Purging water with reactant air pump powered by operational fuel cell system during shutdown
US7282287B2 · kind B2 · utility
1Cited by
3References
1Claims
0Family size
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Nov 24, 2004 |
| Grant date | Oct 16, 2007 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Nov 24, 2024 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC Y)Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
- CPC primaryY02T90/40
- WIPO fieldElectrical machinery, apparatus, energy
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
The air blower (18) of a fuel cell power plant (9) is used to force water out of the coolant flow fields (27) of a fuel cell stack (10), a coolant pump (35) and a heat exchanger (40) through a valve (46) which is closed during normal operation. The water removal occurs as part of a shutdown procedure in which the fuel cell stack continues to operate so that it provides the power for the air pump and to assist in water removal (such as retaining low vapor pressure). The water flow to an accumulator (33) is blocked by a valve (29) during the shutdown procedure.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.