHB for accommodating surplus hydrogen gas and supplementing insufficient hydrogen gas is located between a reforming device 2 and the fuel cell. Where electricity consumption in the load 12 increases abruptly, necessary electricity is supplied with the assistance of the electric buffer CAPA and hydrogen buffer HMB.

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