Patent · US Active

System and method for drying a fuel cell stack at system shutdown

US7507488B2 · kind B2 · utility

3Cited by

3References

12Claims

0Family size

Assignee

General Motors LLC · US

Inventors

Jurgen Thyroff · Harxheim, DE
Thomas Weispfenning · Ober-Ramstadt, DE

Key dates

Filing date	Nov 12, 2004
Grant date	Mar 24, 2009
Priority date	—
Expiry date	Feb 6, 2027

Classification

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

Abstract

A system and method for drying a fuel cell stack after stack shutdown. In one embodiment, a cooling fluid is pumped through the fuel cell stack after the system is shutdown to use the heat still available in the cooling fluid immediately after shutdown to provide thermal equilibrium in the stack. In another embodiment, the heated cooling fluid still available immediately after system shutdown is sent through a cathode input gas heat exchanger so that drying air from the system compressor is heated by the cooling fluid before it enters the stack. In another embodiment, a separate heat exchanger is provided that receives the drying gas prior to it being sent into the fuel cell stack.

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