Patent · US Expired

Starting a fuel cell system using ambient air and a low voltage blower

US7344788B2 · kind B2 · utility

2Cited by

8References

46Claims

0Family size

Assignee

General Motors LLC · US

Inventors

Bruce J. Clingerman · Palmyra, US
Scott Dewey · Dansville, US
Rainer Pechtold · Idstein, DE
Roland Nolte · Denzlingen, DE
Hermann Victor · Mainz, DE
Bernhard Wnendt · Adelsheim, DE
Christian Kunstmann · Bad Soden, DE
Manfred Herrmann

Key dates

Filing date	Feb 19, 2004
Grant date	Mar 18, 2008
Priority date	—
Expiry date	Jan 20, 2025

Classification

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

Abstract

A mechanization of a fuel cell system and a method of operating the same is provided which simplifies the start-up of the fuel cell system. The fuel cell system can be started up without using any battery derived high voltage power to drive a high voltage compressor. The present invention provides for the use of a low voltage blower to provide oxygen to the cathode side of the fuel cell stack to enable start-up of the fuel cell stack without the initial use of a high voltage compressor. The low voltage blower can be powered by a low voltage power source and/or the voltage produced by the fuel cell stack.

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