Method for resorting characteristics of polymer electrolyte fuel cell
US6881510B1 · kind B1 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Sep 14, 2000 |
| Grant date | Apr 19, 2005 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Jul 5, 2021 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC Y)Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
- CPC primaryY02E60/50
- WIPO fieldElectrical machinery, apparatus, energy
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
The present invention restores the performance of a fuel cell by: operating the cell in a loaded current mode different from that of a normal operation for a predetermined time; supplying an oxidant gas and a fuel gas to an anode and a cathode respectively and outputting a current from a cell body with the polarity being inverted; supplying a pressurized gas to at least one of the cathode and anode in an amount not less than 1.5 times as much as that in the normal operation or supplying oxygen to the cathode; or injecting a cleaning solution into the cathode and anode through a gas flow path. Consequently, it is possible to effectively restore a degraded performance of a polymer electrolyte fuel cell caused by a long operation.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.