Patent · US Active

On-line system identification and control of fuel cell humidification via HFR measurements

US7687164B2 · kind B2 · utility

11Cited by
2References
14Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateSep 21, 2007
Grant dateMar 30, 2010
Priority date
Expiry dateOct 1, 2028

Classification

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

Abstract

A fuel cell system is provided, including an HFR measurement device in electrical communication with a fuel cell stack. The HFR measurement is used online to measure an HFR of the fuel cell stack suitable for calculation of a d(HFR)/d(RH) ratio. A humidity regulator is provided in fluid communication with the fuel cell stack. A controller periodically changes stack operating conditions to perturb an RH of the fuel cell stack, process the HFR response, and compute the d(HFR)/d(RH) ratio. A method for online identification and control of the fuel cell stack humidification is also provided. The d(HFR)/d(RH) ratio is an auxiliary measurement of membrane hydration which is used as a feedback for hydration control.

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